Seedlings of black pine Green Tower will help to decorate the countryside so that they look like in the picture in the magazine on the garden landscape, because the variety creates the effect of fairy tale and magic. They are beautiful and unpretentious trees to care for, which attract attention with their appearance both in single plantings and in group ones.

Description and Features

Black pine (mountain) Green Tower (Pinus nigra Green Tower) - coniferous plant belonging to the Pine family. It has a columnar crown. The natural environment of pine trees is the mountains of southern Europe from Spain to Yugoslavia. In these areas, it forms impenetrable thickets that prevent soil erosion and delay snow avalanches. The plant also serves as a home and refuge for birds and animals.The needles are thick, thick, directed upwards, rather soft and long (12-14 cm) painted in dark green with a bluish tint, has a persistent and pleasant aroma.

To the growing conditions, Green Tower pine is undemanding, therefore, lovers of conifers safely grow on Russian soils and in areas with a temperate climate. It grows on breathable soils with any pH level.

Did you know? Pines are resinous in nature. Resin protects trees from fungal infections and insects that tend to enter the bark.

Only in very alkaline soil will the plant feel uncomfortable and, as a result, will turn yellow. Many people notice that this variety resembles a tower of the Middle Ages.

Green Tower pine has vertical and stiff shoots. They are tightly pressed to the trunk, which helps to resist the icy rain or wet snow, which is often found in Moscow and the Moscow region.

The perennial plant has a strong root system, the height of the tree at the age of ten is no more than 2.5 m with an annual growth of 20 cm, at the age of thirty it is 5 m. Light brown cones are clearly visible on the needles tightly pressed to the growths.

• The following features are characteristic for Black Tower Green pine:
• fast enough growth;
• good winter hardiness;
• not pickiness to soils;
• can grow in the sun;
• not exposed to spring sunburn;
• resistance to winds and drought;
• the plant is tolerant of urban pollution and air pollution;
• the ability to serve as a natural air purifier from harmful substances;
• does not tolerate stagnation of water;
• grows slowly in the shade, the needles often turn yellow due to lack of light;
• suitable for single and group landings near narrow fences;
• grows well in the climatic conditions of most of Russia, namely: steppe regions and forest-steppe.

Use in landscape design

Since the dust of city streets, environmental pollution does not affect the life of the plant, this tree is often planted in front of cottage buildings, on park alleys and around the perimeter of the squares. Such a pine tree looks best in oriental-style installations or heather gardens. Increasingly, in design work, you can notice that specialists plant these trees in small gardens or near estates.

Did you know? Pine cones can stay on a tree for more than 10 years before falling to the ground.

It does not matter at all how this tree will grow, alone or as part of a small group, it will not lose its beautiful appearance from this. In the first years of life (1-2 g.), It is necessary to protect the pine tree from the sun, that is, to shade, so as to prevent even very tender young shoots from getting burned. Over time, cones up to 8 cm long will begin to appear on them. It is best to take seedlings from a nursery or garden center for planting.

Landing

The best soil for cultivation: sandy and slightly clay. The most important thing is that it is loose, breathable. In the garden shop you can buy natural peat (garden soil) for planting this pine. Drainage is required: pebbles or chipped bricks can be used.

The ideal time for landing is late April or early May. If, due to weather conditions, it is not possible to plant a plant during this period, then it can be done in the fall from late August to mid-September.

The distance between the seedlings should be 1.5–2.5 m. Due to the strong root system, the pine can withstand windy weather, so gardeners often choose a place for planting so that the plant can serve as a living damper.

Landing Algorithm:

1. Dig a hole that will be 2 times larger than a lump of seedling land.
2. Put a drainage layer of 10–20 cm.
3. Mix turf soil (2 parts) and sand or clay (1 part).
4. If the soil is acidic, then you can add 250 g of lime, about 40 g of nitrogenous fertilizer per 1 landing pit.
5. When planting, the seedling must be installed so that the neck of the root is higher than the soil level.
6. Fill the plant with soil and tamp.
7. Add a 5-6 cm layer of mulch (sawdust or peat).

Video: How to plant a pine

Care

The tree is quite unpretentious in care and will not cause the gardener much trouble. Regular watering after planting is mandatory, the soil should not dry out, but should not stand in water. Loosening the soil and mulching the pine with a non-woven material is mandatory. In winter, under the severity of snow, the branches of the plant may break, therefore, preparing the plant for winter, it is advised to bind the crown.

Important! Only young plants need feeding, adult pine trees with a formed crown do not need it.

The ideal fertilizer for Green Tower is compost because it imitates a forest soil rich in nutrients. To make it, you need to loosen the ground shallow around the trunk circle and pour compost with a layer of 5-10 cm. After this manipulation, mix the ground with fertilizer.

Thus, rich soil will be created around the coniferous plant. You can also use liquid fertilizer (Bona Forte, Green Field) or granular based on humus (Royal Mix). Complex mineral fertilizers, which come in a wide variety of species and manufacturers, must be used according to the instructions.

Top dressing should be two-stage:

• the first time in April, when sap flow begins and the buds of a plant open;
• second time in early summer.

You should not fertilize the pine later. Coniferous plant practically does not need pruning. Only cleaning the shoots is required. It implies: removal of fallen needles during the winter, insects that remained in the shoots, and branches that fell from other plants. If this is not done, young growth can rot. Under ideal conditions, you can expect that the tree will live 40 years or more.

Diseases and Pests

The most dangerous disease for black pine can be considered blistering rust, which is provoked by fungal pathogens - ascomycetes. With the disease, the needles begin to turn yellow, the bark of the shoots is affected. In those places that have been affected by rust, tar begins to stand out, cracks appear on the cortex, and yellow-orange bubbles soon emerge from them.

The mycelium forms thickenings, provoking the formation of open wounds. Damaged shoots become very deformed and dry. When a disease appears, you can use the Abiga-Peak preparation according to the instructions on the label. Also, it will not be superfluous to trim the affected branches. If the disease begins to spread to the trunk, then you may have to cut down the whole tree.

Scales, mealybugs and stem pests can attack the Green Tower black pine. To save a tree from them, you need to use insecticides. Fitoferm and Decis Profi do this well.

Important! Coniferous trees, under which berry crops do not grow, are more convenient to protect from pests, because protective measures can be carried out at any time of the year (except winter) with various drugs.

We should also dwell on the common coniferous pest - aphid. These are small green insects with a length of only 1-2 mm, forming colonies. Aphids can suck large quantities of juice from needles. The presence of harmful insects can be seen in the formation of numerous anthills around the plant.

After the appearance of yellow spots on the needles, it begins to dry. Insecticides help fight these pests: Aktara or Dursban. If the damage is serious, the first spraying with Actara is recommended and after 2 weeks. Dursban according to the instructions.

Due to the compactness of the variety, the black Green Tower pine is often used as a narrow hedge (a natural fence of space). The plant can serve as the main attraction in the garden, as it has an interesting shape in the form of an exclamation mark. Choosing the right place for planting and care will allow you to grow a beautiful small pine tree with soft needles.