Birch planting and care in open ground. Birch: when and how to plant, use in landscape design, care

Planting a birch tree is an excellent solution for beautifying a garden or adjoining plot. This tree will decorate any style of landscape; it looks impressive and does not require special care.

In order for the plant to bring only the joy of contemplating its beauty and harmony in the future, it is important to carefully consider the planting procedure. There are some features and rules that must be followed.

Preparing seedlings - what to pay attention to

A young tree can be dug up in the forest and transferred to own plot and plant a birch tree. This is the fastest and most inexpensive way. But to be sure of the quality of the seedling, it is recommended to purchase it from a specialized nursery or from trusted and reliable individuals.

By bringing a diseased seedling onto the site, there is a high risk of spreading diseases to other trees and shrubs growing nearby.

As for size, plants no more than 1 meter tall take root best and adapt more easily. If the birch tree is already mature, it will be difficult to remove it from the ground without damaging the rhizomes.

If everything is clear with the purchase, then the process of digging up and transporting a tree from the forest has its own nuances:

1. After a specific plant has been selected, it is dug in from all sides, and then using bayonet shovel cut through the soil and uproot the rhizome, taking it out of the hole along with the earthen lump.
2. The extracted birch must be immediately placed on pre-prepared plywood or other flat surface for transportation. If you have to cover a long distance, then instead of a flat sheet it will be convenient to use a bucket of a suitable size. It is advisable to sprinkle the tree placed in a container with soil on top to completely cover the root shoots.

There is another way to obtain material for growing birch - planting from seeds. The matter is very labor-intensive and takes time, however, this method has its place.

Growing birch from seeds

The seeds ripen inside birch catkins, which the plant produces in the spring. Over time, they turn brown and, when fully ripe, fly away in search of a place to germinate.

Seeds that are completely ready for planting are easily separated from each other if you rub the catkin in your hand.

Seeds are usually collected at the very end of summer or beginning of autumn. Ripe earrings are collected, tied together in bunches and hung in a dark, warm place until further ripening for about a week. After this period, you can place a white cloth or sheet under them and shake out the seeds onto it.

In indoor conditions, birch grows quite quickly and easily, without causing any trouble. However, in order to protect planting material to prevent fungal damage, it is recommended to etch it with potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide before placing it in the ground. The seeds should remain in the solution for about 15–20 minutes, and then they should be thoroughly dried.

Before sowing in open ground, planting material must also undergo a stratification procedure - cold treatment. For this purpose, the seeds are kept in the refrigerator or cellar for about a month.

The process of planting seeds is simple. The procedure is carried out directly on the soil surface at the beginning of winter, when the soil has already frozen. This is important, since early sowing is still warm soil may promote the appearance of sprouts before severe frosts, and this will cause their death. It is recommended to cover the top area with planks to prevent the seed from spreading to undesirable areas of the yard or garden.

If the autumn turns out to be dry, then the planted seeds should be lightly watered with water at room temperature.

If everything was done correctly, then in the spring small birch sprouts will appear at the planting site. At this time, the plant is most vulnerable; it needs to moisten the soil surface, but is afraid of excessive watering. Water can erode roots located at a depth of 7–10 centimeters, so it is more convenient to generously spray small birch trees with a spray bottle until the very end of the summer season.

By the beginning of autumn good care young birch trees reach a height of 25–35 centimeters and can be transplanted to permanent place growing. If the plants still look weak, the process is postponed until next September, when the crops finally take on the appearance of strong seedlings.

Criteria for choosing a site and preparing a planting hole

Although birch is one of the most unpretentious trees used for decoration adjacent areas, but its landing site must also meet certain requirements:

1. If you plan to grow several crops, then it is necessary to calculate the planting interval. It must be at least 4 meters so that they do not interfere with the free development of each other.
2. Birch loves sunlight, and therefore when choosing a place you need to maintain a distance from the house and other buildings that create shadow.
3. These trees take a lot of moisture from the soil. The land around them is unsuitable for growing fruit crops, which simply will not have enough water and nutrients when landing closer than 2 meters.
4. The location of the plant should be no closer than 3 meters from the sewer so that it does not suffer from harmful substances that reach the roots with water.

Preparation of the planting pit consists of carrying out simple measures: the selected place is cleared of weed and garbage. The hole is dug of such a size that earthen lump with rhizomes could easily fit into it.

The depth of the hole should not exceed 40 centimeters, otherwise the plant will be placed too low and, due to lack of moisture at that level, will die without taking root.

If the garden plot is not swampy, then drainage is not placed at the bottom of the hole for planting birch, as is the case with fruit trees. The first layer is a mixture of sand, peat and humus. Second layer - fertile soil or, if the plant was dug up in the forest, soil from its usual habitat. If possible, the prepared pit should be watered generously and left for several days to shrink. And only after that should you plant a birch tree.

Planting technology - instructions for beginners

When the planting hole and seedlings are ready, you can safely begin the procedure:

1. Immediately before placing the plant in the hole, it is recommended to dip its root system in Kornevin or Epin solution. In the case when a tree is replanted with a large earthen lump, you can get by with copious spraying from a spray bottle with water and a dissolved product.
2. The seedling is carefully placed in its intended place and gradually covered with soil, which is carefully compacted by hand in order to avoid the formation of air voids at the roots.
3. You need to make sure that the root collar remains on the surface of the earth, otherwise it will begin to rot.
4. In order to young tree was reliably protected from the winds, a peg is driven into the center of the hole, to which, upon completion of planting, a birch trunk is tied. It will serve as a support and will not allow the plant to deform.
5. At the end of the event, the seedling is watered with two buckets of water, a trunk circle is formed around it, which is mulched with leaves or sawdust to retain moisture and prevent cracking of the soil surface.

So, by taking a responsible approach to choosing a seedling and observing all the features of planting the Russian beauty - birch, you can easily grow a beautiful ornamental tree on your site, under whose crown it is so pleasant to sit on a summer evening.

Not all owners of their own plots strive to give the territory an orderly appearance, where the hand of man is felt in the strict placement and selection of plants. Some are closer to natural landscapes, with ordinary trees from the forest, dandelions and field herbs instead of a lawn. Most often, such a landscape is left by summer residents who received the plot with mature trees. Our people are especially partial to birch, because its beauty can compete with rare foreign crops. But let's figure out whether forest birch is always appropriate in the design of a site, and which varieties should be preferred (to avoid problems with neighbors).

If this tree is not yet at your dacha, but the dream of a birch tree near the porch has already begun to excite your heart, first of all weigh all the pros and cons that the forest dweller will bring you.

The “dark side” of birch: growth features

Uncultivated, i.e. wild birch trees grow very quickly and reach incredible sizes. Today's half-meter seedling will overtake the height of the house in five years, and in 20-25 years it can shoot up to 45 meters. Such a tapeworm is very harmonious on a large plot, where the house is large and there is enough territory. But the sight of a huge tree near a small one country house makes the building tiny and absurd.

The birch grove is quite harmonious against the backdrop of modern design solutions - paved paths, a swimming pool and other small forms, if they are designed in the Russian style

In addition to dimensions, the following must be taken into account:

Birch roots are located in the surface layers of the soil and spread outward within a radius of 6-10 meters (depending on the variety). At the same time, they suck nutrition from the ground so actively that even ordinary grass finds it difficult to get along with them. This means you will have to carefully consider the design under the tree and experiment with different plants until a “tolerant neighbor” is found.
An adult tree absorbs more than 60 liters per day in summer. water, and only crumbs of liquid remain for other ornamental crops (under it).
Birch produces a lot of debris; it often renews its foliage, and weeping varieties shed even thin branches. So it will become more difficult to maintain cleanliness in the area.
If your site borders on neighbors, then an incorrectly planted birch tree can cause discord, as it casts a shadow far away, blocking the light of the plants in the lower tiers. And even with 4 meters from the fence allowed by SNiP, an adult tree creates a shady spot over a much larger area.
Fruit trees do not coexist in close proximity to birch trees, so you cannot plant a garden within a radius of 10 meters.

But all these disadvantages can easily turn into advantages if you approach planting wisely.

Obvious advantages of birch plantings

So, it was said above that an adult tree is the most powerful pump pumping moisture out of the ground. If you are “lucky” to buy a dacha in a lowland, where in the spring many places dry out until the end of May, and after the rains there is a swamp for weeks, then forest birch will be very useful for your landscape. It normalizes the humidity level not only within the radius of the root system, but also 10 meters ahead. So in low-lying areas, birch alleys are planted in the direction where is he going natural slope of the land.

The height of the birch tree can play into the hands of those summer residents whose plot is located in an open area and is blown by all the winds. By planting several trees from the north (or the side where the wind blows more often), you will protect fruit trees, grapes and ornamental crops from freezing branches, because without wind, frost is much easier to bear. Only when the birch trees become very large, you will have to plant medium-sized varieties in the second row (you don’t need birches), since the main crown will be too high and will not be able to protect the lower tier of plantings from bad weather.

Plus, the fallen leaves of birch trees are an excellent raw material for. If you knock down a box or make a compost pit, then every year you will have rich soil on hand to fertilize your beds and flower beds. Small twigs will also come in handy: they will act as a layer in the compost, preventing the leaves from compacting and helping air circulation.

An alley of birch trees planted along the fence will protect more delicate ornamental shrubs and roses from strong winds, and there will be less blowing through the windows

Fans of bathing procedures will be able to cut brooms in sufficient quantities, especially since haircuts help to form a more luxuriant crown. True, if a tree swings 20 meters away, you won’t be able to reach the branches. In the spring, the whole family will have healing juice on hand.

How to control the growth of a forest tree?

If the arguments “for” outweigh all the “cons”, plant it boldly. Moreover, it is quite possible for an inexperienced gardener to restrain the growth of a forest beauty. As a rule, birch trees are brought to the site small, up to a meter high, because small seedlings take root more easily. Decide immediately what height will be most harmonious in your landscape.

As soon as the birch tree reaches the desired height after a year or two, cut off the top. This way you will give impetus to the growth of side branches, make the crown thicker and stop growth forever. Pruning is carried out in the summer and after leaf fall.

If a birch tree with several trunks has sprouted on your site, intertwine them and tie them together. In a couple of years this tree will take on its original shape.

IN wildlife There are common and weeping species. The latter do not grow above 20 meters. But if you want to find a seedling of a weeping variety in the forest, you will hardly recognize it by its appearance, since in “childhood” birch trees look almost the same. Focus on mature plants growing nearby. The wind rarely carries another variety over a long distance.

But if you come across an ordinary birch, you can turn it into a weeping one manually. Cut off the crown, and bend the side branches that tend upward and hang them on each weight (water bottles, pieces of iron, etc.). The main thing is not to overdo it with weight. You need to start with small weights, gradually increasing their weight. Then in winter the branches will not break and there will be no frost damage.

To give the branches a certain direction, pins are driven into the ground (as the tent is secured) and branches with weights are tied to them. In winter, the area where the rope and the branch come into contact should be wrapped with a rag to prevent the bark from rubbing.

Options for pruning mature birch

What to do if you got the forest beauty as an adult? There are several options: if the size of the plot allows, leave it as is, and arrange a corner for relaxation under the birch tree. Build a bench around the trunk, hang a hammock or place garden furniture. In such a place you will be cool even in the heat. Under the canopy of foliage, a children's room for girls is also perfect.

Under mature birch trees, cool twilight reigns all summer, so hammocks are hung here, swings and deck chairs are installed, or a children's corner is set up

The second option is to give the birch a more decorative look. It is used by those summer residents who plan to create a more orderly landscape, with trimmed ornamental shrubs, a lawn, paths, etc. In this case, the birch tree can be beautifully pruned:

Leave branches only in the upper part, cutting off the crown and all the side branches growing below. This type of haircut is called “palm tree”, since all the leaves of this tree come from one growing point.
Cut off all the branches and the crown, leaving 10 cm of thick branches on the trunk (imagine how many brooms you will tie together at once!). Then, after a couple of years, the birch will be covered with a large number of young branches coming from the left stumps, and will resemble a kind of green column.

Be prepared that not every mature tree can withstand such a pruning. A birch tree may be sick for a couple of years before it goes into shock. Another disadvantage of cutting adult trunks is that the roots will immediately sprout new shoots. This is how the birch tree insures itself in case of death and shoots out new “offsprings”. True, fighting them is no more difficult than fighting plum or cherry shoots.

To rid the area of excess shadow, the branches of birch trees are completely cut down almost to the very top of the head (haircut a la palm tree)

What plants can live under a birch tree?

Since the ground under the birch will dry out greatly, not all ornamental plants will be able to survive in such conditions. True, in the heat you will still have to water (like any flower garden!).

This is what the list of crops that can get along with the forest “guest” looks like:

Strawberries. Bring a couple of bushes from the forest and plant them right in the grass. It is much more interesting for children to pick such berries and spend weeks picking them in the garden.
Bulbous. These are not afraid of drought, since they bloom in early spring, when there is plenty of moisture even under birch trees. And in the summer you will already dig them up.
Ferns. A plant species that is very resistant to any climate conditions. They will braid the entire space under the birch tree if you give them free rein.
Lilies of the valley. Like the previous plant, they cover the soil with a dense carpet, without suffering at all from shade and dryness.
Anemone (or anemone). It blooms all May and looks organic under a forest tree, since she herself comes from the forest.

As you can see, most of the plants that can “make friends” with birch are forest dwellers. You don’t even have to buy at the market, but go into the forest and “smuggle” to dig up a lot of the necessary sprouts there. True, it is better to do this in early spring, so that the rate of survival is maximum.

Most often, plants are planted under birch trees spring period flowering, since they have enough moisture to form flower stalks after winter

Decorative varieties suitable for small areas

If planting a birch tree is still only a project, there is time to think about whether you need a wild tree. On 4-5 acres it is worth making do with cultivated, grafted varieties that do not grow higher than 3 meters, which means there will be fewer problems.

Yunga belongs to the dwarf birch trees, it is often grafted onto a standard tree, so this plant is appropriate in any territory design

Choosing a suitable location

Birch is a fairly unpretentious tree, but you still need to choose your summer cottage right place for landing. It is worth considering certain points:

It is worth knowing that birch will not get along very well near trees that require frequent watering. This is explained by the fact that during the growth process the soil will become unsuitable for the comfortable growth of shrubs or other trees. Birch will pick you up a large number of moisture from the ground.

It will be best if you plant some kind of lawn grass, which will create additional design territories. It is advisable to choose the eastern side of the site for planting birch. In this case, the necessary balance of shadow and light will be maintained throughout the day.

Methods of growing birch

There are several ways to grow birch. To get a seedling, you can:

grow it from a twig and a seed;
find a seedling in the forest;
purchase in specialized stores.

Each option has its pros and cons. If the plants are purchased in a store or nursery, then the owner will receive a already formed seedling that will be ready for planting and transportation. It will only be necessary to carefully deliver the future trees to the planting site and place them in the ground. You can also find specially bred breeds in the nursery., which will not grow too high. They are ideal for not too large areas.

It is advisable to purchase several species at once so that all trees are in the same age category. When purchasing seedlings using another method, it is also necessary to take into account some features.

Use of seeds

You can propagate a tree using seeds. Typically, birch trees grow in groves that absorb large amounts of moisture from the ground. This is why weeds or large trees cannot coexist with birch. This has a beneficial effect on the spread of seeds around their relatives.

That is why growing birch from seed is a rather complicated process. Only those people who are true connoisseurs of gardening should grow a tree in this way. As you can see, you will have to sacrifice other plantings that could grow nearby.

First you need to find the seeds. To do this, you need to go to the forest in the fall and remove several branches from the plant. After this, they are tied into a bundle and hung for storage in a completely dry place. Under these conditions, the seeds will fully ripen. The branches are shaken well and the finished seeds are collected.

It is worth noting that planting should be done exclusively in the year in which the collection was carried out.

Seeds must be buried in autumn or early winter. To prepare a place for planting, the ground needs to be dug to a depth of about 30 cm. Various roots, as well as weeds, must be completely removed from this place. You should also purchase antifungal drugs used for treatment. The soil must be carefully monitored until the moment when the seeds are placed in the soil.

We must carefully ensure that the ground is clean. 10 days before sowing, it is necessary to carry out the last manipulations. The soil will need to be well leveled, and then holes should be dug 5 cm deep. Sowing must be done on a day when the weather is calm. All holes are fertilized with humus and loose soil.

Application of cuttings

It is worth noting right away that not all gardeners use this method, since birch in some cases is difficult to take root. But the process is quite simple. You just need to use absolutely any birch tree and find a young cutting on it that is approximately 60 cm long.

It should be cut off very carefully and then placed in a substance that is made from a mixture of root formation stimulant and water. After this, the seedling must be stored at a temperature of 25 degrees.

When the cutting takes root, it will need to be transplanted into a pot so that the root continues to develop. It should be watered well two or three times a day and make sure that the soil does not dry out. You need to constantly add good fertilizer. In a few weeks the seedling will fully take root. After this, it will need to be removed from the pot and planted in the chosen place.

Choosing a seedling in the forest

To find good seedling, you need to visit the birch grove. A young birch tree that needs to be found in the forest in the fall may die without taking root. It is for this reason that it is necessary to look for trees that are approximately 100 centimeters in height. It is necessary to make sure that there are no twisted branches on it, and that there are no traces of harmful diseases on the bark.

At home, you will need to fill the hole with complex fertilizers, especially if the birch was transported from the forest.

The digging scheme will be as follows:

To get the tree out of the ground, you need to carefully dig it around the column.
Then dig into the soil from all sides with a shovel.
Pull out the seedling.

Under no circumstances should the roots be shaken off the ground. Otherwise, they will immediately dry out and the seedling will die. The birch needs to be placed in a bag or bucket. After this, the plant is covered with soil. You need to very quickly move the tree to the chosen location and plant it on your site.

The tree must be replanted very carefully.

Rules for planting and transplanting

Usually transplanting or planting is carried out in the summer, but it can also be done in the fall. To plant a birch tree in the fall, you need to choose the period when the leaves on the remaining trees have already begun to slowly fall off. The ideal month would be the end of September or the beginning of October. It is very important that the tree has time to take root in the new territory before frost sets in.

Costs Special attention give to the roots of the seedling. Under no circumstances should they be damaged or bare. If the birch takes root in the fall, then new roots may appear in the spring.

Basic Rules:

The hole must be dug one meter by one meter.
Loose soil should be placed at the bottom.
After this, the seedling is placed in the hole.
Now you need to fill it with water, and then cover it with soil.

It is very important to use a harness. Because without necessary support a young birch simply cannot withstand the strong wind, and the seedling will sway. In this case, the roots will not be able to take root well and the tree will die. You can use strong rope or wire as a binding. Fixation should be ensured on four sides. The rope should be well tensioned, but it should not be allowed to strongly pull the tree in any one direction.

When planting in autumn, it is necessary to use fertilizers containing phosphorus. They will be able to strengthen the root system and serve further development. Under no circumstances should manure or nitrogen fertilizer be used.

Features of tree trimming

Not all gardeners know how to properly prune a birch tree. For example, many people are interested in whether it is possible to trim a birch tree to its height. You should learn as much as possible about the pruning process before you begin.

It is worth noting that birch can easily tolerate pruning when it is still young. But this process cannot be carried out in the spring, when the process of sap flow occurs. Crown formation is also not worth doing late autumn.

A tree that is already for a long time grows on the site, does not tolerate trunk pruning very well.

It is best to prune a birch tree while it is still in at a young age. Then an ugly stump will not form at the very top of the tree. And also in this way you can achieve better health for your seedling, since old and weak branches will be removed.

Pruning should only be done when the tree has grown very large. In such cases, quite often branches can cling to wires or become an obstacle to nearby structures.

Pruning is also done if the birch tree is quite old. In this way, the growth of young branches can be stimulated; this process will be of great benefit. Usually the procedure is carried out in late autumn or already in winter.

Caring for birch is quite simple, but the most important thing is to find the right place to plant and root the plant. It is this process that must be carefully monitored so that the tree does not die.