Spruce hedge. How to create a hedge from spruce? Rules for creating living coniferous fences

Among the various types of hedges, spruces planted in one or more rows are one of the most common options. Beauty, usefulness and economic benefits are the components of its popularity. A spruce hedge is not only beautiful, but also practical. Making this at your dacha is not difficult if you follow certain rules.

An example of a fir hedge

Spruce varieties

Not any type of spruce is suitable for creation. Each variety has its own advantages and disadvantages, so choose wisely.

Hedge device option

Prickly spruce

Blue, or prickly spruce stands out among other varieties with an unusual color of needles. It can be from bluish-blue to greenish-gray with silvery tints. Blue spruces grow up to 25–30 meters in height, but there are also dwarf varieties. Young trees have a conical crown shape, while older trees have a cylindrical crown. In Russia, prickly spruce is poorly received, however, the use of special dressings based on cones during planting can significantly improve survival rates.

Eastern spruce

Oriental spruce, originally from the mountainous Caucasus and Asian countries, has small needles, up to a centimeter long. Oriental spruce does not tolerate frosty winters, and when planting prefers shaded places with good soil moisture. It grows very slowly and lives up to 400–500 years. In nature, Oriental spruce can reach 65 meters in height.

Gray spruce

Canadian, gray or white spruce in nature can reach a height of 15–20 meters. The length of the needles is from 1 to 2 cm. In the upper part of the tree, the crown has a blue-green tint, and in the lower part it is bluish-white. The dwarf variety Alberta Globe has a spherical shape, while other types of Canadian spruce more often take the form of a cone. This species is considered winter-hardy and very unpretentious.

Siberian spruce

Siberian spruce grows in the forests of Siberia, Kazakhstan, Northern Europe, Mongolia and China. The crown has a pyramidal shape, mature trees reach 30 meters in height. Siberian spruce does not like sandy and swampy soils, it tolerates frosty winters well. Siberian spruce grows for a long time, young seedlings take root with difficulty.

Spruce purple

Purple spruce comes from the highland forests of China. It got its name because of the purple hue of the cones.

It looks like a purple spruce

A dense crown with small, often located needles in an adult tree has the shape of a cone. In height, purple spruce can reach 15–20 meters. Purple Spruce loves the light, but grows quite well in the shade, prefers neutral soils, and tolerates low temperatures well.

Norway spruce

Ordinary, or European spruce is widespread in Central Russia. It can reach a height of 30–50 meters. The needles of European spruce are quite long, up to 2.5 cm. The tree prefers sandy and loamy soils without excessive moisture. The annual growth is about half a meter in height, therefore it is considered a fast-growing species. Low temperatures down to -45 ° C are not terrible for spruce, but spring frosts are very sensitive for the tree.

Benefits of fir hedges

It has a number of advantages over other types of live fences:

• Evergreen trees will please the eye of the owner of the site both in winter and in summer;
• Some varieties have very colorful buds when they bloom, which also adds to the aesthetics of the green fence;
• A few years after planting, a hedge of Norway spruce or other fast-growing species will become impenetrable. This ensures not only protection from prying eyes, but also from the penetration of outsiders into the territory;
• Most types of spruces grow in one place for a very long time, without requiring special care;
• The needles of fir trees emit useful phytoncides, so the air next to them is always fresh;
• A fir fence perfectly retains snow and prevents the penetration of wind.

Spruce is a plant that is great for organizing a hedge in a summer cottage.

The process of growing a living fence from spruce

To speed up the process of hedge formation, choose fast-growing varieties, such as Norway spruce. It is also possible.

Growing methods

There are three ways to grow an adult beauty Christmas tree:

1. Plant seeds.
2. Plant seedlings.
3. Plant cuttings.

The first method of spruce propagation is the most time-consuming and long. Small plants need special care: a clear watering system, maintaining the right temperature, constant care. In addition, the germination of different varieties of spruce from seeds ranges from 10 to 95%. A procedure such as seed stratification helps to increase this indicator.

This process involves imitation of natural growing conditions: placing the seeds in the sand in the fall and keeping them in the winter in a cold place. In the spring, the planted seeds are moved to a bright, warm place where they sprout.

This is how young spruce seedlings are grown in the nursery

At this time, it is important to produce timely watering of plants, maintaining a constant moderate soil moisture. The grown sprouts are transplanted into the ground at the end of spring and covered with a film or placed in a greenhouse. Much easier is the situation with planting seedlings. They are sold in any nursery, and they can be planted in a permanent place immediately after purchase. Care for young trees comes down to periodic watering and pruning in the future. Reproduction of fir trees is also possible with the help of cuttings.

A cut of the top of a spruce at the age of five to eight years is made in spring or autumn. At the same time, about 20 cm of the plant is cut off (one-year-old shoot).

The end of the cutting is cleared of needles, after which it is planted in a greenhouse and shaded. Before planting the cuttings in the soil, the plant is treated with growth stimulants or a solution of potassium permanganate. Landing is made at an angle of 30 °. Plants are watered in the spring and summer every day, and in hot weather up to several times a day.

Coniferous hedge from Norway spruce

A coniferous fence made of common spruce is the best option for those who are not accustomed to waiting too long for the result. A fairly fast growth of this variety allows you to get a fairly dense hedge in a few years.
The process of forming a fence consists of several stages:

1. Site preparation.
2. Purchase of planting material.
3. Landing.
4. Spruce hedge care.

Let's consider each of the stages in more detail.

Site preparation

The landing site must be carefully prepared. The selected area must be cleared of other plantings. Holes are dug along the perimeter half a meter deep. The width of the pits depends on the age of the plant and the size of the root system. The distance between the pits should be at least one meter, and in the case of tall varieties it can be up to 2–2.5 meters.

Spruce hedge planting scheme

When choosing a place, it should be borne in mind that the common spruce loves sunlight, although it develops well in the shade. The growth of trees in places with heavily polluted air will be slowed down, and plants may be subject to various diseases. Especially suffers from gas pollution and smoke needles.

Spruce grows best on fertile soils of normal moisture, so you will need to pre-fertilize the soil before planting seedlings. Spruce does not tolerate stagnant water, as well as overdried soils and soils with excess salts. More suitable for coniferous trees is loamy or sandy loamy soil with a slightly acidic or acidic environment and good drainage. You can fertilize the soil with a layer of peat or compost poured into the ditch on top of the fertile layer. It is also important to provide comfortable drainage.
To do this, put a layer of broken brick or specially purchased drainage material on the bottom of the pit before fertilizing.

A hedge looks much more aesthetically pleasing than a fence made of boards, corrugated board, chain-link mesh. For its formation, you can use different plants, one of the suitable options is spruce.

Advantages and disadvantages of spruce hedges

A spruce hedge is an option that is not without undeniable advantages:

• year-round decorative (spruce - evergreen tree);
• durability (the life span of most varieties reaches 300 years);
• a wide range of varieties (you can form both a border and a high hedge, the length and color of the needles, the shape of the crown vary);
• crown density (spruces reliably protect the site from the penetration of neighboring pets, strangers, “extinguish” gusts of wind, trap street dust, car exhaust, prevent snow, muffle sounds);
• growth rate (after 10–15 years of active growth, its rate slows down sharply, the need for pruning practically disappears);
• frost resistance to at least -30 ° C, often up to -45 ° C (spruces successfully survive almost throughout Russia, there is no need to cover them for the winter);
• unpretentiousness in care;
• health benefits (coniferous trees secrete phytoncides useful for immunity) and a wonderful aroma.

A spruce hedge can be both a low curb and a blank fence

The disadvantages of such a "green fence" are also present:

• fire hazard (spruce wood impregnated with resins and essential oils can flare up from the slightest spark);
• the inability to quickly fill a hole in the hedge, formed as a result of the death of a tree;
• the tree's dislike for heat (in the southern climate, the hedge needs abundant watering, often the needles burn out in the sun);
• branched root system (nothing can be planted next to the hedge, if any plants are “strangled”);
• possible shading of the site (refers to tall spruces, crown density is an advantage, it is also a disadvantage).

In a hot dry climate, eating does not feel too comfortable

Video: what a spruce hedge looks like

Suitable species and varieties for the formation of hedges (list and photo)

When choosing the type of spruce for a hedge, they take into account mainly its ability to tolerate regular pruning. Due to the varietal diversity, such a “fence” can be entered into almost any landscape design.

Prickly spruce (including blue species)

The main feature is beautiful needles. Shades range from "dusty" khaki to silver or dove blue:

Gray spruce (Canadian)

A very unpretentious tree that survives in almost any conditions and does not require special care. The needles are short - 1–2 cm:

• Albert Globe. The rounded crown eventually turns into a pyramidal one. Limit dimensions - height 1 m and width 0.7 m. The needles are light green, very dense, from a distance it looks like a continuous surface.

  Spruce Alberta Globe is distinguished by the density of needles on the branches

• conica. Mature spruce - an almost regular dome up to 2 m high and base width up to 1.5 m. It does not need to be formed. Lateral shoots are densely arranged, the needles are bright green.

  Conica spruce does not need the help of a gardener to form a crown

• Sander's Blue. Slow-growing spruce, reaching a width of 0.7–1 m and a height of 1.3–1.5 m by the age of 10. The crown is cone-shaped, becoming loose in dense shade. Young needles are bluish-silver, old ones are gray-green.

  Sander's Blue is one of the world's most popular ornamental spruce varieties.

Norway spruce (trees familiar to the Russian eye)

The most common option among Russian gardeners. The most frost-resistant, tolerates pruning:

• acrocona. A tree with a wide pyramidal crown (the height of an adult spruce is about 4 m, the diameter of the base is 2.5–3 m). The plant is decorated with numerous raspberry-purple cones that form at the ends of the shoots. Young needles are grass-colored, then darken greatly.

  Spruce Acrocona forms a crown in the form of a wide pyramid

• Ohlendorffii. Slow-growing spruce, height - 1.5–2 m. The rounded crown gradually turns into a pyramid. The needles are dense, bright green, sometimes with a golden sheen.

  The Ohlendorffii spruce changes its crown shape as it grows.

• Frohburg. A very original “weeping” spruce 2.5–4 m high. The branches seem to fall to the ground and spread along it, forming a kind of lush plume. The needles are short and hard, grassy-green in color. Decorative greenish-purple cones add.

  Frohburg spruce - a very original achievement of Swiss breeders

Video: the most decorative varieties and types of spruce

Hedge planting procedure and preparation for it

Spruce successfully takes root in the substrate of almost any quality, but loamy or sandy loamy acidic soil is ideal for it. The necessary acid-base balance is achieved naturally, due to the decay of falling needles and particles of bark. The worst option for a tree is highly nutritious dense or clay soil.

Propagation by seeds for decorative fir trees is not suitable - varietal characteristics are not transmitted in this way. Therefore, seedlings will have to be bought. It is better to purchase 3-4-year-old specimens - they take root faster in a new place and start growing.

Spruce, like any other seedlings, should be purchased from trusted suppliers with a solid reputation.

Spruces are planted with the onset of a dormant period. The tree has two. The beginning falls on April-May and September-October.

Do-it-yourself hedge planting procedure and scheme

The disembarkation procedure itself looks like this:

Immediately after planting, the spruce seedling is watered and the soil is mulched - its root system does not tolerate drying out

The scheme of planting a hedge depends on the dimensions of the selected spruce variety. Most often, trees are planted in two rows in a checkerboard pattern:

• Border (height - 40–50 cm). Between seedlings leave 30–40 cm, between rows - 40–50 cm.
• Fence (height 1.5–3 m). About 0.8–1 m between spruce trees with a row spacing of 2–3 m.
• Wall (3 m and above). Tree spacing and row spacing 3–4 m wide.

The distance between adjacent fir trees in the hedge and the row spacing depend on the size of the trees.

The nuances of caring for the "green fence": how to water, cut and feed

Spruce is an unusually non-capricious tree. But care is required even for her, especially if the climate for the plant is not very suitable:

• Watering. In cool weather, natural precipitation is sufficient. In the heat of spruce, it is necessary to water once a week, spending from 10–15 to 50–70 liters per tree, depending on its size. Once every 2-3 weeks after watering or rain, loosening to a depth of 10 cm is recommended.

  The intervals between spruce waterings are adjusted, focusing on the weather outside.

• Weeding. As a rule, if it is not needed, its root system takes away water and nutrients from other plants, a dense shadow from the crown exacerbates the situation.
• Application of fertilizers. Young spruces (up to 10–15 years old) are fed 3–4 times annually from April to August at approximately equal intervals with nitrogen fertilizers (30–40 g, diluted in 10 liters of water, per tree at a time). In mid-autumn, phosphate fertilizers are applied (50–70 g for the same volume). Mature trees in May and October are fed with special fertilizers for conifers.

  Fertilizer for conifers - a complex tool that takes into account the specific needs of such trees in macro- and microelements

• Pruning. Spruce cutting begins when it reaches the desired height. Depending on the growth rate, the procedure is carried out 1-2 times a year (at the end of winter and in June-July). Prior to this, the top is pinched annually so that the spruce grows more actively in width, all side shoots are shortened by 30–50%. Then they are cut annually by about a third of the annual growth, until the crown reaches the required width and density. Then you only need to maintain the resulting configuration, limiting yourself to selective shearing of lateral growths, plucking out the central buds from them and not touching the main branches. Do not forget about sanitary pruning (removal of broken, dried, twisted branches). Remember that the spruce crown (with the exception of dwarf varieties) should be pyramidal. Otherwise, the lower branches will not have enough light, the fence from below will “go bald”.

  A spruce hedge is a wide variety of options. Its varieties vary in height, density, shape of the crown of the tree, shade of needles. In care, the plant is not particularly capricious, but there are some nuances that you need to know about in advance.

Emerald or silver, fluffy or weeping - a beautiful spruce hedge will become a real decoration of a suburban area and its reliable protection. Depending on the selected variety and planting method, this can be a high solid fence or a low decorative fence between plots.

Live fences made of spruce are not only very beautiful, among the advantages should also be highlighted:

• the possibility of using for any landscape design, delimitation of the site or its protection from the street;
• high aesthetics, a wide variety of varieties with needles of many shades;
• the fence can be made impenetrable, in terms of protective properties it is not inferior to wooden fences, but at the same time it is more beautiful and fills the air with an amazing aroma;
• special care is not required, many species grow in one place for a long time;
• very useful phytoncides are released into the air, which makes it healing and fresh all year round;
• the hedge protects against strong gusts of wind, it retains snow and street dust, while the air exchange in the area remains at a high level.

Landing Rules

When choosing a live fir fence for your site, you must immediately decide on the name of such an original fence and the type of vegetation.

Only specially grown seedlings should be selected. Planting material obtained at home does not retain the required decorative properties. It is recommended to buy only 4-year-old plants that tolerate transplanting well and take root quickly.

When drawing up a planting scheme, it is necessary to correctly calculate the number of plants. On average, they land in 1 meter increments with a single row planting. For a multi-row fence, the draft pattern can be as follows:

• the usual linear, in which individual specimens are planted in two rows opposite each other;
• chess with a distance between individual plants of 1 meter and landing in a run.

It is necessary to start work on the installation of a hedge in the fall, at this time the soil is still wet and loose, that is, optimal conditions are observed. Boarding order includes:

1. Marking is done along the perimeter of the site, the cord is pulled. A trench is dug along the marking, the depth of which should be from 50 cm, which depends on the root system of the selected spruce variety. You also need to immediately determine the location of the holes, loosen the bottom of the trench well.
2. A layer of gravel, expanded clay or broken brick is laid out at the bottom if groundwater is very close to the surface. Then a layer of soil is poured, that is, a layer of effective drainage is formed.
3. Before planting, the roots of seedlings are carefully dipped into a special clay mash, which protects them from transplantation. This is done for a short time, then the trees are planted in prepared places.
4. Planting is done gradually, the root system is carefully covered with compost or peat mixture, leaving the neck at the level of the soil surface. As much as possible, it can be deepened by a couple of centimeters, but this is still undesirable.
5. The soil is compacted, watered, if necessary, the surface is covered with a layer of mulch from dry foliage, sawdust, peat and wood chips.
6. Seedlings after planting can be pruned, but the exact time of cutting depends on the condition of the crown and the trees themselves. If possible, it is better to wait until the spruces are rooted and feel very good.

Choice of varieties for hedges

When choosing a hedge from an ordinary spruce or another variety, you must immediately decide on the purpose of the fence. For protection from the side of the street or road, a multi-row fence of the trellis type is recommended, the height of which can reach 2 meters or more. For zoning or delimitation of plots, spruces are suitable, the crown height of which leaves no more than one and a half meters. Single-row openwork fences with loose needles are well suited for the garden, for labyrinths - very dense with low or medium crowns.

When choosing a plant variety, one must take into account the ability of spruce to endure frequent pruning and shaping. Not every tree will normally tolerate a haircut to give the crown an oval, pyramidal, cone-shaped or other shape. Therefore, you should immediately consult with experienced gardeners who will help you choose seedlings by variety, shade and type of needles, endurance, growing conditions, and the ability to endure a haircut.

prickly

Prickly spruce has very beautiful blue needles, which can take on various shades - from greenish-gray "dusty" to gray-blue, with a slight silvery coating. The height of such trees can reach 25 meters, but dwarf varieties are more suitable for fences. For young seedlings, conical pruning is usually used, for adults - cylindrical pruning.

Such a variety is not accepted very well in Russia, but cultivation is still possible. Frequent top dressings based on crushed buds are needed, which improves soil conditions and makes them suitable for spruce.

Eastern

The oriental variety has small needles and is distinguished by its decorative appearance. Such a spruce from Asia, it prefers the southern regions and does not tolerate frosty winters. For planting, the plant loves soils with high humidity and the presence of light shade. Spruce growth is slow, but in the wild, the height can reach 65 meters. The life span of the plant is up to 500 years.

Sizaya

The gray, or Canadian, spruce under natural conditions grows up to 20 meters, the length of the needles is 1-2 centimeters. A feature of this variety is the color - in the upper part of the crown, the needles are blue-green saturated, in the lower part - an unusual bluish-white.

For planting, the dwarf variety Alberta Globe is most often used. When trimming, the shape of a ball or cone is used. The variety is the most unpretentious, it grows easily in almost any conditions, withstands severe frosts and does not require special care.

Siberian

This variety is common in Kazakhstan, Siberia, Mongolia and some parts of China. There is a beautiful one, tolerates winter well, grows for a long time. But young trees take root difficultly, they do not like marshy, sandy soils. Care is not very difficult, but at the initial stages it requires the creation of conditions for the rooting of young seedlings. In the future, problems with landings no longer arise.

Purple

This is a beautiful variety with a purple or purple hue of cones that came from the highland forests of China. The crown of spruce is dense, the needles are small and often located. An adult tree itself takes the shape of a cone, that is, frequent cutting is no longer needed. The tree can reach a height of 20 meters, the seedlings are very fond of light, although they can grow in the shade. Soils are neutral, low temperatures and frosts are well tolerated.

ordinary

Most often, spruce is used for hedges, which grows well in Central Russia. Plants can reach a height of 50 meters, needles are 2.5 cm long, but in young seedlings, the needles must be protected from the bright sun.

Plantings loving loamy, sandy soils, spruce grow quickly, growth - up to about half a meter per year. Trees tolerate strong frosts down to -45 ° С. However, frosts in the spring for planting can be dangerous. Common spruce tolerates frequent haircuts very well, overall care is simple.

Sanders Blue is a Canadian spruce but relatively new. Trees are distinguished by their decorative properties, this is a compact, dwarf spruce, much loved by landscape designers. The needles have a bluish-blue or bright blue tint, the growth is slow, but for such trees this is an advantage. Shearing is extremely rare, the shoots are numerous and very soft, the needles are thin and fresh.

Spruces prefer sunny, open areas, but in the first years after planting in spring and on very hot days, the crowns must be covered. Care is not the most difficult, but in some cases photosynthesis can begin with a dormant root system. In such a situation, the crown on the south side burns.

Care is generally unpretentious, the soil should be slightly acidic, well moistened. At very high humidity, the soil must be drained and loosened.

Froburg

Froburg spruce is a type of weeping, upright European spruce that has an unusual straight post and a weeping top. The height of the tree is small, reaches two meters, but at the same time it forms a very beautiful living fence. The crown is narrow, near the ground itself a small expansion is formed from the branches lying on the ground. This gives a very beautiful effect, which is appreciated in the development of landscape design.

Spruce grows very slowly, the growth per year is only 10 cm, but this is precisely what is valued in this variety. The needles have a beautiful greenish tint, but they are hard and short. The buds are pendulous and quite large, young ones may have an unusual greenish-purple hue. Young shoots, as they grow, begin to spread along the ground, forming an unusual, very beautiful plume.

The care of the variety is simple, the spruce is hardy to the shade, although it prefers lighted areas. The soil should be well-drained, loamy and sandy soils are preferred. Poor growth is observed when the soil is dry or excessively moist.

Proper care

Hedge care includes not only preparing, fertilizing and watering the soil, but also cutting spruce. At first, after planting, pruning is not carried out, but as the crown grows, it is necessary to give a decorative appearance.

The rules of care completely depend on the variety chosen for planting. Some spruces are unpretentious and do not require anything other than watering and top dressing. Other varieties are sensitive to sunlight and need protection on particularly hot days. Common to all trees are the following conditions of care:

• regular watering, but without excessive waterlogging;
• loosening root soil;
• removal of weeds;
• disease prevention, for which spraying is carried out.

In the first year, a haircut is not required, as the young tree must take root and grow stronger!

After planting, the soil is watered, the first time loosening is not required. Top dressing after planting is carried out only in May, the next - in September. Further, it is necessary to fertilize the spruce according to the schedule for the planted variety. In the first year, spruce pruning is not carried out, as this can harm the plants. Only sanitary pruning is allowed, that is, dry branches and damaged shoots are removed.

Pinching is carried out only after the spruce gets stronger, this will make the crown more magnificent. Annual and apical shoots can begin to be shortened in May or early years, for this the branches are cut off by about a third. This makes it possible to slow down the growth of the plant and form a beautiful crown of the desired shape. Such a bookmark ensures active growth next year, while the crown will develop exactly as planned. Pinching is carried out until the fir trees acquire the desired density and density.

Particular attention when caring for a hedge requires a haircut. You can do it yourself, the pruning period is April. Any form of spruce can be given, it all depends on the size of the tree, the features of its crown, and are able to withstand shearing. When pruning, do not leave gaps, as they overgrow for a long time, and the hedge itself acquires an untidy appearance. Shearing provokes rapid growth of shoots, if this is not required, then pruning time should be moved from April to the end of June.

A spruce hedge is highly aesthetic. This is a thick, beautiful fence that makes the air fresh and fills it with the scent of pine needles at any time of the year. For planting, you can use various varieties that have a variety of shades of needles - from green to unusual white or even blue. Planting care is simple, many varieties of spruces do not require special measures or frequent cutting. Some types of plants do not lend themselves to decorative pruning at all, only sanitary pruning is needed to achieve the necessary density and beauty of young shoots.

A spruce hedge will not only decorate any site, but also reliably cover it from the winds, and a variety of colors and shapes, good pruning tolerance, unpretentiousness of the plant will make it possible to realize the most daring landscape projects.

What kind of spruce to choose for a hedge

Of the fifty known species of spruce, about 20 have been cultivated, but, thanks to selection, many garden varieties have been bred suitable for creating borders, openwork fences for zoning the site, dense high walls of a wide variety of profiles (trellis, oval, square, round).

Modern varieties are distinguished by:

• sizes (dwarf, medium tall, tall);
• crown shape (conical, hanging, pyramidal, cushion-shaped, pin-shaped, rounded);
• growth rate;
• pruning tolerance.

Most often, to create hedges, spruce varieties are planted belonging to the species: ordinary, prickly, Canadian, oriental, purple, Siberian, Serbian.

Norway spruce (European)

A photo. Norway spruce hedge (European)

European or common spruce is a native inhabitant of our forests. A tree with a dense pyramidal crown reaches 50 meters in height, it is distinguished by needles of various shades of green.

Spruce grows mainly on fertile loamy and sandy soils. She is shade-loving, easily tolerates sanitary and shaping haircuts. It grows up to 300 years, growing every year up to 50 cm in height and 10-15 cm in width.

Of the fifty garden forms, the most suitable for the formation of hedges are:

1. Little Gem- a super-dwarf variety, distinguished by a spherical crown with a diameter of about 50 cm, up to 40 cm high.
2. Finnish variety Akrokona (Asrosopa)- medium-sized trees (2-3 m) with a crown in the form of a wide cone, with green needles and beautiful, spectacular-looking cones.
3. Kupresina (Cupressina)- a popular form with a conical crown, growing up to 1.8 m in height, characterized by slow growth. Often used to form trellises.
4. Fast growing Aurea (Aurea)- a medium-high (up to 15 m) tree of a conical shape, often used to decorate ceremonial places, alleys, hedges.
5. Wills Zwerg- shrubby, slow growing variety. By the age of ten, it reaches 1.0-1.2 m in height, the crown is narrow, conical, does not tolerate gas contamination, looks beautiful in hedges mixed with perennials and group mono-plantings.

Prickly spruce (blue)

A photo. blue spruce hedge

Prickly spruce or blue spruce is a classic option for decorating city squares, squares, cottage villages. It is considered one of the most decorative and unpretentious species, it feels great in conditions of gas and smoke. Used to create molded (shorn) hedges. Grows slowly. An adult tree reaches 30-35 m in height with a crown diameter of 6-8 m.

More than 70 ornamental varieties have been bred, of which the following are most often used for hedges:

1. Blue Diamond- very beautiful ornamental variety. Lives up to 600 years. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 1-1.2 m. The needles are dense, of a pronounced blue color.
2. Gray-blue variety Glauca (Glauca)- high (up to 20 m), fast-growing tree, with flexible and softer needles than other varieties, which acquires a more saturated color with age. The plant lends itself perfectly to molding and sanitary cutting, it is frost-resistant.
3. Dwarf version of Glauka - Globoza (Glauca globosa). For a year it grows no more than 10 cm, the size of an adult plant does not exceed 2 meters, the crown has a spherical or irregular shape, the needles are bright blue, it lends itself perfectly to molding.
4. The bluest among blue firs - Hoopsii (Hoopsii), a cone-shaped, fast growing tree, reaching 10-15 m in height. The needles are rich silver-blue, almost blue. Spruce looks great in company with other coniferous and deciduous trees, ornamental shrubs, perennial flower crops.
5. Bonfire (Koster)- one of the few varieties of prickly spruce with silver-green needles. Kkron in the form of a cone, weeping branches, slightly lowered down. Grows to a height of 15 m.

Gray spruce (Canadian)

A photo. Gray spruce for growing hedges

Another common species in Russia is the Canadian, Gray, or White spruce. In the wild, it grows widely in North America. Grows 30 m in height, easily tolerates urban conditions. Thanks to the greenish-blue, bluish color of the needles, it has a very decorative look.

More than 20 garden forms are known, but in our climatic conditions they feel best:

1. Dwarf cone-shaped variety Conica (Conica) - resistant to cold, urban conditions, takes root well. It belongs to the slowest growing spruces (it grows only 3-4 cm per year). Throughout its life, it retains a neat crown shape and does not require pruning, it is perfect for fencing small summer cottages.
2. A rapidly growing variety of Konika is Konika Aurea. Its creamy shoots in the winter-spring period acquire an unusually spectacular golden color in the spring.
3. Laurin is a smaller version of Konika. It adds no more than 2.5 cm per year, the size of an adult tree is up to 0.4 m. The crown is narrow, cone-shaped, neat.
4. Miniature (up to 6 m), exquisite Maigold variety. Its golden shoots change color to dark green with a pronounced blue tint in summer.

A photo. Eastern spruce

Under natural conditions, it grows on the shaded mountain slopes of the Caucasus and Anatolia. Grows slowly. An adult tree grows up to 65 m. The needles are short, fluffy, golden in young fir trees, dark green in adult trees. Poorly tolerates low temperatures, polluted air, extremely shade-loving.

Less than 10 decorative forms are cultivated, of which the most suitable for hedges are: dwarf spherical Bergmans Gem, miniature pyramidal Nigra Compacta, golden Skylands.

Important. Abundant pollen spreading far around during flowering can cause allergies.

A photo. Spruce purple

Purple spruce (P. Purpurea) is an endemic species growing in the highland forests of China. Tall (30-50 m) and slow growing tree. The crown is dense, dense. In young trees in the form of a narrow pointed cone, in adults it is compact, wide-pyramidal. It easily acclimatizes in regions with a continental and sharply continental climate. Tolerates frost down to -35 ºC.

Siberian spruce

A photo. Siberian spruce seedlings

The main forest-forming species of Siberia. Large tree (height 30-35 m) with a cone-shaped dense crown. The cones are medium-sized, the needles are dark green. It has high winter hardiness, is demanding on the composition of the soil, loves shade, and is resistant to gas contamination. Well formed, easily tolerates a haircut. Looks decorative in high hedges, often used for planting snow-retaining strips.

Important. Ornamental varieties reproduce only by grafting onto a 4-5 year old stock of the Ordinary or Siberian spruce.

Serbian spruce (Bulgarian, Balkan)

A photo. Serbian spruce (Bulgarian, Balkan)

It belongs to the fast-growing large-sized plants (up to 45 m). Annually grows in height up to 35 cm, and in width up to 15. The crown is dense, narrowly conical in shape. The needles are green on the outside, blue-gray on the bottom. The decorative effect is enhanced by purple-chestnut cones. Spruce is frost-resistant, hardy, perfectly takes root in the urban environment.

Very popular in European garden design. It is planted singly and in groups, alleys, uncut hedges are created from it. The most popular varieties: Omorika (Omorika), Nana (Nana), Pendula Bruns (Pendula Bruns), Pendula (Pendula), Pimoko (Pimoko), Gnom (Gnom).

hedge planting technology

The arrangement of a hedge begins with the choice of planting material. Ordinary spruce propagates by seeds, but at home, only specialists can obtain planting material from seeds.

The best option is to buy spruce seedlings or mature trees in a forestry, nursery or store. To create a hedge with your own hands, it is better to purchase small (1.5-2 m) trees at the age of 3-4 years, they take root well and grow well in a new place.

For hedges, it is better to purchase grown seedlings of spruce.

Important. Do not dig up Christmas trees in the forest yourself. Such an action is equated with damage to forest plantations and threatens with a fine of 3 to 4 thousand rubles for each tree.

When creating a hedge, you need to choose the right time and place, prepare the soil, determine the layout of trees and follow the planting technology.

Pickup time and place

The most favorable time for planting fir trees in Central Russia is the end of April or the beginning of May. Christmas trees, planted and during the activation of root formation, which lasts from mid to late September, take root well.

Trees planted in June-July take root poorly, develop slowly and often die. The exception is seedlings in containers with a completely closed root system, they can be planted from April to October.

When choosing a place for a hedge, take into account the features of the species:

• Norway spruce is not demanding on lighting, it feels great both in the shade and in sunny areas;
• it is preferable to plant decorative forms with multi-colored needles and cones in a sunny place, in low light the color saturation and decorative effect of needles and cones decreases;
• young Christmas trees have a weak root system, forming a hedge, choose a place protected from strong gusts of wind;
• for common spruce, areas with moist, but not waterlogged soil are suitable.

It is better to plant seedlings at the beginning of May, so they will take root better.

Spruces actively influence the composition and moisture of the soil, shade the site, so next to them they do not plan to plant sun-loving plants that require rich fertile soils.

Soil preparation

Spruce prefers fertile acidic or alkaline soils with good aerobic and permeable parameters, with a small amount of organic matter. Planting fir trees in unprepared heavy soils is unacceptable.

The depleted soil is enriched by introducing one of the types of top dressing into the planting trench:

• 100 g of complex mineral fertilizer;
• a mixture of leafy (2 parts) and sod land (2 parts) with peat (1 part) and sand (1 part);
• a mixture of leafy soil (1 part) and turf (1 part) with peat (3 parts).

At the bottom of the landing pit or trench, a drainage layer of fine gravel (gravel, river sand, expanded clay, broken brick) is necessarily poured with a layer of about 20 cm.

Excessively loose soils are compacted with clay, in excessively heavy soils, sand is added to improve moisture and breathability. When planting a hedge of fir trees from the forest, earth and coniferous litter, taken when digging a seedling, must be added to the pit.

Landing pattern

The distance between seedlings depends on the planting pattern.

To determine the desired number of seedlings and the distance between plants, choose the appropriate planting pattern.

When planting large-sized species for molded trellis (single-row) and multi-row borders (chess, linear), they maintain a distance between Christmas trees of 35-45 cm, and between rows of half a meter;

For hedges, the distance between the Christmas trees is 0.6-0.7 m, and between the rows of plants - 50-60 cm.

The interval for Christmas trees of dwarf forms for an uncut border is 0.35-0.45 m, for an unshaped hedge - 0.5-0.7 m, for a molded hedge - 0.35-0.5 m.

Landing technology

Planting a hedge requires compliance with the technological process:

1. Having chosen a site, having determined the landing pattern with the help of a cord stretched between the pegs, they mark the places of the landing ditches. The depth of planting depends on the size of the earthen coma of the seedling (usually 50-60 cm).
2. Prepared drainage, soil substrate and fertilizers are laid in the trench. The soil is slightly moistened.
3. It is very important to prevent the root system from drying out. It should be remembered that spruce roots left open in the air die after 15-30 minutes. To avoid this, the roots of the seedling, immediately after being freed from the ground, are treated with clay mash, but it is best to plant Christmas trees with a large earthen clod.
4. Seedlings are installed in the trench, placing the root neck flush with the upper edge of the ditch, without deepening it by more than 1 cm.
5. It is advisable to apply directly at the time of planting 100-150 g of nitrophoska per plant. This will allow you not to feed the Christmas trees for 2-3 years.
6. The root system is covered with earth and slightly compacted.
7. Seedlings are attached to the supporting fixing pegs.
8. Planting is abundantly watered with warm water.
9. Trunk circles or the entire trench are sprinkled with a layer (up to 12 cm) of organic mulch (peat, sawdust, needles, leaf litter) to protect the soil from drying out.

Young seedlings are tied to supporting pegs.

hedge care

Care includes a number of procedures:

1. Common spruce is quite comfortable for several weeks without watering, however, in dry times, it also needs additional moisture. Young trees are watered at the rate of 12 liters per week. Large, mature trees require less water. In hot weather, plants of dwarf and decorative forms require additional spraying or irrigation with water (10 liters per 1 m²).
2. After watering, the trunk circle is loosened and mulched with a layer of organic matter (5-6 cm).
3. If, during planting, the planting ditch was properly filled with soil mixture and fertilizers, they begin to feed the Christmas trees two to three years after planting. In the spring, complex mineral fertilizers for conifers (Khvoinka, Green Needle, MicroMix) are applied. Mature trees are additionally fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
4. In spring and summer, spraying is carried out with special means against pests.
5. In the winter-spring period, young Christmas trees are sheltered from direct sunlight using spruce branches or covering material (burlap, spunbond).
6. In winter, tree branches are tied up so that they do not break off under the weight of snow. In regions with severe frosts, trees are covered for the winter.

Young seedlings are watered in the first years after planting and loosen the soil around them.

hedge cutting rules

There are several types of haircuts, the main of which are sanitary and molding.

Sanitary pruning is carried out for all types of hedges and borders. Spruces are pruned after shoot growth is complete (June). During sanitary pruning, damaged, diseased, pest-infested branches are removed.

Shaping haircut is carried out at the end of June and may well be combined with a sanitary one. Fast growing forms may require 2-3 treatments per season.

Important. During the first year after planting, the Christmas trees are not subjected to a shaping haircut. Pruning can damage immature trees and slow down their development.

When forming a hedge:

• a cord is pulled along the entire length of the fence, which allows you to determine the required height and width of trim;
• trees are cut not only along the upper edge of the hedge, but also on the sides;
• for a full-fledged haircut, special tools are used - garden shears, a hacksaw, electric brush cutters;
• side branches are cut to about 1/3-1/2 length;
• the tops are left longer until the trees reach the desired height;
• in spruces with a columnar, pyramidal shape of the crown, the bifurcated tops are necessarily cut off below the branching formed.

A couple of years after planting, the spruce hedge begins to be cut.

In addition to forming pruning, lateral shoots are pinched to give the hedge the required density and density.

Spruce Hedge Benefits

When choosing a tree species for a hedge, many stop at spruce because of its undoubted advantages:

• most species and garden forms of spruce are well acclimatized in Russia;
• rich green or blue needles, cones and a crown of various shapes give the spruce hedge a decorative look throughout the year;
• volatile substances emitted by conifers purify and disinfect polluted air, have a beneficial effect on the human body;
• spruce hedges fit perfectly into the design of large and small plots, allow the use of plantings to create landscapes of different styles;
• spruce easily tolerates molding pruning and is suitable for creating hedges of various profiles.

In the video you can see what a hedge of spruces looks like in the first year after planting small seedlings.

Evergreen spruce hedges are a great alternative to hardwood fencing. It will never be replaced by a blank fence, devoid of true beauty and gifts of nature. A spruce fence not only isolates your site from strangers, but also saturates the air with oxygen, phytoncides and natural antiseptics. You can admire the green spruce branches all year round.

Advantages

A hedge formed from spruce has several advantages over other shrubs and trees:

• Spruce retains its green color all year round, does not expose unsightly bare trunks in winter;
• The first 10-15 years, small Christmas trees do not require special shaping, since its growth is not intensive;
• Spruce paws are so thick that they can protect the site from the nearby road. Trees will purify the air, prevent dirt from penetrating through them, and neutralize odors;
• A dense spruce forest protects the site from snow, dust and wind;
• Planting a spruce hedge does not require large financial outlays. You can grow a green fence from the seeds of cones collected in the forest, or from seedlings dug up in a clearing;
• All varieties of Christmas trees are resistant to frost, so they can be cultivated in regions with a harsh climate;
• Coniferous trees are not characterized by disease (although they are subject to pest invasion);
• With the help of various spruce varieties, you can adjust the height and shape of the living fence (from 0.4 to 15 meters);
• Updating a hedge is required only once every 30-40 years, and maybe less often.

The positive qualities include the features of caring for a hedge of spruce. In a temperate and humid climate, trees are not capricious. One heavy rain a week and a rare loosening of the soil with little top dressing are enough for them. Care becomes more difficult in a dry climate, since spruce is a moisture-loving plant.

What varieties to choose?

The most common hedge is spruce. For its planting, you do not need to purchase seedlings. Trees like to grow on loamy, sandy and acidic soil with good carrying capacity, as spruce does not like stagnant moisture. The table below shows spruce varieties bred by breeders and differing in height, color and crown shape.

IT IS INTERESTING! Norway spruce in a hedge grows as fast as in a forest - at a rate of 0.4-0.5 meters per year. It reaches its maximum height (50 meters) at the age of 100-125 years, and lives on average 300 years. There were trees that were 5 centuries old. The needles are updated every 6-12 years, and its length ranges from 0.8-2 cm.

Planting material preparation

To plant a hedge, you need spruce seeds or ready-made seedlings. You can proceed as follows:

• Buy varietal spruce seeds in the store;
• Collect the cones of an ordinary Christmas tree in the forest and extract the seeds yourself. Collection is made at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, while there is still snow, but not earlier (to ensure the natural stratification of seeds);
• Buy ready-made varietal or ordinary spruce seedlings;
• Dig up annual Christmas trees in the clearing (or better, two-year-old or even three-year-old ones in order to get a thick hedge faster).

If you have purchased or dug up young live spruces, start planting a hedge before the earthen clod has time to dry. If you decide to get seedlings from seeds, then follow these instructions:

• Gut the buds to remove the lionfish;
• Separate the seeds from the "wings";
• Prepare a potting mix with soil from the site and some sand. Ignite it and pour it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
• Lay a layer of crushed expanded clay on the bottom of a box or other container, gravel is possible so that the water does not stagnate;
• Put the earth on the drainage layer and lightly tamp;
• Plant the seeds at a distance of 20 to 30 mm in each direction;
• Periodically moisten the soil composition (but do not allow stagnation).

In 12-16 weeks, you will get young seedlings of Christmas trees to form a hedge. They can be planted in a prepared trench in the same year, or you can let the young plants grow another year in a pot. But this is very inconvenient, since dozens of seedlings are needed for a living fence: where can you place so many pots at home?

When is the best time to plant?

Planting a living fence of Christmas trees should be done with the onset of a dormant period for trees. Coniferous trees have two of them. They start at:

• April May;
• September October.

Dig up young trees to form hedges immediately before planting. The less time that passes between the moment the tree is removed from the forest floor and planted in the trench, the better. So that during transportation the earthen ball does not dry out, it is wrapped in plastic wrap or burlap.

ATTENTION! If you have germinated the seeds, then you can plant Christmas trees in the line of a living fence in June, bypassing the April-May period. If this is done earlier, then the plant will die with a probability of 60-70%: you need to give at least 3-4 weeks to hatched Christmas trees in order to get stronger and develop powerful roots.

landing technique

To plant a hedge of live Christmas trees you will need:

• Spade bayonet;
• Rake;
• Propylene cord;
• Pegs;
• Garden wheelbarrow;
• Mittens;
• Clay;
• Spruce seedlings;
• Watering can;
• Water.

To evenly plant a living spruce fence, you need to pull a cord along its line. For this you need pegs. If the fence is long and indirect, then many pegs will be needed to accurately follow the lines of future plantings. Then:

• Make a trench with a shovel 50 cm deep and loosen its bottom. If the soil has excessive moisture, then dig a depth of 70 cm (then cover the bottom of the trench with drainage material: expanded clay, crushed stone or gravel);
• The next layer is the top of the excavated soil;
• Water the trench liberally;
• Prepare a talker by diluting clay in water. The consistency should be like heavy cream;
• View seedlings. If there are dead roots, remove them. Then dip the roots of each tree into a mash;
• Put the Christmas trees in their places according to the chosen planting pattern;
• Fill the remaining void in the trench with compost or peat so that the root neck falls below the soil;
• Lightly compact the soil and water it;
• Mulch with bark or wood chips;
• If the seedlings are already large, then you can trim the top to make the tree grow not in length, but in breadth.

For an evergreen fence to meet your expectations, you will need a scheme for planting a Norway spruce hedge. It depends on how many rows you decide to plant the fence, how high it should be, and what role it will play. The table below shows several schemes for planting Christmas trees.

How to care?

In order for the hedge to grow beautifully, spruces need to be watered if there has been no rain for a week. It is convenient to do this with a long hose with holes over the entire surface in increments of up to 1 meter. It is enough to stretch the hose along the fence and give pressure. Water will flow from small holes, soaking into the soil under the Christmas trees. Dry watering will also be useful for trees: regularly loosen the ground with a hoe to a depth of 10 centimeters.

In the care of Christmas trees in a hedge includes top dressing:

• In the first three years, nitrogenous fertilizers must be applied several times (3-4 times during the warm season);
• Phosphate fertilizers should be applied every autumn;
• Then, every May and October, you need to apply fertilizers specifically designed for conifers.

ADVICE! To fertilize spruce hedges, use fertilizers like Buyskoe or Aquarin for conifers. But you can do otherwise. Nitrogen is found in large quantities in humus or compost. And wood ash will help satisfy the phosphorus hunger of Christmas trees. It can be replaced with straw ash.

Spruce hedges should be trimmed annually. This should be done 1-2 times a year, be sure - in the winter. Although in the early years, even a haircut is not needed. It begins when the fence reaches the desired height. Then they pinch off the top, and the trees begin to grow only in breadth. To form a crown (pruning), you will need garden shears.

Rules for the formation of a hedge

To make the fence thick, lush and even, it is necessary to regularly form a hedge from living spruce:

• In the first year, leave the Christmas trees alone. They have to take root, and they do not need to waste their strength at all. You can only remove yellowed and diseased branches with garden shears;
• Do your first pruning next year. All side branches are shortened by 30-50%. And the top should not be cut too much so that the hedge grows faster to the desired height;
• If you do not want a high fence, then in the third or fourth year of life, pinch off the top completely so that the tree begins to grow in width;
• Pruning spruces in a hedge should be done twice, starting from the 15th year of the life of the trees. From this moment (sometimes earlier) rapid growth begins. And if the top has not yet been plucked out by this time, then it's time to do it. Otherwise, you will get a dense forest instead of a neat fence;
• If the width of the spruce has also reached the desired size, then you need to pluck out the central buds and side shoots.

IMPORTANT! When forming a crown of fir trees in a hedge, remember that it should be pyramidal: wide at the base and narrow at the top. If you leave the same width over the entire height, then the lower branches will die from lack of light. It will not add beauty to your fence. But the curly trimming of the upper plane looks spectacular.

Trees grow longer than shrubs; when one of the trees dies, a hole is formed in the row. It will take years to block it. Therefore, take care of seedlings in a timely manner. With proper care of fir trees, a hedge will retain its functions and aesthetic appearance for many years.