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Pine trees are very unpretentious and responsive trees. In addition, among them there is such a variety of species and varieties that any of the most intricate fantasies can be easily realized. Decorative pine can appear in almost any shape and any size. And if you add to this a variety of colors of needles, then the choice will seem simply inexhaustible.
Decorative pine in landscape design
Many are accustomed to imagining a pine tree as a giant rushing upwards with a hat of fluffy needles at the very top of the trunk. But pines are so different that sometimes it’s hard to imagine.
Small pyramids in the form of Christmas trees can decorate the entrance gate. Trees or shrubs with a spherical crown will decorate patios or rocky gardens. There are very undersized varieties in the form of pillows or creeping shrubs, they will look great in rockeries and large flower beds.
Pine trees in the form of weeping willows can decorate the banks of water bodies, and you can create a real hedge from slender rows of cylindrical trees.
From trees of various shapes with multi-colored needles, you can create a whole decorative group that can decorate the garden no worse than perennial flowering shrubs. And even better, because it will retain its decorative effect throughout the year.
Finally, pines are perfect as a tapeworm that towers over a lawn or flower bed.
Decorative varieties of pines
The most famous and familiar to the eye is Scots pine. But even this species has many ornamental varieties that are completely different from their original variety.
- Fastagiata – the tree looks like a column, due to the branches closely pressed to the trunk.
- Globosa Viridas– does not exceed 1,5 m in height, while it has an almost spherical crown shape.
- Pendulum – grows very slowly, and the weeping shape of the crown looks very interesting and unusual.
- Gold Queen – slow growing variety with a golden hue of needles.
There are many more decorative types of pine, and many of them can easily withstand the climatic conditions of most regions.
Mountain
One of the most popular types of decorative pine. The plants are very compact, grow slowly and are ideal even for growing in a small area.
Black
This species is native to Central and Southern Europe. Pine is named so for the dark color of the bark. Unlike other species, it is shade-tolerant.
There are many decorative forms and varieties: pyramidal, dwarf, golden and others.
Veymutova
One of the most decorative types of pine, originates from North America. Differs in bluish color of soft and long needles. Branches grow almost horizontally, which provides additional decorative crown.
Rumelian
In another way, this species is also called the Balkan pine. Differs in rapid growth, unpretentiousness to growing conditions, can grow even in partial shade. The needles have a bluish tint, thick and dense. At the age of 10, it reaches a height of 2,5 m. Mature trees grow up to 20 m.
How to grow ornamental pine from seeds
In general, pine is considered the simplest among the other representatives of conifers in terms of agricultural cultivation from seeds. Moreover, the seed method of reproduction can be considered practically the only one for her, since her cuttings either do not take root at all, or the formation of roots occurs with great difficulty.
Most ornamental species do not even need stratification. But the freshest seeds germinate best. Therefore, it is better to collect them yourself in the nearest coniferous forest, park or arboretum. If the desired species does not grow nearby, then you can look for ornamental pine seeds from collectors.
The soil for sowing seeds is prepared the lightest. In heavy soil, pine seeds may not germinate at all, and if sprouts do appear, they will quickly die. It is best to mix horse peat with sand in equal parts.
It will be useful to soak the seeds in water at room temperature before planting. You can add one of the growth stimulants (HB-101, Zircon, Epin). The seeds are soaked for a day, but you can also keep them in damp gauze until the moment of germination.
All you have to do is keep the gauze moist. The seeds that have hatched are placed in moist, light soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm and wait for sprouts to appear.
A box with germinating seeds should be immediately placed in the brightest place possible. Any shading can lead to a halt in the growth and development of seeds.
Therefore, after germination, they must be regularly sprayed or watered for preventive purposes with the addition of any biological fungicide, Fitosporin, Alirin-B, or their analogue.
In the autumn of the year of planting, ornamental pine seedlings can already be transplanted into separate containers for further growth. With proper protection, especially from rodents, they can even be immediately planted in the ground in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for decorative pine in open ground
Ornamental pine is an unpretentious plant and does not require particularly careful care. Nevertheless, if all the rules of planting are followed, the trees will be able to take root well and delight with their appearance and healing aroma for many years.
Seedling and planting preparation
It doesn’t matter if the ornamental pine seedling was grown from seeds at home, or was purchased at a nursery or on the market, the main thing is that before transplanting, it should have an earthen ball on its roots. Pines transplanted with bare roots take root with great difficulty and can get sick for a long time.
The place for planting decorative pine is chosen the sunniest on the site. Only in the first week after planting, the seedling can be shaded if the weather is sunny.
Groundwater should also not come too close to the surface. In any case, a drainage layer must be arranged in the pit for planting pine trees, at least 10 cm deep.
Rules of landing
The volume of the planting hole should approximately correspond to the size of the earthen clod on the roots of the pine tree and be slightly larger. It is especially important to dig a larger hole in depth. The bottom of the landing pit is covered with drainage from crushed stone or broken bricks. Then add a little nutrient soil, consisting of soddy soil, humus and sand.
An earthen lump is placed on top, and the gaps are covered with a nutrient mixture. Since the root neck of a pine tree should be flush with the ground, you can even place it a little higher when planting. After all, over time, thanks to watering, the earth will settle, and the root neck will also fall.
Watering and top dressing
Young seedlings in the first years of life require regular watering, about once a week and even more often if the weather is dry and hot. Mature trees are watered only 1-2 times throughout the season. One tree requires about 50-80 liters of water. In hot weather, pine trees, especially young ones, will react favorably to crown sprinkling after sunset.
As top dressing for decorative pines, it is best to use compost. It is either diluted in water for irrigation, or mixed with mulch in the near-stem circle.
Mineral top dressing can only be applied in spring and it is advisable to use special granular fertilizers for conifers.
Mulching and loosening
Since the pine roots are at a small distance from the surface, it is often not recommended to loosen the ground near the trunk.
To protect against weeds, preserve moisture and provide additional nutrition, the root zone is mulched with a layer of 6-8 cm. It is best to use chopped bark of coniferous trees or the top layer of earth from a pine forest for this.
Trimming
Pine is good for pruning and, if necessary, its crown can be formed in any convenient way.
Mandatory is the annual sanitary pruning, during which all dry, damaged or diseased branches are removed.
Protection against diseases and pests
If you fulfill all the necessary requirements for caring for a pine, then, most likely, diseases and pests will not be able to harm the tree. But for preventive purposes, it is recommended to spray the crown with Fitoverm from pests in early spring. And for the prevention of diseases, several times during the warm period, the tree is watered with a biofungicide solution.
Preparation for winter
Ornamental pines tend to tolerate frost well. But it is better to prepare the youngest trees under the age of 4-5 years for the winter period. To do this, the entire surface of the earth under the crown is covered with a layer of peat, about 10 cm high. And the crown is covered with spruce branches, which is fixed with a rope. The first spring sun, which can cause burns, can also be dangerous for young pine seedlings. For protection in the first spring months, seedlings are covered with a special light non-woven material.
gardening tips
Experienced gardeners when growing ornamental pines are advised to pay attention to the following points:
- When planting and transplanting, and even when sowing pine seeds, it is advisable to add a little bedding of pine needles to the planting soil. The mycorrhiza present in it will facilitate the survival of pines in a new place.
- Several times during the season, young pine seedlings should be shed with Heteroauxin or Kornevin. This will help the growth and development of the root system.
- It is worth transplanting only seedlings under the age of 5 years. Older trees tolerate transplanting much worse.
- In the spring, pine trees throw out many shoots in the form of candles, from which new branches then grow. If you cut them off, then at first it will look ugly. But over time, this will lead to the formation of additional side shoots and the formation of a dense crown.
Conclusion
Decorative pine, if desired, can even become the main decoration of the site. Especially if you thoughtfully approach the choice of a suitable species or variety and plant it according to all the rules.
