Spirea planting in the fall and care in the open field

Novice and experienced gardeners love spirea bushes for their attractive and beautiful appearance, fast growth rate, winter hardiness and ease of maintenance. Shrubs are divided into two categories: blooming in spring and summer. In spring, a spirea blooms with thin, curved branches and large clusters of white flowers in a cascade. In summer, the bush has pink, white or red flowers on vertical shoots. Both varieties are prized for their shapes and vibrant colors. Duration of flowering is about 6 weeks. The original bush, with many branches, which are densely covered with white flowers, is called "snow in May", "bride".

Is it difficult to grow?

This plant is hardy and feels great in almost any climatic zone. Bushes for planting in large numbers are offered by shops for gardeners. It is necessary to purchase spirea for your site in spring or autumn. Depending on the variety, the plant has different heights. Therefore, ask in advance what size an adult bush will reach, so as not to be mistaken with the choice of a planting site. Spirea is great for landscaping, creating a border on the site, as a hedging tool and planting a perennial garden.

Preparing for landing

According to the advice and observations of gardeners, spirea develops well in sunny areas, with loose, fertile soil. Ornamental shrubs should be planted taking into account the design of the site. Please note that the distance between plants when planting in the form of a hedge is kept at least 50 cm.With a single arrangement, this distance can be increased. The root system must be prepared before planting. If it is open, then the damage on the processes is clearly visible, which must be removed with a sharp garden pruner.

The cut angle should be even, clear, and not wrinkled and scaly.

Be sure to correct the crown of the bush. The regrown branches should be shortened by a third. With very dry roots, the shoots are cut off a little more. When purchasing a spirea with an earthen lump on the root system, it will need abundant watering so that it softens and only after that it will be possible to lower it into the pit for planting.

Landing

A separate hole is dug under each plant or a trench is dug. The width is chosen based on the volume of the root system, usually 50 × 50 cm. It is necessary to dig a depression in advance so that the pit dries out and ventilates. The depth of the hole is made 50 cm. The plant is lowered into it so that the root collar is at the level of the soil surface. Prepare a mixture for falling asleep in the pit:

• sand;
• Earth;
• peat.

The proportions are 1: 2: 1. It is necessary to straighten the roots in the hole and then cover with soil mixture. Loosely trample the ground around the bush and mulch with peat. It is preferable to carry out garden work in autumn, September, early October. Transplanting spirea in the fall will allow the plant to harden before the onset of frost.

Rules for caring for a garden spirea shrub

Planting and maintenance is of particular importance for those looking for a beautifully flowering shrub. This is achieved by properly selected and prepared soil. On scanty land, it will not be possible to form a lush and spreading spirea bush.

Clay soils when planting spirea require mandatory laying of drainage from bricks, gravel and sand of at least 15 cm.

Spirea is unpretentious, it endures severe frosts and dry weather. The plant is not susceptible to attacks by garden pests and diseases. Loosening is not included in the mandatory list and is purely aesthetic in nature.

It is advisable to cover a spirea seedling planted in autumn with a special material so that it can more easily endure winter low temperatures.

Watering

Spirea, planted in spring, has not yet developed its root system, therefore it needs regular soil moisture. During the dry summer months, abundant watering is necessary for flowering varieties of spirea. The damp ground around the shrub will provide favorable conditions and allow the spirea to grow stronger. Spirea, covered with flowers in spring, does not depend much on regular soil moisture. The exception is those seedlings that have been planted recently.

Additional convenience will be given by mulching the soil. It will keep the moisture in the ground under the bush longer. The roots are close to the surface; in the summer months, 15 liters of water is enough for each bush twice a week.

Top dressing

Fertile soil is already a good basis for growth and development, so fertilization is not as important as in poor and scarce soils. Spirea is fed in early spring. After pruning, mineral fertilizers (complex) are applied. In the middle of summer, mullein and 10 g of superphosphate are used for each plant.

Pruning

For a beautiful crown and lush flowering, it is necessary to periodically clean the bush from dead, sick and broken branches at any time of the year. Spirea can be seriously pruned and it will only benefit her. Pruning spirea in the fall is most preferable. The plant is preparing for the winter season and the extra branches will weaken the bush in the spring. When pruning the spirea after winter, pay attention to the tips of the shoots. It is necessary to remove those that are frozen. This procedure will ensure a beautiful bloom.

A shrub that blooms in summer is pruned with the onset of spring. Those that bloom in spring are subjected to this procedure immediately after the end of flowering. On plants more than 10 years old, all signs of aging must be removed so that it forms a new crown. Usually the life of the shrub is 20 years.

Some gardeners consider pruning spirea to be an unnecessary task. In this case, you run the risk of getting unkempt thickets with a lot of dry branches and weak flowering.

Reproduction

Reproduction of spirea by cuttings

The spirea plant is very convenient and unpretentious, reproduction is carried out in several ways: by cuttings, shoots and seeds, and the latter option is not suitable for hybrid plants, since seeds do not appear on them or do not have signs of a mother bush.

Spring is the best time to plant seeds. They are buried in high moor peat and are well moistened. Germination will take 10 days.Further, they are subjected to a pick when they are transplanted with a spirea in open ground, cloudy weather or evening is needed. Provides mulching and regular watering. For a year, spirea can grow up to 10 cm in height. The first flowering can be expected at 3 years of plant life.

For the propagation of spirea by cuttings, woody shoots or very young ones are used - green. For spirea blooming in spring, cuttings are used in June, and summer plants in July. For the development of the root system, the cutting is well watered and kept in conditions of high humidity. Spring and the first leaves are the time for branch breeding. The lower branches are bent to the ground, pinned with a wire bracket and sprinkled with soil. Regular watering will ensure good rooting and independent shrubs will form in the spring. Sprinkle with dry foliage for the winter.

Spirea looks great in picturesque compositions and is rightfully popular among gardeners and landscape designers. Lush flowering shrubs are eye-catching and pleasing to the eye.

Green cuttings of spirea - video

Among the ornamental shrubs, spirea occupies a special place. She is surprisingly unpretentious and easily forgives the gardener even the most unobtrusive care. A wide variety of shapes and types allows you to choose the plant to decorate the site that will best fit into the surrounding landscape. Planting and caring for a spirea is not difficult, even a novice gardener can handle it.

Spirea: types and varieties

The genus spirea belongs to the pink family and is quite numerous, it includes more than 70 species. The distribution area of ​​this deciduous shrub is wide. It can be found in the northern hemisphere in most climatic zones. Spirea rarely has single flowers, most often they are collected in a corymbose inflorescence, sometimes in a panicle. The color of flowers depends on the flowering time of the species. Plants blooming in spring have white flowers that bloom on last year's shoots, in species blooming in summer pink-crimson gamut prevails, flowers are located on annual growths.

The most common types.

• Medium spirea - an inhabitant of Siberian and Far Eastern forests, a tall shrub - above 2 m with white corymbose flowers that open in May and do not fall for 3 weeks, frost-resistant and drought-resistant, used in landscaping, suitable for northern regions.
• Spiraea birch-leaved - grows in Siberia, from 1 to 2 m in height, white flowers are collected in huge shields - up to 10 cm in diameter, blooms at the end of May and blooms throughout June.
• Spirea crenate - has been used in landscaping for 200 years, there are cultural hybrid varieties. In nature, it is a low, up to 1 m shrub that blooms at the end of May. Quite large flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences, due to the large number of long yellow stamens, it seems that they have a golden hue. This type of spirea is drought-resistant and frost-hardy, can be used to strengthen floating soils.
• Spirea St. John's wort is a shrub up to 1 m high, flowering - May-June, white flowers, is used to obtain new forms of the plant.
• Gray spirea - the result of crossing the previous species and whitish-gray spirea, has highly decorative varieties that bloom in spring. The most beloved variety of this species by flower growers is Spirea Grefsheim. The shoots of the tall bush bend towards the ground under the weight of flowers that completely cover the bush. The flowering is so abundant that the leaves are almost invisible.
• Spiraea is oak-leaved - blooms with umbrella-shaped inflorescences of white flowers with a large number of protruding stamens for 25 days, flowering occurs in May-June. The species is used in culture, it tolerates a haircut well.
• Spirea Nipponskaya came to us from Japan - this highly ornamental shrub 1-2 m high is decorated with yellowish-white inflorescence shields that appear in June.It does not differ in frost resistance; in severe winters, the tops of the shoots freeze slightly, but quickly recover. The most famous variety is Snowmound. A huge number of flowers on a bush up to 1.5 m high makes it very decorative at the time of flowering. The width of the bush is 2 times the height.
• No less decorative and spirea Wangutta is a hybrid species that blooms very profusely in June-July with white flowers collected in shields. The bush has an average height and can freeze slightly in frosty winters.
• Japanese spirea is quite thermophilic, but due to the low height of the bush - up to 1 m it winters without losses, covered with snow. The most interesting varieties are Little Princesses and Shirobana. Little princesses - a bush up to 80 cm high and up to 1.2 m wide blooms very profusely in June-July with pink flowers collected in medium-sized shields, grows slowly. Shirobana is a bush up to 0.8 m high and up to 0.6 m wide, blooms in mid-summer. Flowers in corymbose inflorescences have three colors - white, pink and crimson, if you cut off faded inflorescences, new ones will decorate the bush for another month.
• The adorable spirea stands out among other species by double flowering: in June on last year's shoots and in July and August on newly regrown ones. Flowers are collected in complex shields, can be white or pale pink. The species does not differ in frost resistance - up to -18 degrees, so in the middle lane it hibernates under cover.
• Spirea Bumald is a decorative hybrid species, it also has a yellow-leaved form. The bush is low - up to 0.8 m in width and height. It blooms for more than 3 months with bright pink flowers in large shields. The most famous variety is Antoni Vaterer.
• Willow spirea grows wild in Siberia. The tall bush blooms in July and August with bright pink flowers collected in pyramidal panicles.
• Spirea Douglas grows above 2 m.In the second half of summer, it is decorated with pink flowers, collected in a paniculate inflorescence.
• When crossing the previous species and spirea willow leaf we got Billard's spirea. A tall, frost-resistant shrub blooms in the second half of summer and is decorated with large pink paniculate inflorescences until the very frosts.
• Also, the hybrid spirea is lilac-colored for a long time, only paniculate inflorescences, in accordance with the name, have a lilac-pink color. The bush can grow up to 2 m.

Spirea: features of cultivation

Spireas are unpretentious, but with proper careful care they give abundant flowering. Different flowering times dictate different pruning times. Some species and varieties have special soil and maintenance preferences. Most spirits prefer humus-rich, but not heavy soil without stagnant water, but they will feel good even on not very fertile soil. To keep the roots from getting wet, they need drainage. But before you plant a plant, you need to propagate it.

Shrub propagation

Spirea is very easy to propagate. Some species produce root shoots that can be transplanted. Parts of a divided bush take root well. Flexible shoots allow cuttings to be rooted. For propagation of all species, cuttings can be used, and for non-hybrid forms and varieties, seeds can also be sown.

Cuttings

When rooting the cuttings, you will get an exact copy of the parent plant. Green cuttings in early flowering varieties are cut in early June, and in late flowering varieties at the end of the month. For already lignified cuttings, the best rooting time is autumn, September or October.

• The annual green shoot is cut and cut into pieces with 5-6 leaves.
• Remove the bottom pair of leaves, cut the rest by half.
• The lower cut is placed in a vessel with an epin solution for 12 hours.
• It is treated with a powdery root stimulant.
• They are planted in a container with loose soil, sprinkled with a layer of sand at an angle of about 40 degrees to stimulate root formation.
• Cover with foil or glass jar and put in lacy shade under the trees.
• They moisten the soil in the cuttings, preventing it from drying out, and the cuttings themselves are sprayed several times a day.
• In autumn, the container is dropped into the soil, mulched with fallen leaves and covered with a wooden box.
• In the spring, the shelter is removed. After the appearance of young shoots, the plants are planted in the garden in a permanent place.

Seed propagation

In non-hybrid varieties and species, seed germination reaches 80%. Collect them when the boxes turn brown, but have not yet opened. Dose in the room for 2 weeks. You can sow both before winter and in spring. Seeds do not require stratification. Seedlings dive when 2 true leaves are formed. Further care: watering as needed, 2 dressings with full mineral fertilizer. In the fall, seedlings are planted in a seedling bed, and next year in a permanent place. They begin to bloom for 3 years.

Landing in open ground

Proper planting is the key to abundant flowering and plant health. It is very important to maintain the optimal distance between the plants in order to provide them with the necessary nutritional area. When laying a hedge, it is enough to plant spireas 30 cm apart, for a normal planting the distance should be greater, since the bushes grow strongly in width: for tall varieties - about 1 m, for undersized varieties - 0.8 m.

The choice of planting material

Now on sale there are many varieties and hybrids of spirea. The choice of a plant depends, first of all, on what place the spirea will occupy in the landscape design of a particular site. A hedge will require many plants of the same species, it is better if they are tall. As a tapeworm, you can plant an openwork bush with long flowering. On an alpine slide, undersized compact varieties will be appropriate. But whichever variety you choose, the plant must have a developed and healthy root system, consisting of 3 taproots and a well-developed lobe covered with a clay mash. With spring planting, not swollen buds, and with autumn planting, already flown leaves. It is best to choose a container-grown seedling that can be planted throughout the growing season.

How and when to plant?

Spirea is planted in pre-dug holes. Their size should be slightly larger than the root system of the plant. Usually the depth is about 70 cm, 20 of which falls on the drainage of expanded clay or brick fragments. The diameter of the hole is determined by the size of the roots.

Landing Algorithm:

• a plant is placed on a mound of earth poured in a hole, spreading the roots;
• fill up the earth, taking into account that the root collar is strictly at the level of the soil;
• watered in the planting circle using 2 to 3 buckets of water;
• mulch the soil around the bush with a layer of peat 7 cm thick.

Planting time depends on the selected variety: late flowering plants are planted in spring, early flowering ones - in autumn, but no later than 3-4 weeks before the onset of frost.

Soil preparation and site

The planting site should be well lit by the sun, a little shading is allowed during the day. It must be remembered that in the shade of the spirea it blooms badly.

This plant is undemanding to the soil. The preferred soil for spirea is light sod or leafy, with a neutral or slightly acidic soil reaction. Heavy clay soils are improved by the addition of sand and peat, a little clay should be added to light sandy soils. From fertilizers, you can add Art. tablespoons of long-acting ABA fertilizer for each bush. This amount will be enough for the plant for several years.

The nuances of planting in spring, autumn

If the variety blooms in summer, it is better to plant it in spring, early flowering varieties are planted in autumn, but so that the bushes take root before the onset of frost. In both cases, the plants must be dormant. In the spring, the buds should not swell yet, and in the fall the leaf fall should already end.

Outdoor care for spirea

An unpretentious plant does not require special care measures, but top dressing and watering made on time will provide it with maximum decorative effect.

How to water properly?

Spirea is a drought-resistant plant, but in extreme heat and in the absence of rain for a long time, it must be watered. This is especially true for recently planted bushes. For an adult plant, the watering rate is 1.5 buckets per bush. For undersized species and varieties, one bucket is enough. Watering is sufficient once every 2 weeks, well soaking the root layer.

Fertilization and feeding

In order for the spireas to grow and bloom well, they should be fed regularly.

You can choose the following power plan:

• in spring, nitrogen mineral or organic fertilizer; for early flowering varieties, additional feeding with complete mineral fertilizer with microelements is needed;
• in June, plants are fed with full mineral fertilizer;
• at the end of August, fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium salts is needed so that the spireas are better prepared for winter.

At the end of summer, spireas cannot be fed with any fertilizers containing nitrogen, this can provoke the growth of new shoots that do not have time to ripen and freeze in winter.

All dressings can be applied both dry and liquid, combining them with watering. The next day, the soil around the plant must be loosened.

Spirea pruning

It is held on several dates, depending on the destination.

• Spring pruning is sanitary. Only dry and frost-damaged shoots are removed.
• Formative. Spireas blooming in the summer on the shoots of the current year are pruned in the spring immediately after the snow melts, combining formative pruning with sanitary pruning. Thin branches thickening the bush are removed - they will not give a good flowering. Different types of spirea have their own subtleties in pruning. Pruning of Douglas and Boomald spirits begins only in the fourth year of life. Miniature varieties not exceeding 40 cm in height are cut into 2 buds. Cut out shoots with foliage that does not match the color of the variety. After flowering, the seed pods are removed, if there is no need for seeds - this contributes to the re-blooming of the inflorescences. It is enough to cut off a third of the shoot. The green hedge is trimmed to give the desired shape. Spring-flowering spireas form after flowering, cutting off shoots at the level of a strong young growth. The crown of the bush should be symmetrical.
• Anti-aging pruning. It is carried out in adult bushes, starting from the 7th year of life. All old shoots are removed, leaving no more than 5-7 young ones, while maintaining the symmetry of the bush. This pruning is best done in several stages, so as not to greatly weaken the bush.

Preparing for winter

The first wintering at a recently planted bush is a serious test. But adult plants, despite the frost resistance of most varieties, and species also need to be prepared for winter. For many of them, it is enough to feed the plants in August with potash and phosphorus fertilizers, to carry out moisture-charging irrigation after leaf fall and to mulch the trunk circle with humus.

For less frost-resistant varieties, you will have to build a shelter:

• tie the branches into a bunch;
• bend the beam to the ground, fixing with special fasteners;
• fall asleep with dry leaves;
• additionally throw in snow.

Plant diseases and pests

Spiraea rarely suffers from disease, but in a damp summer it can be damaged by powdery mildew and gray mold. To eliminate them, copper-containing fungicides, Fitosporin, colloidal sulfur are used.

Among the most common pests are aphids, blue meadow sawfly, whitefly and spider mites. Insecticides are effective against the first three: Fitoverm, Actellik. Insectoacaricides are suitable against the tick: Metaphos.

The nuances of growing in Siberia, in the Urals, in the Moscow region

Almost all varieties and types of spirea are suitable for growing in central Russia. Shrubs such as Japanese Spirea and Nippon Spirea need additional winter shelter.

In the Urals, the climate is more severe. In its southern part, almost all types of spirits will grow well.In the middle lane and, especially in the north, frost-resistant shrubs should be preferred. The same can be said about spirea in Siberia. Only undersized varieties are able to overwinter under the snow without much loss. If medium and tall plants are not covered, then constant frosting in winter is guaranteed to them, decorativeness and abundant flowering cannot be achieved in such conditions.

Correctly selected varieties of spirea are able to create a flowering conveyor throughout the growing season and will be a real decoration of any garden.

When the beauty of a plant is combined with unpretentiousness, it becomes a welcome guest on any site. The variety of species and varieties of spirea only increase its advantages when choosing garden plants. A minimum of effort is required to plant and care for the spirea. The perennial is famous for its undemandingness, frost resistance and stunning beauty of flowering.

Plant features

Spirea is a perennial from the Rosaceae family. The plant is common in many parts of the world, it develops equally well both in mountainous regions and in the steppes and forests. Gardeners respect spirea for its resistance to adverse conditions. Frost-resistant shrub varieties are especially popular.

The main feature of a perennial is its lush flowering. Spirea flowers themselves are small, no more than 2 cm, but they gather in large spike-shaped, paniculate, corymbose or pyramidal inflorescences that will decorate any summer cottage. The shade of spirea flowers is from white to pink and deep red. Budding begins in spring or summer and can last until the onset of cold weather.

Shoots of spirea species are straight, creeping or spreading. Leaves are deep green, lanceolate or oval. The height of the bush, depending on the variety, varies from 20 cm to 2 m. There are dwarf varieties that do not exceed 14 cm in height. The shrub is characterized by active growth. The average life of a plant is 20 years.

Shrub cultivation is available even to gardening neophytes for the following reasons:

• the plant is undemanding to lighting, grows equally well both in the sun and in the shade;
• not susceptible to pest attacks, disease resistant;
• withstands heat, withstands cold winters;
• tolerates pruning well.

Popular types

There are more than a hundred varieties of shrubs, each gardener will select the right variety for his site. Spireas differ not only in the height of the bush, but also in the shape of the branches, leaves, and the shade of the inflorescences. There are spireas blooming in spring, they are distinguished by a white shade of flowers. A separate group is formed by summer flowering shrubs, mainly with bright inflorescences. Hybrids with variegated and yellow leaves are distinguished.

Popular varieties of spirea for the site:

1. Spirea Wangutta is a tall specimen, it can grow up to 2 m and more. Cascading bush with white corymbose inflorescences. It grows rapidly and densely, blooms very luxuriantly. A frequent inhabitant of sites, for its beauty was named the white bride and snow white.
2. Spirea Douglas is a species up to 1.5 m high and up to 2 m wide.It is interesting in paniculate inflorescences of pink flowers. It develops rapidly, budding begins in summer.
3. Spirea Billard is a hybrid of willow spirea and Douglas. Feature of the species: high growth, bright pink inflorescences, panicles.
4. Nipponskaya is a spherical shrub up to 1.5 m tall. The most popular variety is the Nippon Snowmound Spirea. Its characteristic features: large diameter, curved branches, lush white inflorescences.
5. Ivolistnaya is another tall representative. A bush with erect branches reaches 2 m. Panicle inflorescences are formed from white or pink flowers.
6. Macrophylla is a type of Japanese spirea. The owner of long leaves that change color depending on the season: in the spring - purple, in the summer - green, in the fall - yellowish. Summer flowering variety.
7. Spirea Crispa is also a Japanese species.It is a dwarf shrub, not exceeding 0.6 m. The inflorescences are formed from lilac flowers. The decorative value lies in the leaves that change color from reddish to yellow throughout the year.
8. Arguta (sharp-toothed) is a sprawling tall shrub characterized by early flowering. By the end of May, you can see white inflorescences on slightly drooping branches, which makes it look like a waterfall. In addition, Argut's spirea has a pleasant aroma.
9. Spirea Thunberg is a mountain variety native to Korea, Japan and China. Inflorescences are umbellate white flowers that bloom in May. The species bears fruit from the age of three.

A special place is occupied by frost-resistant spireas. For cultivation in the Urals and Siberia, species adapted to unfavorable conditions are suitable. These include: gray spirea, arguta, Vangutta, Thunberg.

Reproduction of spirea: all methods

If one spirea bush on the site is not enough, it is easy to get a whole hedge out of it with your own hands. The best time for breeding is spring or autumn. Optimal weather conditions: it should be warm, but cloudy.

Both vegetative and seed methods are used. The latter is not used for hybrid varieties, since all varietal characteristics of the parent plant are lost. The advantage of the seed method is a large number of seedlings in one procedure. Seed pods are cut unripe, in the middle (for early flowering) or late summer.

Shoots with fruits are placed in an open box and kept for 14 days. Then the spilled seeds are collected and planted in spring or late autumn. For this, the material is placed directly into the "adult" soil and kept moist until germination. After about 2 months, when the sprouts are extended by 1.5-2 cm, a pick is carried out. Spring plantings in the fall can be moved to the main garden bed, autumn plantings - next spring.

Vegetative breeding methods for spirea:

1. Cuttings. The method allows you to preserve all varietal characteristics of the species. Collection and planting is carried out in the fall. Lignified branches of the first year are selected, growing straight up. At least 5 leaves are left on each cutting, the upper ones are cut in half, the lower ones are removed. Before planting, each cutting is kept in a solution of a growth stimulator for at least 10 hours, then each cut is sprinkled with Kornevin powder. Planting is done in wet sand, cuttings are placed at a slight angle. Until winter, the seedlings are kept in the shade and in constant moisture. For the winter, containers with plantings are buried in the ground and sheltered. By the spring, young spireas are transplanted to the garden bed, and in the fall they are relocated to a permanent place.
2. By dividing the bush. The method is used at any time of the year, except for winter, but it is best to divide the spirea in the fall, when the bush does not require special care. Plantings are used 3-4 years old, since older plants have a powerful root system, and it is more difficult to dig them out. The bush removed from the soil is immediately placed in a basin of water for an hour, then taken apart. Each of the divisions should have at least 4-5 strong roots and a strong root lobe. Landing is carried out according to the standard scheme.
3. Layers. The method is used when you need to get a small amount of seedlings. In the spring, with the appearance of buds, some shoots are pressed to the ground, for example, with hairpins, and covered with soil. To speed up rooting, the first buds of the mother plant are removed. It is also necessary to maintain constant soil moisture. For the winter, plants are sheltered from frost. The next spring, the layers are separated from the original bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

How to plant

Planting in open ground is carried out either in early spring or in autumn before leaf fall. Spring planting is preferred for summer flowering varieties. A well-lit area is selected.Although the plant can withstand partial shade, a large amount of sun will only have a positive effect on its development, and a deficiency will lead to shrinking flowers.

Spireas should be planted in loose soil with a slightly acidic reaction. To fill the pit, a mixture of sand, peat and garden soil is prepared in a ratio of 1: 1: 2. The prepared soil is watered abundantly and left for several days.

Planting stages:

1. The hole is dug twice as large as the root system of the seedling, its parameters are approximately 50 × 50 cm. Before planting, the hole must be aired and dry. At its bottom, a drainage layer of 15 cm is laid from broken brick, crushed stone or coarse sand.
2. If several spirits are planted to create a hedge, a distance of at least 50 cm is maintained between the holes. It is allowed to dig a trench. It is also necessary to maintain a distance when planting next to other plants, since the root system of spirits grows significantly over time.
3. The open root system must be inspected before planting. All damaged roots must be removed with pruning shears.
4. The crown of the seedling needs preliminary pruning. Shoots are shortened by about a third with a pruner. If the root system is too dry, more shoots need to be removed.
5. If the seedling has a closed root system, it is watered abundantly and only then transferred to the prepared hole.
6. The seedling is placed in a hole, leaving the root collar at soil level. The roots need to be spread.
7. The plant is sprinkled with prepared soil mixture, trampled down a little and watered. The trunk circle is covered with a layer of peat mulch.

Advice
If the planting is done in the fall, the young plant must be covered during the cold weather.

How to care for spirea outdoors

Spirea care is not difficult. The main requirement is moderate moisture. The roots are close to the surface and can dry out. Water the plant more often, especially in hot weather. One bush is enough for 15 liters of water twice a week. A layer of mulch will protect the roots from moisture loss.

Loosening of the soil is carried out carefully because of the close-lying root system. All weeds must be removed. You don't have to remove the mulch, just update the layer a little every time.

The first years of life of the spirea builds up the green mass, budding occurs only in the third year. Caring for the spirea, fertilizers should be periodically applied so that the flowering is long and abundant. After the autumn pruning, you need to add a mineral complex for flowering plants. In summer, the shrub is fertilized with organic matter, for example, mullein solution. It is allowed to add a little superphosphate to it - about a matchbox on a bucket of liquid.

Pruning is a mandatory procedure in caring for flowering shrubs, as it grows quickly and sometimes unevenly. The manipulation is carried out in the spring. In early flowering varieties, only the tops of the shoots are subject to removal at the end of flowering. In other species, the branches are cut by a third, while the large bud is left in place. Weak shoots are best removed completely. The larger the pruning, the more the bush grows.

Advice
Weak and diseased branches are removed at any time of the year.

The cultivation of spirea fascinates not only beginners, but also gardening masters. It's nice to get a lush flowering bush with little effort. Spirea goes well with other plantings on the site, serve as an excellent frame for paths and reservoirs. Spirea is not only a decorative participant in the landscape, but also strengthens the soil and is even used for medicinal purposes.

Spirea got its name from the Greek "speira" - spiral. The branches of most types of ornamental shrubs gracefully bend, forming dense fluffy flower caps. In our country, spirea is mistakenly called meadowsweet because of its external resemblance to this herb.

The deciduous shrub of the spirea usually does not exceed two meters in height. The shape of the bush, the color and type of inflorescences depend on the variety.There are spring-flowering and summer-flowering bushes. Early species bloom more abundantly, but the bushes that bloom by mid-summer decorate front gardens, parks, squares and garden plots for a long time. Even after the flower petals fly around, the spirea pleases with the bright color of autumn leaves, which become orange, bright red or yellow.

Features of cultivation and types of spirea

Spirea bushes, which are short - 15 cm, and large - up to 2 m, are very popular. The plant is unpretentious, well adapted to heat and frost, it is easy to care for it, and there are so many varieties that it is possible to create compositions from them that bloom from spring to late autumn.

Plants of this species are light-requiring, frost-hardy and undemanding to the soil. Spireas are very good for urban conditions, as they tolerate atmospheric pollution well. Bushes grow very quickly, begin to bloom in the third year.

The nuances in the cultivation of spirea are associated with which of the species a particular bush belongs to - early or late flowering. This factor affects the time and duration of flowering, and also determines the characteristics of planting and pruning. The bushes blooming in spring come to life together in May, covered with white inflorescences. In summer varieties, the inflorescences are painted mainly in pink-crimson colors.

Not many ornamental shrubs are able to live, like a spirea, up to forty years in not the most favorable conditions.

Planting spirea

It is better to plant spirea in the fall, after leaf fall. Some varieties tolerate spring planting well, but it must be carried out before the leaves begin to bloom. When planting, it is important to choose the right place: the site should be sunny with rich, heterogeneous soil.

When planting a hedge, you need to leave gaps of about half a meter between the bushes. In a group, spireas are planted at a distance of 50-70 cm. For each plant, dig a depression that is one third larger than the root system (about 50x50 cm). The depth of the hole is 50 cm. Do not plant the bushes on the same day, let the planting site air out for three to four days.

Before planting, hold the seedlings in water for several hours, remove the damaged roots. Determine where the root collar is located; the top layer of earth should be at its level.

Place the mixture before planting in the well:

• Sod land - 2 parts.
• Peat - 1 part.
• Sand or broken brick - 1 part.

Spread out the roots, fill the hole with soil and trample down a little. Pour in two buckets of water and cover the soil with peat.

Attention! Clay soil must be fluffed by adding gravel and sand drainage. The height of the layer is about 20 cm.

Features of spirea care

Spirea knows how to be beautiful, without requiring increased attention to her person. Provide it with fertile loose soil, sufficient light, good drainage - and it will bloom for many years. During the season, it needs to be fed only three times. Only young bushes need winter insulation. The main difficulty in caring for bushes is proper pruning.

When landscaping, spirea is surprisingly multifunctional, which is explained by the variety of varieties. Low bushes fit organically into rockeries. A group of bushes of different varieties look spectacular against the background of lawns and next to pines, junipers, spruces and other conifers.

When watering spirea, you must observe the measure. The plant loves moisture, but stagnation of water is destructive for it. Make sure that the ground under the bush is moistened, but keep in mind that moisture remains under the spreading branches for a long time. Mulch the soil and in the heat, water each bush with one or two buckets of water every 10 days.

Top dressing and fertilization

In order for the bush to have abundant color in early spring, it is advisable to feed it with Kemira Universal (100 g per square meter). Top dressing will increase immunity, spirea will not hurt. Complex mineral fertilizer is also well accepted.

In July, feed the spirea with a mixture of mullein (bird droppings) and superphosphate. It is not difficult to prepare the composition: 10 liters of diluted mullein and 10 g of superphosphate. If your spirea grows in fertile soil, you do not need to feed it. You can start feeding in the second year.

Pruning

Spring-flowering spireas need pruning only to remove old shoots and dry branches. Cut off the branches immediately after flowering.

Summer-flowering bushes can be pruned with the onset of spring, starting from the fourth year. The haircut should be cardinal, since spireas of late species quickly lose their shape. Old shoots will be laid on the ground under their own weight. If you cut only the tops, the new shoots will be thinner, and the inflorescences will be small.

Advice. If you are afraid to prune the plant short, experiment: cut only half of the bush and compare results in mid-summer.

To activate flowering, you can cut off the shoots in the summer, removing a third of the length. In this case, lateral shoots are formed. When the branched branches have grown, remove the thin branches below the branch. As a result of such pruning, branching will increase, and the access of light and air to the entire plant will improve.

Early varieties bloom on the shoots of the past year. Weakened branches are cut off from single bushes, leaving strong and healthy ones. Spirea grows very quickly, so you can safely remove a fifth of the shoots in the fall by cutting them off at ground level. In the spring, the shoots will grow with renewed vigor.

Crooked and weakened branches should be removed after flowering or in early autumn, leaving a strong growth. Once every two to three years, the spirea are carefully thinned out, cutting out the branches inside the bush. Radical thinning is carried out every seven to ten years, leaving only a few of the most viable branches.

Autumn pruning

In the early years, while the root system is being formed, it is impossible to cut off the spirea much. Pruning and thinning of mature plants should be done regularly. In autumn, new shoots are cut to the level of buds above the lignified part of the branch, and form the shape of a bush. After such a haircut in the spring, the shoots will branch out and form a dense bush. Advice. Be sure to cut the inner space of the bush - this measure prevents the formation of mold, the penetration of pathogenic bacteria and the reproduction of pests.

Before the onset of the first frost, stimulating pruning is carried out. In a plant that has reached 3-4 years of age, at a height of about 30 cm, all lignified branches are removed. Such pruning will allow you to recover until spring, and new side shoots will bloom safely by mid-summer.

Old bushes 15-20 years old and plants damaged by pests can be rejuvenated by deep pruning in the fall. The bush is pruned to ground level, and in the spring it will begin to develop again from the buds at the root collar. Do not leave stumps on which branches from lateral buds will begin to grow in spring - they will be weak and worsen the decorative effect of the bush.

Hedges are also best cut in the fall. Firstly, in this way the plants will be prepared for wintering, and secondly, you will save spring time, when summer residents have enough worries. The best time for autumn pruning is September-October.

Spirea transplant

Autumn transplantation is perfectly tolerated by all varieties of spirea. Moving to a new location can be undertaken in the fall, when the leaves begin to change color. Choose a cloudy day to transfer. Remove dried parts, cut skeletal branches to buds on a lignified shoot. Old branches that have not been removed will dry out, so cut them back without hesitation.

Reproduction

There are three options for breeding spirits: seeds, cuttings and layering.

Reproduction by seeds.

For some varieties (Van Gutta, Billard, Bumalda, etc.), seed propagation is not used, because the seedlings are heterogeneous. In early spring, seeds are placed in containers with soil. When the sprouts get stronger, they are moved to the garden bed, pinched to the main root.This is done so that a powerful root system can develop. Seedlings will begin to bloom in three to four years, and before that, care for them must be thorough. Water the young plants frequently, loosen the soil, and weed.

Cuttings

With this type of reproduction, the characteristics of the variety are preserved as much as possible. Cut semi-lignified shoots into 10 cm pieces. To activate the formation of roots, use "Kornevin". Dip the ends of the cuttings in the solution before planting. Cuttings planted in mid-summer form roots by autumn.

Reproduction by layering

This simple and reliable propagation method is good when only a few new shrubs are needed. When the leaves begin to bloom in the spring, bend the branch to the ground, pin it with wire and sprinkle it with earth. You can tie the branches to the peg in an upright position. Moisten the soil moderately throughout the season and you will have a new plant by fall or next spring. The development process can be accelerated by removing the first inflorescences on young bushes.

Bloom

The general love for spirea is explained by its long and abundant flowering. Numerous small flowers are collected in pyramidal, paniculate, spike-shaped or corymbose inflorescences. Early varieties are white, summer varieties bloom with pink, lilac or crimson flowers.

The effectiveness of the bushes is explained by the duration and different periods of flowering, as well as by how the inflorescences are located on the branches. In some species, the inflorescences completely cover the shoots, in others only the upper parts bloom, in others the ends of the branches bloom. Spring varieties of spirea bloom violently, but not for long, and the flowering of summer species continues until mid-autumn.

Problems, diseases, pests

Spireas get sick quite rarely, with timely treatment they quickly recover and do not lose their decorative effect.

Aphid

Damages leaves, young shoots and pedicels of the plant. Lives in colonies. The period of active reproduction of aphids is June-August.

Rosaceae miner

It settles in the middle of summer on the surface of leaves, goes into the ground at the end of July.

Rose leafworm

Appears at an average temperature of + 13 ° C (late May - early June). The caterpillars roll the leaves into a tube and gnaw them. If you do not take urgent measures, the pest can destroy the plant.

Spider mite

After wintering under fallen leaves, the female ticks move to young leaves, braid the bush with cobwebs and lay eggs. The spider mite reproduces so actively that the entire spirea becomes covered with whitish spots, turns yellow and loses leaves. The spider mite is especially dangerous in dry summers.

You can defeat pests with the help of agrotechnical, biological and chemical measures. The main weapon is spraying bushes in dry summer, watering and feeding.

Granular pyrimor is suitable for aphid control. At the beginning of the growing season (April), a 5% solution (15 g per square meter) is introduced into the soil at a shallow depth (2-5 cm).

Aphids, rosacea miner and leafworm do not like the effects of drugs:

• pyrimor - 0.1%;
• actellic - 0.1%;
• hostakvik - 0.1%;
• kronefos - 0.3%;
• fosalon - 0.1-0.2%;
• etaphos - 0.2%.

Advice. For greater efficiency, it is recommended to combine biological products with pesticides. To lime aphids and a leafworm, mix 0.7 percent bitoxybacillin and 0.03 percent pyrimor.

The spider mite will disappear after treatment with phosphamide, keltan, fosalon, metaphos, karbofos or acrex. With a timely start of treatment, when no more than three ticks settle on a leaf, the result comes quickly.

Common varieties of spirea

Spirea Japanese

Spirea Japanese

Reaches 1.2-1.5 m in height. The upper leaves are lighter than the lower ones. Complex inflorescences of deep pink color continue to bloom all summer.

Spirea gray

Spirea gray

It blooms in May-June with inflorescences-shields from white to light gray.It grows up to two meters and looks very attractive thanks to its generous flowering and graceful branches.

Spirea Grefstein

Spirea Grefstein

A variety of gray spirea is distinguished by frost resistance and long spring flowering. It blooms so thickly that Grefsheim was named “Snow in May”.

Spirea white

Spirea white

A one and a half meter shrub grows up to a meter in diameter. Blooms in summer. Inflorescence panicles reach 15 centimeters in length. White spiraea is hygrophilous and requires regular watering.

Spirea Shiroban

Spirea Shiroban

This variety is also called red spirea. Bushes up to 70 cm with a meter diameter. Young leaves and branches are bright red, inflorescences of spirea are pink to bright crimson.

Spirea Ivolistnaya

Spirea Ivolistnaya

This variety takes root well on the banks of water bodies. The leaves of the willow spirea are elongated, and the pink panicles of the inflorescences delight from May to July.

Spirea Bumald

A small bush grows up to 80 cm. It is distinguished by a spherical shape and bright pink flowering.

Spirea Golden Princess

Small bushes no more than half a meter look like golden mounds with pink flowers. It continues to bloom from mid-summer to late autumn, retaining the color of the leaves.

Spirea Nipponskaya

Spirea Nipponskaya

Spring spirea, very showy, with thin arcuate branches and abundant flowering. A two-meter bush with a very spreading crown.

Spirea Berezolistnaya

This variety owes its name to the elliptical shape of the leaves. Low spherical shrub. By autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow.

Spirea Douglas

Spirea Douglas

The late-flowering variety reaches a height of 1.5 meters. Flowering lasts 45 days.

Spirea Thunberg

Spirea Thunberg

Low early flowering variety no higher than one and a half meters. The shrub is decorative thanks to its graceful leaves, which acquire an orange color in autumn, and abundant snow-white flowering in spring and early summer.

Answers on questions

Spirea lifespan

Spirea shoots live up to 6-7 years, after which they should be removed. The plant as a whole lives for 20 to 40 years.

Why doesn't spirea bloom?

Flowering can be poor if you don't care for, prune, and water the bush. The complete absence of flowering can be explained by the age of the bush or a lack of light or moisture in a dry year.

Why do spirea shoots dry?

A dead branch must be cut off in any case. See if it has been damaged by a pest. If you find traces of the disease, cut off all dried shoots, cover the cuts with brilliant green or garden pitch. It is possible that the root system of the spirea was damaged by moles. Another option is root trapping. Use a rake to loosen the soil around the bush and spray the bushes with zircon.

Bush care in winter

Most species are winter-hardy and feel great even north of middle latitude. Not afraid of harsh winters are gray, oak-leaved, low and medium spireas. The buds of these species are damaged only at 50-degree frosts. Cold white and Bumald's spirea are worse tolerated. At a temperature of -45-50 ° C, spiraea of ​​Douglas, Wangutta and willow leaf die. In order not to lose the plant, it is enough to tie the tops of the shoots into a bunch for the winter. For safe wintering, the Nippon Spirea, Bumald and Japanese shoots are bent, pinned to the surface of the ground and covered with fallen leaves.