Cross-pair microbiota: cultivation, planting, care

Coniferous microbiota shrub is deservedly popular with gardeners. This beautiful, soft to the touch bush is an ornament in many gardens. In addition, it is not difficult to care at all and it fills the neighborhood with the smell of needles. But not every gardener knows how to take care of this bush. Let's see what kind of shrub and how to care for him.

Description and variety

Cross-pair microbiota - coniferous shrub belonging to the family of cypress.

The bush in height does not exceed 1 m, and in width reaches 7 meters. It occurs mainly in Russia. Listed as a rare plant in the Red Book. It was discovered by B. K. Shishkin in 1921. The roots of the bush branch out. The branches reach up to 2 meters, but do not rise high, creep along the bottom. In winter, the branches of microbiota become brown. The plant is propagated by seeds that are in a cone 5-6 mm in length. These are unpretentious, but not tolerating a large amount of salt in the soil and requiring constant watering of shrubs.

There are many varieties of microbiota. Let us dwell on two of them - Jacobsen and Goldspot.

Jacobsen is a compact microbiota. By 10 years, its height is 40 cm. The height of a more adult bush will be 60 cm. In diameter, the bush will not exceed 1.5 meters. This variety of microbiota has an open crown. Young planting grows up. As they grow older, the branches of the shrub begin to bend. Have a reddish tint. The bush grows slowly. Needles up to 2 mm in length, has a green color. If you rub it in your hands, you can feel a special, only her inherent flavor. The plant does not tolerate acidic soil. Does not like a lot of light. Wind protection is required.

The second type of shrub - Goldspot. This variety of microbiota is larger in size than Jacobsen. At the age of ten, the plant reaches 0.5 m in height and 150 cm in diameter. At the ends of the needles has a cream shade. Its main part is green. Cones ranging in size from 30 to 60 mm have only one seed, which ripens in early September. The roots go deep underground. He loves shade and needs shelter from the wind.

Landing

Planting microbiota occurs in a special hole, depending on the size of the root. The root neck should not go deeper into the soil by more than 1-2 cm. At the bottom of the pit, it is necessary to put 0.2 m of drainage, for which it is better to take stone chips or rubble. You also need to add sand and compost. Shrubs are grown at a distance of at least 1 meter from neighboring plants. If planting in a row, the distance between plants should be at least 0.5 m. After planting, the ground should be mulched with wood shavings or peat to 0.1 m.

Watering

Watering microbiota should be carried out regularly. Watering shrubs is only when the top layer of the earth has dried out. In the absence of rain, the microbiota needs to be watered twice a week. After the renewal of natural precipitation, the need for such a strong irrigation will be absent. In addition, the plant must be sprayed every evening. Watering rego, you need to pour out every day from 5 to 7 liters of water for each copy. Sprinkling is also needed. It is carried out mainly in spring and summer and is held in the morning and evening. It is better to irrigate the first year of the bush life every other day - this helps the microbiota to be cleansed of dirt and dust.

Top dressing

Growing microbiota is impossible without fertilizer.You can use a solution of mullein.

Also use mineral fertilizers, but wisely: the microbiota is very sensitive to the composition of the fertilizer. Here are some rules on how to feed the plants:

• Do not use nitrogen, as the plant will not be able to survive the winter and die: the shoots will turn yellow and extensive chlorosis will begin.
• Also shrub is contraindicated manure.
• But compost at the rate of 3-5 kg ​​per 1 sq. Km. m will be most welcome.
• Also, for feeding this plant has worked well biohumus.
• It is also necessary to feed the microbiota with microelements. Otherwise, chlorosis may occur.
• In addition, the plant does not tolerate stress: shoots can not mature after wintering.
• It is also necessary to use magnesium. Microbiotas, like any other plant, need to "breathe", but like a hedgehog it does not contain leaves. Therefore, it is necessary to additionally help the plant form photosynthesis. And magnesium is just contained in the nucleus of the chlorophyll molecule, which means that it will help the shrub to form photosynthesis.This element should be given in the form of dolomite flour or in fertilizers that contain magnesium.

Findings:

• Let's microbiota a lot of trace elements.
• Remove nitrogen from the dressings.
• Use magnesium as the main ingredient in top dressing.

The microbiota needs to be fed twice a year. The first dressing is best done in May, the second - in August, in order for the plant to prepare for winter.

In May, it is best to fertilize the shrub with Uniflor Bud - it contains magnesium, almost no nitrogen, and many trace elements. Uniflor Cactus is also suitable - among other things, it contains calcium, and as many trace elements as Uniflor Buton.

To prepare the solution, take 2-3 ml of fertilizer, dilute in 3 liters of water and pour the earth around the plant. When using sprinkling, take the same amount of top dressing, but dilute with 10 liters of water, otherwise there will be burns on the planting. In August, strengthen the plant with the help of Uniflor Micro. 0.5 ml of the drug is taken per plant. To measure this value is difficult. To measure it, make the mother liquor: dilute the fertilizer 10 times, and then prepare the working solution.Water the plant, knowing that for one copy you need 5 ml of stock solution.

Loosening

It is very important to loosen the soil where the roots of the microbiota lie. Loosening is necessary to eliminate soil compaction and remove the roots of harmful plants. It is necessary to loosen very carefully, so as not to damage the roots of the shrub. Loosening is carried out in the spring as soon as the snow melts and the earth dries from excess moisture in it. Further, the loosening is carried out as necessary - when compacting the ground. Most often loosen during the vegetative period.

Weeding

Weeding is necessary for weed control: they take the light from the bush, the area for growth and useful substances from the ground. In addition, weeds favor the development of plant diseases, as well as the appearance of harmful insects on it. The use of chemicals is undesirable. They are used only in emergency cases.

Transfer

Shrub not tolerate transplant without root coma. For transplants using sprouts lying on the soil. Cuttings are taken in the size of 8-10 cm. It is necessary to use root formation stimulants, such as "Cornerost", "Heteroauxin", "Kornevin" It is also necessary to maintain temperature and humidity. In the fall, about 90% of the cuttings can be transplanted into the school, as they form good rhizomes.

Wintering

To the bush well wintered, it must be prepared for the winter. To do this, at the end of autumn it must be carefully watered. You need to pour at least two buckets under each shrub. In winter, the snow that has wrapped the microbiota needs to be swept away, as it can break the branches of the bush.

Plant care

Necessary microbiota care includes fertilizer and weed disposal. After two years of planting life, the fertilizer “Kemira Universal” is applied with the calculation of 20 g / sq. m. You can also make nitroammofosku. Fertilizer is applied 1 time in 2 years. It is necessary to water the shrub. On average, you need to pour 6 liters of water on each bush. You can use the sprinkler in the evenings. Fogging installations are also used. Loosening of young stock is carried out no deeper than 6 cm, and more mature bushes - no deeper than 15 cm. The shrub needs weeding. Mulch microbiota with peat or chips up to 10 cm immediately after planting. To save the planting from the sun it must be covered with a layer of 15 cm dry leaves. The microbiota is not afraid of harmful insects, and it is not afraid of diseases.

Breeding

Microbiota propagated by cuttings and seeds. Seeds ripen in early fall. Get them hard. In addition, we need special conditions for germination. Seeds should be fresh, because after 1-2 years they lose their germination. They are planted before winter, or it is necessary to stratify them for a few months at the minimum positive temperature.

During the reproduction of the microbiota, about 1/3 of the cuttings take root. The cutting is carried out at the end of spring. It is produced by separating the twigs with a piece of bark from the mother plant. From the side of the bark it is necessary to process the cutting with the help of "Kornevina". Next, the next young bush is planted in the substrate so that 1/3 of it is in the ground. Above the stalk is closed with a can or a mini-greenhouse. You can plant cuttings differently. To do this, take a dark film and put wet moss on it. Separated from the mother bush sprigs spread heels in the moss (a piece of bark). Upward spread the same moss. Further, all this is twisted and tied with a rope from two sides. One end of the "roll" is inserted into the 2.5 cm jar of water. The top of the "sandwich" is wrapped in a film so that it fits snugly. It is important that the film be without holes (otherwise the water will evaporate).Until the end of September, all young bushes should be transplanted into the ground.

Use in landscape design

Microbiota in landscape design has a special role. She is a true discovery of the 20th century in this industry. The size of the planting is small in height. But at the expense of the width of the shrub is a prominent part of the garden. The microbiota is perfectly combined with flowers and trees. The garden is filled with the smell of pine needles. The needles of the plant are pleasant to touch and very soft. There are several styles of garden decoration using microbiota. Let's look at them.

• Russian manor. The microbiota is planted at reservoirs, surrounding it with birch and willow. Nearby can be a gazebo or a swing for children. Also here come fruit trees and flower beds. All this reminds of old estates in Russia of the XYII-XIX century.

• English style. Here, this shrub is used virtually everywhere: on lawns, in the design of slopes and hills of stone. The appearance and color of the planting emphasizes the English aristocracy, and also creates a beautiful landscape style.

You can plant planting along the trails, it perfectly emphasizes the taste of the owners of the garden. Also, the bush will suit stone slides and stone garden decorations: the microbiota is planted on the slopes of stones, which creates a natural look of the garden “plan”.

The bush perfectly gets on with coniferous fellows. Also suitable is a creeping plant like periwinkle.

Combinations of microbiota and other plantings can also be quite interesting. The microbiota is best combined with conifers - thujas, juniper and conic spruce. Usually planting is located on the sides of the ensemble. Planted these plants along the trails leading into the house or garden. You can plant a shrub with dwarf mountain pine - this combination looks no less impressive. Even better is the combination of microbiota and flowers with trees such as lilac, phlox, roses. This game of color makes a unique color plantings.

Microbiota is a beautiful coniferous shrub, unpretentious in care. Various compositions with it will create an individual style of your garden.