Spirea japanese crisp

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 enough to carry out once every 2 weeks, well soaking the root layer.

Fertilizer 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.

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 the 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 preparation 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 it with special fasteners;
• fall asleep with dry leaves;
• additionally throw in snow.

Chromaticity macrophile

The chromaticity of macrophiles depends on their genetic predisposition. Genetically, red and white hydrangeas do not change color. That is, you cannot make red from red or make red from white. Depending on some features of the soil and air temperature, these hydrangeas can only change the color saturation. In addition, as the flower ages, the color from red (at the beginning of the season) may change to red-purple (at the end of the season).

Red Sensation from the Forever & Ever series But those hydrangeas that were originally pink or blue can change color in one direction or another.

The color of such hydrangeas is affected by:

• soil acidity (pH);
• the presence or absence of free aluminum in the soil;
• the presence of soluble iron in the soil.

It is very difficult for a non-specialist to understand the chemical processes in the soil, for this there are “smart” people who write “smart” books, and we, gardeners, have to trust them and check their conclusions in practice in our garden.

“The lowest levels of soluble iron (assimilable) are found at alkaline pH values. Therefore, acidic soils are more enriched in soluble inorganic iron than neutral and alkaline "(Kabata-Pendias, Pendias, 1989" Trace elements in soils and plants "). Since there is little soluble iron in alkaline soils, and aluminum in an accessible form is practically absent in them, hydrangeas in such soils will be pink. At the same time, due to a lack of iron, they can suffer greatly from chlorosis. In acidic and weakly acidic soils, more enriched with soluble inorganic iron, aluminum in an accessible form can be either a lot or a little. If there is a lot of aluminum, the flowers will be blue-blue, and if there is little aluminum, the hydrangea will show pink or a mixture of pink-blue flowers. Simply put, in order to get a blue hydrangea from a pink hydrangea, you need a combination of acidic soil and the presence of aluminum and iron ions in the soil in an easily digestible form. Aluminum helps the gland to pass into a soluble state, thereby enabling the plant to assimilate it. In other words, in order for the pink hydrangea to turn blue, you need to lower the soil pH, add aluminum sulfate (aluminum alum) and iron chelate (for example, Ferrovit). You can also use special fertilizers for blueing macrophiles. To get pink hydrangea from blue hydrangea, it is necessary to increase the pH of the soil, but this is fraught with chlorosis. In general, hydrangeas can grow in soils with different pH - from acidic to neutral and even slightly alkaline. But on the latter you will have to try very hard and run around "with tambourines". It is good to change and maintain the desired color of macrophiles when grown in a pot culture. In the garden, due to the leaching of trace elements from the soil, this is more difficult to achieve, it is necessary to constantly maintain the desired pH of the soil and add the necessary trace elements. It is quite difficult to get very blue from a pink macrophile, as they sell in a garden center. My color changes, but not so much. More often the bushes are in pink-blue and pink-lilac shades.

Macrophile with pink flowers on one side of the bush.

Macrophila with pink flowers on one side of the bush

Macrophile with lavender flowers on the other side of the bush.

A macrophile with flowers of different colors looks very attractive and picturesque.

Large-leaved hydrangeas Endless Summer

If someone in the garden grows a blue-blue hydrangea without any tricks, this means that he initially has acidic soil in the garden with the necessary content of aluminum salts and iron ions in it.

I once planted Endless Summer blue hydrangea. Our soils are sod-podzolic, slightly acidic, and in the first year after planting, it bloomed with beautiful blue caps.

Large-leaved hydrangea Endless Summer

The next year I had to transplant it, and it immediately bloomed with pink flowers. And this despite the fact that I prepared acidic soil for planting. I realized that only acidic soil by itself does not provide a blue color, iron and aluminum ions are needed. Cuttings from blue hydrangea, planted in ordinary garden soil, also bloomed with pink flowers.

Blue hydrangea, after transplant, bloomed with pink flowers

How to take care of it properly?

Caring for the spirea of ​​the argut consists of the usual stages inherent in most ornamental shrubs. Irrigation should be regular but moderate to prevent waterlogging. In the summer heat, plants should be watered every 3 days, and if the weather is adequate, then the frequency can be reduced to once a week.As a rule, one shrub has to spend about 15 liters of settled water, after which mulching and loosening of the surface must be carried out. If weeds appear next to the spirea, then it is recommended to weed them immediately, since their presence contributes either to the spread of insects or to infection of the crop.

Timely pruning is extremely important for the shrub, the main task of which is the formation of the crown. In addition to the aesthetic effect, this procedure also contributes to the emergence of new strong shoots, which will be covered with snow-white buds next year. Be sure to remove most of the young branches that have grown during the summer period in order to avoid thickening. All pruning is divided into several varieties: sanitary, shaping, stimulating and rejuvenating.

Sanitary pruning begins in the second year of development of the spirea of ​​the argut. During it, dried shoots, which are a carrier of pathogenic spores and insects, are eliminated. Shoots that have deteriorated during the winter cold are also cut off. Therefore, sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring, while the buds of the plant have not yet opened. Additionally, damaged shoots will need to be removed throughout the summer.

Formative pruning must be addressed in either spring or autumn and its main purpose is to create a beautifully shaped shrub crown. In addition, we must not forget about the rejuvenation of the bushes, which is necessary for spirits who have reached 15 years of age. This pruning is carried out a couple of days before the winter frost and consists in cutting the branches right at the root. Speaking about the care of the argument, one cannot fail to mention the application of fertilizers. The optimal composition is a mixture of organic substances such as compost and mineral complexes. The thickness of the compost should vary from 5 to 7 centimeters, and 30 g of urea and 100 g of Kemira are suitable as mineral fertilizers.

Spirea pruning

Some branches of the shrub can freeze slightly in the spring, and also dry out due to the short duration of their life. On average, a branch of a spirea can live 6 - 7 years, therefore, three types of pruning are recommended for a spirea:

• Formative;

• Anti-aging;

• Cosmetic.

In early spring, the plant is shortened to a height of 20 cm, removing dried old branches and branches affected by frost. With this pruning, the spirea will bloom in mid-summer.

The second time the spirea can be cut off after flowering. During this period, dried peduncles and branches are removed that violate the shape of the bush, if any.

But there is another cropping option. Since spirea shrubs bloom on overwintered branches, dense bushes of the correct shape are not cut off in spring, but only twigs that have suffered in winter are removed. Such a spirea will bloom earlier - at the beginning of summer. After flowering, as in the first case, the inflorescences are cut off and at the same time, rejuvenating and formative pruning is performed. In warmer years, with such a pruning in the fall, you can get a second, but lush, lush flowering.

Planting and caring for the Japanese Darts Red spirea

In landing Spirea Darts Red and the subsequent care of the shrub is no big deal. Like most spire varieties, this plant grows best in well-lit areas. In such conditions, it blooms profusely and actively forms young shoots, however, with light shade, Darts Red also develops well. However, the lack of light affects the color of the foliage of the shrub and the saturation of the inflorescences - in the shade, the flowers of the spirea can become faded. In addition, the branches lignify much more slowly due to the lack of light.

Spirea is undemanding to the type of soil, although it prefers moderately moist, loose soil of medium acidity. Landing on poor soils is also possible, but in this case, the lack of nutrients will inhibit the growth of the shrub.It is recommended to correct poor soil before planting by applying organic fertilizers.

Important! The planting site must be well protected from strong winds

Preparation of planting material and site

Spirea Japanese Darts Red quickly takes root in almost all soils, so it is not necessary to prepare a site for planting plants, especially if the soil on the site is loose and fertile. Only with a strong scarcity of soil is it recommended to dig up the area and apply organic fertilizers 2-3 weeks before planting.

Planting material is carefully inspected before being placed in open ground - in the presence of mechanical damage, the plants can easily become infected with the fungus. In addition, it is necessary to cut off the roots that are knocked out of the total mass. To do this, use sharp garden shears, after which an even cut should remain. If the root system is corrected with a blunt instrument, small fractures may form on the roots. Because of this, the seedling may not take root in the open field.

Spirea shoots can also be slightly shortened, but not more than 30%.

Planting spirea Japanese Darts Red

The planting scheme for the Darts Red spirea is quite simple:

A planting hole is dug in the selected area. The depth and diameter of the hole depends on the size of the root system of the seedling - it must be freely placed inside.
Drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole. For this, gravel, broken brick or clay shards are used.
A soil mixture based on peat, sod land and fine-grained river sand, taken in a ratio of 1: 1: 1, is poured over the drainage layer

A low hill is formed from it.
A seedling is placed on this hill, carefully distributing its roots along the slopes. In this case, the ends of the roots should not rest against the walls of the planting pit.
The root system is carefully covered with the top layer of soil from the garden plot

The root collar of the spirea, after the seedling is buried, should be located at the level of the soil.
Immediately after planting, the near-stem section is slightly pressed down. A shallow furrow is dug along the perimeter, in which moisture will accumulate in the future during irrigation.
After this, the planting is moderately watered.

Watering and feeding

The drought resistance of the Darts Red variety is average - the shrub does not tolerate prolonged heat well. Young seedlings are especially vulnerable to drought, so the bushes are regularly watered.

Advice! To better retain moisture in the soil around the shrub, this area is recommended to be mulched. Dry grass, leaves or sawdust are used as mulch.

It is not necessary to feed the spirea, however, in conditions of scarcity of soil, you can fertilize the near-trunk area with liquid dressings. To do this, a fermented mullein or herbal infusion is introduced into the soil. Recommended timing: early spring to mid-summer.

Pruning

Japanese spirea is cut in the spring. To do this, remove damaged and dried branches. Old bushes are pruned to the very base in order to rejuvenate the plant. Such pruning will provoke intensive growth of young shoots.

Advice! In order for the spirea to bloom better, it is necessary to cut off the ends of the faded branches.

Preparing for winter

Despite the fact that the spirea Darts Red is a frost-resistant garden culture, it is recommended to cover annual seedlings for the winter, especially in the Northern regions.

In the middle lane, snow is used as a shelter, which is thrown onto the bush in a thick layer. Where winters are especially harsh, plants are spud and mulched with peat before the onset of the first frost. Spirea shoots are tied and carefully bent to the ground, laying on a pre-laid burlap. In order for the branches not to unbend, they are fixed on the ground with the help of special brackets. Then the connected shoots are covered with a warming cloth.

In addition, you can find out about the features of planting the Darts Red spirea from the video below:

Using Spirea in landscape design

Spireas are decorative and differ in the shape and color of the foliage, the size and shape of the bush, the shape and color of the inflorescences. In addition, they bloom at different times, so a beautiful garden decoration can only be created from shrubs of this genus, knowing and skillfully selecting species for these signs. Thanks to this knowledge, you can create a garden of continuous flowering, in which from May to September beautifully flowering bushes will be fragrant, the spring white color of which will be replaced by pink and raspberry. Flowering begins with spirea sharp-toothed, gray and medium in May and ends with tomentose spirea, which blooms until September.

Pink spirea

Due to the different shapes and sizes of shrubs, they can be used in various types of plantings. So, in single plantings, sharp-toothed spirea, Vangutta, medium, gray, white, Douglas are irreplaceable. These are tall spireas, often with a very beautiful bush shape due to arched shoots.

Almost all types of spirits can be used in groups. In such cases, several specimens of the same species or variety are planted side by side.

Many not very tall spireas are used for forest planting around trees or taller bushes. Various red-leaved or golden varieties of spirits, framing ordinary green-leaved groups of trees and shrubs, look especially beautiful.

For low borders, such species as birch-leaved spirea, low, Bumalda, Japanese, white-flowered, dwarf are suitable. The same types can be used to create rockeries, planted on a slide. Dwarf spirea is also used as a ground cover plant. Due to the abundant formation of root suckers, it forms picturesque clumps.

In hedges of greater height than curbs, taller species can be used: white spirea, Douglas, willow, Billiard.

All spireas are good honey plants. Therefore, in areas where different types of spirea are collected, hives can be kept.

All types of spirea can be used for cutting into bouquets or arranging bouquets of other flowers.

Spirea has a high phytoncidal activity, which increases its sanitary and hygienic role in improving the environment.

Spirea Wangutta

Read on Dacha with your own hands: Spirea Vangutta: photo, planting, description, care

Description of the ornamental shrub spirea

To know how to grow spirea, you first need to familiarize yourself with its description.

Spirea, or, as it is also called by the people of meadowsweet, is a genus of flowering ornamental shrubs. It is thanks to the twisting shoots that the shrub got its name, because in translation from the ancient Greek "spirea" it sounds like "bend" or "flexibility". This shrub is completely unpretentious. This genus of plants has about 100 varieties growing in various areas: steppe, forest-steppe and even semi-deserts. Shrub varieties are distinguished by their decorativeness and ability to withstand even the lowest temperatures.

Spirea can be both a dwarf plant, no more than 15 cm in height, and tall shrubs, reaching 2-2.5 m.The roots are shallow, have a fibrous appearance. Bush branches can both creep along the ground and rush upward. They have a light or dark brown hue. The bark begins to flake off with age. Blooms in small flowers, in large quantities.

Some of them cover the entire stem and shoot of the plant, and some settle only at the ends of the branches. The plant can be propagated both by cuttings and by layering or by seeds. It is also possible to divide the bush to get a new plant.

This shrub is perfect for hedges and group plantings to create a complete composition. It can also be used for "living carpet". But despite this, in a single planting, the spirea shrub looks no worse.

Breeding and growing shrubs with individual species began in the Middle Ages.The large-flowered species can be safely considered the favorite of all gardeners. Its long flowering won the hearts of many people, because it lasts from May to the very end of July. Often the bush blooms twice a season, but the second bloom is not so abundant.

By flowering time, this plant is divided into two subgroups: spring-flowering and summer-flowering. The first one most often includes shrubs, the flowers of which are white and they appear on old shoots. The second subgroup is characterized by different shades: pink, lilac, crimson, and flowers appear on new branches.

Shrubs are unpretentious to the soil, prefer bright places and tolerate frost well. Growing spirea is possible even near roads: plants tolerate gas pollution well. The shrub grows quickly, you can observe its flowering already in the 3rd year.

Look at the photo of an ornamental spirea shrub:

Landing features

If the root system is closed, then it can be planted from the first months of spring to mid-autumn. If you purchased seedlings with open roots, then plant it either in early spring or already in the fall. Take into account the peculiarities of the weather in your area so that the plant has time to adapt and take root before the onset of frost.

General recommendations

All plants have cultivation characteristics. Spirea Japanese Crisp is no exception. What do you need to know about growing in the first place? Let's figure it out in more detail.

1. The best soil for a plant will be leafy or turfy. You can prepare a nutritious soil mixture yourself: mix 1 share of river sand and peat and add 2 shares of earth.
2. It is recommended to make a drainage layer in the planting pit. Fill in rubble, pebbles, small pieces of brick, or expanded clay. The roots should receive the right amount of air, and there should be no stagnation of moisture.
3. Prepare the hole one third larger than the volume of the root system. The seedling is deepened by at least 50 cm. In this case, the root collar should be located at the level of the soil surface.
4. The most comfortable time for planting can be called the beginning of autumn - September. Plant in the morning or evening, and preferably in rainy or cloudy weather.
5. Spirea gets along well next to conifers. If planted next to thujas, junipers or spruces, the plant will look healthy and blooming.

We plant spirea in the spring

Experienced flower growers recommend planting in spring only those varieties that bloom in summer.

It is important to have time to plant the seedlings before the sap flow begins and before the leaves begin to bloom.

• Seedling selection. Be sure to check the condition of the root system before purchasing. All appendages must be healthy and intact. The branches should not have violations in the integrity of the tissues. If there are dry shoots or shoots affected by pests or diseases, then it is better not to purchase the plant. The branches should bend well and the buds should be in excellent condition.
• Preparatory work. Spread out the root shoots and shorten them slightly. If the roots are dry or damaged, then the branches should be cut off a little. It is advisable to put the dried roots in a container with water for a while before planting so that they are saturated with moisture. Only then plant.
• Choosing a place. Choose a place well-lit by the sun for the plant, prepare a site before planting, remove weeds. Bushes grow strongly, and the root system gives rise to growth. This must be taken into account when planting.
• Dig a hole and leave for 2 to 4 days, then you can plant. After planting, do not forget to water the plant with abundant settled water (10 - 20 l), and mulch the soil with peat around the trunk. So the moisture will remain for a long time, and the weeds will not grow next to the spirea and select useful substances.

Planting in autumn

During this period, many types of spirea can be planted. You can also propagate the plant by dividing the bush. But then you need to be in time before the start of the period of foliage.Spireas who are at least 3-4 years old are suitable for this procedure.

If the bushes are even older, then you can separate them, but their root system has already grown very much, and the roots will have to be cleaned of too large a clod of earth.

1. The bush must be carefully dug up. Even if several roots break off, it is not scary, the plant will not suffer from this.
2. Then the root system is usually thoroughly washed from the old soil. If the lump is too large, then you can put the seedling in a bucket of warm water for a while.
3. When the soil is completely soaked, the roots are well washed under running water. It is required to carefully untangle and straighten them.
4. Next, use a disinfected pruning shears to divide the bush into parts. It turns out several parts, less often 3 - 4. Each of them should have a healthy root lobe and at least 2 - 3 strong and strong branches. Spirea roots look like threads or cords. They need to be trimmed.
5. Place a seedling in a pre-dug hole, and spread the root shoots around the perimeter. Next, cover with soil and compact so that there are no voids. Water the planted plant.

Diseases and pests

Spiraea nipponskaya is resistant to fungal diseases, but if you do not take any measures, it is easily attacked by pests. For example, in dry summers, the plant may suffer from an aphid or spider mite infestation. The first is easy to spot by whitish streaks on the leaves and small dark green dots. The second is recognized by a thin web. In any case, an unattended plant loses its decorative appearance, the leaves turn yellow, dry and fall off. "Fusalon", "Fusfamid" and "Metaphos" help to get rid of uninvited guests.

It is not uncommon for chic spirea bushes to attack the caterpillars of the blue meadow sawfly. They pounce on buds, young leaves and young shoots with appetite. If the plant is not treated, the pest will completely destroy it. The drug "Decis" helps to get rid of the "uninvited guest". For prevention purposes, you should regularly inspect the bush, spray it with a solution of laundry soap or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is best to carry out water treatments with warm water and wash the inside and outside of the foliage. Then the parasites will understand that they are not welcome here and will stay away from the unpalatable plant.