Planting a birch from the forest. Interesting varieties of common birch

Beautiful white-trunked, covered with a quivering green crown, looks very harmonious wherever it grows: near the house, in a grove, lonely on the outskirts. But in the description of this tree, the main thing is that birch is a kind of symbol of Russian expanses. It is one of the first after a harsh winter to be covered with emerald leaves, so more and more people began to remember this tree if necessary. household plot or green up the street, a free area near an apartment building.

Botanical characteristics

This tree belongs to the Birch family of the Birch genus. The root system is very branched, it needs enough nutrients and moisture. Therefore, gardeners are in no hurry to plant such a tree on their site, because then the chores with and if there is little moisture will be added.

And some varieties are quite tall. In addition to its own, the plant is very useful, almost all of its components have healing properties: buds, leaves, catkins, birch bark, from which you can get with unique medicinal properties. Real is very useful for our health. Brooms made of birch are a real classic. The largest distribution area of ​​this beauty is middle lane Russia.

Did you know? Approximately one hundred and twenty species of birches are known. Almost all of them are accustomed to our climate. Tall species of these trees live longer than dwarf and shrub ones.

The genus Birch is divided into four groups: Albae (with snow-white bark, the height does not exceed fifteen meters); nanae(); Costata (decorative species with multi-colored colors); Acuminatae (tall trees with large leaves).

Application in landscape design

Thanks to the crown, green in spring and summer and bright yellow in autumn, on a snow-white trunk with contrasting black spots, the birch looks charming. Therefore, it is increasingly used in the design. For this purpose, stunted trees are often planted: or. decorative types have white, pink, cherry, yellow and black bark. These trees look great. In spring, these beauties appear on these beauties with charming “earrings” and delicate sticky leaves with a light green tint, in summer they are completely covered with dense emerald foliage, and in autumn the golden crown frames the snow-white or multi-colored bark. They also experiment with tree shapes by cutting branches, but gardeners need to know how to properly prune a birch. In addition, this tree always attracts birds, and for those who love their morning singing, no the best option for decorating your site or planting on the street near the house.

How to choose seedlings when buying

Birches are easily sown with the help of their "earrings", so seedlings can also be dug up in the forest. But then it will be an ordinary birch. You can buy a certain look, depending on the design ideas and needs. All varieties ornamental plants differ in the unusual color of the bark and foliage. So they need to be bought only for the purpose of registration of the site.

Tall species live much longer than other species, but they are less resistant to gusts of wind and prone to self-seeding. But if it is necessary to dry a certain place on a personal plot, then the choice for planting such a tree is fully justified. A seedling for planting should be very young, mature trees almost do not take root when transplanted, the roots are significantly damaged in most cases. Main Feature, which helps the seedling to successfully take root in a new place, is that it should be sold with a root located in a large clod of earth.

Location selection

Birch is not particularly whimsical, it can grow in almost any conditions. But she needs enough light and moisture, she does not like too "clogged" soil.

Important!Birch has insufficient stability in strong gusts of wind.

All these factors must be considered when choosing a place for planting these representatives of the flora. The place should be lit, with a good level of humidity, but without stagnation of spring waters dangerous for the development of these plants, and be at a sufficient distance from buildings and fences in case natural phenomena, and so as not to cause unnecessary inconvenience to the neighbors.

The best option would be planting in soil that is as similar in composition as possible to the one in which the tree grew. And it can grow in any soil - both in loam and in peat land. Some species are more suitable for light soils. The reaction of the soil can also be varied: neutral, and even alkaline.

Preparatory work before boarding

Before planting, first of all, it is necessary to decide on the time when to plant a birch. Early spring is quite suitable for planting, in which case the roots of the seedling should be in a large clod of earth, and in no case should its age exceed three years. It is also allowed to plant a birch at the age of seven in winter along with a frozen clod of earth. Seeds, by the way, can be sown both in autumn and in spring. According to experienced gardeners, best time for planting birch - in the fall.

Did you know? A long-standing riddle speaks well about the benefits of birch: “There is a tree, the color is green. This tree has four uses. The first benefit is health for the sick. The second is light from darkness. Third - decrepit healing. And the fourth is a well for people.

Before starting the planting process, it is also necessary to assess the condition of the soil, and although birch is not very demanding on it, it does not hurt to prepare. It can be different, but leafy land is the best option. You also need to stock up on enough water.

Step-by-step instructions for planting seedlings

More and more people are interested in how to properly plant a birch on the site. The scheme of its landing is practically no different from the order of landing fruit trees. First, we dig a hole large enough to accommodate all the roots. We put a tree in it, water the roots. Then we fill the hole with earth above the level of the root collar, do not forget to add. After we water the covered earth around the trunk. It can be humus, dry earth in order to preserve moisture. At first, newly planted trees are necessary for better survival. If several trees are planted, then the distance between them should be at least four meters.

how fast it grows

One of the main features of these trees is their relatively fast growth. Two or three years after planting, you can see an almost adult slender beauty.

Important! One of the main disadvantages in growing birch is its rapid reproduction. In autumn, shoots of young birches, densely sown after flowering, become noticeable in the growing area. If you do not take care of their removal, then after a while the plot can become a grove.

Plants do not require special care. But still, certain factors that make them feel better do exist.

Watering

Young trees especially need regular and frequent watering. But as soon as they grow and strengthen, this can be done less and less, and over time, birches do not need watering at all. After planting, young seedlings can be shaded with branches, plants, covering material, which is removed in the evening.

top dressing

Feeding a birch, like any other plant, will never be superfluous. Especially in the first years after planting, young trees need additional fertilizers. As a top dressing, you can use a mixture of mullein up to one kilogram, ten to fifteen grams and fifteen grams. Other types of fertilizer are also suitable.

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 personal plot, you should not refuse to plant a birch. 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 is at least 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 planting vegetables.

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-trunk tree no more than 1 m high. The most suitable time for this is 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 earthen clod, place in a bucket or plastic bag, tied with a rope. Do not leave the root system for a long time outdoors moisture evaporates quickly.

Birch from the forest will grow high (up to 20 m), if such a nuance is frightening, then it is better to go to the nursery and buy the 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. An adult tree can “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, 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 don't intend to grow 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.

The genus birch is very numerous and distributed almost all over the world - in Europe, Asia and North America. According to various sources, there are from 60 to 120 species of birch - there are undersized trees, shrubs and creeping ones. There are species with trunks of pink, yellow, cherry and dark brown color, with smooth, scaly or tattered bark. Birches are undemanding to ecological conditions. As a rule, they are photophilous, but tolerate partial shade. With a few exceptions, they are very winter-hardy, withstand very coldy, do not suffer from sudden changes in temperature and frost. V landscape design trees are planted as part of picturesque groups to create dense arrays, groves, alleys along roads or protective backstage. The most common birches will be interesting in a bouquet planting, and exotic species and decorative forms - in a solitary planting, against the backdrop of a lawn. Note that some types of birch tolerate urban conditions better than other trees, and are very undemanding. Therefore, before buying, take an interest in their features. You can also simply dig a small tree in the nearest forest and transfer the seedling to your site.

Before you start planting, you should be aware that birch, a rather "harmful" breed. The fact is that it releases substances that "poison" the soil for other plants. As you may have noticed, birches grow well with each other, but do not get along well with other plants. If you have a small plot, then you should only plant a small tree. Only owners of large country plots can afford real birch groves. How far apart should birches be planted? We recommend controlling the distance between the trees with a tape measure. It should be no less than 3-4 meters between each seedling.

In the forest, birches grow in cool, moist soil. A very shallow root system makes them susceptible to even short periods of drought or warm soil, so they do not grow well in hot, dry soils. Thus, it is necessary to try to choose a place for the birch in a shaded area where the soil will be cool and moist. However, birch trees require full solar lighting leaves, or at least half. You should choose a location where the soil will remain cool and moist, and where the leaves of the tree should receive sunlight for most of the day. An excellent place to plant a birch is the area on the east and north sides of the house, where the building provides afternoon shade. Avoid planting birch on the south and west sides, where the afternoon sun heats and dries the soil. best time days to search and evaluate the birch planting site - from the middle to the end of the day. At this time, you should look for a suitable place.

Features of the soil for planting

Once you have determined a location on your property that meets your soil temperature and moisture requirements, there are a few other factors you need to consider. A common mistake is to plant young trees under strung electrical wires. Do not forget that most birches can reach 15-20 meters in height. Avoid planting birch in places where the soil can become more dense, such as along roadsides. Remember that birch trees have very shallow root systems that can be easily damaged by subsidence. Birches do best in slightly acidic soils (pH 5.0-6.5). Although white birches, especially paper birch or Japanese birch, can grow well in alkaline soils. Black birches often develop glandular chlorosis (yellowing of foliage) in alkaline soils when the pH is greater than 6.5. Slightly alkaline soil can be made more acidic by adding soil from coniferous forests, rotted softwood sawdust, or special preparations, although maintaining soil pH throughout the life of a tree can be difficult.

How often to water a birch

Birches are not demanding on soil fertility, but when planting them on the site, one must remember that birches are very fond of water. So an adult birch in the summer draws an average of 20 buckets of water from the soil per day, that is, only about 200 liters. Therefore, do not try to plant a birch on a hot summer day, nothing good will come of it - the tree will most likely dry out. The best planting period is when the earth retains moisture well and the air temperature is low (up to +10). This usually happens in early spring and in the second half of autumn. However, large birch seedlings with an open root system, even planted at the right time, do not always take root - some of the trees die or their tops dry out. Therefore, it is better to buy seedlings with earthen clods or in containers. Winter planting with a frozen lump is possible.

birch care

If you want to plant a birch, then you will not need any special fertilizers - this tree species takes root and grows quite well without them. Take, perhaps, some compost. Trees should be planted at some distance from the house (at a distance of about 4 - 5 meters), making drainage. The dimensions of the hole dug under the seedling should be about half a meter in depth and the same in diameter. By the way, if the soil is sandy, then add a few buckets of humus to the bottom of the pit or a layer of clay fifteen to twenty centimeters thick. Usually planting pits for birches are filled with a mixture of garden soil, humus, sand and peat in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. At spring planting young birch trees, you can add complex fertilizer (150–200 g) to the planting pit. At autumn planting, you can use only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. In the first few days, seedlings should be shaded. Do not forget to provide abundant watering to the birch.

It should be added that it is better to plant a birch with a closed root system, regardless of whether you bought it at a garden center or dug it up in a nearby grove. The chances of survival are greatly increased. Well, do not forget about the complex "energy world" of birch. By tradition, they were planted not near the house, but near the gate, at the entrance to the site. And they dug a bench under the birch, where you can slowly think and recharge your batteries.

Several beautiful thin birch trees with light trunks create a special feeling of joy and even pride in their motherland. Since ancient times, this tree has been considered a symbol of Russia - a slender white birch trunk, thin branches easily sway even from the slightest breath of wind. Just for the sake of this, it is worth planting this beauty on your site. Whoever decides to take such a step - to plant a birch grove near his house, you need to know that a birch tree is not only beautiful, but also very demanding on moisture. Rather, the birch itself will grow well and delight everyone with its beauty, even without requiring special care and fertilizing, it will take only the necessary moisture from the soil, drawing out the maximum of nutrients. So if your backyard is not too spacious, consider watering the soil before planting a birch.

What to Consider Before Boarding

Planting a tree is a decisive step, but you must first think through everything in advance, for several years, or even decades. We plant a birch tree as a thin tree, and as a result, a large tree grows, which takes up a lot of space. It takes a long time to wait until the tree gets stronger and a beautiful birch grove turns out, so many inexperienced gardeners immediately plant a lot of seedlings without thinking about the consequences. So, an adult tree reaches a height of 15 to 30 m, a trunk diameter of up to 7-8 m, or even more if the birch grows in an open, well-lit area.

It is not necessary to refuse planting birch trees on your site, it is important to consider the following recommendations:

• we observe the distance when landing: from a residential building or a barn, it is necessary that the distance be at least 5 m, from retaining wall- 3m;
• take into account the location of communications: water pipes, sewerage, heating networks and gas, as well as cable and drainage system- all this must be taken into account and a landing distance of at least 3 m must be maintained;
• if tall trees grow nearby, then you need to step back from them and plant a birch at a distance of 3-5 m;
• when flowering, the tree throws out beautiful "earrings" that emit allergenic pollen.

And that's not all, if a birch grows near garden crops, then from the north it will create a shadow. Will it be convenient for you or your neighbors? Given the fact that the trees will begin to grow in width, it is necessary to observe the distance between each seedling. Therefore, we plant a birch every 4 m.

In addition, if you have not had time to pay attention, this tree does not like neighborhood with other cultures. If you look at the birch grove, then in it, apart from the white trunks of birches, you will not see anything else. This is another explanation that birch does not get along with other plants. If your site is small, think about the fact that as a result only a beautiful birch grove will remain, and planting other plants and garden crops will no longer work. And not only because birch does not like to grow next to other crops, but also poisons the soil for neighboring plants, taking away all the nutrients and moisture.

You can admire the beautiful birch in the photo:

Features of soil preparation for planting birch

If you look closely at a birch grove in the forest, you can draw the following conclusion - the tree loves moisture and feels good on moist and cool soils. If you plant a tree in an open sunny area, then even short-term dry periods can adversely affect the growth of birch. Therefore, it is necessary to think carefully and choose a suitable place for planting birch.

A completely shaded place for planting seedlings is not suitable, as the plant will gain strength and the green mass needs full lighting. It is allowed to plant a birch in a shaded area, but only half. Choose a site where, even in summer, the soil remains moist and cool, and in daytime leaves should receive enough light and heat. A good place for planting a slender beauty - the northern or eastern side of the house or any outbuilding. It is not recommended to plant birch from the western or southern side so that the sun does not dry out the soil.

If you have decided on a place, pay attention to the electrical wires, in a few years, when the birch reaches a height of up to 20 m, there is a risk that they may be damaged.

Returning to the quality of the soil, it is worth paying the attention of readers to such a nuance - an adult tree is capable of drawing up to 200 liters of moisture from the soil per day, and this is an average of 20 buckets of water. Can you imagine how much the soil around the birch will be dehydrated? It is possible that others horticultural crops moisture will not be enough. Given this feature of the tree, it is necessary to take care of organizing the irrigation of the site in advance.

How to take a seedling in the forest

Not everyone has the opportunity to go to the nursery and buy a young birch, it can be troublesome and costly. Another thing is to go into the forest and find a suitable option. If you want to grow on your suburban area white-trunked birch from the wild forest, then you need to dig a healthy strong seedling. Go to the forest in early spring, when the leaves on the birch have not yet blossomed. It is possible to find a suitable young birch in the fall, but it is undesirable to plant a tree in the winter, since the birch may not take root.

Walk through the birch grove - choose a medium-sized game, no more than 1 m tall, as tall trees do not take root well.

How to properly dig a seedling:

1. With a shovel, you need to dig a place around a young birch so that the roots are not damaged. Birch is not too capricious and tolerates slight damage to the root system calmly, but it is better to do this work as carefully as possible.
2. Deepen the shovel code root from 3 sides, and then gently and with pressure remove the tree from the ground. It is best to work in pairs, so you can definitely dig a good seedling and not damage the roots.
3. You will need a heavy plastic bag or bucket. It is necessary that as much land as possible remains on the birch roots. Together with the earth, we place the birch in a bag or bucket, tie it with a rope and transport it to the transplant site.

How to plant a birch

A place for planting a birch has been chosen, the soil has been prepared (you can water this area well in advance). Now you need to purchase birch seedlings. You can go to the nursery and choose suitable tree(age, thickness and height) or go to the nearest birch grove and dig up a young tree. If you brought a birch from the forest, then most likely this is a variety of classic warty birch, which reaches a height of up to 20 m.

You can do otherwise and not make a big shadow on your site, but choose a compact birch variety in the nursery. For example, from the undersized varieties of the white-barreled beauty, the Tristis variety is popular. A beautiful "weeping" crown with a non-blackening trunk and sparse foliage is liked by many summer residents.

A few more species of dwarf birches are unpretentious and grow even in urban conditions: this is the weeping birch "Youngii". An adult tree grows only 8 m in height, the branches rush down, almost to the very ground. Birch resembles the shape of a dome, its trunk differs from other types of trees (varieties "Lanciniata", "Gracillis", "Crispa") with a bright white trunk, flaking almost all year round.

The basic rule for successful birch growth is proper fit seedling. It is necessary to choose the right day for the plant to take root and delight all year round. Therefore, it is impossible to plant a birch on a hot summer day. The best period for planting is the second half of October or early spring. At this time, a lot of moisture remains in the soil, and the sun is no longer so burning. The optimum temperature for planting birch is +10 o C.

A tree does not always take root after planting, even if you take a large, strong seedling. The secret of planting is that it is necessary to dig a tree with a clod of earth or buy seedlings in small containers in the nursery so that the root system does not remain in the open air for a long time and does not lose moisture.

It is even allowed to plant a birch in winter time(seedling age - 6-7 years), when a lump of earth is slightly frozen, but this is only in rare cases. It is best to take care of planting in advance, so that by spring the seedling has time to take root and grow.

How to plant a birch

• after choosing a place, it is necessary to dig a shallow hole with a shovel so that a clod of earth fits and the roots are not damaged;
• top dressing is not required, but the birch will be grateful to you if you put several shovels of leafy earth, peat, sand and humus in equal proportions into the hole. You can add a little of any complex fertilizer, especially if the seedling was brought from the forest;
• insert a seedling with a clod of earth into the center of the hole and gently rub it with soil;
• compact the ground around so that the tree does not lean. If the seedling is thin, then you can make a support and tie a rope to the trunk. So the birch will not bend from the wind and will not fall.

Do not forget to water the birch after planting. It is necessary to provide moderate watering from time to time (in the dry summer period - plentiful) until the birch takes root. In the future, the tree does not need to be watered, a strong root system independently takes moisture and nutrition from the soil. By the way, within a radius of 3 meters, do not try to use the soil by planting even "hare" grass or flowers - the plants do not take root, as they die due to lack of moisture, and not all summer residents can provide constant watering.

Tree care after planting

A young tree immediately after planting needs shading. You can provide protection from the sun with any covering material: burlap, plant branches, nettles and even any weeds. If you use grass, then by lunchtime you need to cover the soil, and in the evening remove dry wood.

In the first year after planting, fertilizer can be applied to the ground. Suitable ammonium nitrate, mullein and urea. For 10 liters of water we take almost 2 kg of mullein, 20 g of urea and the same amount of saltpeter.

Is pruning necessary?

In an ordinary birch, the crown develops evenly, so it is not necessary to cut the branches unnecessarily. Some gardeners achieve good results by forming the crown of a tree, even an ordinary birch (it does not tolerate pruning). It is advisable to remove damaged and dry branches from the tree, and if necessary, when the tree reaches a large height, you can cut off excess branches. We do this only after the sap flow period has ended. Wounds on the tree must be treated with garden pitch.

Every year the value of birch increases, as it is possible to start harvesting raw materials that are beneficial to human health.

For preparation, you can use:

• Birch buds. The collection period is from the beginning of January to the end of March. To do this, the branches need to be cut, tied into small bundles and cleaned of debris;
• young leaves are plucked from the tree in May, when they have a sticky substance on them. The leaves must be dried in a ventilated and warm room. If the drying rules are not followed, then the quality of the leaves may be reduced;
• lovers of the Russian bath need to start harvesting brooms for the bath in July, just the leaves will have time to blossom and grow;
• harvesting of birch bark (a thin layer of bark) for the manufacture of tues (vessel for storing drinks), caskets and other products from birch bark begins in late spring - early summer. A sharp knife needs to be scraped off upper layer bark, and then dry the bark well;
• harvesting birch sap - at the beginning of spring, until the leaves had time to blossom on the trees. In order to get juice from a birch, it is necessary to make an incision with a sharp knife, up to 2 cm deep. Make a small hole with a drill and insert a tube through which life-giving juice will flow into a vessel (any suitable container). After collecting the juice, the tube must be removed, and the hole closed with a wooden plug and covered with garden pitch. The collected juice is stored in a cold place in a glass container.

How to plant a birch, watch this video:

A properly designed meadow with birches is not only an attractive decor in the country, but also an undoubted benefit. As a rule, planting such plants is widely used in landscape design on a too wet or uneven summer cottage.

Pros and cons of birch plantings near the house

When designing a homestead territory, it is very important to pay attention not only to what grows near the house, but also to the characteristics of the state of the soil, as well as the features of the relief of the adjacent landscape. To decorative landing next to the house looked as impressive as possible, you also need to focus on the exactingness of the planted crop and the appointment in garden landscape.

Planting a young birch in home decor looks very attractive, especially in summer and autumn, but have both certain pluses and some minuses:

• a festive look with white trunks and an openwork crown allows you to visually expand the space of even very small areas;
• the highly located crown of an adult tree gives a light and sliding shadow, which is not dangerous for the growth and development of other plants;
• birch is a source of very valuable vegetable raw materials, and also charges a person with positive energy and helps to get rid of stress;
• if the land on the site is too wet, then the birch roots are able to quickly and effectively drain the area;
• even a plant transplanted from the forest very quickly and without problems takes root in the backyard territory.

The inconvenience of growing can be attributed to the difficulty of obtaining a beautiful lawn cover in the projection of the crown. The fact is that the birch root system can harm crops that grow in close proximity, taking away moisture and nutrients from them. Therefore, in order to properly plant any plants under the crown of these trees or a few meters from them, special attention must be paid to high-quality soil preparation and irrigation measures.

Birches in landscape design: description of species

In landscape design, today, the most decorative and unpretentious types of trees are most often grown. The drooping and warty birch, over 30 m high, has proven itself well. The species has drooping branches and smooth white bark, which can darken and crack with age. Its popular variety, Karelian birch, is a pinkish-brown wood with an unusual sinuous texture. Popular decorative shapes:

• "Tristis", which has a weeping crown;
• "Gracilis", which has hanging branches and narrow dissected leaves;
• 'Dalecarlica' and 'Laciniata' with graceful and highly ornamental foliage;
• "Fastigiata", which has an elongated ovoid or columnar crown;
• "Joungii" with small foliage and a compact umbrella-shaped crown;
• 'Purpurea' with dark red or brownish foliage.

No less popular birches in home gardening:

• unpretentious and frost-resistant species "Fluffy" with a white trunk almost to the base and an elongated-outstretched crown;
• shade-tolerant species "Far Eastern ribbed" with yellowish bark;
• shade-tolerant look "Woolly" with grayish bark;
• view "Daurskaya" with dark brown bark;
• type "Manchurian" with grayish-brown bark;
• view of "Schmidt" for rocky slopes;
• light-brown view of "Erman".

Recently, winter-hardy American birches have been grown especially often, which can have reddish-brown or light cream birch bark and highly decorative foliage.

Varieties of birches (video)

How and where to plant a tree

You can plant a tree both in spring and autumn. It is best to allocate places for planting that have a slight shading, which reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil. The planting hole should correspond in size to the diameter of the root system. The root neck should be placed at the same level with the ground. Slightly acidic and rather loose soils with the addition of a small amount of humus are ideal. It is best to plant a plant on a cloudy day or in the evening.

Technology and methods of pruning birch

Proper pruning allows you to give the birch an attractive appearance. You need to cut a birch based on what goals are pursued:

• the formation of the aerial part so that it does not grow up or has an unusual crown shape;
• sanitary pruning;
• reduction in crown height or size.

It is very important to know how many percent of the crown can be cut at the same time, as well as which branch must be removed. When pruning, use only clean garden tools. At the same time, no more than 20-25% of the total crown volume can be removed.

In recent years, decorative pruning of adult trees has been increasingly practiced, which is somewhat more difficult to tolerate by the plant, but allows you to make a weeping birch or get a really very interesting shape. In this case, it is sometimes necessary to completely remove the top and all branches at a distance of 10 cm from the thick stem. It must be remembered that it is impossible to form a crown in the late autumn period.

Watering and feeding

Subject to the technology of soil preparation and the rules for planting a tree, experts do not recommend getting involved in top dressing in the first two years. Immediately after planting, you need to pay attention to the condition of the soil and enough water the seedling abundantly until it is fully rooted. A good result in the first month is given by artificial shading of the aerial part with the help of burlap or a special mesh.

If there is a decrease in the decorative effect of the tree or yellowing and falling of the foliage associated with soil depletion, then competent top dressing should be performed. Most often, for this purpose, solutions based on urea, diluted at the rate of 30 g per bucket of water or mullein, diluted at the rate of 2 kg per 10-12 liters of water, are used. The plant responds very well to feeding with ammonium nitrate, which must first be diluted at the rate of 30 g per bucket warm water.

Protection against diseases and pests

How to plant a birch (video)

How to plant a birch from the forest

Before transplanting, you need to prepare in advance:

• bayonet shovel;
• a strong wooden peg one and a half meters high;
• bucket;
• polyethylene film;
• synthetic twine and rope;
• clay and humus;
• water;
• complete complex fertilizer.

Standard pits are prepared for planting with an average size of 60x60x60 cm, and a mixture based on high-quality humus is poured a third of the depth, garden soil and fertilizers. From the stem part of the selected seedling, it is required to retreat about a third of a meter and dig the ground to the depth of a shovel bayonet. The root system of the extracted seedling is placed on polyethylene and transported to the planting site. Before planting, the root system is dipped in a clay mash and placed in a prepared planting hole spilled with water. Further planting technology is similar to planting any other plants.

What can be planted next to birches

Instead of lawn grass under the trees it is recommended to plant undersized berries. Many gardeners successfully grow shade-tolerant and drought-resistant varieties of small-fruited plants in the crown projection. remontant strawberries. Also, some ornamental crops have proven themselves well, from which attractive compositions are created:

• any flowering and decorative leafy small-bulbous;
• on sandy soils - May lily of the valley, veronica, pharmacy initial letter, forest geranium, round-leaved wintergreen and sochevnik;
• on the clay soil- ivy-shaped budra, oak and forest anemone, chickweed, greenfinch, liverwort, amazing violet, Haller's corydalis, shield fern and fragrant woodruff.

The creation of proper care allows you to grow other, no less attractive plants in glades with birches.

Glade and other decor options with birches in the country

Very interesting compositions in the country can be created from birches and coniferous trees. For this purpose, it is best to use crops belonging to the sections Albae, Costata, Acuminatae and Nanae. Dwarf birches are also used to create alpine slides or Scandinavian decor, which is very popular in our country.

If you have to cut down an adult plant on the site, then the remaining stumps can be used to create garden benches and benches or decorate in a folk style. Among other things, the backyard territory can be decorated with unique crafts or unusual items. garden decor made from birch bark. This handmade is very well combined with almost any style and will be a great addition to garden figurines, sculptural compositions, as well as other small architectural forms.

What trees to plant near the house (video)

Natural birch itself is very decorative and interesting plant, which can be widely used in the design of the backyard territory and belongs to the category popular with landscape designers trees. Among other things, such a plant serves as a source of medicinal raw materials and improves the microclimate in the summer cottage.