Widely used in the past, but now an undeservedly forgotten crop for hedges, is the common spruce, or Norway spruce (Pkea abies (L) Karst). In Russia it has long been used for purely practical purposes, not decorative, as, for example, in Western Europe. Indeed, no other breed could withstand our bitter frosts and snow drifts so much. Since the 70s of the last century, spruce began to be specially planted along railway tracks. The first such honor was awarded to the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod Railway- why not an example good combination strictly English style with a Russian (Nizhny Novgorod) emphasis on climatic conditions?
Norway spruce is an exceptionally valuable species for creating almost insurmountable living walls up to 5-6 m high. It tolerates pruning well, grows well, and thanks to its shade tolerance, retains the branches of the lower part of the crown right down to the ground. It is recommended as the most acceptable crop for protection orchard from the winds.
How evergreen, spruce remains highly decorative throughout the year. It combines successfully with an emerald green lawn in summer and with a white blanket of snow in winter; it is extremely impressive even around a modest log house, and against the backdrop of a luxurious brick mansion. However, it should be taken into account that the development of Norway spruce is negatively affected by soil drought and low humidity air, so this crop is grown mainly in the northern regions middle zone Russia. Another feature of spruce is its slow growth in the first years of life.
Of the species close to Norway spruce in terms of agrotechnical qualities, we must first mention the prickly spruce (Picea pungens Engelm), which originates from the North American Rocky Mountains. It is to this species that most gardening and decorative forms of the so-called blue spruce, as well as gray and silver spruce, most often found in cultivation here and in other countries, belong. In terms of their decorative properties, varieties of prickly spruce rank first among conifers. And if we also take into account its high drought resistance, perfect winter hardiness, ability to grow on soils of varying mechanical composition, fertility and degree of moisture (even in swampy areas and flooded areas), wind resistance and the greatest resistance to smoke, dust and soot of all conifers, then the undeniable value of this breed for landscaping becomes clear.
Young blue spruce plants tolerate pruning and shaping well in hedges, but they grow much more slowly compared to Norway spruce. In addition, the “blue blood” of North American aristocrats sometimes manifests itself with negative side. Thus, with excessive doses of nitrogen fertilizers, which cause intensive growth of shoots, their bluish color fades. This is probably due to a decrease in the thickness of the waxy coating, which creates the peculiar charm of these prickly beauties.
The only one, but very significant drawback blue spruce trees is expensive planting material. Back in 1890, at a gardening exhibition in St. Petersburg, a meter-long blue spruce seedling, valued at 300 rubles in gold, was demonstrated as a special rarity. Of course, a lot of time has passed since then and propagation technology has stepped far forward, but obtaining high-quality planting material is still difficult. The fact is that during seed propagation, the trait of needle color is inherited by only one third of the seedlings, and the main methods of propagation of blue spruce trees remain grafting and green cuttings, in which the survival rate remains low.
The problem of planting material for a spruce hedge can be solved quite simply - select 3-4-year-old seedlings of Norway spruce at forest edges and clearings.
In temperate climates, it is better to start replanting in late autumn, in more northern regions– in the spring, immediately after the soil thaws. In any case, choose a moment when upper layer The soil is heavily waterlogged and the consistency resembles a thick slurry. In this case, you don’t even have to dig up the superficially located spruce root system, but simply carefully pull the entire tree out of the ground along with the root lobe.
Spruce trees are planted at a distance of 1-1.5 m in a row. It is enough to dig holes for planting along the width of the diameter of the root system and a depth of no more than 18-20 cm. When planting, the soil should be loose, without lumps, but at the same time, strong compaction should be avoided. It is strictly forbidden to allow the root system of a seedling to dry out, even if it is dug up from big lump land.
Trimming spruce hedges should be regular and mandatory, and here's why. Firstly, in this way a high decorative effect of the plantings is achieved, and secondly, to correct the shortcomings of neglected spruce trees and, in general, all coniferous plantings can be very difficult, since pruning wood older than 3 years (thickness in diameter more than 5 cm) can lead to the death of the tree. Therefore, every year in winter, the top third of the annual growth is cut off from above and from the sides, maintaining the height of the fence at 2-3 m.
From others coniferous species Western thuja, Siberian fir, mountain pine and a variety of Weymouth pine - low pine - are sometimes used for hedges. However, neither fir nor pine trees can tolerate even the slightest pruning, which, given their ability to grow in height, you will agree, is a major drawback. In addition, pine in dense plantings becomes very bare, and the winter hardiness of fir, according to experts, in the European zone is far from absolute.
Living fence is interesting decorative element and a great way to protect privacy from the curiosity of passers-by or to zone a site. Hedge made of pine, thuja and other conifers looks like a natural continuation environment. In winter, the greenery of pine needles brings revitalization to a garden that has lost its color. By trimming the crown or fixing the direction of the branches as they grow, you can create original forms. The variety of species allows you to grow hedges from 50 cm (dwarf varieties) to three meters in height.
How to grow a hedge from Scots pine
Fluffy pine needles with long needles are one of the reasons for their frequent use in ornamental gardening. It harmonizes well with other conifers. When creating a hedge from Scots pine, you need to imagine how tall the plant will be in ten years and choose varieties of the appropriate size.
Scots pine fences the area and decorates it
Soil and planting features
Scots pine is frost-resistant and drought-resistant, loves bright places, grows well in sandy soils. When planting, you need to protect the root system: without an earthen ball, the plant can be kept for no more than 15 minutes. Holes for seedlings are made at a distance of 4 m ( tall varieties) and 1–1.5 m (short). If the site has black soil or clay soil, then sand is poured into the bottom of the hole or drainage is made from fine crushed stone. To make a pine fence grow well:
- It is advisable to place it on north side, where the seedlings will not be damaged by the sun and will not shade other plants when they grow.
- Plants must have developed root system, so it is advisable to buy them from a nursery rather than dig them up in the forest.
- Trees aged between three and five years are selected for planting.
- Pine needs light, non-acidified soil.
The bluish-gray needles of "Vateri" look very attractive
Maintaining the desired crown shape
If the tree has enough space, then the crown turns out wide with free development. The peculiarity of pine is that it does not produce additional shoots after pruning: it does not “fluff”. To form a crown, you need to set the direction of branch growth. To do this, use a chain-link mesh, using it to limit the shape. The branches are also tied together with wire and tied 4-5 times during the summer, otherwise it cuts into the trunk and leaves ugly scars.
One of the main problems is slowing growth. In nature, trees reach 42 meters, and at a young age (the first 10–15 years) they add up to 40 cm every year. Young shoots of plants are pinched. They do this in the spring. Old branches (three years and older) are pruned only if absolutely necessary: the tree may become sick or die. For hedges take slow-growing forms:
- "Aurea" with light green needles that turn yellow in winter;
- pine "Fastigata" is one of the most frost-resistant varieties;
- Hillside Creeper - low-growing shrub;
- “Vatereri” (the photo below shows what the crown of this variety of Scots pine, the most popular for hedges, looks like).
Hedges of complex shapes made from other conifers
Many types of thuja, cypress, spruce, juniper, and yew are suitable for creating a dense green wall. Most of them can be cut and, by combining plants of different heights, you can make a fence, a border, or revive all this separately standing plants(solitaires) or original figures. Plants dwarf varieties help create a denser bottom layer, while tall neighbors serve as a background for them.
When using thuja, the main thing is imagination
Thuja hedges are a treasure trove of opportunities for gardeners
Thuja – perfect material for implementation original ideas fences and green sculptures. It tolerates cutting perfectly and allows you to create fancy shapes. The most common species is Thuja occidentalis. Popular varieties: "Columna", "Holmstrup", "Viridis". You can make your own hedge from thuja on any summer cottage, but you need to know how to trim correctly.
Thuja pruning to give the hedge the desired shape begins when they reach the desired height (optimally - after two to three years). The procedure is carried out in spring and autumn. At the end of June, you can trim the crown a little by cutting off branches that are out of shape. First, dry branches are removed at the root, then, to achieve the desired shape, the tips of the branches are cut to the bud, but not more than one-third.
Curly haircut of a coniferous hedge
Planting a hedge in several rows
For an impenetrable (“you can’t get your hand through”) fence, conifers are planted in a checkerboard pattern. They make single-row, double-row, and less commonly, three-row hedges. Many plants, for example, thuja, cannot be planted in three rows: the middle row dries out. When planting in multiple rows, alternate plants that grow freely and those that need pruning.
The hedge is decorated with figures made from thuja or other plants that are easy to trim. To do this, they put wire frames on them (sold in stores) and cut off the branches protruding outward as they grow. Having mastered the basics, they begin complex forms. This work requires skills that are difficult to obtain quickly on a personal site, since the result of efforts is visible only after several months, and sometimes years.
In order for the hedge to overwinter well, thujas and cypress trees are covered with non-woven materials (wrapped) or wooden boxes, and the top is tied with a rope so that the snow does not crush it and make them disheveled. This helps maintain the shape of the hedge. It should also be remembered that cutting plantings more than 60 cm wide without professional equipment difficult. If you are planning a large-scale green installation, it is better to entrust it to landscape design professionals.
They look no less attractive coniferous hedges compared to others. Such plantings are pleasing to the eye all year round. They harmonize perfectly with the lawn in summer and with fluffy snow in winter time.
Fences can be made of pine, fir or spruce, as well as thuja. Also, these plants perform the function of protecting the site, as they have thorny crowns. A special advantage of fences made of coniferous plants– ionization of air, release of phytoncides, which help destroy harmful bacteria.
Most gardeners understand that when laying a coniferous fence there are some nuances. Such plantings are expensive. If you cannot buy material for planting, then we recommend that you grow it yourself.
Spruce hedge, photo
Preparing material for hedges
Needles, as a rule, need to be propagated by cuttings in a greenhouse or greenhouse. Take old cuttings and plant them in early spring when the buds are swelling. Juniper, thuja and spruce are usually propagated by young cuttings. In winter and autumn, cuttings can also be carried out in greenhouses. After 2.5 months, the cuttings will begin to take root. Propagated by grafting decorative types pine needles
Useful video: Which plants are suitable for hedges
thuja hedge, photo When the planting material has already grown or been purchased, the main task is to place it on the site. It is important to consider that there are coniferous species that love light and, conversely, those that need shade. It is better to place the trees in partial shade and stretch burlap on top using wooden frames so that the needles do not burn under the sun's rays.
IN southern regions It is better to plant needles in the fall, and in the northern regions - in the spring. Plantings placed in containers (with covered roots) are planted throughout the growing season.
pine hedge, photo Feeding hedges from pine needles
All coniferous trees grow well in soils with mycorrhiza. Sand is suitable for pine, clay for spruce, and leaf humus for yew. It is favorable for cypresses, junipers and thujas to grow in slightly acidic soil.
For needles it is necessary mineral fertilizer except for manure. Sawdust, compost and wood chips also provide favorable conditions for growth.
From the beginning of spring until August, fertilize the needles with nitrogen phosphate for 3 weeks. Old trees need to increase the dosage.
In the spring, the coniferous fence should be fertilized with tablets or granules once a year along with special salt, which will prevent the needles from turning brown.
At the end of summer (August), fertilizing is completed so that the trees prepare for the winter period.
fir hedge, photo
A fence made of pine needles is watered during the growing season (new plantings), but in the autumn it is not worth watering too much, so as not to provoke the proliferation of shoots.
It is recommended to slowly but regularly water the hedge once a week for a couple of hours.
Spruce, thuja, and cypress trees require moisture. Spray branches during dry periods. When it's hot, spraying is prohibited to prevent the branches from getting burned. We also do not recommend doing this in the evening, as fungal diseases may develop.
Juniper and pine can periodically be on dry soil, but do not overdry young trees.
It is better to trim coniferous plantings from April to May or autumn period until October.
In winter, 1/3 of the growth is removed from the side parts of the needles and at the top, a hedge is formed, and mature branches are removed.
Pine trees need to shorten their upper shoots; they promote strong shoot germination from the side. Pine trees have dormant buds on mature branches, so make a ring cut. You cannot trim pine trees with scissors. It’s better to do this: the needles are separated on the young shoots, you need to pinch them with your fingers and unscrew them. New buds will wake up, and the edge of the branch will become fluffy and thick.
For other types of needles, plucking can also be done once in the spring. Junipers undergo this procedure all the time.
To prevent the crown from breaking in winter, all trees are tied with twine and snow is shaken off the branches. Broken and thin branches need to be pruned.
Insects and diseases of coniferous trees
Aphids can spoil the needles. Spray the trees with festac or decis.
Rusty mushroom-shaped growths appear on junipers. Its appearance is provoked by rowan, hawthorn or pear, so remove them away from the pine needles. Remove the fungus with saprol or dithane, spraying 3 times at intervals of a week.
Useful video: Spruce hedge
We look at coniferous hedges of spruce, thuja and fir
A spruce hedge is an excellent alternative to a traditional solid fence made of brick or concrete. Designers often use coniferous green fences in landscape or garden design, because they create a special atmosphere of comfort and serenity on the site. There are quite a lot of plants suitable for this purpose, but coniferous plantings look the most monumental and solid.
Advantages and functions of a coniferous fence
A hedge made of spruce trees has a number of significant advantages:
- A lot of Christmas trees in one row perfectly protect the area from prying eyes.
- Dense plantings protect from dust and winds. They have good noise-absorbing properties.
- A special microclimate is created due to the saturation of the air with phytoncides, which are released by pine needles.
- Christmas trees provide dense shade, so it is recommended to plant them on the north side.
- The fence traps snow in winter.
- Serves for many years.
- Spruce trees feel equally good in dense plantings and single plantings (when creating permeable air fences).
- Unpretentious and undemanding in care.
- They allow you to create green hedges of various colors, heights and densities, as there is a wide variety of varieties.
- Such coniferous plantings remain green all year round. This property is important advantage spruce hedges.
Among the shortcomings we can highlight big size root system - 1.5-4 m in diameter. At such a distance from the evergreen hedge, nothing will grow, and this will have to be taken into account.
Varieties of fir trees for a living fence
Despite the abundance of planting material, not all varieties of spruce are suitable for organizing a fence. They differ in the color and density of the needles, and the characteristics of their care. The main selection criterion is the height of the tree. Spruce for hedges must be chosen thoughtfully, taking into account the pros and cons of each variety.
Eastern
Eastern spruce (Caucasian) grows up to 50 m in height. Dark gray trunk with brownish-brown, almost black branches. The crown has a pyramidal shape. The branches are drooping with non-thorny, slightly curved short needles (no more than 1 cm in length). The needles are dark green, shiny, as if varnished. It grows slowly, but is easy to prune, especially when young. It thrives on poor soils and is considered the most undemanding in maintenance and care.
Canadian
Canadian spruce (white) is a tree 25-35 m high with a dense, regular cone-shaped crown. Young Christmas trees have branches that point upward; with age they droop and become flat. Dense needles from 8 to 18 mm long have a bluish-greenish color. The species is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and winter hardiness. It tolerates gas pollution and smoke well. Grows on sandy and depleted soils.
Dwarf
Dwarf varieties of spruce are used to create low hedges and borders. The Konica variety does not exceed 1.5 m even at maturity. The Lauren variety resembles a bonsai tree in appearance and grows extremely slowly, the growth per year is no more than 1.5-2 cm. The miniature Albert Globe spruce has a crown diameter of up to 1 m and at the same time height is only 0.5 m. Almost all dwarf varieties love the sun and can hardly tolerate a lack of lighting. They cannot tolerate heavy, compacted soils and close proximity to groundwater because they have a shallow root system.
Barbed
Decorative variety, distinguished by beautiful needles of greenish-silver and blue shades. The height of an adult tree can reach 25-30 m; miniature varieties have also been bred. The young tree has a cone-shaped crown, mature plant- cylindrical. It easily tolerates shearing, forming impenetrable hedges, since the needles of this spruce are hard and prickly. Suitable for urban conditions, does not react to smoke, gas, dust, soot, etc. Frost-resistant and easy to care for.
Ordinary
Arranged quite often green hedge from common spruce (European). This large tree can grow up to 50 m in height, its lifespan is at least 300 years, and sometimes up to 500. The spruce gains 15 cm in width per year, although it grows slowly up to 10-15 years. The growth of branches can reach 0.5 m. It is considered the fastest growing variety. Prefers loamy and sandy loam well-drained acidic soils. Does not like excess moisture and does not tolerate severe drought.
The thick and dense crown has the shape of a narrow cone, in which the branches fall down in layers. Needles of dark green tones reach 0.8-2 cm in length. They tolerate shearing well and, when planted sufficiently densely, the forest fir tree forms dense and high fences through which even small animals cannot get through.
Trees can easily tolerate frosts down to -45°C, but late spring frosts can cause damage to the crown. For hedges, low varieties are more often used: Akrokona, Barry, Echiniformis, etc. A hedge made of Scots spruce grows best in shaded areas; young specimens may even suffer sunburn.
Purple
A beautiful tree (up to 15-20 m) with a thick and dense crown, cone-shaped in young specimens and columnar in mature plants. The branches located horizontally are densely strewn with shiny needles 6-15 mm long in bluish-silver shades. This variety prefers sunny, well-lit areas, but can also grow in the shade. Loves soils with neutral acidity and tolerates low temperatures well. It looks unusually decorative in hedges, as it is distinguished by beautiful purple cones.
Siberian
Siberian spruce is a forest-forming species in the Siberian region. It is a tree up to 30 m in height and a trunk with a diameter of 0.7-1 m. The crown begins at the very base and has a pyramidal shape. Branches with short dense needles (up to 10-15 mm) are lowered down. The needles are prickly, pointed, dark greenish-gray in color. Loves well-drained loams and sandstones. Does not tolerate excessive drought and excess moisture. The plant is quite cold-resistant and can survive temperatures down to -45°C.
Gray
Gray spruce is another, much more commonly used name Canadian spruce, characterized by the bluish-green color of the needles. Many varieties of this plant are grown, but mostly low and miniature ones. Unpretentious in culture.
Other coniferous fence options
Along with spruce, other conifers are also widely used for hedges. They are planted both as a monoculture and mixed. Forever green fence always looks original. Plantings can be molded (trimmed) and free-growing, because not all coniferous crops tolerate pruning and shearing well. A green hedge can be given different shape and appearance, all determined by the plants used and the density of plantings.
Cedar
Cedar looks great in hedges and in single plantings. Its needles, depending on the variety, can be silver, dark green and even golden. This culture is distinguished by its frost resistance, unpretentiousness and enviable longevity. The fruits of this tree are cones. They contain edible nuts that are tasty, nutritious and packed with... useful substances. Most often, Himalayan, Lebanese or Atlas cedar is cultivated in hedges.
Larch
European, Siberian and Dahurian varieties of larch are considered the most suitable for organizing hedges. They grow quickly and tolerate even deep pruning, densely overgrown with fresh shoots. The plant prefers well-lit places. The soft needles have a delicate bright green color in the spring, and turn yellow in the fall. It must be taken into account that larch sheds its needles in the winter, and the fence will be bare.
Juniper
Junipers are very diverse, there are more than 70 species. These are large trees and dwarf creeping forms. As a green hedge landscape designers The most commonly used junipers are Verginsky, Cossack and common junipers. The color of the needles can vary from light green to yellowish and gray. Such fences don’t even need to be cut. Plants are quite capricious to care for. They do not tolerate drought and shade, and are demanding on the composition of the soil.
Fir
A fir hedge grows freely and there is no need to cut it, since the crown has correct form pyramids. The needles are soft and fragrant; depending on the variety, they can be pale green or bluish. Unusually decorative cones always grow straight up. The plant prefers moderately moist, fertile soils. This crop is sensitive to gas pollution and smoke. Korean, plain and balsam fir varieties are cultivated.
Pine
A pine hedge is formed only from plants that grow freely. The crop cannot be pruned, since this procedure does not lead to fluffiness and increased branching of the crown. In place of the cut pine branch, only 1 shoot grows and it grows in the same direction as the removed branch. These plants are trimmed primarily to inhibit growth, but very carefully. Pines only grow upwards.
Pine plantings easily tolerate living conditions in the city, are undemanding to the composition of the soil, but prefer non-acidified and light (preferably sandy). The plant loves well-lit and sunny areas, otherwise the crown is formed incorrectly and unsightly. The most popular hedges are made of Scots pine, Siberian pine, mountain pine, and cedar.
Yew
Yew has long been considered the most popular crop for creating living fences due to the wide variety of shapes and colors of needles. The plant is quite drought-resistant, has little demands on soil fertility and adapts well to urban living conditions. It tolerates haircuts well and allows you to create colorful curly green hedges. Free-growing plantings are created from dwarf, columnar and conical forms. Yew lives unusually long, up to 4 thousand years. But it grows slowly; in the first years of its life, the hedge can add no more than 1-3 cm.
Thuja
Quite often, thuja is used to create hedges from coniferous plants, which is unpretentious and durable. The culture is able to grow in almost any conditions, is shade-tolerant and frost-resistant. Regular pruning you can give the plantings any shape (strict geometric or fantasy). The following varieties are used for cultivation: Brabant, Smaragd, Fastigiata, etc.
Landing Features
A spruce hedge can be formed from adult plants and seedlings 3-4 years old. Planting already mature Christmas trees allows you to get a full-fledged green fence that performs all protective and decorative functions. However, it is believed that young trees take root better and begin to grow immediately. In addition, adult specimens are much more expensive than young seedlings.
It is best to plant spruce in the fall, guided by the following technology:
- The site is being marked. To do this, a cord is stretched between the pegs at the site of the proposed fence.
- According to the markings, a ditch about 0.5 m deep is dug. Its width is determined by the hedge planting pattern and the size of the root system of the seedlings.
- If the soil on the site is too wet or groundwater are located too close, it is necessary to arrange drainage layer. The trench is deepened by about 0.2 m, then crushed stone, stones, broken brick etc.
- The drainage layer is covered with a layer of removed soil, which is then moistened.
- The roots of the seedlings need to be inspected, damaged and dead ones removed, then dipped in liquid clay mash to prevent drying.
- Plants are placed on the arranged fertile layer. When planting in a single row, the distance between seedlings is maintained at least 1 m. When planting in two rows, they are arranged in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of approximately 0.8 m from each other.
- Then the seedlings are covered with a mixture of soil with peat and humus so that the root collar of each Christmas tree is flush with the surface of the earth.
- The soil around the plants is well compacted (trampled down) and watered.
- Mulch is applied from sawdust, wood chips, crushed bark, peat, etc.
Immediately after planting a green hedge, it is necessary to cut out dry and damaged branches.
Care and pruning
A hedge of coniferous crops does not require special care in the first year after planting. Plantings must be watered regularly (once a week) at the rate of 1 bucket per plant. It is necessary to periodically weed out weeds and loosen the soil to a depth of at least 10 cm. If necessary, plants are sprayed against insect pests and diseases with appropriate preparations.
Caring for a spruce hedge includes systematic feeding, which is carried out in spring (early May) and autumn (early September). Special mineral complexes for coniferous plants are used as fertilizer.
It is recommended to start trimming a Norway spruce hedge only from the 2nd year of life, since the plants need to be allowed to take root well. In the spring, last year's lateral and apical shoots of young Christmas trees are pinched to stimulate stronger branching. This season, the seedlings will hardly grow, but buds will be laid, which will ensure growth large quantity shoots for next year.
Pruning is carried out until the crowns of neighboring specimens close and the lateral surfaces are well thickened. After the final creation of a spruce hedge, maintenance cuttings are recommended to maintain the desired appearance landing