How to properly prune apple tree seedlings: pruning scheme for beginners

Sheflera in the house care photo

In this article we will talk about such a plant as a chefler, learn how to grow it, care for it, and also tell you how to form a crown for a chefler. Sheflera is a capricious but incredibly beautiful houseplant. It has the shape of a tree and leaves that resemble umbrellas. If properly cared for, it will bloom and grow up to 2 meters high. It is difficult to maintain such a giant in a city apartment, so flower lovers go for a trick and cut off his branches. When everything is done correctly, Sheflera does not grow in height, but forms a lush crown. You will have your own exotic tree in your home or office

The formation of the crown of a plant should be treated with caution, when pruning is carried out at the wrong time or in the wrong way, the plant will die

How to properly trim the plant at home?

When pruning ficus at home, you must adhere to the basic rules:

1. Disinfect tools with vodka or cologne. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
2. When examining the plant, outline in advance which branches need to be cut and which ones should not be touched.
3. Dry branches are removed first. Next comes the work on creating the desired shape.
4. It is recommended to mark the trimming borders with chalk so as not to accidentally cut off the excess.
5. Slices are made just above the kidneys.
6. The resulting shoots are left for plant propagation.

For sanitary and preventive purposes

If the ficus is sick, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning. This will remove damaged or diseased shoots and stop further plant death. After preventive pruning, the ficus directs all its forces towards its recovery. Cropping is done in the following sequence:

1. A pre-disinfected garden pruner is used. If you do not have a secateurs, you can use scissors.
2. We find all diseased or dry branches of the plant.
3. We remove all damaged branches, to cut hard-to-reach branches, tweezers are used to grab.
4. Cut shoots are burned or disposed of. They do not need to be used for compost, as this leads to the development of infectious diseases.

Sanitary pruning of ficus must be carried out not only for the branches, but also for the roots. And it is performed according to the following algorithm:

1. We carefully remove the plant from the pot.
2. We slowly remove the soil from the roots. Examine the root system for black or rotten roots. Healthy roots are always light colored.
3. We cut off all diseased roots. The cut should be made with a margin towards a healthy root to prevent further spread of disease.
4. We prepare a new soil and plant a tree in it.

For rejuvenation

Periodically, the ficus needs anti-aging pruning. It must be done like this:

1. To begin with, there is a check on the care of the tree, its living conditions and watering.
2. We make sure there is sufficient lighting and a comfortable temperature for the plant.
3. All dried, diseased branches and leaves are mercilessly removed.

For a comfortable living of the ficus as it grows, it is necessary to select the appropriate size for the pot, so that there is enough space for the growth of the root system. Do not overuse feeding, it is enough to produce it once a month.

In addition, as it grows, the plant should be transplanted into a larger container, where there will be enough room for its roots to grow and receive nutrients. Also, do not forget about feeding the ficus, usually it is carried out monthly throughout the year.

Ficus braiding

Ficus Benjamin is beautiful in any form. Not only plants with a crown are interesting.Trees grown by ficus braiding can be called a real work of art. Such plants have bare trunks intertwined with a special pattern. These ficuses are prized for their beautiful trunks. The crown of plants is usually shaped like a ball.

To obtain such a handsome man, all varieties of ficus with thin shoots are suitable. But the Viandi variety is categorically not suitable, since it has thick and curved trunks.

To obtain intricacies, several seedlings are planted in a pot (their number may be large), having the same size. Both plants must grow at the same time. The seedlings must be of the same variety, since then they will grow at the same rate. There are various patterns of ficus weaving. The simplest are the spiral and the pigtail.

How to braid Benjamin's ficus to get a spiral? To do this, you need to plant two seedlings in a pot. But for the scythe you need three young plants. There are also more complex schemes. Sometimes, to bring them to life, you have to plant up to 20 seedlings. Such trees can only be grown by true professionals. To weave the trunks, it is necessary to remove the side shoots. All weaves should be fixed with copper wire or woolen thread. The shoots are fixed above the plexus site. In the future, the ficus is looked after in the usual way. As soon as the cuttings grow a little, another weave is made.

The fastening points should be checked every two months. Sometimes they need to be weakened, because during growth the trunks gradually thicken. If the fixation is too strong, it can injure the bark of the plant. As soon as the braid or spiral reaches the desired length, it is necessary to fasten the trunk from above. The attachment point will be reliably hidden by the crown, so it will not be visible. After a few years, the trunks will grow together and turn into a single whole. At this point, all fasteners can be removed. They are no longer needed.

What varieties are found

At home, an eight-leafed bush chefler is grown, having an elegant appearance. Its lowered petioles are cream-colored. They hold shiny dark green lancet-shaped leaves. Their length reaches 40 cm. The plant is light-requiring, and for flowering on the windowsill it lacks a color day. Under artificial light, a flower appears that resembles a light green sea clam in shape.

Sheflera eight-leafed

For lovers of bonsai, a tree chef is suitable. You can grow Amate with green leaves or Gold Capella. This type of cheflera looks like a miniature palm tree with variegated leaves, which are about 20 cm long.

Sheflera tree

Sheflera radiant (or star-leaved) has a brown trunk, elongated shiny green leaves. The Nova variety is distinguished by its leaf, which is similar in shape to oak leaves.

Sheflera radiant

Sheflera flower home care crown formation - Growing and caring at home

Like any home flower, the cheflera is demanding on air humidity and uniform watering. The plant needs moderate lighting, without direct sun exposure.

cheflera flower: home care, crown formation, pruning, reproduction

A few tips for keeping Sheflera

• Place the flower on southeast or southwest windows, and keep the plant on the south side during winter. It is worth remembering that variegated cheflera is more photophilous, and with a lack of light, the leaves will lose their bright colors.
• Try not to overflow the flower, the soil in the pot should be moderately moist, the water for irrigation should be settled. If the indoor humidity is low, such as on hot summer days or when central heating is on, try spraying the plant periodically. Place the flower pot on expanded clay, immersed in a container of water.
• The suitable temperature during active plant growth ranges from + 22 ... + 27C. In winter, you can reduce it to + 18C, since the plant needs a period of relative rest.

Sheflera flower - home care crown formation

Correct pruning and shaping of the crown

Growing a flower such as a cheflera at home, and providing it with proper care, you are faced with the need for crown formation and pruning. This procedure is carried out at the beginning of spring, pursuing the following tasks:

1. Form a compact and aesthetically pleasing bush.
2. Give an impetus for the growth of young shoots, on the already lignified stems of the plant (rejuvenating pruning).
3. Cut young cuttings for propagation.
4. Perform sanitary pruning after the winter dormant period.

Sheflera flower - home care, pruning

Tips from experienced florists

• When pruning and shaping plants, use only good quality sharp pruning shears and do not scissor wounds the plant.
• Sheflera, although not a demanding flower in care, requires the correct formation of the crown at home. To create it even and beautiful, too long branches of the plant are cut off by 1/3, and if necessary, even more, leaving the top, the bud looking outward of the bush. If the thickness of the cut branches is more than 1 cm, coat the sections with garden varnish or warm wax to keep the infection out.
• In adult plants, over time, the crown growth can go to the periphery (top), in order to avoid this, pinch the ends of the shoots in a timely manner, for greater branching and growth of young leaves.

cheflera flower - home care, reproduction

Growing problems

Very often, in the process of growing, florists are faced with various difficulties. Most often, beginners complain that Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves. There are many reasons for this behavior of plants.

If the bush sheds its leaves in autumn or winter, this is a natural process associated with a dormant period. In this case, don't worry.

Another reason for foliage to fall is a change in habitual conditions. Houseplants do not respond well to rearrangement, drafts, and a drop in temperature. Therefore, the ficus must be kept in its usual conditions.

Excessive cold or heat also affects the foliage of the plant. Temperature regime and its stability is one of the main conditions of detention. During periods of active growth, the ficus needs additional feeding. The lack of trace elements is reflected in the beauty of the crown and decorativeness.

There are many reasons for foliage falling. If you encounter such a problem, you need to find out the reason. And then it must be eliminated. After that, the situation will return to normal.

When to pinch apple tree shoots

If at some point in the crown you need to form a small branch, well covered with generative formations, pinch the strongly growing shoot about the fifth true leaf. Can be slightly shorter or longer. You should not pinch short shoots and shoots of the continuation of the main branches.

Time the pinching to the time when 2-3 weeks are left before the end of the growth of the shoot. Previously not worth it. 1-2 buds closest to the pinching site will awaken and give strong shoots. And this is undesirable. They may not ripen and will freeze a lot in winter. Anyway, the goal will not be achieved. A later pinching is also not good: it will not give an effect.

Remove the tops of the shoots with whatever you want: pruning shears, scissors, nails. If, after that, short shoots such as ringlets and spears grow from the axillary buds, that's good. Leave everything as it is. If one strong shoot grows out of the upper bud, pinch it over the third to fifth leaf. If there are many strong shoots, cut off the pinched branch above the lowest one, and pinch it, in turn, above the fifth leaf or slightly above.

Pinching does not always and does not immediately give an effect.Here is the culture, and the variety, and the condition of the plants, and believe it or not - the character of the gardener affects. Therefore, master the pinching of shoots slowly and thoroughly. Reception is in some cases simply irreplaceable.

Sanitary plant pruning

Sanitary pruning of barberry is carried out annually. In the process, you can also start forming a crown. It is recommended to trim only healthy shoots, but do not overdo it. Weak branches are removed completely.

It is possible to form a crown only in the second year of a plant's life. In this case, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the scheme in order to make the correct haircut and not damage the flower. The procedure should be performed in the spring, until the buds have blossomed, and before winter, when the harvest has already been harvested.

In the following spring, it is recommended to shorten the shoots up to 10 cm above the ground. The procedure will increase the density of the bush, it will begin to branch. For 3 years of life, 15 cm of shoots are left above the soil level. For a single plant, a similar method of cutting barberry will allow it to be kept in the form of a ball for a long time. Curb plantings and hedges require this procedure.

Scheme of sanitary pruning of barberry

Shefler's home flower, description

Schefflera (Araliev family) pleases with a variety of natural forms - tree, bush, liana. Of particular interest are the leaves, similar to wide-open palms, painted in emerald color, some varieties have a variegated color. They are especially popular. The following types are suitable for home floriculture:

• radiant (Shefflera actinophylla);
• eight-leafed (octopus, Sh. Octophyla);
• tree (Sh. Arboricola);
• finger (Sh. Digitata);
• graceful (Sh. Elegantissima);
• Veitch (Shefflera veitchii).

The plant retains its decorative effect all year round, although home conditions are not conducive to flowering.

Plant care basics.

The shefler came to our latitudes from the hot and humid subtropics. Under natural conditions, it blooms beautifully and even bears fruit. Do not rush to rejoice, the decorative appearance has practically lost the ability to bloom at home, it is an exception to the rule. But you still have a chance to enjoy all the beauty of the chefs, it is enough:

1. Maintain optimal temperature. It fluctuates in the range of 18-23 ° C.
2. Provide adequate lighting. To do this, it is enough to place a pot or a tub with a tree by the window on the east or west side.
3. Monitor humidity levels. The plant can be saved from pests by regular water treatments and spraying.
4. Feeding with minerals will be very helpful. Especially in the spring and summer.

If these rules were strictly observed, you can proceed to the next stage - the formation of the crown.

How to form a crown: popular ways

There are several varieties of crowns that can be formed by pruning ficus. The most popular ones are:

• bush;
• stem;
• spiral;
• arc;
• fence;
• braid.

Let's analyze what these crowns are and how to form them.

Bush

1. To form a crown in the form of a bush, 2-3 cuttings are planted next to each other.
2. When the cutting reaches a height of 15 cm, pinch it from above, leaving more than 5 leaves. This is a stimulating effect for the emergence of 4-5 lateral shoots.
3. When a length of 15 cm is reached, the lateral shoots are cut so that the upper buds are directed outward of the crown. We do not forget to process all sections with coal.
4. When the shoots of the third level reach a length of 15 cm, a dense bush will already turn out. If it turns out to be very thick, then it can be thinned out by removing a few branches from the middle.

Important! When growing a bush-shaped crown, it is necessary to change the side of the ficus, directed towards the sun, so that the crown develops evenly.

The easiest way to green up a room.

Stam

1. It is necessary to plant one cutting, in the process of growth we remove all the lower shoots, leaving only 3-4 of the upper ones. With a tree height of 0.5 m, the length of the trunk at the bottom without branches should be 20 cm.
2. Upon reaching the desired height, the upper shoot must be cut by 6-10 cm.
3. Next, we proceed to the formation of the crown. To do this, we intensively build up lateral shoots within the crown, remove everything outside.
4. Further, the formation proceeds like a bush, when pruning, the extreme buds should look outward.

Reference. The stamp crown can be of different shapes. The most popular are spherical and oval shapes. If you form a spherical shape, then do not forget that the shoots must be of the same length.

The stem crown is suitable for houses with high ceilings.

Arc

1. When the plant reaches a sufficient height, cut off the top.
2. Now you need to bend the plant and secure it, be careful not to break it. In this position, the shoots begin to grow upward.
3. When the required shape is acquired, the fixation can be removed.

Spiral

We'll need one escape. Weaving is carried out as follows:

1. We plant the cutting in a pot.
2. Depending on the latitude of the required turns, we select the diameter of the support, which we will install next to the handle. For this, a bamboo stem or some kind of tube may be suitable.
3. At a height of 15 cm, the stem is screwed onto a support. To obtain uniform turns, inserts are used for a short time. We leave the inserts for a while so that they do not begin to grow into the stem.
4. As soon as the tree reaches the required height, the support is removed.

The spiral looks unusual and decorative.

This video shows how to form a spiral crown:

Scythe

For a scythe, you need to braid several plants at a distance of 5-10 cm from each other, or you can use one tree with 3-4 side shoots. They begin to work on the desired shape when the tree reaches a height of 15 cm:

1. If there is one plant, then it is necessary to change the direction of growth of the extreme parts of the braid from the central in opposite directions, tying them to a branch. If there are several plants, then this action is omitted.
2. We take the right shoot and throw it over the middle one at an angle of 45 degrees.
3. We fix in this position using threads.
4. We are waiting for the plants to stretch.
5. We cross the resulting center with the left shoot.
6. We repeat the steps as we grow.

Make sure that the loops are the same.

This video shows how to braid a ficus crown-braid:

Fence

Pruned plants are used for the fence. Shoots are planted in a box in one row. In young plants, the top layer of the bark is cut off, the sap is wiped off and the stems are connected by tying them. Trees will begin to grow together, the more light is available, the faster they will grow together.

This video shows how to weave a ficus fence:

Types of pruning Kalanchoe

There are several stages in this process and different goals for each of them.

Attention should be paid to this, because both the appearance of the plant and its health depend on the timely and competent pruning and formation of the bush.

We form the bush correctly

This procedure has its own subtleties that should be studied in more detail.

• Before you start pruning, you need to know exactly the variety of the plant. The peculiarities of the formation of the crown also depend on this.
• If you have just recently purchased a flower, then you should not immediately prune. The plant should take root in a new place. Pause.
• In winter, when the Kalanchoe is at rest, pruning is not recommended.
• All instruments must be disinfected before and after procedures so as not to infect. Keep your knife, pruner, or scissors sharp.
• If you pick off the leaves and inflorescences by hand, the Kalanchoe may begin to fade.
• The pruning procedure is recommended to be carried out either in the morning or in the evening. During this period, try to locate the pot with a bush in such a place that the rays of the sun do not fall on it.
• When you have made the pruning, then the places of the cuts should immediately be sprinkled with crushed charcoal or activated carbon.
• If the flower is just transplanted, wait a few weeks with pruning so that the plant can take root and adapt.
• When you see that the bush is suffering from an invasion of pests, then only after their complete destruction is it worth pruning.

First cut

It is carried out for preventive purposes. The most suitable period for this procedure is spring. Here's what you need to know.

1. When the flower wakes up, after 30 days, the first pruning should be done. At this stage, several leaves are removed from the tops of the shoots.
2. After the procedure, it is not recommended to place the bush on the south or southeast side of the room, so that it does not start to grow too actively. The Kalanchoe species then quickly loses its accuracy.

Obrazka for prophylactic purposes

As the plant grows actively enough, this type of pruning is relevant. There are several reasons why you need to do this procedure.

• In places where shoots and leaves were previously cut, new shoots begin to form in the axils and buds. It is also necessary to remove several leaves from them so that the crown remains formed according to your idea.
• Regularly inspect the plant, and immediately remove all dry or rotten parts, then the Kalanchoe will be healthy and there is no need to be afraid of the appearance of various rot.
• The lower shoots of the bush gradually shed their leaves and become bare. The view is unattractive. Therefore, the recommendation is as follows: as the flower grows, remove the bare lower branches. In this case, only fresh and juicy green young foliage will remain.
• In the summer, the upper shoots begin to stretch very actively. So that the lateral ones go into growth, and the shape of the bush is lush, then the tops should be pinched.

If the upper shoots have grown to 10 - 12 cm, then they can be safely used for reproduction. It is very simple and does not require any effort - placed in water at room temperature, leaves and cuttings release roots over time. You can plant a young plant in the ground.

What to do after flowering

The active flowering period for this decorative flower begins at the end of winter and continues into the spring months. The specificity of the development of the Kalanchoe is such that peduncles are formed precisely at a time when the daylight hours are short.

1. In the case when the second half of the spring period has already begun, and flowering does not occur, then 3 - 4 upper leaves are pruned on each shoot - this procedure will force the bush to develop flower stalks more actively.
2. You do not need to wait for all the branches to dry out after flowering and all the petals to crumble. Prune as soon as you see the flowering is over. Then, in place of the cut, young twigs with leaves and new buds will immediately begin to form. It is better to remove faded shoots under the root in order to prevent the whole plant from drying out.
3. After the pruning of the Kalanchoe ends after the flowering period, it is necessary to give it time to rest and rest. For this, the flower is determined in a dark and cool place, where there will be no sun and the air temperature does not exceed + 15 - 17 degrees Celsius. Very little watering is needed at this time - only once every 20 days.