To the story of this plant – a beautiful, proud handsome cedar — I want to come back again and again. Moreover, for me cedar is not just a tree, about which I heard something, read somewhere. For me, cedar is a living, familiar from childhood plant that accompanies me throughout my life.
In this publication we will talk about how to grow cedar in the easiest and easiest way (I will share my experience in this matter), as well as a little about my personal impressions of this majestic tree.
What the cedars is in the nature
I note that here we are not talking about these cedars, which in nature there are only 4 species, they all belong to the genus Cedrus.
Our cedar belongs to the genus Pinus and is called Pinus sibirica. By the way, cedar pines include the following types of pines:
- Pinus sibirica
- Pinus pumila
- Pinus cembra
- Pinus koraiensis.
This publication is about Pinus sibirica. The seeds of these cedars are small and inedible, but the cedar pines are formed quite large nuts, very tasty and healthy. Pinus sibirica nuts have the greatest healing properties.
Cedar is not to be confused with a pine tree
Majestic trees always cause spiritual awe and inexplicable delight when you see them in nature, in their native habitat.
Cedar can not be confused with other coniferous trees, and although it is most similar to the usual pine, you can distinguish them at once: in General, the color of the bark, the shape of the crown. The cedar branches grow from the bottom, forming a smooth oval luxurious crown, the color of the bark is dark gray, the needles are longer and in one bundle they are usually several, and pine is always only two.
As a child, we grew up in a small town, ate pine nuts even more than seeds. Then I met cedar while traveling with his parents in the woods for mushrooms, and later in his travels. Also, young cedars grown from nuts grow in my country.
How to grow cedar
So how to grow cedar on your site without any problems? Typically, the cultivation of this tree is represented as a very complex process with stratification and other cunning techniques. Nothing to do, the main thing is to sow the nuts of cedar in the right time, and in the autumn.
Repeatedly I sowed pine nuts, and every spring consistently appear young seedlings. Now my cedars, planted in this way seven years ago, reach a height of about 70-80 cm.
Seeding of cedar seeds
Autumn sowing of cedar is desirable in October fresh nuts. But it is possible to take cones which were collected last year, anything terrible. Benefit from it nuts.
For seeding cedar land is desirable to loosen, remove weeds, make grooves in it and spread the nuts at a distance of about 10 cm from each other. Cover with earth.
If there is a pine forest nearby, you can bring out the land from under the pines or collect coniferous litter and add it all to the ground for sowing cedars. It is also good to sprinkle the seeds with this soil. All!
Shoots appear next spring. From the ground shows tiny shoots on top of which still sit the shells of nuts. After a while they fly off, and opens a small umbrella of needles – this is a newborn cedar, a miracle of nature.
How young cedar grows
Young cedars grow very slowly. In the first year and will stand this sprout with an umbrella, no other processes will not.
Next year it will grow a little more. And then it will give gains every year: in the side will begin to depart side shoots. One year-one increase with side branches.
Care of the young cedars
How to care for cedar trees? Nothing special to do, but there are some rules for better plant growth. Cedars need to create conditions similar to those in which they are in nature. And young cedars grow under the cover of their parents, that is, in the shade, and not in the hot sun. In the cedar forest there is almost no grass,but only coniferous litter, there is humidity.
Therefore, we observe the following rules:
- A bed for cedars is desirable to arrange in a place, at least partially shaded on hot days. You can create this shading artificially arranged above the cedar canopy or planted next to some plants (for example, I sowed about cedars dill, but not a lot).
- Definitely a bed with cedars necessary to weed, to weed they are not choked, because the first shoots are very small.
- From time to time to water the plants, arrange them sprinkling, especially if there is heat, and no rain.
Transplantation
Transplanted to a permanent place cedar can be about the third or fourth year. Although I planted my cedars and in the sixth year, and they are well tolerated transplant. This tree root system does not form a long taproot, and spreads superficially, so it is not difficult to transplant. And yet to delay placement in a fixed place is not necessary.
So if you want to grow yourself in your garden cedar – do not be afraid, it is very simple. Buy cedar cones and go! Of course, you can buy a seedling of cedar is already large and plant a tree immediately ready, but believe me, grow yourself a cedar from a nut, watch its growth and development – it’s such a pleasure and a special joy!