Forsythia: planting and care, preparation for winter, when to prune

Planting in open ground and caring for forsythia are carried out in accordance with all recommendations, only in this way, after a long winter, you can enjoy the bright colors of the shrub. Forsythia begins to bloom in April. Due to its decorative features, designers fell in love with the shrub, using this plant to decorate landscapes.

Description of forsythia

All existing species belong to the Maslinov family, with similar features. Externally, the plant resembles a shrub with yellow flowers. It reaches a height of 1-3 m. The leaves are oval in shape, 15 cm long; during flowering, small flowers appear in the form of bells. Inflorescences few-flowered. The color can be the most diverse: from light yellow tones to dark orange.

Flowering continues until the leaves begin to bloom, and lasts 20-40 days. The fruits resemble an elongated box with winged seeds. The shrub loves the light, quite unpretentious. To date, there are several dozen varieties that differ in characteristics, size and color.

How to plant forsythia in the suburbs

Planting and caring for forsythia shrubs in the Moscow region is no different from planting plants in other regions. First of all, it is necessary to prepare a landing pit, the depth of which is 60 cm and a width of 50 cm, broken bricks, drainage and sand are poured into the bottom of the pit, in total the layer height should be 10 cm.

When planting in groups, a distance of 1,5-2 m between the bushes is observed. When planting in open ground in autumn, the soil is mulched, which will protect the young forsythia from weeds, overdrying and low temperature conditions.

Soil and planting site preparation

Growing forsythia is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The main thing is to know the characteristics of the shrub, prepare planting material and soil for planting in advance. As you know, the plant is unpretentious, can grow on any soil, but acidic soil is highly undesirable.

If the soil is acidic, then it is necessary to add about 500 g of furnace ash to each pit prepared for planting, after mixing it with fertile soil. Clay soils require drainage. As a rule, they begin to plant in spring or autumn, until the moment when the cold sets in.

Seedling preparation

If the seedlings were obtained from cuttings, then they are planted the next year after they have been cut and formed the root system. If you plan to purchase seedlings, then you should pay special attention to this moment. Purchased plants should not be damaged, the root system must be developed. Particular attention is paid to age, the older the forsythia, the worse it will adapt to new conditions after landing in open ground. To make the plant take root faster, you can treat the roots with a rooter.

Planting rules

To plant a bush, you will need to dig a hole, the size of which is 50 * 50 * 60 cm, the root system will be at a depth of 40 cm. If a group planting is planned, then the distance between the bushes should be 1,5-2 m.

As a rule, a drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pit, which occupies 10 cm. Expanded clay and broken bricks are excellent for these purposes, sand is poured on top. Only after the pit is prepared, you can plant a bush, tamp the ground and water it abundantly.

If the plants are planted in the spring, then they do not need special care, but the autumn plantings will have to be mulched. The material used for this must be breathable to prevent the kidneys from wrangling.

How to care for forsythia in the suburbs

The care process involves timely activities:

• watering;
• pruning;
• application of fertilizers;
• weeding;
• loosening of the soil;
• mulching.

Every time after watering, it is required to take care of the soil in which forsythia grows. To do this, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed. To prevent the growth of weeds, the soil around the shrub is mulched.

Both adult and young bushes are subject to sanitary pruning. In the process of pruning, old, damaged and extra branches that tend to the ground are removed, of course, if it is not planned to propagate forsythia by layering.

Watering and top dressing

If there is a balanced rainfall, then there is no need to water the forsythia. In prolonged hot weather, it is necessary to water the plants every month, using about 14 liters of water for each bush.

During the season, top dressing is applied 3 times:

• 1st – in the spring, after the snow melting has ended. Under the bush it is necessary to put rotted manure or mineral fertilizers;
• 2nd – after the completion of flowering for each square. m contribute 110 g of the drug “Kemira Universal”;
• 3rd – the last time fertilizers are applied 1 month before the shrub is sent for wintering.

If you follow these recommendations, then forsythia will delight with its appearance for a long time.

When to transplant forsythia in the fall in the suburbs

As a rule, the time for transplantation depends entirely on the specific region and weather conditions. Increasingly, you can find forsythia with a closed root system on sale, but if it is open, then it is best to transplant in the spring, when there is no threat of frost, or in the fall, before the onset of cold weather.

It is important to understand that the periods of forsythia landing in the Moscow region and Siberia will differ significantly. In the Moscow region, plants are planted earlier, as the heat comes faster.

To understand the beauty of the shrub, you can see how forsythia looks like in the fall in the photo.

How to cover forsythia for the winter in the suburbs

Forsythia is covered for the winter in order to prevent the shrub from freezing. So that in winter the plant does not freeze and die, it is necessary to protect the roots first. To do this, the trunk circle must be covered with dry foliage, the layer thickness must be at least 10 cm, young bushes must be covered completely, using spruce branches for this.

To save the kidneys, the bushes are bent to the ground. These works are done before the onset of cold weather, while the bushes still have flexibility. The bent shrub is pinned and covered; spruce branches are perfect for this. In this form, the plant is not afraid of any frost. In early spring, spruce branches and dry leaves are removed.

Pruning and shaping forsythia

Nature paints forsythia in different shades: in spring – in a bright yellow color, in summer – in green, in autumn – in golden purple. In order for the shrub to please with its appearance, it is necessary to take care of it in a timely manner. The main part of the care is pruning forsythia in the fall.

Many gardeners know that forsythia belongs to fast-growing plants, it is for this reason that it is necessary to remove all unnecessary in a timely manner. Otherwise, the plant will begin to grow rapidly and lose its attractiveness. A neat, well-formed forsythia bush looks much better on plots.

When to prune forsythia – in spring or autumn

Pruning begins only after the plant is fully strengthened and grows, that is, after 4 years of growth. Often, a regular ball is formed from a bush, cutting out branches that make the center thick.

Autumn is considered the best time to remove excess and damaged branches. The main thing is not to overdo it during pruning, otherwise the plant will lose strength and will not be able to survive the winter. Experienced gardeners carry out work in early September.

In the spring, the forsythia is inspected for the presence of branches damaged by frost. If there are, then they should be removed. Particular attention must be paid to the tips, if there is damage, they are cut off.

How to prune forsythia in autumn

Young and branched shoots, as a rule, are only half harvested. Old shoots begin to be harvested in the spring, as bud formation begins in the fall. It is worth examining the forsythia bush, for the presence of branches lowered to the ground, if any, then they are removed. Otherwise, the rooting process will begin, and the plant will look untidy and will spoil the whole appearance of the site.

Forsythia rejuvenation is recommended every 4 years. In this case, all shoots are removed, leaving only a small number of young shoots. This approach will allow the bush to grow much faster and bloom more abundantly.

Features of planting and caring for forsythia in Siberia

If it is planned to plant forsythia in Siberia, then it is necessary to provide the shrub with proper care, only in this way the plant will delight with its appearance. On the territory of Siberia, forsythia is planted in places with little shade. You also need to make sure that the place chosen for landing is protected from the wind. Often shrubs are planted near buildings or trees.

Soil enriched with microelements is ideal, for these purposes, as a rule, humus is used. Stagnation of moisture is not allowed, so the soil should be loose and well breathable. If the soil is acidic or heavy, then it should be prepared in advance for planting forsythia.

Features of planting and caring for forsythia in the Urals

For each region, there are certain conditions for growing shrubs, so it is necessary not only to familiarize yourself with the photo of forsythia, but also with the rules for planting and caring for the Urals. In the Urals, shrubs are planted in light soil, which is rich in humus and leafy soil. Expanded clay or river sand can be used to lighten the soil. It is important to understand that forsythia does not tolerate acidic soils.

The planting depth is about 70 cm, drainage up to 20 cm high is laid at the bottom of the pit, for this they use:

• broken building bricks;
• expanded clay medium fraction;
• sand.

In order for the shrub to grow faster, top dressing and fertilizers are used, which are applied in the spring. Forsythia loves dry soil, so waterlogging is not recommended.

Forsythia bloom

In the process of flowering, forsythia will not leave anyone indifferent. During this period, due to the abundant flowering, the shrub is completely strewn with flowers of golden yellow hues, which resemble bells in shape. Appearance is simply mesmerizing. After the flowering period ends, the shrub does not lose its attractiveness. Bright colors are replaced by bright foliage, which has a rich green color.

How Forsythia Blooms

Forsythia is an early flowering shrub, reaching a height of up to 2 m. The leaves are quite large, they can be simple or trifoliate, opposite, in some cases they can be serrate at the edges, have a rich green color.

In the process of flowering, bells of a rich golden color appear. The flowers are of the same size, the branches are strewn densely. As a rule, the shrub begins to bloom in early spring and continues until the leaves appear. In regions with low temperature regimes, it is likely that some of the buds will die, and flowering will not be as plentiful or will not occur at all. Therefore, it is recommended to cover the plant for the winter.

What does forsythia look like after flowering?

Forsythia after flowering turns into a bush with leaves of different shades and remains in this form until autumn, after which the next phase begins, during which the shrub begins to fade. At the moment when the forsythia begins to prepare for winter, it throws off all the leaves, changing its color. Despite the fact that forsythia loses its attractive appearance after flowering, in autumn the leaves take on bright and varied shades. In autumn, foliage can be not only yellow, but also purple, burgundy.

Reasons why forsythia does not bloom

There are several reasons why forsythia does not bloom:

• the soil is quite heavy, saline (under such conditions, the shoots are poorly developed, the growth of the shrub is slow);
• there is stagnation of water in the hole;
• the process of pruning and shaping the bush was incorrectly carried out;
• nutrient deficiency in the soil;
• kidneys are frozen in winter;
• pests appeared.

If these problems are eliminated, then flowering occurs in 85% of cases. If, after all the measures to eliminate the problems, the forsythia also grows slowly, then it is necessary to apply potash top dressing.

Forsythia shrub propagation

Reproduction of forsythia can be carried out not only vegetatively, but also with the help of seeds. As a rule, seed ripening occurs at the end of October. Origin and maturation occurs in boxes that appear after flowering. There are several ways of vegetative propagation:

• cuttings;
• layering;
• dividing an adult bush into parts.

Thanks to such a variety, each gardener can choose the option that suits him. The easiest way to propagate is to divide the root system.

How to propagate forsythia cuttings

This type of propagation involves the use of several types of cuttings:

• green;
• summer lignified;
• autumn lignified.

Green cuttings are harvested in June. The length of the cutting is up to 1 to 2 internodes. An oblique cut is made from above, a straight cut from below. The resulting cuttings are placed in water with the addition of a rooting agent for 3,5 hours. After that, boxes filled with sand are taken and cuttings up to 5 cm deep are planted, while the soil should always be moist. A month later, the root system is formed.

Reproduction using lignified cuttings differs only in the time of harvesting planting material. A similar method is used by gardeners in the southern regions. Harvesting is carried out in the second half of summer or autumn. The next steps are the same in both cases.

How to propagate by seeds

Most often, propagation by seeds is used when it is necessary to obtain a large number of forsythia bushes. Seeds are harvested in October, after which they are kept for 2 months at a temperature of + 2 ° C to + 5 ° C, this is required for stratification.

At the end of March, the seeds are sown in a greenhouse or small containers filled with nutrient soil. To maintain the required temperature conditions, containers with seedlings are covered with cling film.

After 20-40 days, the first shoots begin to appear. As a rule, the germination rate is low and is a maximum of 40%. Growth is quite slow, after a year the height can vary from 2 to 8 cm. Planting is carried out for 3 years, when the forsythia reaches a height of 80 cm. Flowering occurs after 6 years.

How to propagate by layering

Reproduction by layering is the simplest and easiest way. Forsythia has one feature – the branches in contact with the ground begin to take root. Since this method spoils the attractiveness of the bushes, such reproduction is carried out forcibly.

In spring, young shoots bend down to the ground, make small grooves and fix branches. The depth is 10 cm, leaves are removed along the entire length of the branch, leaving them only at the top. The rooted shoot will be fully formed in the spring. Flowering, using this method of reproduction, occurs after 1 year.

How to propagate by dividing the bush

Reproduction by dividing the mother bush into parts is the most common way of propagating forsythia. As a rule, an adult bush is completely dug out of the ground. The work must be done carefully so as not to damage the root system. The roots of the bush are divided into several parts, after which each part is treated with garden pitch and planted. At first, care should be constant, after 3 weeks they begin to care for the bushes in the same way as for adult plants.

Diseases and pests of forsythia

Despite the fact that forsythia is resistant to pests and diseases, there is a possibility of fungus. With a fungal disease, small growths appear on the shrub that resemble warts. Since this disease is practically incurable, the bush must be completely removed and another one planted.

If small spots appear on the leaves, then it is necessary to treat the forsythia with a solution of copper sulfate. During the withering of the shrub, captan or foundationol is used. You can also degrease the soil with a carbocation.

Often, lethargy appears due to rotting of the root system. To prevent this disease, it is recommended to establish an irrigation system. It is recommended to water the plant 1 time every 3.

Conclusion

Planting in open ground and caring for forsythia should be carried out efficiently and in a timely manner, only in this way the shrub will delight with its appearance. Forsythia is a perennial and unpretentious shrub that needs minimal attention and care. All that is needed is to purchase a cutting, plant it correctly and take care of it in the future. The plant grows quite quickly, it is easy to cut, giving any shape.