Spruce is a coniferous plant that acts as a classic decoration of the territory. Blue spruce is among the endangered species, therefore, is listed in the Red Book. This factor affects the cost of seedlings of needles. But why spend money on buying young trees if you can grow them yourself? We will try to understand how to grow spruce from seeds, because in addition to saving finances, the gardener receives a healthy plant adapted to the environment.
Owners of suburban estates massively buy blue spruce cuttings for further cultivation, despite the high cost. This is because not everyone has an idea about how to grow spruce from seeds, but you will know for sure.
Features of blue needles
The main difference between conifers of this species is the color of needles. When growing spruce at home from seeds, it is possible to get a tree with 30% of thorns painted in noble blue, the rest acquire a classic green tint. Because many are interested in the question: "How to grow spruce from seeds at home and get a quality seedling?"
How to get a quality seedling for home growing?
There are three ways of propagating fir trees:
- vaccination;
- Cherenkov method;
- growing from seeds.
Cherenkov method: features
This is the easiest way to grow a new conifer. Planting material is rooted in the greenhouse, since open ground has a negative effect on still immature conifers. So, planting spruce begins with the selection of cuttings. Winter cuttings, which give results up to 4 times faster, are best suited. The most favorable period for rooting is considered the moment of kidney swelling. The main thing when reproducing spruce is not to forget about maintaining the temperature regime and the required moisture level.
Blue spruce grown in this way, after 5 years reaches 1 meter in height. At this point, the tree can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
Growing needles from seeds
How to grow spruce from seeds? This process is painstaking and time-consuming, and the result depends on the selection of material and how high-quality it was.
Seed fence
To grow any plant with your own hands, you need a selective planting material, which is better not to buy, but to get it yourself. For growing seedlings of spruce, seeds are used, obtained from the fruits of conifers - cones. Cones are collected in mid-February. This is the perfect time to collect full spruce seeds. Cones are placed in a fabric bag and placed next to a heater or fireplace, which contributes to quick opening and easy access to grains. After a few weeks, you can get the seeds without damaging them. After the cones open, the seeds of the spruce in the bag are ground together to cleanse the lionfish. Rinsing under running water will get rid of the oily film formed due to the release of essential oils. At the final stage of preparation, planting material is well dried.
To ensure complete protection of the seeds from bacteria, they are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then wiped with a tissue rag. Prepared seeds are placed in a glass jar, which, tightly closed, placed in the refrigerator. The conditions in the freezer are most reminiscent of natural conditions (in the cold season), where the seeds are kept until mid-March.
How to grow spruce from seeds yourself? It is very important to get good planting material, which, however, can be bought on the market if necessary. The main thing is to know a good manufacturer.
Preparing the ground
So that blue spruce from seeds at home grows healthy, it is recommended to prepare the site before sowing specimens.
Important! Do not sow blue spruce seeds in places where you grow vegetables - they do not take root in the beds and die quickly.
The optimal growing environment is grass lawn land mixed with coniferous soil. Growing in greenhouses involves two planting techniques:
- directly into the ground;
- in extra capacity.
When planting seeds in pots, do not forget to prepare a peat mixture, with the addition of limestone flour and ammofoski in a proportion of 6: 0.035: 0.020 kg. The mixture crumbles in containers in which the spruce is planted. The pots themselves are buried deep into the earthen embankment in the greenhouse.
Important! Choosing the first planting method, an additional top one is poured over the soil layer - from sawdust and peat.
Planting seeds
First, determine the most favorable date for planting spruce. The sapling will feel comfortable in nature if the ambient temperature is in the region of +19 (+ -1-2 ).
Important! After changing the temperature regime (i.e., after the refrigerator) they can be stored only for 50 hours.
Before landing, planting material is treated with a solution of foundationazole: 20 g per 10 liters of water.
Planting spruce is carried out in well-moistened soil. If the spruce will be grown in greenhouse conditions, then the containers are deepened into the ground by 1.5 cm, and the film is pulled from above. If on the open ground, they first tamp the ground in the hole, then put the seeds, covering them on top with a peat mixture and a thin layer of sawdust (about 1 cm).
Important! The distance between the individual seeds should be at least 3.5-6 cm.
Seed germination
The first shoots can be observed after 10-14 days. If seedlings of spruce are placed close to each other, there is a need to thin them. Of the entire series of plants, only the strongest specimens are left, observing a distance between them of up to 7.5 cm.
When fragile seedlings move to the active phase of growth, it is necessary to maintain optimal conditions for growing needles, which are as follows:
- cancel watering and put into practice light spraying of seedlings with water - 2 times a day;
- maintain the temperature regime: the minimum temperature is +13 o C, the maximum is +15 o C.
Important! Remember that night frosts and direct sunlight in the afternoon adversely affect immature young needles.
A month later, the seedling of young blue spruce reaches a height of 3-4 cm. Experts note that indirect diffused sunlight has a good effect on growth rates of specimens. Since small needles are unstable to diseases that affect plants, namely root rot, there is a need for special protection: first, fungicide must be added, then treatment with an insecticide solution.
Plant transplant
You already know how to grow spruce seedlings from seeds, but it is impossible to do this qualitatively without replanting annual plants. The procedure is carried out in early spring. After the seedlings reach the required level, it is important to plant the specimens you bred so as not to lose the plants.
Before transplantation, pits are prepared, which are tamped and sprinkled with a layer of earthen mixture from under the coniferous plant.
How to transplant?
Small Christmas trees are dug out of the ground, separating the roots of individual specimens that are intertwined. This work must be done quickly, but carefully so as not to damage the root system and prevent it from drying out.
Blue spruce, grown from seeds at home, requires special care. These are often standard rules.
Interesting! By the third year of growth, less than half of the seedlings survive.
Three years after the sowing of seeds, a second transplant is carried out. This is done to provide enough space for the roots of the spruce. During this period, the Christmas trees are planted at a distance of 1 m from each other.
Are you curious how much spruce seed grows? And we have an answer to this question. After 5 years, you will have a full-fledged spruce, exceeding a height of 1 meter.
Such a bluish-green beauty will become a real decoration of the garden or successfully complement the landscape composition. It is quite difficult to grow plants with your own hands, but in view of the entertaining process and in the case of a positive result, when it turns out that the efforts were not in vain, you will certainly be proud of your Christmas tree bark.