Spirea in Siberia

In Siberia, flowering shrubs of spirea can often be found. This plant perfectly tolerates severe frosts and harsh winters. However, when choosing a spirea for planting in Siberia, you should pay attention to the varieties. Some of them are quite thermophilic. Observing all the rules for planting and caring for spirea in Siberia, you can grow a beautiful plant.

Features of growing spirea in Siberia

Most varieties of shrubs tolerate frost well, so they are often grown in Siberia and other northern regions. The plant is unpretentious and with proper care blooms profusely. All she needs is proper watering, fertile soil and plenty of sunlight.

Shrubs planted in autumn, covered for winter. Prune the plant in the off-season.

Landing in the spring is carried out only after the soil has warmed up sufficiently. In autumn, it is desirable to have time to do this before October.

For planting spirea in Siberia, a well-lit place is chosen. Thanks to this, the plant will actively grow, flourish and bear fruit.

Varieties of spirea for Siberia

There are many species that tolerate frost well. Below are the most frost-resistant spirea varieties that are most suitable for growing in Siberia with a photo.

1. Greyfsheim. Arched, densely branched shrub. Height reaches one meter. The first leaves appear in May. The fruits ripen at the end of June. Spirea is popular with gardeners in Siberia, as it tolerates severe frosts.

   

2. Rosea (pink). The bush reaches a height and a diameter of 1,5 m. Flowers of a beautiful pink hue, collected in paniculate inflorescences. The peculiarity of the variety is high resistance to severe frosts.

   

3. Wangutta. The variety is unpretentious and has high frost resistance. Shrub in diameter and height reaches 2 m. Small flowers are collected in hemispherical inflorescences and are located along the entire length of the shoots.

   

4. Billarda. A popular species for growing in Siberia. The shrub reaches a height of 2 m. Small pink flowers are collected in cone-shaped inflorescences. It has excellent shade tolerance and frost resistance.

   

5. Spirea oak-leaved. An unpretentious plant variety that can grow even on stony soil. Widespread in Siberia. It is a low shrub with small flowers collected in spherical inflorescences.

   

Planting and caring for spirea in Siberia

Before planting, seedlings are carefully examined: the roots must be dry and flexible, buds must be present and there must be no mechanical damage. Too long roots are pruned. If they are slightly dry, the seedlings are lowered into a bucket of water and left for a while.

For the plant, they dig a hole 50 cm wide and deep. Drainage is laid out at the bottom: pebbles, brick fragments and expanded clay. Its layer should be at least 15 cm. To fall asleep a seedling, a substrate is prepared from sand, peat and leafy soil in proportions of 1: 1: 2. The plant is installed vertically in the pit, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with the prepared mixture, leaving the neck at the surface level. Then carry out mulching and watering. When planting several plants, a distance of half a meter is left between them.

Spirea care consists of watering, loosening, mulching, feeding and pruning. In the conditions of Siberia, the plant is watered once a month, bringing about 1 liters of water under the bush. In a dry summer, the procedure is carried out twice. Around the trunk, the soil must be loosened so that the root system breathes.

In the spring, spirea is fed with the Kemira preparation at the rate of 120 g per square meter. m. In the second half of summer, an infusion of a cowshed is used for this, adding 10 g of superphosphate to 10 liters of a solution.

Formative pruning is performed once, then only corrective pruning. Frozen tips of branches are removed in the spring. After flowering, damaged and dry shoots are cut off.

Shrubs are sprayed with an infusion of tobacco, a decoction of marigolds or hot peppers, which will protect them from pests. In advanced cases, insecticides are used.

Terms of planting

In the fall, any variety of spirea is planted. The most favorable conditions for this are cloudy autumn weather. The main thing is to have time to plant the plant before the end of leaf fall. In Siberia, this process must be completed by October. Varieties that bloom in summer can be planted in spring. This must be done before the appearance of the first sheets.

Preparation of planting material and site

Its growth and flowering depend on the choice and quality preparation of spirea seedlings and the right planting site.

First of all, you need to purchase high-quality and healthy spirea seedlings, which are ideal for the climatic conditions of Siberia. It is recommended to buy planting material only in nurseries or garden centers that specialize in plant breeding.

Spirea seedlings are carefully examined. Suitable shoots without leaves and swollen buds. The root system of the plant should be elastic, without signs of decay and mold. It is better to purchase shoots in containers that can be planted at any time.

To achieve the most lush and abundant flowering, you need to choose the right place for landing. The best place for this is a hill, well lit by the sun. It is not recommended to plant spirea shrubs near fruit trees and close to each other, as they have a branched rhizome. The soil should be fertile, nutritious and light in order to pass air well. When planting in the spring, the soil is dug up in the fall, introducing natural organic matter or complex mineral fertilizers.

Rules for planting spirea in Siberia

Spirea seedlings are planted in Siberia both in spring and autumn, depending on the flowering period of the selected variety. Plants that bloom in spring are planted in late August or September. In spring, late-flowering varieties.

A couple of days before the start of work, pits are prepared. The depth must be at least 70 cm, and the width is determined depending on the size of the rhizome and the plant variety. If you plan to plant a hedge, leave a distance of at least half a meter between the bushes.

At the bottom of each pit, a drainage layer is poured, which is used as expanded clay or broken brick.

Seedlings with open roots before planting are placed for some time in a container of water. Shrubs in containers are watered abundantly. The shoots are pruned, the roots are shortened.

The soil is mixed with mineral fertilizers. Part of the nutrient mixture is poured into the pit, forming a small mound. A spirea seedling is placed on it and sprinkled with soil, gently compacting with your hands. Form a shaft and water the plant abundantly. A layer of peat is poured around the trunk.

Watering and top dressing

Despite the fact that spirea is a drought-resistant plant, it still needs watering. Approximately once a month, a bucket of water is poured under the plant. In hot weather, the procedure is carried out twice a month. Seedlings and young plants planted in spring need a lot of moisture.

To ensure abundant flowering, spirea must be fertilized regularly. Mineral and organic fertilizers are applied in the spring before flowering. At the beginning of summer, the bush is fed with complete mineral fertilizers. Phosphorus-potassium without nitrogen is applied at the end of summer and autumn.

Trimming

It is carried out at different periods, depending on the purpose.

1. In the spring, sanitary pruning is performed. Remove frozen and dry branches.
2. Formative. Spireas that bloom in summer on shoots are pruned in spring, immediately after the snow has melted, combining with sanitary. Remove thin branches to thin out the bush. Varieties, the size of which does not exceed 40 cm in height, are cut into 2 buds. Shoots with leaves that do not match the color of the variety are removed. Seed boxes, if it is not planned to collect seeds, are removed after flowering. This procedure stimulates re-blooming. The green hedge is trimmed, giving it the necessary shape. Spireas that bloom in spring are formed after flowering, cutting off shoots at the level of a strong young growth. The crown of the shrub should have a symmetrical shape.
3. Anti-aging. Carried out in an adult plant, 7 years after planting. All old shoots are removed, leaving no more than seven young ones, while trying to maintain the symmetry of the bush. This type of pruning is carried out in several stages so as not to weaken the bush.

How to prepare spirea for winter in Siberia

Preparation of spirea for winter in Siberia has some features. Young seedlings are covered before frost. They do this as follows: the branches are tied into a bundle, bent to the ground and fixed with special fasteners, covered with dry foliage, snow is thrown on top. Before sheltering spirea for the winter in Siberia, experienced gardeners recommend treating the plant from pests.

Low-growing varieties perfectly tolerate winter under snow.

Reproduction of a plant

The plant is propagated in several ways: seed, cuttings and taps.

1. seed method. In this way, mainly hybrid varieties are propagated. Seeds are collected from brown, but not opened boxes. They are plucked and left to ripen for 2 weeks. The seeds are then carefully removed. The box or container is filled with peat and moistened well. Seeds are sown in it and covered with glass or film. The container is left in a lit warm place. As soon as the seeds sprout, the film is removed and germination is continued, periodically watering. After the formation of 3 sheets, the seedlings dive into separate pots.
2. Cuttings. Early-flowering varieties of spirea are cut at the beginning of summer, late-flowering – at the end of June, July. When using lignified cuttings, the procedure is carried out in October-November. Choose a strong straight shoot and cut it off. Then they are divided into the required number of cuttings so that each has 5 sheets. The bottom pair, along with the cuttings, is completely removed, the rest – half. Small incisions are made on the lower part and placed for 12 hours in an epin solution. The lower knot is lightly sprinkled with root. Suitable containers are filled with soil and spirea cuttings are rooted at a slight angle. Cover with a glass jar and leave in a shaded place. Twice a day the cuttings are sprayed with water. For the winter, they are added dropwise in the garden and left until spring. Transplanted only after the appearance of young shoots.

   

3. Branches. The simplest and most efficient method. Reproduction of spirea by this method is carried out in the spring. Strong side shoots are selected on the bush and bent them to the ground, having previously made furrows. A small incision is made at the point of contact, which will ensure the rapid appearance of roots. Sprinkle with soil so that only the top remains on the surface. In autumn, the layers are removed and divided into the required number of young shoots and planted in a permanent place.

Diseases and pests

Spirea is practically not susceptible to diseases. In wet summers, the plant can be affected by gray mold or powdery mildew. To prevent shrubs, they are treated with colloidal sulfur, Fitosporin or copper-containing fungicides.

The most common pests are: spider mites, aphids, whitefly, blue meadowsweet sawfly. Against the first, insectoacaricides are used: Metaphos. The rest are fought with the help of Aktellik, Fitoverma.

Conclusion

Planting and caring for spirea in Siberia does not require special skills. The plant is unpretentious, tolerates severe frosts well. In landscape design, spirea is used to form hedges and borders.