It is possible to replant plants when it turns out that the wrong place has been chosen for them, but any transplantation comes as a shock to them. We plant them once every many years, and often for their entire life, so it is important that the habitat is beneficial for the plants in all respects.
Plant selection
The aboveground part should have a shapely, even habit, characteristic for the species or variety, intense color of needles, new green growths. It is important that the volume of the root ball is proportional to the above-ground part, and that the substrate is moist, all overgrown with roots, so that young, light roots are visible outside the container.However, they should not be rolled up at the bottom of the pot.
Soil
Most conifers like fertile, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.0-6.0 and moderate humidity. However, individual species have their preferences. Fir trees are the most demanding. They grow in fertile, moderately moist soils, and cannot stand drought. Among the firs, the most tolerant is Abies concolor, which grows on poorer soils. Spruce, cypress and larch are also less demanding on the soil, but fresh soils, ie fertile with moderate moisture, favor their development. Pine trees grow well in dry and sandy soils. And the least picky are junipers.Not all conifers like acidic soil. The individual requirements for soil pH are as follows: Norway spruce Picea abies, Serbian spruce P. omorica, Scots pine Pinus sylvestris - pH 4.5-5.0; Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziessi - 5.0-6.0; fir Abies sp.- 6.0-6.5; mountain pine Pinus mugo, black pine Pinus nigra - 6.8-7.0; larch Larix - 6.0-8.0.
Moisture
In dry climates the following plants grow well: blue spruce Picea pungens, California fir Abies concolor, pine pine Pinus cembra. Moist stands require: Douglas fir Pseudotsuga mamziesii, Canadian pine Tsuga kanadensis, yews Taxus sp., And in wetlands, the marsh cypress Taxodium distichum develops.
Light
Larchs and pines need the most light, followed by spruces, junipers- especially creeping ones - and all conifers with colored needles. On the other hand, in shaded places yews, microbiota and pine trees grow well.
Air
Contaminated air in the city is harmful to plants as the dust builds up on the needles, making photosynthesis difficult. However, such conditions are tolerated by junipers, pines, larches, ginkgo and California fir.The remaining fir trees, on the other hand, feel in dry and polluted air - they like high air humidity.
When to plant?
Nursed plants sold in containers can be planted from spring to mid-September; also in summer, avoiding periods of heat and drought. However, the best time to plant in our climate is spring - from mid-April to mid-May, before new growths develop, or after the end of vegetation - from mid-August to mid-September. Conifers do not undergo absolute dormancy in winter, therefore, after planting, they must sprout new, young roots before winter, which they can use to collect water from the soil.
Plant density
The distances at which we plant should allow the plants to grow freely, without having to trim them after a few years. We plant trees and large shrubs spaced 3-5 m apart, medium shrubs every 2-3 m, and smaller bushes every 1-2 m. Creeping forms used as ground cover - 2-3 pcs./square meter. Trees planted next to buildings should be 8-10 m away from the walls , and column forms 5-6 m.
Protection and care
When the weather becomes unfavorable after planting, it is, for example, too warm or drying winds blow, to limit transpiration, it is worth tying the shoots with a soft string or covering with shades, frame mats, fir branches, but never with foil. To increase the humidity of the air in the environment, it is also advisable to sprinkle the bushes.
Transplanting
Coniferous plants transplanted from natural places are rarely adopted, because they live in symbiosis with specific species of mycorrhizal fungi and have an extensive root system. However, it is possible to replant plants within the garden, then we are dealing with plants that have already been nursed. However, for a long time after transplanting, the plants regenerate and often fail to take up in a new place.Among the conifers, transplanting is well tolerated by: yews, thuja, cypress trees, silver spruce, Siberian spruce and their varieties. Junipers and black pines are much more difficult to replant.
When to overdo it?
Most preferably in early spring (April - early May). The plant must be watered well before transplanting. The soil is then heavier, but more compact. Young and small specimens can be dug with as much soil as possible, at least the diameter of the crown. It is worth placing a sheet under the root ball so that it does not fall apart during the transfer to the already prepared place. When planting in a new place, it is important to maintain the same orientation of plants in relation to the directions of the world in which they grew in the old place.When transplanting older and larger copies, the entire process must be spread over two or three seasons. In the first year, in the spring, after delineating the contour of the root ball and dividing the resulting circle into four quarters, dig a narrow groove with a depth of approx.60 cm on every second quarter of the circle, cutting through the encountered roots. The groove on the outside is lined with thick foil and covered with fertile soil. The plant will rebuild the root system, and the foil will prevent the roots from growing sideways. The following year, we do the same with the other two quarters of the circumference of the circle around the plant. In the third year, we proceed to replanting. Vertical roots are pruned and garden jute is put under the entire root ball, and the solid is tied with ropes. And only such a prepared plant can be moved to a new place. Let's not forget about the lashings. After planting, it is very important to provide the plants with water systematically for the next year.
