What methods do gardeners and professional landscape designers do not resort to to dignify and beautifully decorate the territory. The choice of plants, trees and shrubs allows you to make cozy corners using natural material. The mountain pine Mugus is especially popular in such cases. Planting and caring for this plant is not particularly difficult. This tree can be considered a real decoration of the garden. Let's talk about the features of its cultivation.
Unique gift of nature
Why do they like this plant? Of course, for the beauty. The evergreen needles, which cover the whole tree with a voluminous crown, delight the eye all year. Mountain pine Mugus, planting and caring for which will not be difficult, in summer stands out among the inhabitants of the garden with a riot of colors.
Beautiful green needles in the summer period creates a feeling of comfort and unity with nature. In winter, covered with hoarfrost and snow, it remains a vivid memory of the warm months, giving the aroma of resin and freshness. Very often this plant is used to decorate the Japanese garden.
Biological features
What is mountain pine Mugus? Planting and care, reproduction and placement - these are the points that we will consider in this article. The plant belongs to coniferous evergreen shrubs. For its small size, it is considered a dwarf representative of the flora. Pine grows no more than 2-3 meters in height. But there are giants up to 10 meters. Its crown reaches about 3-4 meters in diameter. Mugus pine grows slowly. In a year, growth reaches about 10 centimeters in height and about 12 centimeters in width.
Under natural conditions, the plant is found from the Balkans to the Eastern Alps. The shrub has a spreading crown, the shoots of which spread along the ground, and then rise up. The result is a spherical plant. Mountain pine Mugus, planting and care of which is of interest to many gardeners, has a hard, dense needles. It is slightly twisted and bundled in two pieces. The needles have a dark, green color and reaches a length of 3-4 centimeters. Their lifespan is from 3 to 5 years. Cones very effectively complement the plant. They have a yellow-brown color and are directed upwards. Cones usually appear for the first time in a 6-8 year old plant. Their length is from 3 to 6 centimeters. Pine roots are well-branched, rod. These are the features of the mountain pine Mugus. Planting and care, watering, reproduction and other subtleties - this is what we will talk about later.
Peak of Ornamental
Over the whole year, pine can change its appearance several times. At the beginning of growth, young shoots have a light green hue. Then they acquire a dark brown color. At the end of its development, the needles become violet-brown. This she remains in the future.
The main peak of decorativeness runs from mid-May to mid-July. At this time, the pine tree produces bunches of male spikelets. They are pink or yellow in color. Female cones also begin to ripen, which are located directly up on a short leg. Mountain pine Mugus is especially beautiful at this moment. Planting and caring for this plant will give you pleasure.
Landing place
This plant can not be called very demanding on the planting site. That is why it is popular among landscape designers. They can decorate any corner of the garden. Mountain pine Mugus, planting of which is the first breeding point, easily tolerates even poor and compacted soils. It takes root well in stony, sour, sandy and clay areas.
Better to choose places with enough lighting. Although, it is worth noting that this variety is more adapted to shade than other varieties. When planted in heavy soils with severe salinization, disease resistance may decrease. Pine looks very good on mound slopes and
hedges. It can be grown in containers, rocky and heather gardens.
Watering
Pine Mugus tolerates both drought and high humidity. Therefore, the plant practically does not require additional watering. Fallen needles form a kind of litter, of good thickness. This retains moisture at the base. We can say that pine is able to adapt to any climatic conditions.
However, if it is watered in a very dry period, then it will become even more attractive. How does mountain pine Mugus tolerate winter? Planting and plant care are available to any gardener. Pine has good winter hardiness. Its branches are very strong and do not break under the weight of snow. Strong winds are also not terrible for this representative of the plant world. In addition, pine protects the soil from erosion.
Selection of seedlings
The main thing for good growth and development is the choice of a quality seedling. When buying, you should pay attention to the general appearance of the plant. Regardless of size, you need to inspect the measles system. It should not be damaged. The roots should be strong and healthy in accordance with the size of the seedling.
Also carefully inspect the needles. It should not be lethargic and yellow. Thanks to a successful purchase, a beautiful mountain pine Mugus will appear in your garden. Landing and care, photos and tips are in this article.
Landing
The unpretentiousness of the plant minimizes all planting activities. Planting seedlings should be at a distance of 5-10 meters from each other. The depth of the landing pit is not more than one meter (it all depends on the age of the plant). The root neck of the seedling should remain on top. If the soil is heavy, then it is necessary to provide good drainage. For this, a layer of sand or gravel is poured at the bottom of the pit, with a thickness of 5 to 25 centimeters. During planting, fertilizer must be applied. For this, humus or nitroammophoska is used. In the first two years of life, you can make mineral fertilizers for good growth and development. This is approximately 35-45 grams per square meter. Young plants, which are under 5 years old, can often be transplanted from place to place. Older pines are best planted immediately on a permanent site. But if there is a need for their movement, then you should freeze the earthen lump or conduct advance preparation of the root system.
Pine propagation
Mountain pine Mugus, the care of which is the minimum agrotechnical methods, propagated by seeds. Two-coniferous varieties form seeds mainly in the spring. Before planting, it is necessary to carry out stratification, that is, artificial preparation for sowing. After a month, the seeds will be ready for planting. In five conifers, the stratification process lasts about 4-5 months. Mountain pine seeds fully ripen two years after pollination. The second method of reproduction is vaccination. It is suitable for highly decorative plants. It should be carried out by a specialist. This will guarantee a good result. Mountain pine does not breed by cuttings. All attempts to grow shrubs by this method have not yielded results. It is best to purchase ready-made seedlings in special nurseries.
Conclusion
If you want to plant a beautiful, unpretentious and noble plant, then this is mountain pine Mugus. Planting, the soil for which does not have to be fertile, will not cause difficulties. Pine care also comes down to minimal agricultural techniques. The pine tree is not afraid of drought, frost, rainfall and winds. It not only adapts well to various climatic conditions. Mountain pine well cleans the air of pollution, saturating it with a pleasant aroma. The smell of needles and the healing properties of the plant protect it from pests and diseases. That is why pine does not require the use of chemicals and other protective equipment. When buying a mountain pine, you must carefully plan the site. A plant requires a certain space for good growth and development. Adult pine will obscure the area a bit. Therefore, plants that are not demanding of the sun should be placed nearby. Immediately after planting, you need to regularly moisten the soil so that the pine takes root well. Further Mugus practically does not require leaving. In order for the bush to have a beautiful well-groomed appearance, it is necessary to form its crown by pruning.