The cross-pair microbiota is a truly unique plant. Many confuse it with juniper creeping along the ground. However, the closest relative to the microbiota is the eastern thuja. Many seek to independently grow this plant at home. But it's not so simple. After all, planting and caring for the microbiota have their own characteristics.
What kind of plant is this
The microbiota has widely spread branches that form a low crown with pronounced tiers. The plant was discovered only in the XX century. However, gardeners immediately appreciated the beauty and dignity of the microbiota.
It is worth noting that this fairly unpretentious shrub retains its shape for a very long time, as it grows only a few centimeters in a year. An adult plant very rarely reaches a height of one meter. However, the width of the cross-pair microbiota can reach more than five meters. This should be taken into account when planting it.
The needles of this shrub are less flattened than those of thuja. At the same time, the branches are very pleasant to the touch. In the warm season, the needles are dark greenshade. With the approach of cold weather, the plant begins to acquire the color of old copper. Thanks to this, the microbiota becomes a real decoration of the garden.
Another advantage of this shrub is that you can lie on it and it won't break. The microbiota is a very flexible, soft yet strong plant that can support human weight. Not every coniferous shrub is capable of this.
How to plant a plant
The microbiota is cross-pair, planting and caring for which even beginners in gardening can do, loves well-dark places. Of course, growing under the warm rays of the sun does not in any way affect the condition of the shrub. However, an improperly chosen place can greatly affect the growth of the microbiota. As for the soil, loamy or sandy loam is best.
The plant is planted in a previously prepared hole corresponding to the size of its underground part. When planting, do not deepen the root neck by more than two centimeters. The planting hole must be carefully prepared. About 20 centimeters it needs to be filled with large rubble and stone chips for drainage. Add sand and compost to the excavated soil. If the microbiota cross-pair "Jacobsen" is planted as a separate plant, then it should be placed a meter from neighboring shrubs. The same is true for group landings. An exception in this case is the placement of shrubs in a row. You can land them at a distance of half a meter from each other.friend.
Water and fertilize
The microbiota is drought tolerant and winter hardy. The only thing this shrub needs is proper and sufficient watering. The cross-toed microbiota does not tolerate stagnant water and waterlogging of the soil. However, the plant requires spraying and abundant watering. To make the shrub comfortable, you should monitor the condition of the soil. When it dries, the microbiota can be watered. During dry periods, it is worth moistening the soil under the shrub several times every seven days until natural precipitation resumes. In order for the microbiota crown to remain beautiful and retain its decorative effect, it is necessary to spray the plant every evening.
A few years after planting, the bush can be fed. To do this, it is better to use a universal fertilizer. It should be applied to the soil without getting on the branches of the microbiota.
Loosening and weeding
If the cross-pair microbiota grows alone, then it is necessary to regularly remove weeds growing under its wide crown. In this case, you can loosen the soil, but not very deep. Otherwise, you can severely damage the roots of the plant. The depth of loosening should not exceed the width of the palm. There are no branched deep roots around the plant, so care should be taken with extreme caution. If the shrubs are planted in a group, then loosening the soil under them is strictly prohibited.
Transplantation and wintering
The microbiota is cross-pair, the cultivation of which does not cause any special problems, it transplants perfectly. Due to the structure of the root system, an earthy coma does not form around the plant. Therefore, even adult plants can be transplanted. Shrubs react to this absolutely painlessly and take root well in a new place. In addition, the microbiota perfectly perceives formative pruning. It should be carried out no later than the first decade of May.
Although this shrub is frost-resistant, and it does not need to be wrapped up for the winter, it is still better to protect young seedlings from the cold. To do this, you can lay a thick layer of dry leaves or mulch obtained from spruce branches.
Reproduction of microbiota
This shrub reproduces well by seeds. For best results, use only fresh planting material. Over the course of several years, microbiota seeds gradually lose their germination capacity. When sowing, certain rules must be observed. Bookmarking seeds should be carried out before winter. There is another option, which involves the stratification of planting material at low temperatures for several months.
Cross-pair microbiota reproduces well and vegetatively. To do this, you can use cuttings or make horizontal layering. This is done in the spring. Closer to autumn, roots will appear at the dug branches.
Propagation by cuttings of this shrub also does not cause any particular difficulties. You need to tear off young shoots with a “heel”. In other words, with a piece of wood and bark. Also, as planting material, you can use already branching shoots, the length of which is from 20 to 25 centimeters. It is best to take cuttings in early June.
Cross-pair microbiota: reviews
It is worth noting that this shrub is listed in the Red Book of Russia and is a species that is declining in numbers. As gardeners note, the best decoration of the garden is the cross-pair microbiota. Photos of the plant only confirm this. As the reviews show, the shrub looks great on rock gardens of small sizes. The main advantage of the microbiota is that it can be planted near the house, on the terraced garden, near retaining walls and paths. Even amateur gardeners have not bypassed this plant. In their opinion, the shrub is convenient as a ground cover due to its small growth. And the trimmed microbiota is an original decoration for borders and lawns. The main thing is to properly care for the shrub.
