How to form a sheffler crown correctly?

Crown formation is a very important moment in the process of growing shefflera. This allows you to give the plant a more aesthetic appearance, stock up on propagation material and maintain the health of the tree. In addition to pruning, you need to periodically pinch the twigs and follow the rules for the subsequent care of this southern plant.

Many novice growers often neglect plant pruning, but in vain. This procedure not only makes it possible to give the bush the desired shape, but also protects it from diseases. Scheffler, despite his unpretentiousness, especially needs the timely removal of unnecessary shoots.

Pruning shefflers can be of two types:

1. direct formation of the crown - for greater splendor and density of the plant;
2. removal of weak, yellowed, dried out, diseased branches.

In order for the plant to start branching, you need to cut off the top. Then you get a lush tree with a dense crown. If you want to form a bush, you need to cut the trunk itself over the still-awake kidney. In this case, the plant will start throwing twigs all over the trunk.

It is important to choose the right time for such operations. During the dormant period, in winter, the plant does not need to be touched. This not only will not give the desired result, but it can also negatively affect the health of the tree. It is best to wait for spring (March – April), when the plant wakes up and all processes are restored.

Pruning is not just a whim of a florist in love with his business. This is a necessary operation that needs to be performed regularly. It performs the following functions:

1. allows you to give the plant the desired shape, depending on the wishes of the owner;
2. promotes the growth of young twigs;
3. makes it possible to obtain material for propagation without harm to the tree itself;
4. helps to remove damaged or diseased shoots after hibernation.

It is important not to overdo it and not cut off too much, otherwise, instead of a continuous benefit, the operation can harm the plant. Too long shoots are usually cut by one third. This is enough to shape and achieve the desired result.

In addition, pruning a plant, in particular, shefflers, requires adherence to certain rules in order for the process to be the least painful and bring the maximum benefit. Several factors apply to these rules.

1. Compliance with the time of the operation. It is carried out in early spring before the growing season begins.
2. The first pruning is carried out after the plant grows up and more or less forms, hardens, gets used to the conditions. For the first time, 3-4 internodes are cut on a branch.
3. In no case should you use scissors - only good quality pruning shears and sharpened ones.
4. Sections must be treated with an antiseptic (activated carbon is good), but if the branches are thick, the cut will need to be covered.
5. An adult plant can be cut at the root (if necessary) - it will not die, on the contrary, it will give young shoots and grow back.
6. To provoke the growth of lateral shoots to form a round crown, you need to cut off the top of the plant by 6-7 internodes.
7. To branch evenly, you need to pinch the tips of the branches.
8. After winter, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning.

Like any other manipulation of plants, pruning should be done in the spring. Most often this is March – April, the time when the plant wakes up from hibernation, and all life processes are resumed in it.

Cutting the bushes at other times of the year is not worth it. In the fall, they prepare for hibernation and may not recover (or recover incompletely) after the procedure. In winter, when the plants have a dormant period, in general, they do not need to be touched. They rest and gain strength before the new season.

Rested, with a supply of fresh strength and juices, the plants feel great and endure all procedures with vigor.

For high-quality pruning, shefflers need to stock up on a reliable, sharp pruner, garden pitch and activated charcoal or other antiseptic. You cannot use scissors when cutting - they can cause additional damage. It is much safer and more convenient to use a professional tool specially designed for this purpose.

An antiseptic is also indispensable - they will need to process the cut sites. This will help shorten the healing time and prevent infection or pests from entering the wound. For thick twigs for the same purpose, garden var is used - a viscous substance, similar to plasticine or putty, with which wounds and injuries on the trunks and branches of plants are covered.

Schefflera is an undemanding plant that is fairly easy to give the desired shape. For example, to form a tall tree with a rounded crown, it is necessary to provoke the growth of lateral shoots, which are then cut in the form of a ball. To do this, you need to cut off the top of the tree a little, cutting off 6 or 7 internodes.

You can plant several plants in one pot at once - their intertwined trunks in combination with a lush green crown will create a very beautiful composition.

To get a fluffy branchy bush, it is necessary to provoke the growth of lateral shoots at a low height. To do this, you can cut the trunk over the unawakened kidney. This technique leads to the fact that the plant begins to release twigs all over the trunk.

It looks interesting and unusual when several shoots of the same height and density go from the root itself. This can be achieved by cutting off an adult plant at the root and further strictly controlling the course of its growth, pinching or cutting off unnecessary shoots.

Despite the fact that the shefflera came to us from tropical latitudes, she is quite undemanding to care for. Even a beginner, inexperienced florist can grow it. But there are still certain rules, and they must be followed in order to get a strong healthy plant.To provide the bush with the necessary conditions, you first need to understand what kind and variety of shefflera you have to deal with. Each of them has its own requirements, there are more or less whimsical, those that tolerate direct sunlight, and those for which it is contraindicated.

However, there are requirements that are the same for any variety.

It can be either purchased or prepared on your own. In the first case, you will need to add sand. If the soil is made at home, you will need to stock up on sod, leafy soil, plant humus and river sand. Each next component is taken in a smaller volume than the previous one (for example, 4: 3: 2: 1).

Sand - either when added to purchased soil, or when making a homemade mixture, it must be calcined in an oven or microwave, and then let it settle for a month in the cool and dark.This is necessary so that possible pests living in river sand die under the influence of high temperature, and the beneficial microorganisms necessary for normal growth have time to recover in it.

In addition, a layer of expanded clay should be laid along the bottom of the pot in order to ensure good drainage of the soil. It is also very important to ensure that the soil surface is compacted.

Although the sheffler arrived in our latitudes from the tropics, she does not like excessively high temperatures. The following regime will be optimal: in summer +22 degrees during the day, +16 at night, and in winter - from +14 to +16 degrees Celsius.

Here the Scheffler loves humidity, but, of course, also within reasonable limits. It is not so difficult to create comfortable conditions for her. It is enough not to put the plant near air conditioners and heating devices, regularly (at least twice a day) spray the bush and periodically wipe the leaves.

Here the type and variety of the plant already matters. For example, there are varieties with a pattern on the leaves. If such a plant is exposed to a stream of direct sunlight, the pattern will fade and the plant will lose its attractiveness. Some varieties, in general, can get sunburn - brownish spots on the leaves.

Therefore, the sheffler is not exposed to direct sunlight. It is not placed on windowsills, especially if the window faces south. But she also does not like the shadow, and it will not work to attach a plant in the back of the room. It is best to place it near a window (on a table, for example), so that it receives enough light, but not in direct sunlight, from which it needs to be covered.

Water the sheffler every 2-4 days in the warm season, and once every 10-12 days in the cold.

If the plant is already large, it is best to place it in a special tray filled with pebbles and pour water into it. The plant itself will take the required volume.

There are few rules here. It is enough to remember that liquid fertilizers are applied every 10 days, stopping only in winter, from December to February. And in spring and until autumn, the plant is sprayed every month with special bioregulators (for example, "Zircon", "Epin" and others).

That's all the simple rules for growing and caring for a shefflera. This tropical beauty is surprisingly unpretentious, and even a novice grower can satisfy its requirements. And she will thank you with bright greenery, a dense crown and good health.