Secrets of planting and caring for willow Goat pendula

Planting a willow Goat pendula does not require much trouble, so many summer residents are happy to decorate their garden plot with this unpretentious tree. The original representative of weeping willows looks great in landscape design and near water bodies.

The common goat willow is an inconspicuous, undersized tree growing along the banks of streams and rivers. But when it is grafted onto a stem, it is completely transformed and turns into a wonderful tree with a beautiful weeping crown.

Description

The height of the willow Goat pendula depends on the level at which the vaccine is made. The leaves covering the shoots are green. They are completely covered from the inside with small light fibers.

The tree begins to bloom in late April, releasing golden earrings that exude a strong sweet aroma. Thanks to this, willow is a wonderful honey plant. After half a month, flowering stops, and fruits appear - small boxes. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow and fall off with the onset of cold weather.

The crown of an adult tree reaches about 1.5 m. Goat pendula grows quickly. For a year, it stretches 10 cm in height and up to 20 cm in width. Life expectancy is 30-40 years.

A light-loving plant needs watering, is undemanding to soil and tolerates severe frosts well.

Planting Secrets

In order for a tree to take root well, when buying seedlings, you need to pay special attention to their quality. Shoots are obtained in two ways: grafting or pruning. A tree grown on a trunk must be carefully examined in order to exclude damage to the bark, the formation of dead scales on it, and only then make a purchase.

Goat willow will thrive in any kind of soil, but it thrives best in loamy soil. Such soil is dense enough and retains moisture. Choose a well-lit area, protected from drafts. The seedling is planted in a hole about 40 cm deep and 50 cm wide.

1. To exclude decay of the roots, a thick layer of broken brick or other drainage must be poured into the prepared hole.
2. Fill the hole a third with potting soil. It is made from humus, compost and peat, combining them in the same proportion. If the soil is too heavy, it is advisable to add 20% sand to it.
3. After fertilize azopho... It is enough to add 150-200 g of mineral fertilizer and thoroughly mix the soil mixture.
4. Then put a seedling inside, cover with earth and tamp.

Planting ends with abundant watering, which includes at least 10-15 liters of water. In the first year, the goat willow needs increased irrigation. She needs up to 25 liters of liquid per week, which must be divided into 2 waterings. And if the summer is dry, then more. In subsequent years, watering can be reduced to 1 time in 7 days. Planting is done in early spring, but if necessary, this can be done in summer and autumn.

How to properly care

So that the Pendula willow does not lack moisture, it is advisable to mulch the soil near the tree. This will prevent the soil from drying out and reduce the growth of weeds. Suitable for this:

• ordinary sawdust;
• small pebbles;
• peat;
• expanded clay;
• dry grass.

Any of these components should be backfilled with soil after irrigation around the tree trunk.

Caring for willow Goat pendula necessarily includes thorough loosening of the soil. It is made the next day after watering to prevent crust formation. Despite the resistance to frost, the bole of the plant must be wrapped in winter, especially with strong temperature changes.

Tree pruning

Goat willow care is not complete without proper pruning.It is she who gives the crown a decorative look and splendor. In the first few years, it is necessary to cut off all branches, leaving a length of no more than 15 cm. At the same time, make sure that there is a bud at the end, looking up and to the side, not inside the crown. This will help the tree develop properly and form a lush umbrella from the clipped shoots.

This pruning of branches is called candelabra and is suitable for experienced gardeners who are well versed in their business.

Pruning should be done according to the rules. Do it in early June, as soon as the plant stops blooming. If you shorten the branches in the fall, the next year, the willow of the Goat pendula may not bloom and please you with a chic golden look.

Novice summer residents can simplify the procedure and take care of the crown throughout the summer. Watch the growth of young shoots and pinch them, that is, remove the apical buds as soon as the branches reach a length of 15 cm. From such pruning, the lateral buds awaken, and the crown grows lush and symmetrical.

Reproduction

Ornamental willow Pendula is most often propagated by grafting on a bole. At the site of vaccination, you can often see a small stump, which over time is completely overgrown. Planting a seedling in the ground is done after removing the strapping from the grafting site. Otherwise, the tree may not take root well and wither over time. If kidneys appear on the trunk below the inoculation site, they must be completely removed.

Not everyone can grow a willow on a trunk on their own. This laborious process requires advanced skills and takes a long time. Therefore, it is better to buy a seedling in a special nursery.

It is a little easier to root a plant from cuttings.

1. To do this, you need to take lignified willow branches at least 10 cm in size and put them in a bucket of water for several days.
2. Then you need to dig a hole, pour drainage, compost into it, put a stalk, cover it with soil and pour it heavily with water.

It is advisable to tie the seedlings to the stakes and water them regularly. A plant that is properly cared for quickly takes root, and young shoots appear. Start forming the future crown immediately, leaving 3-5 branches. The tree takes root and gains strength for several years. After that, it can be transplanted to a new permanent place.

Top dressing and fertilizers

Pendula goat willow does not need enhanced fertilization. Caring for it involves the introduction of top dressing, consisting of complex fertilizers, only 2-3 times.

Advice

It is useful to feed the tree in the spring chicken droppings... Do not forget to breed it properly, otherwise it may burn the roots.

To prevent this, take 1.5 kg of chicken manure that is completely dry and put it in a 10 liter bucket. Pour 4 liters of water into it, stir and leave for 2 days. During this time, the composition will ferment. Add another 4–5 liters of water to it and water the tree.

The most balanced feed for willow is considered nitroammofoska... This complex fertilizer contains important trace elements:

• nitrogen;
• sulfur;
• phosphorus;
• potassium.

Nitroammofosku must be applied according to the instructions and take care of the plant in the summer.

In the fall, it is useful to feed the tree with superphosphate, combining it with potash fertilizers.

How to deal with pests and diseases

The goat willow has strong immunity to various diseases. In rare cases, a white bloom appears on its leaves. This occurs when infected with powdery mildew. Plant care consists in removing affected leaves and using antifungal drugs. The "Topaz" remedy helps well. The fungicide should be diluted according to the instructions and sprayed on the diseased tree once every 6 days 4 times.

If the goat willow is affected by black spot, the treatment and care is to exclude contact of the shoots with water and carefully remove and burn the fallen leaves. In advanced cases, you can treat the plant with the means "Skor" or "Pure Blossom BAU" once every 2 weeks.

Sometimes the goat willow is attacked by the flower fly and willow leafworm. Fly larvae are quickly destroyed if you water the soil under the tree with a weak solution of manganese. When there are too many parasites, it is better to use insecticides.

The Willow Roll is a small butterfly whose caterpillars develop in leaves of a tree twisted into a tube. To destroy the pest, you need to spray the plant twice with "Fitoverm", "Karbofos" or "Kinmiks".

Willow Goat pendula goes well with other perennials. It fits well into various landscape design compositions along with dwarf conifers that emphasize its fragility.

In addition, goat willow is used in folk medicine. A hemostatic decoction is prepared from its bark, collected before flowering - it is valued for its wound healing properties. Many needlewomen weave beautiful baskets from flexible willow branches. They never crumple berries and mushrooms. The goat willow is a useful plant, the care of which will bring many joyful moments.