How to plant a birch in spring. "Two from the casket, the same from the face"

Photo: From the personal archive / Olga Chemarina

"Two from the casket, the same from the face"

Even if there is not a single birch in the summer cottage, it will still be nearby - in our area this tree is found at every turn. The most widespread among us are two of its species, the trunks of which are covered with white birch, - drooping birch and b. fluffy. They are very similar to each other and are more often perceived as one breed - a tree loved by the people, sung in poems and songs.

Numerous small birch seeds, thanks to their wings, are easily carried by the wind, capturing new spaces. Their germination is good, and they can germinate even in cracks. brick walls and on rooftops.

On the left is a drooping birch, on the right is a fluffy one. Photo: From the personal archive

However, the "sisters" can be quite distinguished from each other. Birch drooping grows up to 30 meters. Its highly raised crown has a weeping shape due to the fact that hanging thin branches of various lengths depart from large skeletal branches. Her young shoots are rough to the touch, because they are covered with glands, which is why this birch was previously called warty. In the lower part of the trunk, instead of birch bark, there is a dark rough bark, and the cut on the stumps has the shape of a regular circle. Downy birch is shorter in growth. Its branches stick out in all directions, forming an ovoid crown. Young shoots are covered with delicate hairs and feel pleasantly velvety to the touch. The birch bark reaches the very ground, and the cuts at the stumps have one or more notches due to grooved dents on the trunk.

In relation to environmental conditions, they also have differences. Downy birch is more shade-tolerant. It easily tolerates high groundwater levels and grows in swamps. Silver birch prefers drier places. However, both species can grow together side by side.

Photo 6. Correct depth and mulching width.

Agricultural technology - mulching, watering, fertilizing and pruning - play an important role in the development and maintenance of the health of birch trees.

Mulching (Photo 6) and proper watering are the most important.

These two measures will help create the cool growing conditions in moist soil that birch trees need.

Step 3 - Grow the Tree

Mulching. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, soil mulching regulates soil temperature (keeps the soil cool during the summer heat), retains water in the soil, reduces competition from other plants, introduces organic matter into the soil during decomposition and reduces soil density.

In addition, the decomposition process helps to create new layers of soil with an improved structure that better retains water and provides oxygen exchange.

Finally, placing mulch around the base of the tree reduces the chance of damage to the stem by a lawn mower or weed cutter. All these points create a healthy environment for the roots of the trees and also promote the growth of the trees.

The best materials for mulching are wood chips, shredded bark, leaves, and compost.

Rock mulch can also be used, but while helping to regulate soil temperature and retain water, rock mulch does not add organic matter to the soil or slow down weed growth.

Moreover, if you use white marble chips, heat reflection can be a problem, and crushed limestone can raise soil pH. If the desired type of mulch used is stone, crushed stone or washed river stone would be the best option.

Do not place plastic under any mulch as it can slow water movement and reduce oxygen diffusion into the soil.

Watering. Having enough water is the most important factor in maintaining the healthy development of a birch tree. If there is not enough rainfall, additional watering may be needed.

During the growing season, slow (2-3 hours) and deep (20-40 cm) watering once a week is general rule to maintain sufficient soil moisture. Infrequent, light watering is not recommended.

Running the hose in the ground allows water to be delivered slowly, directly to the tree's root system, and is a very good technique to ensure proper watering.

The soil from which you can form a ball in your hand is sufficiently moist, loose, dry soil that crumbles in your hands indicates the need for additional watering.

Watering should be reduced at the end of August to ensure the tree is properly winterized.

Fertilizer. Fertilization is beneficial only when the nutrients are not enough. Soil sampling procedures are required to determine the need for corrective action.

If the tree is showing symptoms of stress that are not the result of a nutrient deficiency, fertilizing will not fix the problem.

Reasons for fertilizing:

elimination of nutritional deficiencies;

growth acceleration when trying to quickly create new plantings;

maintaining health (usually to replenish nitrogen).

The best time to fertilize trees in the northern regions - late autumn or early spring. Fertilizers should not be applied between mid-August and mid-September, as this may result in a spurt in growth and the appearance of young shoots that may not harden until winter.

The tree must be provided with nutrients during the peak of its growth in spring and early summer. Fertilizers should not be applied when the ground is frozen.

Important points:

fertilize the soil only when soil samples show a lack or imbalance of nutrients;

make sure that after applying fertilizers, enough water will flow into the soil;

fertilize the soil in late autumn or in early spring. Avoid fertilizing between mid-August and mid-September;

use slow-release fertilizers.

Pruning. The pruning advice in this section is very general and should be considered along with the material given after the consideration of the insect pest - narrow-bodied bronze birch borer.

Excessive pruning (more than 25 percent of the tree's live crown) should be avoided.

Extensive pruning increases light penetration into the root zone and can increase soil temperatures and reduce soil moisture levels. Pruning of birch trees should not be carried out between May 1 and August 1. This is the period of flight of the narrow-bodied bronze birch borer, and it has been found that female borers are attracted to fresh birch cuts.

If pruning still needs to be done within this time period, it is necessary to cure the cuts with an insecticide. Wound dressings should not be used as they are not effective in repelling borers and do not promote wound healing.

Proper and timely pruning practices are essential and should be followed when pruning trees. Please read the article titled "How to Prune Trees" for a detailed guide.

Step 4: Monitor and track insect problems

Photo 8. A classic example of a tree infested with narrow-bodied birch borer.

Photo 7. Early summer leaf browning caused by birch leafminer.

Birch trees are often attacked by two types of common insect pests - birch mining fly and goldfish narrow-bodied birch bronze.

Attacks of birch mining flies do not kill trees, however, they can reduce the aesthetic appearance by coloring the leaves in Brown color(Photo 7).

In addition, a severe infestation can weaken the tree's ability to resist attack by the bronze birch borer.

Zlatka narrow-bodied birch bronze capable of ruining a tree (Photo 8). This is a small beetle that takes root well on weakened trees.

The first symptom of an attack by a narrow-bodied bronze birch borer is sparse, stunted leaves in the upper part of the crown. Then the branch dies off, and subsequently the tree fragment dies (Photo 9).

The wilting process of a tree can take several years before it dies, although it can happen very quickly during one hot, dry year. Birch wilting can be stopped early, but recovery from more than 50 percent crown damage is unlikely.

Photo 9. Depletion caused by the narrow-bodied birch bronze.

Class 1 - healthy tree. Class 2 - the tree is at an early stage of infection with golden birch bronze. Classes 3 and 4 - trees at the stages of greater infection with golden birch bronze. Class 5 - the tree is very close to death.

Trees of classes 2 and 3 can be cured from narrow-bodied bronze birch borer to varying degrees. Trees of class 4 and 5 usually cannot be restored.

The miner fly on birch can be controlled with insecticides to maintain an aesthetic appearance and to avoid aggravating stress caused by excessive leaf loss.

Insecticides to control the leafminer are often used in three ways:

foliage processing;

applying to the soil or applying an insecticide to the stem or trunk of a tree.

Foliar spraying and soil application are generally the most reliable methods. While there is no supporting evidence that applying an insecticide to the stem or trunk of a tree is reliable method control.

Photo 10. The spots that form on the leaves as a result of the laying of eggs by the miner fly.

Foliage processing - careful application is necessary within 2-5 days of the first appearance of tiny yellow spots on the leaves after oviposition (Photos 10 and 11). As a rule, spots appear within a week or two, when the first leaves appear.

Treatments should be applied until the spots begin to turn into large (the size of a five-ruble coin) brown spots.

At this point, it is too late to take mitigation measures and insecticides should no longer be used. Instead, attempts can be made to keep the tree healthy by mulching and watering (see Growing Your Tree).

Photo 11. A more extensive defeat by a mining fly.

Photo 10. When these spots appear, it means that the time has come to spray insecticides on the foliage.

The first procedures, at the very beginning of spring, are the most important.

Additional sprays may be needed to control subsequent generations of leaf miners, however these attacks tend to come later, involve much fewer insects and in most cases do not require control.

Photo 11. This is the last point at which foliar insecticides can be successfully applied.

The introduction of drugs into the soil - some insecticides can be applied in the soil where they are taken up by the roots and transported to the leaves. These systemic insecticides can produce very good results.

The key to success in soil application is to apply the material very early in the spring, before buds appear.

Later application will leave no time for uptake by roots and transfer to developing leaves. In most cases, tillage is best done with a professional tree care company.

Applying preparations to a tree trunk - Some systemic insecticides can be applied directly to trees by brushing or brushing on the trunk of the tree just below the lower branches. The insecticide is absorbed through the bark and transported to the leaves. The best time to apply this material is when the spring leaf development begins. The technique is very simple for the homeowner, but its success can be mediocre.

Management of golden birch bronze

After completing steps 1-3 of this article, the best things to do to prevent problems with the narrow-bodied birch bronze are the following important points:

do not plant birch if the site is not suitable for birch growth;

choose birch species or varieties that are less susceptible to narrow-bodied borer;

keep the tree healthy with farming practices.

If a tree becomes infested with borer, you must first assess the extent of the infestation (Photo 9).

If the tree is in class 2 or 3 , follow the procedures listed below. In most cases, treatment will be sufficient for full recovery tree. If the tree looks like the one shown in class 4 or 5, it will be very difficult to save and will most likely need to be removed.

Treatment 1 : Start regular, deep, heavy watering as described in Step 3 of this article.

Treatment 2 : Insecticides can be applied to the bark of trees to prevent new attacks. Careful coverage of branches and main stem is required. This treatment will not kill insects already under the bark. However, it will help prevent new attacks.

Thus, insecticides against the narrow-bodied bronze birch borer should only be applied to class 2 and 3 birches.

Depending on the insecticides, it is generally necessary to apply them three times during the spring and summer months: mid-May, mid-June and mid-July.

Pruning dead branches can improve the appearance of the tree, but it is unlikely to help restore the tree and get rid of the narrow-bodied bronze birch borer.

The area affected by the narrow-bodied goldfish is not limited to dry branches. Therefore, in most cases, removing them will not reduce the number of insects already on the tree.

If pruning is to be carried out, it should be done in autumn or winter, as it can attract adult insects in spring and summer.

White slender birch has always been considered a symbol of Russia, the personification of the Russian soul. It is demanding of itself and growing conditions. Many years will pass until the birch sapling turns into beautiful tree, its height reaches from 15 to 30 m. A large spreading crown draws a lot of moisture from the soil, so it is recommended to plant seedlings of forest beauties in spacious areas.

Having a small household plot birch planting should not be abandoned. Here dwarf varieties will come to the rescue, the height of which reaches a maximum of 8-10 m.

When choosing a place for planting a birch, pay attention to:

- from the wall of any building to the tree should be at least 5 m;

- distance to communications and drainage system not less than 3 m;

- the distance to fruit and berry bushes and trees is 3-5 m;

- during the flowering period, birch "earrings" emit pollen containing allergens;

- when planting several birches, the distance between seedlings is 4-5 m;

- if a landing site is chosen near a fence bordering neighbors, then this issue should be discussed with them so that there are no conflicts later;

- on the north side, the birch crown creates a shadow. This must be taken into account when boarding. vegetable crops.

Not everyone can buy a birch seedling, but digging a tree in the forest is the place to be. Therefore, you need to choose a strong, healthy-looking, white-trunked tree no more than 1 m high. right time for this - early spring, when the leaves have not yet blossomed.

Having found the desired specimen, dig it around with a shovel at a distance of 30-40 cm from the trunk, trying to touch the roots as little as possible. Carefully remove from the ground and, together with an earthy clod, place in a bucket or plastic bag tied with a rope. You can not leave the root system in the open air for a long time, moisture evaporates quickly.

Birch from the forest will grow high (up to 20 m), if such a nuance scares, then it is better to go to the nursery and buy dwarf variety"Youngii", which is popular with summer residents. Him beautiful leaves and a bright white trunk.

Choosing a place and soil for planting birch

Drought negatively affects the development of birch, so an open sunny meadow is not suitable for it. In the shade, there will be a lack of lighting for the green mass. Based on such restrictions, we choose a site on the north or east side, partial shade. In the south and west, the soil is dried out by the sun.

Birches grow in moist and cool soils. mature tree it is able to "drink" up to 20 buckets of water per day, so watering must be taken care of in advance so that later other crops do not experience a lack of moisture from dehydration of the earth.

birch planting

In early spring, when the temperature outside is + 10 ° C, the soil is still wet, and the sun is not so hot, the best time to plant a birch. Dig a planting hole the size of an earthen ball. Add peat, sand, humus and leafy soil to it in equal amounts. Install a seedling in the center, fill it with soil from above, compact and tie it to a support. Since the tree has not yet taken root and is fragile to the wind, the support will help to stand upright, not to lean or fall. Water after planting.

birch care

Immediately after planting in the morning, the tree is shaded with burlap, in the afternoon the shelter is removed.

Watered on hot days at the rate of 1 bucket of water per 1 sq.m. crowns.

Every spring, birch is treated with a fungicide to prevent diseases and pests. And after the end of the sap flow period, damaged and dry branches are removed from the birch. Occasionally observed.

If necessary, the height of the birch is shortened by cutting too long branches.

An adult tree has mass healing properties, in early spring, you can make blanks from birch buds and leaves. And in July, when the leaves grow up, birch brooms are made for the bath.

How to collect birch seeds

First, the seeds are checked for maturity, rubbed in the hand, and if they crumble, then they are ready to be harvested. Twigs are tied into a bundle and hung in a dry place protected from the wind. A cloth is spread at the bottom so that in case of shedding of seeds, they can be collected. After 7 days, the dried seeds are shaken off on a cloth, cleaned of debris and left to dry for another 7 days. Sow in late autumn of the same year.

10 days before sowing, furrows are made 5 cm deep, 8-10 cm wide in the direction from east to west. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with antifungal drugs. Sow in calm weather. After sowing, sprinkle with a thin layer of straw and water with a spray bottle. In the future, also water from it so that a soil crust does not form.

Seed germination occurs within 2 weeks. The development of seedlings is very slow, so at first they are vulnerable. When pulling out weeds, care must be taken not to accidentally touch the small birch sprouts.

For the winter, crops are mulched and covered with snow at the first attack.

Even if you are not going to grow a birch grove, you need to sow a lot of seeds, since germination is low and some of the seedlings may die from mechanical stress during weeding.

Every year, countless different trees are planted, among which the most beloved is the white-trunked beauty birch. Any summer resident, being in a garden center or in a market where tree seedlings are sold, is tormented by what to choose. But, having opted for a birch, he begins to think where and how to plant it?

To do this, you need to know how to do everything correctly when moving a birch seedling from a forest or from another area so that it can take root and grow normally. The answers to these questions can be found in this article.

Basic rules for transplanting birch

Often, those who want to plant a birch in their area themselves create problems, both during planting and when growing it in unsuitable conditions for this. To make this process go smoothly, you just need to follow these simple rules:

• Choose the type of birch you need;
• Choosing a suitable place for transplantation;
• We comply with all the requirements of agricultural technology;
• We carry out the fight against diseases and pests in a timely manner.

At proper care The life expectancy of a green white-skinned birch can reach 55 years.

Where to plant a birch

Before you start looking for a suitable place to transplant a white-skinned beauty seedling, it will not be out of place to know that this tree is a very capricious breed. It has substances that, getting into the soil, become a poison for other plants. Probably, many have seen what a beautiful grove where only birch trees grow, but they can rarely be found in a mixed forest, since they do not get along well with other trees.

Having a garden, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is not large, you do not even need to dream of planting a birch. Only in large suburban areas can their owner afford to do this.
A suitable place to transplant young tree, will be a well-lit area. Only there can grow a beautiful tree with long hanging branches. If the new place of residence is in the shade, the birch will grow tall and with a crown only at the top of the trunk, frail and oppressed.

In natural places where birch trees grow, the soil is characterized by moisture. This means that the new place of "residence" must correspond to the previous one, the leaves of the tree will be fully illuminated by the sun, and the soil at the same time will remain cool. It is best to plant a birch seedling on the eastern or northern side of the building, there will always be a shadow after lunch.

In addition to the fact that the place for transplantation should be with a certain temperature and soil moisture, you need to know some more important facts. It is impossible to plant a tree under electric wires, because an adult birch reaches a height of up to 20 meters. And one more thing, which is very important to know before planting a birch near your house. Its pollen is one of the strongest allergens, this circumstance must be taken into account.

The best soil for planting

Birch is not at all demanding on the quality of the soil. In the case when it is planned to transplant a seedling to a place with poor drainage or where there are frequent floods, it is best to purchase black birch, which can grow even on dry hummocks.

It is believed that when transplanting birch, its good survival rate is observed on poor podzolic soils, as well as on solonetzes and chernozems, on sandy soil and loam. Most suitable for the normal development and growth of the seedling a little acidic soil, but it can also grow in alkaline soils. To make the soil more acidic, it is recommended to add soil taken from coniferous forests or special chemicals.

Landing Rules

Birch transplantation should be carried out with great responsibility and skill. There are some rules regarding the location of the seedling relative to neighboring crops, they must be followed:

• From the place of planting of vegetable crops, garden plants, the distance should be at least 8 meters. If this is a group planting of birches, limit the free space between them to 5 meters;
• It is better to plant trees in places from the north side of the site, so as not to obscure other garden plantings;
• The distance between the birch and the walls of the building, underground utilities should be 3 meters;
• Since birch has allergic effects, this must be taken into account when planting it, if there is a person suffering from allergies in the house.
• It is better to place a seedling in such a place that the future tree can cover the site from the prevailing winds in that region;
• Poor survival during transplantation is observed in adult birch trees. They are recommended to be transplanted in the fall when frost sets in or in winter, so that a large clod of earth remains on the roots.

Three-year-old seedlings will be able to adapt perfectly to a new place, so that after a few years they will delight people with their beauty.

Landing

A few days before planting, you need to prepare a landing hole. Its size should correspond to the size of the root system of the seedling along with a clod of earth. Then add a few centimeters to the calculation for the normal placement of the seedling.

In the dug hole, you first need to fill the drainage layer, it can be broken brick or gravel. Then fill one third of the pit with a mixture of leafy soil, humus and 150 grams of complex fertilizer. To make the soil the way it was in the natural habitat of the acquired birch seedling, you can also add earth from a coniferous forest or coniferous sawdust.

A peg must be hammered into the corner of the dug landing hole. Before planting, it is recommended that the roots of the plant be soaked in a mash made of clay and water (our grandfathers did the same). And after that, place the tree on permanent place, after pouring a bucket of water into the pit. After that, slowly begin to pour earth on all sides of the hole, while trampling down, starting from the edge and moving towards the middle.

At the end of this work, the seedling should be attached to the peg with a rope and immediately poured with water. And what is very important, the root collar cannot be deepened. This is explained by the fact that if it is at least a little below the soil level, mycorrhiza (mushrooms) on the roots of the plant will die, without which the growth of birch will begin to deteriorate, and eventually it will disappear.

Experienced gardeners believe that it is necessary to replant a birch in the spring, she will be able to stock up necessary quantity nutrients for the winter. late autumn a great time to transplant is when the air temperature is below +10 degrees. Agrotechnical work carried out in autumn corresponds to spring plantings.

You need to remember the main thing - birch must be planted with closed roots. If it is bought in a nursery or mall, the roots will be in the container. But when you have to deliver it from the forest, the tree should be with a large clod of its native land.

Care

Birch is a hardy tree. Caring for her will not take much time, it is minimal. Watering will be needed only after transplanting and during drought.

You can feed the plant in early spring, before the first leaves appear, as well as in last days spring. The solution for irrigation is as follows: a bucket of water, 1kg. mullein, urea 10g., ammonium nitrate 15g. Under one birch aged 10–20 years, three ten-liter buckets of such fertilizer should be poured, after thirty years - five such buckets.

Care includes weeding with loosening the soil to a depth of at least 3 cm. It will also be necessary to mulch the tree trunks with wood chips or peat.

pruning

Agronomists note that birch is not pruned, otherwise the crown structure may be disturbed. The tree does not tolerate this process well, for the season you can cut only no more than a quarter of the branches.

Aesthetic intervention is not required for seedlings. You can only regularly carry out sanitary pruning, removing dried branches. When caring for trees that no longer give growth, you need to rejuvenate by removing bulky branches. Such pruning is allowed only in autumn and winter, that is, during the dormant period for birch.

Diseases and pests of birch, protection against them

There are a lot of birch pests, the most dangerous of them are Chafer and gypsy moth. Beetles damage leaves and shoots, and their larvae damage roots. You can fight them by timely removal of damaged leaves, followed by burning. It is also recommended to dig around trunks. The soil can be treated with chemicals.

Silkworm caterpillars eat the leaves, leaving only the veins. Upon detection of this pest, you should immediately begin to fight it. To do this, the caterpillars need to be shaken off and the tree sprayed with one of the appropriate insecticides.

For birches, mushrooms are a great danger - tinder fungi, which can greatly destroy wood. You need to get rid of them in time. Rust can be controlled by spraying the tree with fungicides.