Spirea little princesses: description, planting and care

Reproduction methods

Spirea Little princesses lends itself well to reproduction. Thanks to this feature, you don't even need to buy planting material. When transplanting and reproducing, you need to carefully treat the roots of the bush, and the process itself is possible in summer and spring.

Dividing a bush is an easy breeding method that gives a good survival rate. It is not necessary to dig up the entire bush, you can separate 1/3 of the part with a shovel and dig it up. Soak part of the bush in a root formation stimulator for a day, after washing, they start planting. With this method of reproduction, the young spirea Little princesses will bloom by the next season.

Reproduction by cuttings is carried out in summer or early autumn. A healthy shoot is cut so that each has 4 buds. Leave only the leaves on the top and dipped in water for an hour. After that, the shoots sprinkled with a root former are deepened by 2 cm into wet sand and left, covering the container with a film.

The next year, Little Princess Spirea can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Seed propagation is used if you need many plants of the same variety at once. To do this, let the inflorescence dry on the plant, you can collect the seeds in the fall, they will ripen outside the bush. You need to sow seeds at the end of October, in November. It is necessary to prepare a container with light soil and place it on the site. The seeds will sprout in the spring, in the summer they must dive, at a height of 2 cm.

Saplings from seeds do not completely retain their maternal characteristics, it is visible on the sprouts what color the bush will be, according to these signs, planting occurs in the future.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

The bush must be carefully dug up. Even if several roots break off, it is not scary, the plant will not suffer from this.
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.
When the soil is completely soaked, the roots are well washed under running water. It is required to carefully untangle and straighten them.
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.
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.

Growing tips, nuances

Keep in mind that for the first time spirea blooms only in the third year after planting. You should be patient - the decorative spectacle of the flowering shrub is worth it.

It is also important to know that the root system of the plant is superficial, therefore, it cannot take moisture from deep layers of soil. Therefore, do not allow the roots to dry out, and be sure to regularly water the spirea, in the heat - twice as much

The spirea bush lives for about 17 years, but if, upon reaching the age of four, it did not please with abundant flowering, it is better to replace it with a higher quality specimen.

Japanese spirea is a real garden decoration, striking with a unique combination of delicate flowers and bright color of leaves. In addition, the shrub is unpretentious, so novice gardeners can also grow it. And our advice will definitely help you with this.

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Spirea Princess Little - use in landscape design

An unpretentious plant is often used by gardeners to decorate single flower beds, since the bush has a spherical shape. It is planted in the center to enhance the color scheme, or they make a border around the flower garden.
The shrub's low height allows hedges to be planted along fencing or around swimming pools, gazebos and recreational areas. Also, the Japanese spirea can delimit the zones of the garden.
If you plant an oriental beauty in a large pot, then you can adjust the time of the beginning of flowering and achieve pink inflorescences even in winter. But for this, the plant should be grown in the front gardens.
Spirea is also often used to form flower slides, where the plant takes the leading place due to its bright color and long flowering period.
It is possible to favorably shade the plant with the help of conifers, lavender, barberry or St. John's wort. This type of spirea can get along with most other garden plants, the main thing is that they do not give a shadow to it.
If you want to focus on the pink flowers of the Japanese spirea, then plant junipers or bushes with less abundant flowering around it. Also consider the time of flower formation in the oriental beauty and other plants.

Japanese spirea will adorn any garden. With the right fit and minimal maintenance, it will be admirable, and your family album is sure to be complemented by photos of this delicate flower.

Possible diseases and pests

Spirea has an average resistance to various diseases.

Of the pests, the spider mite should be noted, which most often affects the bushes. They are fighting him acrex or phosphamide solution.

Sometimes spirea bushes are affected by aphids or leafworms. If the parasites have multiplied too much on the bush, insecticides will be the best control. If there are not very many insects, then you can try to wash them off the bush with a stream of water from a hose during watering.

As a prophylaxis, spraying with various herbal infusions is very effective. Spraying with infused hogweed gives a good effect.

Aphids and spider mites do not tolerate it. The tincture is made at the rate of: 1 kg of finely chopped herbs in a bucket of water. Insist for a day. It is necessary to work strictly with gloves, the cow parsnip is poisonous!

Care

When planting a spirea, it must be borne in mind that the shrub quickly grows with root shoots, significantly increasing the occupied area. Therefore, it is better to set aside a sufficiently spacious place for planting in advance.
Spirea should be watered in moderation. In the summer heat, two buckets of water are allocated for each bush every two weeks. To do this, the water is left to bask in the sun, transferring watering to the evening.
The trunk circle must be loosened and mulched, removing weeds in a timely manner. Peat, compost or sawdust are suitable as mulch.
For a more lush flowering, you need to cut off dry inflorescences, not leaving them on the bush.
Trim the growing green shoots, cutting them off near the very base of the bush.

Top dressing

To get a really plentiful flowering of the bush, one must not neglect top dressing. Liquid fertilizer is suitable for this purpose. Top dressing is carried out twice a year.

The first top dressing is in the spring, immediately after pruning. To do this, you can use a complex fertilizer.
The second - during the summer flowering of the bushes. In this case, organic matter is used with the addition of superphosphate. To do this, you can prepare a solution from a mullein (one and a half liters per bucket of water) by adding 10 g of superphosphate. If you feed chicken droppings, then add half a liter to the bucket.

Mulching of the soil should not be neglected, which promotes better air penetration to the roots. After all, the earthworms living there perfectly loosen the earth.

Pruning

Pruning is carried out at the very beginning of spring, before the start of sap flow. Dry and damaged stems are harvested. Pruning of branches is carried out with a garden pruner to the level of the first large bud. The stems grow very quickly, so there is no need to spare every branch. Pruning will promote better flowering and give the shrub a more attractive appearance.

Adult bushes are cut to a height of 30 centimeters.

Planting and leaving

In this article, we will consider the intricacies of planting and caring for summer-blooming spireas, which include the Golden Princess spirea.

First of all, about the landing time. Summer-flowering meadowsweet species are planted in spring. When preparing a seedling for planting, be sure to soak a lump of soil in which the roots are closed (this is how planting material is usually sold). For this, plants choose sunny places with light and fertile soils. Spirea should not be planted in the lowlands - the shrub does not like stagnant water.In the planting pit, a good drainage layer must be arranged (a layer of gravel, expanded clay or brick chips is poured onto the bottom). A certain amount of peat and sand is added to the soil, which is intended for sprinkling the seedling. When planting, the seedling is tamped, watered well (10-15 liters of water should go to one bush) and cover the root zone with a layer of sawdust, peat or compost.

Spirea Gold Princess is a moisture-loving plant, it requires constant watering. The bushes are abundantly watered immediately after planting and in the near future - this is necessary for their better survival.

In order for the meadowsweet to please for a long time with lush flowering, it is fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. As a good feeding, an infusion of mullein and chicken manure is used, which is prepared according to generally accepted instructions. It is also permissible to use standard complex fertilizers for garden plants. The plant is fed twice: after spring pruning and in summer, in the second decade of June. Plants begin to feed only in the third year of growth.

Any meadowsweet tolerate pruning well. But the time of this procedure is determined by the belonging of the shrub to spring or summer flowering.

Pruning of summer-flowering spirits is carried out in early spring. Bushes begin to cut off only when they reach 2 years of age. With this procedure, old branches are cut out and those that have strongly deviated to the ground, are sick or frozen. Timely and correctly carried out pruning of the shrub allows you to form a crown and rejuvenates the plant.

Spirea can be propagated using layering, seeds, dividing a bush or grafting.

The simplest and most effective method is layering propagation. To obtain a layering, you need to bend the shoot to the ground, and fix it by sprinkling it with soil. The future cuttings are watered regularly. In the fall or spring of the following year, the rooted shoot is separated from the parent plant and planted in a permanent place of growth.

Good results are also obtained by propagation of meadowsweet by cuttings, although the method is considered more laborious. Summer-flowering spireas are cut in July, at the end of flowering. Cuttings can be cut from both green shoots and partially lignified shoots. The twigs are planted in a sand-peat mixture and looked after according to the standard scheme. In a permanent place of growth, seedlings from cuttings are planted next spring.

The most difficult way to reproduce spirea is from seeds. Its effectiveness is not high due to the low germination of seed material. Sown seeds and small seedlings require constant and careful maintenance. The bush obtained in this way can bloom only in the 4th or 5th year of growth.

Spirea Golden Princess, like all varieties of Japanese spirea, does not belong to winter-hardy varieties and needs a mandatory shelter for the winter. For this, the shoots of the bush are bent to the surface of the earth and covered with a suitable material.

Spirea very rarely gets sick and is affected by pests. Of insects, it is afraid of invasions of aphids and spider mites. Occasionally it is affected by fungal diseases.

It is not for nothing that Japanese spirea is referred to as unpretentious plants. Observing the simple rules of cultivation and care, any gardener can get this wonderful decoration of the garden.

Reproduction, transplant

The shrub reproduces well and quickly, adult plants provide planting material in abundance, so gardeners often do without buying seedlings. Transplanting an unpretentious plant is possible throughout the spring-summer period, the main thing is not to damage the root system when digging up and quickly transfer it to a new place, trying to preserve the earthen lump on the roots as much as possible.

Seeds

This breeding option is good if you need to get many single-sorted plants at once. It is taken into account that varietal traits are not transmitted to the entire generation, but only 40%. This method does not require cutting off the dried inflorescences, but leaving them on the branches until ripening.The fruits are removed in late summer or autumn, harvested for ripening. Unopened, but brown fruits retain more seeds.

Sown in October, November. Use a container with fertile, light, loose soil, drop it in the garden bed. Seeds germinate in the spring, in early summer they dive when the sprouts reach 2 cm in height. At the same time, the seedlings are sorted out according to varietal characteristics, since at this moment there is already a difference in the color of the leaves. The roots are pinched, the plants are planted in boxes, at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other.

Cuttings

Planting material is taken in July or September - October. Autumn cuttings are covered with fallen leaves, covered with vegetable boxes for the winter. Plants take root in spring, which require special care during the cold season. Summer cuttings are kept in greenhouse conditions until roots appear.

Choose a strong straight shoot.
Cut into pieces, each of which has 4-5 buds.
The leaves are removed from the bottom, the upper ones are shortened.
Put in water for several hours.
The ends of the petioles are dipped in a powder root former (Root, Kornevin).
They are planted to a depth of 2 cm in a container with wet sand at an angle of 30-45 °.
Cover with foil or cut transparent plastic bottles.
Maintain air humidity by constant spraying, ventilate daily.

Division

The method is suitable for young but well-developed plants. The bush is dug out, trying not to damage the root system, it is washed from the ground under running water to see the location of the roots and shoots.

The most developed parts of the rhizome are determined in order to obtain evenly strong parts.
Cut the bush with pruning shears, get several young plants with approximately the same number of buds and roots, in each - at least 2-3 shoots.
Holes are made with a garden drill if you need a lot of them.
Cut off long roots, straighten the remaining ones neatly on a mound of soil poured onto the bottom of the hole.
The pits are filled up, the top layer is compacted, mulched, watered.

Spirea Japanese Little Princess is a hardy variety that even an inexperienced gardener can grow.

Diseases and pests

Spirea "Little Princess" is resistant to diseases, but not protected from pests. Pests that can pose a danger to the dwarf spirea.

Rose leafworm - affects almost all deciduous trees. The insect hides in the leaves, rolling them up with a tube, and it mainly harms them. You can fight the leafworm by spraying with biological pesticides, neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, organophosphorus compounds.
Spider mite - settling on a bush, gradually entangles branches and leaves with cobwebs. The cobweb appears on the lower part of the leaf, it is very thin and transparent, for a long time the pest can remain unnoticed. A sign of a tick's habitat can be white dots on the leaves or foliage drying for no apparent reason. The spider mite feeds on bush juice, settles on almost any type of plant. Leaves pierced by a tick first begin to become covered with white dots, then turn pale, dry and die off. Tick eggs can get on the plant with the wind, animals and humans can become carriers of adults, you can also buy already infected seedlings. The mite colony develops very quickly and leads to the death of the shrub. Getting rid of this pest is not easy, ticks quickly get used to the drugs. The fight should be started as early as possible - acaricides and insectoacaricides are suitable for this; the affected shrub will need to be treated for 5-7 days 4-5 times a day (possibly more). When processing, you need to alternate drugs.
Aphids - can carry viral diseases. When infected, the leaves are deformed, a sooty fungus appears on them. The appearance of ants around the bush can also indicate aphid infestation. Preparations for combating these pests: Karbofos, Aktara, Intavir.
Caterpillars of the white-winged moth can cause significant harm to the shrub, if not treated in time with "Decis" or another similar preparation.

Planting and leaving

Spirea Japanese Little Princess fully lives up to its name. During the flowering period, this delightfully compact shrub with a rounded crown really reminds of little princesses from fairy tales: a short and very dense bush is covered with pale pink inflorescences, which turn it into an openwork masterpiece. The unpretentious and frost-resistant Little Princess, with its slow growth and beautiful dense foliage, is characterized by a much wider scope of use in landscape design than its "relatives" - from curbs and hedges to alpine slides and the role of ground cover plants. The shrub, which does not lose its attractiveness even in autumn, is perhaps the easiest to care for a representative of a large group of spirits.

Belonging to the family of Rosaceous spirea, the Japanese Little Princess is considered a dwarf shrub: the average height of plants does not exceed 60 cm, although adult bushes growing in solo lots can grow up to almost 1 m.Thanks to the straight, little branching stems, a dense spherical crown is formed, the diameter of which is almost twice the height ... Small oval leaves of rich shades of green not only favorably emphasize the beautiful flowering, but also create an incredibly compact and lush crown, similar to a "pillow". Like other types of spirea, the reverse side of the leaves is painted in a lighter grayish shade, and by autumn the palette changes to delicious tones of ocher, yellow and orange. In the middle of summer, the "Little Princess" is covered with small (about 4 cm) inflorescences of small pale pink flowers that bloom at the ends of the shoots. The duration of flowering is not inferior to its abundance: the fabulous splendor lasts about 1.5 months. One of the main advantages of this variety of spire is slow growth (annual growth is no more than 10 cm in height and 15 cm in width) and durability (with proper care, the bush does not lose its decorative effect for up to 30 years).

Little Princess belongs to the most unpretentious shrubs. Resistant to diseases, easily tolerating frosty winters and drought, "Little Princess" is completely insensitive to air pollution and undemanding to soil, although it certainly grows better in fertile, loose and moist soil. This type of spirea prefers sunny areas, but it may well adapt to light partial shade. The only time-consuming component of care is regular pruning, which, from the fourth year, is carried out annually in early spring. During this pruning, the tops of old branches, as well as weakened and dried shoots, are removed. Throughout the gardening season, it is necessary to regularly inspect the underside of the leaves, remove faded inflorescences and dry foliage as part of the prevention of diseases and protection from pests such as roseworm, spider mites and aphids. Thanks to the timely cutting of inflorescences, Little Princess will not lose its decorative effect throughout the season and can bloom again in August.

Unlike most spirits, to which only the cuttings method can be applied, this variety propagates using ordinary division. The Little Princess bush is divided into several shoots, each of which is planted as an independent plant. The only condition for the successful survival of such "seedlings" is abundant watering, which stimulates rooting.

In landscape design, this type of spirea is widely used both in group plantings and in single, solo parties. Little princesses are ideal shrubs for padding, edging, spotting, and curbing.

It is easy to find partners for the "Little Princess".In rock gardens and flower beds, it looks good next to lavender, cinquefoil, St. John's wort, ornamental grasses, as well as other low perennial plants or shrubs. Of the woody ones, Little Princess's best "neighbors" are conifers - firs, spruces, pines.

A separate direction in using Little Princesses for decorating a plot is planting it in a variety of containers and flower pots for a front garden, terrace, recreation area, potted gardens.

The basics of agricultural technology spirea

The main conditions for caring for spirea are extremely simple and affordable.

During the summer drought, the capricious meadowsweet should be well irrigated, that is, water the soil near the root: 15 liters of water every 2 weeks.
The soil surrounding the root of the bush should be well loosened and weeded.
In order for meadowsweet to feel good, it definitely needs a complex of mineral fertilizers, with the only condition that it will be introduced only after seasonal pruning.
Midsummer is the period when spiraea can be fed with mullein.

Spirea bushes need to be fed once a season.

As for harmful insects, spider mites and aphids are most dangerous for the described shrub. The first insect is easily removed with Karbofos. Aphids are afraid of being processed by Pirimor.
Some spirea bushes wrap themselves up for the winter, but not "Japanese". She easily endures Russian frosts.

Advice. The best neighbors of the spirea are such conifers as thuja, juniper and the spruce itself. For tamping, you can plant a meadowsweet near a lilac or mock orange.

Planting and caring for such an ornamental shrub as spirea does not cause much difficulty for the gardener. Even a beginner in gardening art will be able to do this. These shrubs easily tolerate the winter cold and summer heat. And they will please the eye for quite a long time - from 15 to 20 years, after which the bushes are completely renewed. Therefore, decorating a backyard plot with a meadowsweet is a great idea.

Conclusion

Let's summarize everything that has been discussed in this article.

Spirea is a dwarf deciduous plant, characterized by good immunity and frost resistance. She is called "Japanese little princess" for a reason: her homeland is Japan, and she herself does not exceed 0.6 meters in height;
With proper care, the plant can live up to 30 years;
The crown forms the shape of a ball, which is why it is popular when decorating a garden, a space next to a gazebo or just a border;
The plant loves the sun, so do not choose shady places when planting;
Spirea needs enough space, at least half a meter around the stem for successful growth and development;
Young plants like abundant watering, while already adult plants are quite easy on;
You need to apply fertilizer twice a year;
In order for the shrub to grow successfully without losing external beauty, it is necessary to carry out annual circumcision before the buds appear in Spirea;
It can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, division and layering;
Rarely gets sick with something, except that it can be attacked by a spider mite or aphids;
Needs additional wintering conditions only in severe winter weather;
The fruits should be cut off immediately after their formation, so as not to spoil the appearance.