Coniferous plants are a great decoration for any garden. Evergreen, they will delight even in the cold season, and their aroma will give a festive mood. To ennoble the site with these beautiful trees and shrubs, you should first find out what kind of soil is needed for coniferous plants and how much this or that species loves the sun and moisture.
Spruce
In nature, spruce is very tall and not in every area it will be in place. But thanks to a large selection of bred varieties with a height of 40 centimeters to 50 meters, anyone can find the perfect option for themselves.
Before you plant it, you need to consider what soil the spruce grows on. When planting, they use the collection of leafy soil, turf, sand and peat. It is allowed to buy ready-made soil for coniferous plants. The depth of the landing pit should be 50-70 cm, and it is also necessary to make a drainage of at least 15 centimeters. Atplanting should not compact the soil so that the root system can grow freely.
Spruce does not need to be fed, but it will not be superfluous to fertilize it in early spring, while the shoots have not yet begun to grow. Some varieties need to be watered regularly as they do not tolerate extreme heat.
Pine
There are about a hundred varieties of pine. Among them there are both giants, 25 meters high, and dwarf varieties from 40 centimeters to several meters.
Pine trees are planted in any kind of soil - clay, sand, even in swampy soil, but its growth in such a place will be slow. When landing in a hole up to 1 meter deep, soddy soil with sand, peat and clay is added. If the soil is heavy, then it is worth making drainage to avoid rotting of the root system.
The first two years after planting, pine trees need to be fertilized periodically. Later, this is no longer necessary, since the layer of fallen needles will itself serve as a nutritious fertilizer. But most varieties do not need watering. They are drought tolerant and the fallen pine needle bedding retains extra moisture.
Fir
The variety of varieties of fir, and there are about fifty of them, will allow you to choose the best option for anyone who wants to plant a coniferous plant on their plot. Among them there are both shrubs and trees, and the height varies from 50 centimeters to 8 meters. They grow best in shady areas.
For planting, a hole is dug about half a meter deep, if the soil is heavy, then be surea drainage layer of 20 centimeters is made. Leaf soil or humus, sand with peat and clay are added to the pit, or ready-made soil for coniferous plants is poured from the bag.
It is not necessary to fertilize fir for the first 2-3 years after planting. Then biohumus can be used for top dressing. What it is and how to use it can be found below. There is no need to water fir if the choice did not fall on a moisture-loving variety, while others need to be watered 2-3 times per season.
Juniper
One of the lowest types of conifers, from 50 centimeters to 5 meters high. Pruning the crown allows you to make them of different shapes, and due to the fact that they grow rather slowly, this will not have to be done very often. Plant juniper in an open place so that the sun always illuminates it.
He loves the soil of peat, sand and turf. For planting, they dig a hole 50-70 cm deep and make a drainage layer of 15 centimeters, but no less.
Fir should be fertilized no more than once a month with organic fertilizers, such as biohumus, but only if it grows more slowly than expected. Water it in a dry summer about once a month. It is also advisable to spray fir needles once a week, early in the morning or in the evening, when the activity of the sun is not very strong.
Larch
In nature, larches reach a height of 50 meters, which will look harmonious in few places. However, the bred varieties with a height of 3-5 meters will look great on anyhousehold plot. For larch, the best place is an open and well-lit area.
When planting, use leafy soil, peat and sand, as well as ready-made soil. It is worth planting larch in a hole 50-70 cm deep, and if the soil is heavy, you need to make a drainage of 15 centimeters.
Fertilize it in the spring at the very beginning of the growing season. Larch is a moisture-loving plant, so it is better to mulch the soil with peat, sawdust or needles so that the soil is always moist, and in hot weather it should be spilled additionally.
Preparing the landing pit
After the type and variety of needles is selected, it's time to start planting. First you need to decide on the place where to plant the plant. In this case, the future size of the plant is necessarily taken into account so that it can safely grow both in height and in width. The planting site must meet the necessary requirements of the selected variety and, of course, the soil for the coniferous plant must be prepared in advance.
First, a hole of the required depth is dug for a particular type of coniferous plant, about 2 times as wide as an earthen coma. Part of the excavated earth can be left if it is quite loose and fertile. At the bottom, if the selected plant requires it, a drainage layer is laid out, you can use broken brick, sand or gravel for this.
Before planting, the roots of the seedling should be dipped in water along with an earthen clod so that they are saturated with moisture after transportation. Then the plant must be lowered into the hole and be suremake sure it sits vertically. The pit should be filled with a pre-prepared substrate or soil for conifers purchased from a specialized store.
After landing, a small ditch is dug around the pit, which is abundantly filled with water. As soon as all the moisture is absorbed, the moat is covered with earth and mulched, but so that a small depression around the perimeter remains and prevents the plant from being flooded. You can use peat, freshly cut grass or humus as mulch.
Fertilizers for conifers
Biohumus is often used as a fertilizer for conifers. What it is and how to use it, not all beginners in gardening know.
Biohumus is an organic fertilizer of natural origin, which arose thanks to the waste products of earthworms. It contains many useful substances and microelements, which is why the bright and fluffy needles of plants are maintained.
You can buy this fertilizer in the form of concentrate or granules, which are easy to use. Since biohumus is a 100% natural product, it can be used without fear of overdose. Diluted fertilizer should be applied not only for root feeding, but also to water the foliage and needles of plants with it. Thus, useful substances are absorbed faster, and a natural barrier against diseases is formed on the surface.
Another advantage of biohumus is its maximum harmlessness to the environment and humans, which cannot be said about inorganic fertilizers.
