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When creating favorable conditions for growth and development, the sprawling forsythia shrub will please with abundant bright yellow flowering. Today we will tell you whether it is necessary to cover forsythia for the winter, and how to prepare the plant for the upcoming frosts.
Autumn procedures
Forsythia is a beautiful spreading shrub that is used in landscape design. This decorative culture is considered a spring symbol of Central Europe, as it is found in almost every public garden and city park. The plant is very unpretentious to the conditions of growth and care. However, often our gardeners complain about the lack of flowering. The reason for this problem is the improper care of the plant, including a violation of the technology of preparing for winter.
The preparation and shelter of ornamental shrubs for the winter depend on the climatic zone of the culture. So, in the southern regions, most plants do not require additional shelter for the winter. Ornamental crops grown in the northern regions of the country need careful warming. At the same time, the preparation and shelter of plants should be carried out in accordance with the varietal characteristics of the cultivated crop.
Forsythia care in the fall begins with examining the bush for signs of pests and various diseases. In anticipation of the winter cold snap, it is recommended to treat the garden with microbiological preparations that increase the endurance and resistance of plants to pathogens of various diseases and parasites.
Video: “Shelter of forsythia and thuja for the winter”
From this video you will learn how the preparation of thuja and forsythia for winter takes place.
Trimming
Autumn preparation of forsythia for winter includes activities such as pruning and watering shrubs, loosening and mulching the soil.
According to experienced gardeners, timely and correctly performed anti-aging pruning of the crown helps to maintain the forsythia bush in an aesthetically attractive form. Autumn anti-aging pruning is performed according to the following scheme:
- Removal of old, dried, damaged by insects and fungal diseases shoots.
- Pruning long branches that give the shrub an unattractive look.
- Thinning the root part of the shrub. With the help of a sharp garden pruner, you need to cut out part of the shoots close to the ground. This manipulation helps to prevent the invasion of harmful insects.
- Removal of intertwining and growing branches towards the center.
Refusal of autumn pruning not only negatively affects the aesthetic appeal of the shrub, but also leads to a decrease in its winter hardiness and endurance.
Mulching
Removing weed grass and loosening the soil in the near-stem circle enhance the access of oxygen to the root system. Do not neglect these procedures on the eve of the winter cooling.
It is equally important to know how to properly mulch the root collar of an ornamental shrub. The mulching layer should be no more than 10-15 cm high. A higher base will lead to the root neck aging, gradually rot can move from the aerial part to the root. Shrubs can be mulched with peat, dry fallen leaves, small spruce twigs, tree bark and sawdust, hay, straw and dried river sand.
High-quality top dressing and watering control
Unlike other ornamental shrubs, forsythia is not demanding on watering. Excess moisture in the soil adversely affects the development of the root system and often leads to rotting of young shoots. If the autumn turned out to be damp and rainy, the forsythia bush can not be watered for the winter. With a lack of precipitation and dry soil, it is recommended to water the shrub along the perimeter of the near-trunk circle. The average water consumption per adult bush is 7–10 liters.
Autumn is considered the optimal period for fertilizing ornamental crops growing in the garden. This opinion is shared by almost all novice gardeners. However, not all plants need autumn feeding. If you feed the forsythia with organic matter or mineral fertilizers in the fall, the shrub receives an additional incentive and begins to actively increase its mass. Increased growth and the emergence of new shoots lead to a weakening of the ornamental culture, which is highly undesirable in the face of approaching cold and frost.
The application of mineral fertilizers to the soil stops at the end of summer. During the preparation for winter, the forsythia bush should not receive any top dressing.
Shelter for frost
Features of forsythia shelter for the winter depend on the climate of the region of growth. For example, frost-resistant ornamental shrubs do not cover in the southern regions. In the Crimea, Stavropol Territory, Adygea and Krasnodar Territory, in the Caucasus and Kuban, forsythia can winter without additional shelter. The plant is mulched with a mixture of peat, tree bark, sawdust and dry sand.
As for the central and northern regions, most species and varieties of ornamental horticultural crops are subject to shelter. In addition to mulching the root neck, you need to cover the entire shrub. To insulate forsythia, you can use “breathable” covering materials: spunbond, geofabric, lutrasil, etc. Fallen leaves, dry earth, pine spruce branches and snow are poured over the covering material.
There are several methods for hiding forsythia. Some gardeners build wooden frames that are covered with a mesh or any non-woven covering material. Other summer residents prefer to bend the branches of the bush to the ground and then cover them. It is not recommended to use dense polyethylene film and roofing material as a covering material.
Despite the high frost resistance, young and adult forsythia shrubs need to be insulated for the winter. Additional shelter protects not only from severe frosts, but also from unexpected changes in air temperature.