Spirea Japanese "darts red": description, planting and care

Planting Japanese spirea

When to plant Japanese spirea

Like any garden shrub, spirea is planted in early spring or after leaf fall, but summer-flowering species of spirea, which include Japanese spiraea, are best planted in early spring, but it is very important to have time to plant before the buds begin to swell on the trees. When choosing a place for planting Japanese spirea, you should know that this plant is very photophilous, and although three to four hours of direct sun a day is enough for it, the more light there is, the more beautiful the spirea will be

The Japanese spirea shrub is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but in fertile soil it grows better and blooms more magnificently

When choosing a place to plant Japanese spirea, you should know that this plant is very photophilous, and although three to four hours of direct sun a day is enough for it, the more light there is, the more beautiful the spirea will be. The Japanese spirea shrub is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but in fertile soil it grows better and blooms more magnificently.

How to plant Japanese spirea

If you have purchased seedlings with an open root system, carefully examine it: it should not be dry. The shoots of the seedling must be flexible and the buds alive. Remove dry or rotten roots with pruning shears, and shorten healthy ones to 25-30 cm. Seedlings with a closed root system are watered abundantly before planting and removed from the container, and if the earthy ball is dry, place the root system for an hour or two in a bucket of water.

When planning planting, keep in mind that the roots of the Japanese spirea grow strongly, so the distance between the seedlings should be at least 50 cm.The hole for the spirea is dug with sheer walls, and its volume should be at least a third larger than the root system of the plant. Before planting, the pit should stand for at least two days, then a layer of drainage is laid on its bottom, for example, stones or broken brick, then the hole is filled with garden soil mixed with river sand and peat in a ratio of 2: 1: 1

The roots of the seedling are lowered into the hole, carefully straightened and the remaining space is filled with soil mixture. The root neck of the spirea should be flush with the surface

After planting, the soil around the seedling is tamped and watered with two buckets of water.

SPIREYA JAPANESE "DARTS RED"

Spirea Japanese "Darts Red" Spiraea japonica "Dart's Red"

A beautifully flowering shrub, the height of which is 0.6 - 0.8 m, and the width is up to 1.2 m. The crown has a spherical, compact shape, densely branched. Very good during leaf opening and flowering. Leaves are lanceolate, dark green, pinkish when blooming, red in autumn. Blooms from July to September. Flowers from bright crimson to ruby ​​red are collected in large inflorescences. After flowering, it is recommended to remove faded shoots. In late autumn or early spring, a strong pruning of the bush up to 10-30 cm ("on a stump") is recommended.

It develops better in full sun or in partial shade. It blooms weakly in the shade, and the shoots lignify more slowly. It tolerates all garden soils, but prefers fertile moderately moist, drained soils of slightly acidic and neutral reaction more. Landing in places protected from the wind. Planted plants require shading from the bright sun. Annual spring pruning is recommended to keep the bushes more compact and to form stronger shoots.

In the first years of life, and especially in the year of planting, it is advisable to cover all spireas, regardless of the species. With age, the plants become more hardy, their winter hardiness increases, and, if the climate permits, shelter can be abandoned.In case of frost damage, spiraea quickly recovers due to its high shoot-forming ability. But flowering in such a year will be weak. In our climatic zone, the best natural insulation is snow. But due to the fact that winters in recent years have become more and more unpredictable, it is necessary to protect the plant from the influence of snowless frosts. Before the onset of frost, it is advisable to loosen the soil around the bush, and then sprinkle it, pouring a mound about 20 cm high into the center.For this purpose, it is better to bring the earth from the garden, and additionally mulch the trunks with peat or well-decomposed compost. Tie the branches so that they do not break under the weight of the snow, and bend them to the ground, having previously laid burlap, leaves or other insulating material under them. In this position, the shoots are fixed with metal brackets, and then the entire structure is covered with a layer of insulation. Only with the onset of stable cold weather, when the plant finishes its growing season, can we begin to shelter it. If all the steps to prepare for winter are performed correctly, wintering will go well, and in the spring there will be abundant and lush flowering.

It is used for single and group plantings, borders, creating edges and tree-shrub groups, tamping taller bushes. It makes a spectacular impression in the bed, as a hedge. A curtain of spirits of different species and varieties will allow to extend flowering from May to September, and the use of varieties with decorative leaves will make such a composition elegant throughout the season, including late autumn. Large group plantings of spirea, lilacs and mock-mushrooms with tamping bulbs, lilies of the valley, primroses, astilbe, and curb summers are spectacular. Such a group of plants will be blooming and very decorative from early spring to late autumn. In the near-trunk circles of the spirea, carpets of ground cover perennials will be appropriate: a brilliant dark green periwinkle, a yellow-motley saxifrage of a shady, painted ash-tree. Looks good with conifers, other spireas, barberries, cinquefoil, lavender, St. John's wort, etc. Excellent border plant. It is used to create low hedges, complex flower gardens, alpine slides.

Peculiarities

The Golden Princess Japanese Spirea is a perennial shrub belonging to the Pink family. The botanical description of the Golden Princess variety allows you to fully assess its characteristics. The height of the bush reaches 1 m, but most often it is limited to a range of 70–80 cm, in diameter it retains almost the same parameters. This spirea is characterized by summer flowering on the shoots of 1 year, which requires careful attention to the formation of the crown. The average lifespan of each branch is 7 years, the root system develops no less actively as it grows.

The deciduous shrub is given originality by the unusual golden foliage, which changes its color during the season and becomes reddish, ocher, bronze, juicy orange. The plates themselves are oval in shape, reaching a length of 70 mm, serrated along the edges. On the branches in June and July, corymbose dense inflorescences with a diameter of up to 4 cm, red or pink-purple hue, are formed.

Pests and diseases

Spirea is resistant to diseases and pests. But, like any plant, it needs prevention. It begins with the spring treatment of the bushes with 3% Bordeaux liquid before bud break. Copper, which is the main component of this fungicide, neutralizes pathogenic microflora. In the future, processing is carried out as signs of one or another disease are detected.

Major diseases:

1. Powdery mildew affects young plants. The main symptom is whitish spots on the leaves. Treatment is carried out by spraying the bush with a solution of colloidal sulfur 2%.
2. The mottling appears as dark spots on the leaves. It is treated by spraying the bush with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

If necessary, the treatment is repeated after a week. It is also advisable to thin out the bush and remove weeds near it. Dampness and heat are the main conditions for the development of pathogenic microflora.

Pests often attack those parts of the garden where air circulates poorly and shade persists. Therefore, prevention consists in not creating conditions that are comfortable for insects.

The most common pests:

1. Aphid. These small insects are dangerous not only because they damage the leaves. They secrete a sticky coating on which soot fungi begin to develop. Aphids are destroyed by spraying with soapy water.
2. Ticks can also attack young plants. Their presence is noticeable by the curling of the leaves. To combat them, use "Aktelikom".

When growing ornamental shrubs, remember that the frequency of diseases depends on how healthy the bush is. Pests often attack weakened plants. It is very easy to grow spirea. Taking care of her is easy too.

She tolerates any conditions well. Its high decorative properties are an additional advantage of the plant. And if you have a desire, you can easily plant this beautiful shrub on your site.

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Features of planting and care

Like other varieties of spirea, Darts Red, despite its unpretentiousness, will be able to show itself better in certain conditions.

The right growing conditions:

• lighting: grows equally well in the sun and in partial shade; but the color of the flowers is brighter and their number is greater if the bush is in a sunny area;
• moisture: moderately moist soil with good drainage;
• soil: fertile, loose;
• acidity (pH): slightly alkaline, neutral, slightly acidic;
• drought resistance: not very high;
• salt tolerance: moderate, can grow on the banks of water bodies;
• irrigation: weekly;
• pruning: at the end of winter - sanitary, after flowering - stimulating;
• pests: aphids;
• diseases: spotting.

Landing

Spirea can be planted in spring or autumn. A prerequisite is low air temperature. At + 5 ° C, the root system develops better than in hot weather. Autumn planting is allowed no later than a month before the onset of frost.

Growing on any type of soil is allowed. But sandy soil does not retain moisture well and overheats in the sun. In this case, it is recommended to mix it with clay. If the soil is clay, then it is diluted with organic fertilizers, making it more nutritious and loose.

Pre-planting preparation includes digging the site, removing weeds, large clods of earth. The size of the planting hole should be larger than the size of the root ball. If necessary, the soil removed from the planting pit is brought to the correct condition by adding organic fertilizers, sand or clay, depending on its initial structure.

Landing takes place according to the following scheme:

1. Pour 2 buckets of water into the pit. If it takes several hours to absorb, then be sure to lay a drainage layer on the bottom. It can be pebbles, broken brick, rubble.
2. Add a bucket of humus or rotted manure mixed with soil.
3. Place a bush in the center of the hole. Spread out the roots.
4. Backfill gently by compacting the soil near the base of the shrub. The root collar should be at the same distance as in the nursery.
5. Form a small indentation around the plant for easy watering.
6. Pour 1-2 buckets of water.
7. Be sure to cover the root zone with mulch. This action will prevent moisture from evaporating and will also inhibit the growth of weeds.

Watering

Plant care includes mandatory watering. Spirea is hygrophilous. It is specially planted on the banks of rivers to strengthen the coastal zone. Therefore, in order for the bush to bloom magnificently, the soil should not dry out. A young bush is watered 2-3 times a week. Old - weekly.Volume - 1-2 buckets of water for each plant.

Pruning

Ornamental shrub pruning consists of several varieties:

• sanitary - removal of diseased and damaged branches;
• anti-aging - removing old shoots;
• molding - shaping the shrub.

Fertilizer

Spirea prefers fertile soil. To do this, when planting, 1-2 buckets of humus are introduced into the planting pit. Then, for 1-2 years, the bush is not fertilized.

And then feeding is carried out according to the scheme:

• in the spring, apply 20 g of ammonium nitrate and potash fertilizers per 1 sq. m;
• in the fall, 5 kg of compost, 40 g of superphosphate and 100 g of ash are instilled into the root zone of the bush.

Preparing for winter

In the fall, the garden is removed from the fallen leaves. Remove weeds and dig up the soil. Spirea must be watered intensively. This is necessary for the correct setting of flower buds for the next growing season.

To prevent this from happening, gardeners use one of two ways to solve the problem:

• use of a layer of mulch in the root zone;
• covering the root zone with a circle of foam or other material that will act as an insulation between the cold air and the root system.