Planting and caring for dwarf spruce, methods of treating diseases

The dwarf spruce is a beautiful addition to any garden. It has a conical, flat crown and glaucous-green needles.

With proper care and timely treatment of diseases, dwarf spruce trees can grow indoors and reach a height of no more than 1 meter. I'm sharing photos of my beauties. If planted in open ground, the tree can reach a height of 3 meters.

Landing rules

The planting process should be approached carefully. The growth of the plants depends on it. Experienced gardeners recommend following a few rules:

1. Planting should begin in the second half of April or August. This is when plants are most active.
2. The location where the spruce is grown must be well-lit. Otherwise, the tree will lose its decorative appearance.
3. It's important to prepare a drainage layer. Broken brick or crushed stone can be used for drainage.
4. Dwarf spruce has special soil requirements. To ensure the plant thrives, the soil must be properly prepared. This requires mixing soil, sand, peat, and humus.

Planting a dwarf spruce

The planting process consists of the following activities:

1. The drainage layer should be filled with soil and watered.
2. The plant, together with the root ball, must be removed from the pot and carefully placed into the hole.
3. It's important to ensure the tree stands level. Any empty space should be filled with soil.
4. Finally, you need to water and mulch.

Now let's talk about caring for dwarf spruce trees, and then we'll look at their diseases and treatments.

Caring for a dwarf spruce

A beautiful plant can only be achieved with proper care. Care procedures include the following:

1. Watering. Mature plants can tolerate droughts of up to two weeks. Young plants require regular watering, which should be done once a week.
2. Loosening the soil. This procedure is especially important during dry periods. Loosening the soil will allow moisture to evaporate slowly, allowing the roots to receive sufficient air.
3. Fertilizer. Any plant needs additional nutrition. Dwarf spruce trees require complex fertilizers. Low-nitrogen formulations are best. Organic fertilizers are also very beneficial. Vermicompost and compost are especially beneficial. Fertilizers containing dolomite flour are extremely beneficial.
4. Mulching is another important procedure that should be performed promptly. Sawdust, pine needles, and tree bark can be used as mulch. Mulching prevents root rot and keeps trees looking attractive for years to come.

Diseases of dwarf spruce

Although the plants are resistant to many diseases, some still make their presence felt. The most common spruce diseases are:

Schütte

A fungal disease. The spruce tree first turns black, then becomes covered with frost. This causes the needles to fall off. Treatments such as Alirin-B and Trichodermin can help save the plants. In severe cases, the trees will have to be removed from the site.

Tracheomycosis

Young trees are the first to suffer. The needles turn red and soon fall off completely. The plants cannot be saved; they will have to be dug up and burned.

Rust

The disease damages the needles, causing them to turn yellow. Treatment with Gliocladin or Vectra will help save the trees.

Dwarf spruce trees are amazing plants. They attract attention with their decorative appearance. Maintaining the attractiveness of these saplings is easy. Simply follow basic care procedures, identify diseases early, and perform maintenance work efficiently and in a timely manner.