In the spring, when the plants begin to grow, they begin to form an indoor tree. For conifers, the top trimming method is practiced. This method consists in constantly growing and removing the leading branch. Every year, a new leading branch replaces the old one, inhibiting the growth of the tree. Since such pruning is carried out regularly, the deformation of the trunk will not be noticeable and the bends will not be visible, and as the tree grows they will even out completely. This is the slowest way to grow vertical bonsai and takes many years.
Coniferous species develop “candle” buds in the spring, from April-May to June.
If such a bud is damaged, then the tree’s nutrition will go to the injured areas, which is what is required. If it is desirable that the top of the tree “does not fly out”, but a good trunk “fills up” and the branches “curl”, then pinching them is required. In juniper, the buds are pinched regularly throughout the year, and in other conifers - once a year in the spring (usually pinching of conifers is carried out from the second half of April to May).
If the candles are weak, underdeveloped, wait until they bloom. Usually, pinching buds begins from the lower branches: they take the “candle” with their left hand, and unscrew half of it with their right hand. A week later, they begin to apply the second layer of branches, another week - to the third, etc. The exception among conifers is five-cone pine: it is pinched from above and after the cones have hardened. Is there some more interesting way
control the growth of the tree. When double buds form, the longest one is pinched, and when the remaining smaller one grows to the size of the larger one, it is completely removed, and the smaller one is pinched halfway. There should be a one-week interval between operations.
(based on materials from the book by A. Polyakova “Dwarf Garden, or Bonsai in Russian”)
Gardeners who decorate their plots with coniferous trees, such as Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), mountain pine (Pinus mugo) or black pine (Pinus nigra), are constantly concerned about the health and appearance of their prickly “pets”. In addition to watering and fertilizing, plants periodically require pruning. Proper pruning of pine has a beneficial effect on the condition of the tree and root system and helps create landscape compositions. Having given pine crown, you can rejuvenate the plant. However, this procedure is labor-intensive and requires knowledge and skills.
Why do they prune pine trees?
Scots pine is an unpretentious plant. Already a year after the seedling has been planted on the site, you can begin to form a crown and perform pruning. For what purpose do gardeners resort to this procedure?
Sanitary care for pine
Tree pruning is carried out for sanitary purposes, to improve the health of Scots pine. This is done regularly, removing broken, dried, damaged branches, which in strong winds or rain pose a danger as they can come off.
In addition, tall trees with an extensive crown are pruned to reduce the area of shaded areas and plant other plants around. To do this, cut off the lower branches.
Wood rejuvenation
Mature plants with a large number of dried or bare branches are pruned to stimulate the appearance of young shoots.
Decorative pruning of pine
Scots pine is given a certain shape. For example, on the site you can arrange hedge or grow a coniferous plant using the bonsai technique, or simply trim it so that the crown of the tree takes on a spherical, pyramidal or tiered shape. When pruning, it is important to be guided by a sense of proportion, without turning the fluffy conifer into a dwarf shrub.
On the site you can grow a coniferous plant using the bonsai technique.
Maintaining the right size
If a mountain or Scots pine is planted in a small area, it must be trimmed to control the height and girth of the crown. If the area in which the tree grows is vast, it is advisable to leave it at full growth. This makes the coniferous plant look much more attractive.
If a mountain or Scots pine is planted in a small area, it must be trimmed to control the height and girth of the crown.
If the gardener does not see any reason for pruning, then this procedure can be abandoned.
When the work is performed
Pruning Scots pine for sanitary purposes is allowed at any time of the year. For example, if there is a need to urgently get rid of broken branches that pose a danger, you cannot hesitate to remove them. But the most preferable time for pruning is spring.
- IN spring months you can stimulate the growth of young shoots, shape the crown, giving it a certain appearance. Experienced gardeners advise starting work at the moment when new shoots, called candles, grow, and at the same time the pine needles do not have time to bloom.
- Summer time - best time to remove old branches that prevent sunlight from penetrating the crown, as well as to stimulate growth. In young pines, you can trim off excess shoots that extend beyond the crown. It is not recommended to do this in the fall, since the tree will not have time to produce a special substance, cambium, which promotes wound healing.
- Autumn is the period when a gardener can think about rejuvenating his tree. In Scots pine, the growth zones are located at the tips of the shoots, so it is necessary to cut off the ends of old shoots.
- Late autumn and winter are not the right time for pruning, as Scots pine becomes vulnerable and can die from the cold.
If there is a need to urgently get rid of broken branches that pose a danger, you should not hesitate to remove them.
Regular pruning - The best way give the plant a neat appearance or an interesting crown shape without damaging its condition. Depending on the original shape of the tree and the purpose of planting it on the site, various techniques. But there are also general rules crown formation:
- Manipulations can be carried out a year after planting a pine tree on the site;
- no more than a third of the live weight can be removed at a time;
- bare branches of Scots pine cannot be left;
- cutting tools must be well sharpened so as not to cause additional injury to the plant, and also cleaned to prevent infection;
- The use of garden pitch when pruning Scots pine should be abandoned; it is replaced by resin;
- the cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees, so that its lower edge is higher than the upper by a maximum of 2 mm;
- the height of the cut should be average so that the resin does not flow out too abundantly, and at the same time there is enough of it to heal a fresh wound;
- branches directed vertically must be cut to the external soil, inclined ones - to the internal soil;
- thick, old branches are carefully cut down so as not to damage the bark;
- extensive wounds can be additionally treated with garden varnish.
Regular pruning is the best way to give the plant a neat appearance or an interesting crown shape without damaging its condition.
Common crown forms
- Traditional form. Many coniferous crops independently form a beautiful crown. But with the help of a decorative “haircut”, Scots, black or mountain pine can be given an original appearance - from a pyramid, a ball or a cone to the most intricate outlines. But such painstaking and delicate work is often only possible for the most skilled craftsmen. Hobbyists usually limit themselves to routine sanitary pruning.
- Hedges. Scots pine can be grown as a hedge. In this case, its branches must be trimmed every year. When the height of the tree becomes sufficient, its top is cut off. Side shoots begin to grow more actively, so that the gaps between neighboring trees become minimal.
- Niwaki. This style of tree cultivation originated in Japan and is especially popular in the temples of that country. It can be used when growing pine. The shape of the crown may be different. For example, you can form a triangular crown and a straight trunk or deviating from the vertical. This technique requires large quantities energy and time. Using it, gardeners determine what the height of the pine tree should be and gradually eliminate excess branches so that the required crown shape is created. Every year, young shoots are shortened by more than half, the candles are pinched, and some of the needles are cut off.
The niwaki style originated in Japan and is especially popular in the temples of this country.
Types of pruning
To give Scots pine one shape or another, you need to know what types of pruning exist and apply them correctly.
- Thinning branches. Its goal is to get rid of branches that are poorly placed and spoil the appearance, dried, damaged or located very close to each other. Selected branches are removed completely, so that the cut is short.
- Pinching. This is a method of forming a dense crown, used at the beginning of the summer season, when the growth of young shoots, or candles, is completed. Their tops or shoots are cut off entirely using pruners or a hacksaw. After this procedure, several shoots appear at the base of the candles. The crown becomes abundantly lush, acquiring a spherical shape.
- Trimming. Involves removing part of the trunk of a young or adult plant. In this way, you can shape a Scots pine tree so that its height does not exceed two meters. For this purpose it is cut off top part, after which neighboring side shoots are regularly removed so that they do not replace the top.
Post-procedure care
Scots pine is very unpretentious; it does not require special growing conditions, maintaining certain temperature, humidity, watering, or fertilizing conditions. However, when pruning, it is necessary to take into account that too frequent procedures weaken the plant and can lead to diseases.
Removing branches is a considerable stress for Scots pine. Therefore, after such procedures, the tree requires attention and care. If it seems “sick,” you can feed the plant with mineral or phosphate fertilizers.
It is important to remember about watering, while avoiding the other extreme - excess moisture. Scots pine requires two waterings per month. Experienced gardeners, after a “stressful” operation, strengthen their furry “darlings” with the help of special stimulants.
The main task in the formation of Scots pine is careful, harmless and timely manipulation so that the coniferous beauty pleases with a neat appearance of the crown and a pleasant aroma.
Beautiful spruce is one of the most favorite trees among many owners of suburban areas. And quite rightly so. In winter, spruce is often decorated as a Christmas tree. She makes us and our children happy during the New Year holidays. Summer, autumn, spring - spruce is good at any time of the year.
But it also happens that spruce pleases us only in the first years after planting. And then it grows into a huge ten-meter tree. You can’t really dress something like this up and it seems to take up too much space on the site.
The growth of spruce can be controlled by molding pruning, which allows even tall trees to be included in small gardens.
Forming pruning of spruce is carried out at the moment when the spruce has grown to a certain size and you no longer need it. You can also trim a very small Christmas tree to give it a more neat shape.
Formation by pruning of Spruce Aureospicata. Scheme:
We cut the branches so that there are no “stumps” left. We cut off the branches immediately after the shoots that we leave. See picture above.
It is better to carry out shaping pruning of spruce in early spring before the growth of young shoots. In this case, by mid-summer, new shoots will grow and cover the “stumps” and other errors. You can also cut your hair in the first half of summer after the young shoots have finished growing. But in this case with close range all haircut flaws will be more noticeable.
Spruce trees are trimmed once a year using shoots from last year or the year before. I would not recommend cutting older wood. There are some nuances here, failure to comply with which can lead to baldness at the site of unsuccessful pruning.
After the first pruning, a two-meter spruce may seem “short”. Subsequently, the formation of a spruce crown by pruning contributes to the formation of a beautiful dense crown.
I would like to add that it is not necessary to treat cuttings of coniferous crops with garden varnish. Coniferous plants secrete resin abundantly, which serves as protection for damaged wood.
To form the crown of the spruce, use pruning shears or garden shears. Definitely clean. Dirty pruning shears can introduce an infection that can cause plant disease. Therefore, be sure to disinfect the tool before cutting. special solution or alcohol-containing liquid.
Serpentine spruce Virgata. One of the most bizarre coniferous plants. Spruce reaches a height of 12m, diameter 4-5m. The tree does well in high standing areas groundwater. For the first 10 years it looks sparse and scanty. As in the picture below it will be around 30 years old, not earlier. This spruce does not tolerate crown formation or pruning. You can see a mature tree in the Minsk Botanical Garden.
Eastern spruce Aureospicata- a relatively slow-growing tree with an irregular conical shape. At 30 years old it reaches 6-8m in height. The needles are short, dark green, shiny. In spring, young growths are yellow in color. In summer all the needles are green. Calcareous soils should be avoided when planting. Easy to shape and trim.
Norway spruce Rothenhaus -
beautiful cone-shaped spruce. The lateral branches are strongly drooping along the straight trunk, which gives the plant a clear, slender silhouette. After 30 years - 6-10m high and 2.5-3m wide. In spring it begins to grow late. Good for small areas. It can be remolded, but often this is not necessary.
Eastern spruce Gracilis- a dwarf compact spruce that grows like a wide, slightly rounded cone. At the age of 10 years it reaches 1m height. and ok. 0.5 m width. The needles are short, light green. Looks good next to heathers. Formative pruning is not necessary.
Prickly spruce Iseli Fastigiata- a wonderful spruce with a slender, narrow-conical crown. It grows quickly, reaching 10m high in 10 years. The shoots are vertical. The needles are blue. Low demands on soil and moisture.
Prickly spruce Fat Albert- one of the best varieties spruce spruce with a regular cone-shaped crown and a beautiful silver-blue color. At 10 years old it reaches 3m in height and grows to 12-15m. height. Undemanding to soils. Can be subjected to molding pruning to control growth.
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What is a low maintenance garden and what are the basic principles for creating one? When they say a low-maintenance garden, then first of all it is a garden based on coniferous and decorative deciduous trees and shrubs. Conifers are good because they decorate the garden all year round. At the same time, they require almost no care, except for an occasional haircut. Correctly selected conifers frosty and...
Cultural cultivation of coniferous plants involves constant care for their health and beauty. Pruning pine and spruce is a useful operation that has a positive effect on the condition of the tree.
Why do they prune pine and spruce?
There are several types of popular pruning coniferous trees.
- Sanitary pruning.
This is the most common way to help the plant. Remove broken, weak and damaged branches regularly. They pose a danger to the plant itself, as they sometimes cause fungal diseases. Such branches can break off and damage surrounding objects or people nearby, especially in strong winds or other adverse conditions. natural phenomena. Sanitary pruning can be done on a large specimen if the tree shades the area too much. In this case, the lower branches are completely removed - after this, other plants can be planted with pine.
- Rejuvenating haircut.
Conducted on mature pine and spruce with a large number of bare and dry branches to stimulate the growth of new shoots.
- Decorative pruning.
The most popular type. The procedure is carried out on coniferous trees, which act as hedges, and when grown using the bonsai technique. When cultivating pine and spruce in their usual form, regular pruning is also carried out. The procedure improves the shape of the crown and, if necessary, restrains the growth of the tree, which is especially important for tall varieties.
When is the work performed?
Sanitary pruning is carried out at any time of the year. Work is carried out urgently if an emergency situation occurs, for example, a large branch has broken and poses a threat to surrounding people, animals or buildings.
In the spring they form a crown, create a compact top and give pine and spruce decorative look. The time for spring pruning depends on climatic and weather conditions.
Young shoots of the current year are called candles. Work is carried out when they reach their maximum size, but the needles have not yet begun to bloom. This usually happens in June.
In summer, it is appropriate to prune young shoots that extend beyond the crown. In young plants, you can remove excess branches until the end of summer. It is not recommended to do this later: before the cold weather, the cambium, which “heals” fresh wounds, will not have time to be released.
A rejuvenating haircut is carried out in the fall. The main growth zone is at the ends of the shoots of pine and spruce, so over time, old trees lose lower leaves, lose their attractiveness. Cut off the ends of bare old shoots, leaving some of the needles on them. In spring, dormant buds will awaken on the shortened shoots and new young branches will grow.
Pruning should be done in late autumn and winter time not recommended: cuts become vulnerable, wood may freeze.
The result of pruning depends on the condition of the tree. A healthy and vigorously growing plant will tolerate the procedure easily. In a very weakened pine or spruce, dormant buds may not wake up, so no work is carried out on such a plant.
Features of crown formation
Coniferous trees are a wonderful decoration for any garden. Along with Scots pine (green), varieties with grayish, silvery and even yellowish needles have become widespread. With regular pruning, the decorative appearance of the tree increases without deteriorating its general condition.
The tactics for pruning pine and spruce depend on the growing method. Required work differ depending on whether the plant has the traditional form of an ordinary bushy tree, is used for hedges, or is cultivated in Japanese style. Each pruning has its own purpose, the main task is to imagine in advance what the result should be.
- Traditional form.
Many coniferous trees have a beautiful crown that forms independently. For example, it usually does not need pruning, acquiring a thick evergreen head with age.
With the help of decorative pruning, a tree can be given an original shape. A beautiful pyramid, an even hemisphere, a cone or a cylinder - the option depends on the skill and imagination of the author, as well as on the type of wood. You can create coniferous masterpieces in the form of animals and people, but only very skilled craftsmen can do such work on spruce and pine trees.
More often, routine pruning is carried out; its pattern depends on the desired shape and condition of the plant. Only trees older than two years can be subjected to this procedure.
- Hedge.
When growing pine trees as a living coniferous hedge, pruning is carried out annually. The top is removed for the first time when the plant reaches the required height. This will stimulate the growth of side shoots and reduce the gaps between neighboring specimens. 
- Niwaki style.
This is the Japanese art of cultivation garden trees, which is often used when growing pine and spruce. It differs from the well-known bonsai style in the way it is grown. “Bonsai” is a “tree on a tray”, and the roots of the niwaki are not limited to a small pot, but develop freely, directly in the garden. Depending on the style of nivaki, pine or spruce are shaped differently. For example, like a straight tree with a triangular crown shape or at an angle to the surface of the earth. Monkaburi is an original way of forming a pine tree. Such a tree is left with one very long horizontal branch, which is located above the entrance to the garden. In Japanese monasteries and temples, old niwaki-style pine trees are especially revered.
Creating a tree using this technique will require a lot of time and effort; it is a long and painstaking process. They determine the desired height of the plant, regularly remove “extra” branches and form a crown. New shoots need to be shortened annually by more than half their length. Creating a pine or spruce tree in the Niwaki style involves pinching candles, removing some of the needles and cutting. This creative process, each plant requires an individual approach.
Pine produces a lot of fragrant amber resin. After pruning, the tree independently heals its wounds with this substance with a bactericidal effect. All work should be carried out with gloves, because the resin is difficult to wash off. The cut does not require additional treatment with drugs.
How to trim correctly?
To carry out the work, disinfected tools are used. Depending on the age of the tree and the thickness of the branches, pruning shears, garden shears, a small hacksaw or a file are used.
There are several types of pruning.
- Thinning.
Remove poorly placed branches that spoil the appearance of pine or spruce. In a crown that is too thick, over time, some of the shoots die due to insufficient sunlight. Neighboring branches located too closely can damage each other. Timely thinning helps prevent such problems.
Before work, the tree is inspected and the unnecessary branch is completely removed. The cut point is made short. They try to cut it with a knife so that there is no hemp left.
- Pinching.
This method helps to form a thicker and fluffier crown of the plant. It is carried out when young shoots stop growing at the beginning of summer, and the needles are already beginning to separate from the rod. During pinching, part of the candle is partially or completely broken out.
Small branches can be cut with sharp pruning shears, and large branches with a garden saw or hacksaw. Remove parts of the shoots carefully so as not to damage the dormant buds, from which new shoots will appear in the future. At the base of a truncated branch, 3-4 new strong shoots usually appear; on weak plants there may be fewer of them. The crown becomes fluffy and takes on a rounded shape.
If pinching is done late (late July - August), buds do not have time to form in the current season. They will appear only next spring.
- Trimming.
This is the most common way to change appearance pine or spruce. When pruning, part of the tree trunk is removed. The operation is performed on both young and adult specimens.
The young tree quickly grows, adding about 15 cm annually. If desired, an adult Scots pine over thirty years old can be formed up to two meters high with proper pruning. In nature, such plants grow above 10 meters.
The pruning pattern for pine and spruce is determined by the apical type of growth of these plants. After removing the top part, it will be necessary to periodically remove the remaining neighboring shoots: they tend to replace the removed top over time and tend to take a vertical position. On mature wood, dormant restoration buds do not germinate, so plant formation begins at at a young age.
Pruning Tips
- In one cutting, no more than a third of the green mass of the plant is removed.
- The work is carried out regularly; long breaks or stopping cutting will spoil the result of previous work.
- Pine and spruce begin to be trimmed at a young age, when it has a compact shape.
- When pinching, up to 2/3 of the growth is usually removed. During pruning, 1/3 of the branch is removed.
- The first year after planting, coniferous plants adapt and take root in a new place; additional intervention will not be beneficial.
Post-procedure care
Pine and spruce are undemanding to soil quality, humidity and temperature. The watering and fertilizing regimes do not change after pruning. It should be remembered that frequent and thoughtless cutting weakens the plant and can cause various diseases. The main task is to carry out the work correctly and in a timely manner.
The coniferous beauty will thank you for your care with a neat appearance and excellent health. It will delight you with its elegant evergreen crown for decades.