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Common privet is a close relative of lilac. Her inflorescences are not so attractive, but the shrub is still in demand. It is undemanding in care, tolerates pruning, with which you can give the privet the most unusual shapes.
Description of common privet
Common privet belongs to the olive family. The description says that these are evergreen or deciduous plants. The photo shows that the height of the shrub is on average about 2 m, the crown is sprawling, no more than 1 m. At home, trees can reach 6 m. The halo of privet distribution:
- Australia;
- North Africa;
- China;
- Japan;
- Taiwan.
The leaves of the shrub are dense, leathery, dark green on the outside, lighter on the inside. The branches are opposite. Inflorescence in the form of a panicle, loose, up to 18 cm long. The petals are painted white. Flowering is long, starts from the beginning of summer and lasts more than 3 months. Throughout this period, the garden is enveloped in a characteristic aroma. After flowering, common privet produces small fruits, dark blue or black. They have few seeds.
Common privet in landscape design
Ornamental trees and shrubs of common privet are widely used in landscape design. Usually they are grown as a hedge, as the crown of the plant is sprawling, creating a dense barrier. However, in a single planting or in a group with other evergreen trees, they look good.
Recently, bonsai has been grown from privet. The shrub lends itself well to formation, it has flexible shoots and an excellent ability to recover from pruning.
Planting and caring for common privet
Common privet is an unpretentious shrub that grows well in partial shade, but bright lighting is needed for lush flowering. Direct sunlight is contraindicated.
The type of soil for the shrub does not really matter; it develops well in any area. However, experienced gardeners have noticed that in neutral or slightly alkaline soil, the decorative qualities of privet are especially pronounced.
You can plant and replant shrubs throughout the entire growing season, but it is best to plan work for the first half of autumn. In different regions, the timing may vary, the main thing is to finish planting 2 weeks before the first frost. In the middle lane, this is mid-September – early October.
Seedling and planting preparation
The site for planting common privet is prepared in advance. Best of all a month before the planned work. The soil is dug up well, cleaned of weeds, enriched with humus, soddy soil, and sand is added as a baking powder. After that, landing pits are prepared:
- Their size is one third larger than the root system of the seedling.
- Usually, a hole of 65 x 65 cm is made for landing.
- The bottom of the pit is well drained, then half filled with nutrient soil mixed with mineral fertilizers.
- The hole is left for a while for the earth to settle.
Common privet seedling is prepared for planting in various ways. It all depends on the time of year when the work will be carried out. In the spring, the shrub is acquired with a closed root system, so it does not need special preparation. In autumn, privet seedlings are sold with open roots, so they must be properly prepared before planting:
- shorten shoots by 1/3, cut off part of the roots;
- place the seedling in a bucket of water, where a growth stimulator is added;
- inspect the roots, cut dry and damaged.
It is necessary to soak the seedlings before planting for at least 8 hours so that the root system is saturated with moisture. It depends on how quickly the shrub will take root in a new place.
Planting common privet
The planting procedure is simple, a seedling is lowered into the prepared pit, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with fertile soil without fertilizers. The soil is well compacted and watered abundantly. So that it does not dry out, it is mulched with a thick layer of humus.
If you need to plant several plants, then 60-70 cm are left between them. For a hedge, the distance is reduced to 40 cm between seedlings. At least 1 m away from buildings.
Watering and top dressing
In the conditions of the middle zone, the common privet is grown with little or no watering; natural moisture is enough for the shrub. In arid regions, during the growing season, the soil under the plant will have to be moistened 3-4 times.
The main rule is that watering should be rare, but plentiful. The soil must be wetted to the full depth of the roots. One plant consumes 30-40 liters of water. The common privet needs moisture especially acutely during the ripening period of berries. This watering is considered the last, it is also water-charging.
Top dressing under the bushes is applied in early spring, fertilizer with humus or compost gives very good results. From above, you can scatter granular mineral complexes, and then seal them into the ground. Further, throughout the season, common privet can not be fed, and in the fall it can be again mulched with humus.
Loosening and mulching
The roots of the shrub need oxygen, so after each watering or rain, the soil is loosened and freed from weeds. The procedure is carried out carefully so as not to damage the surface layer of the roots.
Mulching the soil for privet is necessary in arid regions so that moisture remains in the soil as long as possible. This is especially true immediately after planting seedlings. In early spring and autumn, mulch acts as a top dressing for shrubs.
Trimming
Common privet is a fast-growing shrub, so a hedge from it requires regular pruning. This is a simple procedure, even a novice gardener can handle it, especially since the shrub is quickly restored.
The first pruning is done after planting, when the bush grows. The tops need to be pinched to encourage branching. Pruning is repeated when the shoots grow by 15 cm. During the first 2 years, no additional manipulations are needed. At this time, privet actively build up the crown. The formation of the shrub is started later. At the 3rd year of cultivation, the plant can be given almost any shape.
If the shrub is grown for a hedge, then it must be cut when the shoots reach 50 cm. This is very convenient, especially in winter. Such a plant is easy to cover with snow. In warmer regions, the hedge is pruned when it grows to 2 m. The hedge should be cut in early spring and late summer, usually in May and August.
Preparation for winter
Common privet tolerates short-term frosts down to -30 ° C without shelter. If the frosts are long, then the shrub must be covered in advance. Under the snow, the hedge will survive a drop in temperature to -40 ° C.
Young plants are well mulched and covered with spruce branches. Mature bushes are quite resistant to cold.
How fast does common privet grow?
The description of the shrub indicates that common privet grows very quickly, requires shaping and pruning. The photo shows subspecies of this plant, which do not differ in growth strength. For example, the Aureum variety with golden foliage. This shrub develops slowly, gives a weak increase in a year, does not need regular pruning.
Reproduction of common privet
It is easy to propagate common privet on your own. After planting, seedlings grow quickly and do not need special care, varietal characteristics are fully preserved.
The main methods of reproduction:
- cuttings;
- drain method;
- root growth.
You can try to propagate privet with seeds, but this is a long and tedious process. Their germination is poor, sprouts develop slowly. And the bush begins to bear fruit at the age of 6 years.
How to propagate common privet cuttings
Cuttings are an affordable and uncomplicated method of breeding privet. They use annual green shoots that take root almost 100%. Harvest cuttings at the end of flowering, choose strong and healthy branches. The length of the planting material is 10 cm. The shoots are rooted in river sand, planted obliquely at a distance of 5 cm.
In order for rooting to be successful, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within + 22 … + 25 ° С. Humidity should be at 95%. To do this, the plantings are covered with a film. Root formation takes up to 30 days. Further, the cuttings are grown in a greenhouse to an adult state within a year, after which they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Other breeding methods
In the spring, you can get privet seedlings by layering. From the mother plant, a branch is selected, which is tilted to the ground and added dropwise. Planting should be mulched with sphagnum moss so that the soil does not dry out. Over the summer, the shoot will start to grow, and in a few months it will give good roots. You can plant layers in a permanent place next spring.
Root shoots from the mother plant are dug out in early spring and immediately planted in the intended place. Seedlings should have well developed roots. During the season, they are looked after like an adult plant.
Diseases and pests
The shrub has natural immunity and rarely gets sick. However, powdery mildew and bacterial spot lie in wait for it in acidic soil. To prevent this from happening, you need to deoxidize the soil in time, add dolomite flour, lime.
All affected parts are removed from the diseased plant, sprayed with complex preparations. Processing is repeated several times. In the spring, bushes can be sprayed with a solution of serum with iodine to prevent powdery mildew.
Of the pests, thrips, aphids, spider mites, and scale insects bother the shrub. For the purpose of prevention, privet is sprayed with Aktellik and Fitoverm preparations. Processing is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 14 days.
Conclusion
Common privet is a beautiful ornamental shrub that is suitable for growing in a country house or in a city garden. The plant is undemanding, easy to propagate, does not need special care. It is enough to give him a little time to admire the flowering and unusually beautiful foliage.