Canadian spruce "Alberta Globe": description and tips for growing

Fans of coniferous trees will definitely like the miniature Canadian spruce "Alberta Globe". This plant requires special care, but its attractive appearance is a worthy payment for the efforts and efforts. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of the Canadian spruce Alberta Globe: how planting and care, reproduction and treatment are performed.

The Canadian Alberta Globe spruce has been around for about half a century. It was first discovered in the late 1960s in Holland. The gardener K. Streng was attracted by the round crown of the tree. The plant appeared as a result of a random mutation, but later the variety was fixed by selection. This variety was named "Alberta Globe" glauca.

Canadian spruce is also known as gray and white. Its original shape is conic. The main difference is in size, but the subtleties of care and cultivation are identical. So, by the age of 30, the tree, having a trunk width of only 1 meter, reaches a height of 0.7 to 1 meter. It is worth considering the fact that the breeding species grows much more slowly. Initially, for the first few years, the spruce grows both in height and in width from 2 to 4 cm. Only at 6 or 7 years can there be an increase of 10 cm at once, and usually active growth continues up to 12-15 years.

A ten-year-old spruce has an already formed crown, while its diameter is 40 cm. Now the tree already needs constant haircuts so that the crown does not lose its shape. Crohn's is characterized by high density. New shoots are light brown in color. They are almost imperceptible behind a large number of needles. At the beginning of the season, the needles are quite light, but closer to autumn it transforms into bright green. It has an amazing aroma that is very similar to blackcurrant.

Alberta Globe spruce thrives in a cool, shaded place, although it can grow in the sun as well. Strong winds, a fairly close standing of groundwater, as well as planting on saline, dry or dense soils can have a detrimental effect. It is worth noting that getting wet leads to the death of the root collar, as a result, the tree dies. Loose soils are the best choice. It is very important to shade the tree from the sun in late winter and early spring.

A landing hole should be dug 70 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter. Next, you need to make drainage from expanded clay or broken brick. Its thickness should be about 20 cm. But for the preparation of a fertile mixture, it is worth taking clay, sand, sour peat and sod land. Allows the addition of leaf humus, as well as about 150 grams of nitroamofoska as fertilizer.

It is worth purchasing seedlings in a nursery, while their age should be 4–5 years, since lateral branches are already forming on them at this time. In this case, the root must be dug out with the soil. If you buy a tree in a store, then you should consider container options. Before planting, it is very important to water the spruce in a container, its root should not dry out.

When the hole for planting has already been dug, then it is worth pouring 2/3 of the fertile mixture into it, pour water over everything and wait for everything to settle. And only after 14 days, you can go directly to planting spruce, adhering to the following algorithm of actions:

• it is worth removing the soil from the hole so that when planting, the root collar of the seedling is located with the edges at the same level;
• then they begin to fill up the root system, while compacting the soil; if the spruce is dug up with a lump of earth wrapped in burlap, then it should not be removed from the material;
• when the spruce is planted, the soil should be gently tamped just with your feet;
• after that, an earthen roller is made around the trunk circle;
• the spruce needs to be well watered, while 1 bucket of water goes to one tree;
• after absorbing the liquid, mulching is carried out with sour peat, while its layer should be at least 5 cm.

To keep Alberta Globe spruce looking beautiful and healthy, it needs good care.

The Canadian Alberta Globe spruce needs abundant watering after planting. Particular attention should be paid to watering the first two weeks. The tree is moisture-loving, therefore, if possible, it should be watered with a hose or planted near the fountain. Watering should be done in the morning and in the evening after 18 hours. In this case, the crown will be able to dry out even before its leaves are under the sun's rays, and in the evening they will also have time to dry before dark.

Young spruce needs additional feeding. It is worth paying attention to fertilizers that are intended exclusively for conifers. You should purchase feed separately for each season, as they will have a different content. It is very important to follow the instructions in order not to overdo the dosage.

Foliar dressing is an excellent choice, which has a great influence on the appearance of the tree. They can be used no more than once every 2 weeks.

Since the lower branches are practically on the ground, loosening the soil requires skill. This procedure should be performed after planting for several years, namely: after each watering. A special tool is on sale that loosens shallowly, since the roots of the tree pass near. For mulching, sour peat or the bark of conifers, pre-treated with fungicides, should be used. Thus, you can retain moisture in the soil, protect against weeds, and also create a special layer for the lower branches of the spruce so that they do not directly touch the soil.

Since the Canadian spruce has a very dense crown, it needs to be cleaned. Water does not enter the crown, as a result of which dryness increases, mites appear. Regular pruning is inconvenient and very difficult, which is why many gardeners are involved in cleaning it. To begin with, you need to fully equip yourself, wearing gloves, goggles, armbands and a respirator, since a lot of dust is generated during cleaning, and the needles of the plant scratch the skin. You can clean the crown exclusively in dry form, so several days should pass after watering.

It is necessary to push the spruce branches apart, to clean off all the needles that have dried up. After cleaning, the tree should be treated with a copper-based fungicide. The inner side of the tree requires special processing.

Alberta Globe spruce is not afraid of frost, but young trees of the first year after planting require protection from a decrease in temperature. Usually they are wrapped with agrofibre, or spruce branches are used. After that, mulching is carried out with sour peat, then in the spring it can be simply mixed with the soil.

Alberta Globe spruce is usually propagated by cuttings or by grafting. If you try a seed for this, then the result is a species tree. The use of grafting, like grafting, is a rather difficult job, so it is better for novice gardeners to do this. It is necessary to cut a branch at the bottom of the crown, while its length should be no more than 12 cm. It should be cut with a small piece of bark. The cutting should be treated with a root stimulant. After that, the cutting is planted in sand or sod soil, the depth should be 2-3 cm.

The part of the shoot that will be located in the soil gets rid of the needles. Each container must have holes so that water can flow out of it. All containers with cuttings should be placed in a cool greenhouse, where organized watering will be carried out. Those cuttings that take root should then be transplanted into the soil, which already includes turf soil, peat and sand. After about 5 years, the stalk can be planted in a permanent place of growth. If buds form at the top of the tree, then it is ready for transplantation.

The most vicious pest for Alberta Globe is the spider mite. It usually appears when there is a lack of moisture. If you do not clean and moisturize the crown in time, the spruce will become a breeding ground for ticks, which means it can infect other trees nearby. Quite often, Alberta Globe spruce suffers from such pests as:

• hermes;
• gall aphid;
• spruce leaf roll;
• caterpillar "Nun".

The most common diseases of Alberta Globe spruce include the following:

• rust;
• rot;
• fusarium;
• spruce whirligig;
• bark necrosis;
• shyute (ordinary and snowy);
• wound cancer.

To get rid of pests, insecticides should be applied. But to get rid of ticks will help acaricides. Fungicides are suitable for the treatment of various diseases. To treat the crown of a tree, it is worth using preparations that contain copper.

Today, conifers are increasingly used in landscape design, as they make the air healthier, saturate it with phytoncides. In addition, in cold regions, ordinary trees stand without foliage for about six months, and only conifers adorn the landscape. Canadian spruce Alberta Globe attracts attention with its small height. It looks great in small gardens. But in spacious areas, Canadian spruce is often used to form the lower or middle tier.

Since Alberta Globe spruce grows slowly, has a compact size and has an attractive crown, it is often used in rock gardens and rockeries. Such a tree will perfectly fit into a garden made in an oriental or English style. This spruce is often used as a replacement for thuja. The tree can be grown even in the shade.

In the next video you will find a short overview of the Canadian spruce "Alberta Globe".