Cross-pair microbiota is a truly unique plant. Many confuse it with juniper creeping on the ground. However, it is eastern thuja that is closest in kinship to the microbiota . Many seek to grow this plant on their own at home. But this is not so simple. After all, planting and caring for microbiota have their own characteristics.
What is this plant
Microbiota has widespread 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 virtues of microbiota.
It is worth noting that this fairly unpretentious shrub retains its shape for a very long time, since in a year it grows by only a few centimeters. An adult plant very rarely reaches a height of one meter. However, the cross-pair width of the microbiota can reach more than five meters. This should be considered when landing.
The needles in this shrub are less flattened than in thuja. At the same time, the branches are very pleasant to the touch. In the warm season, the needles have a dark green hue. 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 it can lie on it and it will not break. Microbiota is a very flexible, soft, but at the same time strong plant that can withstand human weight. Not every coniferous shrub is capable of this.
How to plant a plant
The microbiota is cross-pairing, planting and care of which even beginners in gardening can afford, love very well darkened places. Of course, growing under the warm rays of the sun in no way affects the condition of the shrub. However, an incorrectly selected location can greatly affect the growth of microbiota. As for the soil, loamy or loamy sand is best.
Plant a plant in a pre-prepared hole corresponding to the size of its underground part. When planting, do not deepen the root neck by more than two centimeters. A hole for landing must be carefully prepared. For about 20 centimeters it needs to be filled with large gravel and stone chips for drainage. Add sand and compost to the excavated soil. If the cross-pair microbiota "Jacobsen" is planted as a separate plant, then it should be placed a meter away from neighboring shrubs. They do exactly the same in a group landing. An exception in this case is the placement of shrubs in a row. You can drop them at a distance of half a meter from each other.
Watering and feeding
Microbiota tolerates drought, and is also a winter tolerant plant. The only thing this shrub needs is proper and sufficient watering. Microbiota crisscross does not tolerate stagnation of water and waterlogging of the soil. However, the plant requires spraying and abundant watering. To make the bush comfortable, you should monitor the condition of the soil. When it dries, the microbiota can be watered. In dry periods, it is worth moistening the soil under the bush several times every seven days until natural precipitation resumes. In order for the crown of microbiota to remain beautiful and maintain its decorativeness, 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 universal fertilizer. It should be introduced into the soil without falling onto the branches of the microbiota.
Loosening and weeding
If the cross-pair microbiota grows alone, 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, the roots of the plant can be severely damaged. The depth of cultivation should not exceed the width of the palm. Around the plant there are no branched deep roots, so care should be taken to take care of it. If the bushes are planted in a group, then loosening the soil under them is strictly prohibited.
Transplanting and wintering
Microbiota cross-pairing, the cultivation of which does not cause special problems, is perfectly transplanted. Due to the structure of the root system, no earthen coma is formed around the plant. Therefore, even adult plants can be transplanted. Shrubs respond to this absolutely painlessly and take root well in a new place. In addition, the microbiota perfectly perceives forming pruning. It should be carried out no later than the first decade of May.
Although this shrub is cold-resistant and does not need to be wrapped for the winter, young seedlings are still better protected from the cold. To do this, you can lay dry leaves with a thick layer or mulch obtained from spruce branches.
Microbiota propagation
This shrub is perfectly propagated by seeds. For best results, use only fresh planting material. For several years, the seeds of microbiota gradually lose their germination. When sowing, certain rules must be followed. The laying of seeds should be carried out in the winter. There is another option, which involves the stratification of planting material at low temperatures for several months.
The 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 up branches.
Propagation by cuttings of this shrub also does not cause special difficulties. Tear off young shoots with a “heel”. In other words, with a piece of wood and bark. Also, already branching shoots, the length of which is from 20 to 25 centimeters, can be used as planting material. It is best to take cuttings in early June.
Microbiota cross-pair: reviews
It is worth noting that this shrub is listed in the Red Book of Russia and is a species that is declining in number. As gardeners note, the best decoration of the garden is cross-pair microbiota. Photos of plants only confirm this. According to reviews, the shrub looks great on small rock gardens. The main advantage of microbiota is that it can be planted near the house, on the terrace garden, near retaining walls and paths. Even amateur gardeners did not go around this plant. In their opinion, the shrub is convenient as a groundcover due to its small growth. A sheared microbiota is an original decoration for borders and lawns. The main thing is to properly care for the bush.