Content
- 1 What is lilac on a trunk
- 2 The advantages of growing a standard lilac
- 3 Lilac varieties on a trunk
- 4 How can you make lilacs on a trunk with your own hands
- 5 How to make a standard tree from lilacs using grafting
- 6 How to form lilacs on a stem without grafting
- 7 Planting and caring for standard lilacs
- 8 Conclusion
The lilac on the trunk is not a separate variety, but an artificially formed decorative tree of compact size. Common lilac is a multi-stemmed shrub. Standard lilac has a single trunk and a rounded, even crown. This shape is well suited for various types of gardens, including small areas.
What is lilac on a trunk
A stem is a part of the trunk without branches, which is located from the root collar to the beginning of branching. The stem is about 1 m. Further, there is a compact crown on it.
Lilac tolerates pruning well, so it allows you to create various crown shapes. From the photo of the lilac on the trunk, it can be seen that the plant is distinguished by abundant flowering. A new variety or several different ones can be grafted onto a stem of one culture, getting the flowering of one tree in different shades.
A grafted lilac on a trunk does not require the constant removal of side shoots, in contrast to a self-formed one. But the roots of the tree take longer to grow. Some varieties of standard lilac can be used as a pot culture.
The advantages of growing a standard lilac
Without shaping and pruning, the lilac bush grows and becomes unattractive, the flowering weakens. The standard plant, with proper care, blooms profusely, looks well-groomed and original. Typically, a standard tree is formed with a small rounded crown. You can grow lilacs on a trunk in the bonsai style or intertwine young branches, getting unusual branches.
Compact standard plants do not take up much space in the garden; they look neat and decorative in group planting and singly. The alleys, the periphery of the sites, are decorated with standard lilacs. Trees blend more successfully with other plants than bush forms and serve as the background of mixborders. Lilac, like a standard tree, is decorative not only during flowering, but also left with one foliage.
Lilac varieties on a trunk
Lilac varieties differ in flowering shades, leaf and flower sizes. Standard plants are distinguished by the intensity of annual growth and the size of an adult tree, by height and diameter.
Beauty of Moscow
The beauty of Moscow is an old variety, distinguished by its original double flowers and a fragrant aroma.
During the flowering of the tree, pink buds are replaced by pearl-white flowers with a slight pink tint in the middle, passing to the end of flowering into pure white ones.
Meyer Palibin
One of the shortest varieties. A dwarf tree gives a small annual growth and grows in height no more than 1.5 m.
Blooms profusely, with a pale lilac shade. Differs in repeated flowering at the end of summer.
Charles Jolie
Fast growing lilac with luxurious bloom. Small flowers are collected in inflorescences-brushes of dark purple color.
In adulthood, the plant forms powerful skeletal branches, as well as a densely leafy, dense crown. The leaves of the variety are medium-sized.
Katherine Havemeyer
Variety of 1922, distinguished by large, double flowers, lilac-pink hue and heavy, dense inflorescences.
From the photo of the standard lilac, it can be seen that Katerina Havemeyer is distinguished by abundant flowering. The leaves of the variety are large. The variety has a rich aroma.
Ready-made standard lilacs on sale are not cheap. Depending on the variety and age of the plant, the price is 3000-8000 rubles.
How can you make lilacs on a trunk with your own hands
You can create a standard lilac by grafting or shaping. Dwarf varieties are well suited for this purpose, as well as shrubs with a compact crown. But the standard tree can be formed on any lilac. Own-rooted plants withstand frost better.
How to make a standard tree from lilacs using grafting
To form a standard tree, a rootstock is needed - a part of the tree on which the graft cutting will be implanted. Up to several different varieties of shrubs can be grafted onto one stock. In this case, the varieties must have the same flowering time as well as leaf size.
Instructions for making lilacs on a trunk with your own hands:
- Growing stock. An escape from any lilac can serve as a stock for the formation of a trunk. They take it from the vegetative propagation of the bush, for example, by layering or cuttings. Excavated root growth is also suitable. The resulting shoot is grown separately to a height of about 1 m. In order for the immature stem not to bend, at first it is grown tied to a peg.
- Vaccination time. Vaccination is carried out during the onset of sap flow and within two weeks after it.
- Stock preparation. The day before vaccination, excess roots are cut off from the grown shoot. To do this, they are chopped off with a shovel in diameter at a distance of 20 cm from the trunk. Shoots that protrude beyond the soil are cut with a sharp pruner. The buds are removed from the stock. If additional vaccinations are planned in the future, then several kidneys are left on top.
- Vaccination methods. On the stem, a varietal shoot is grafted with the help of budding with an eye or for the bark.
Later, when the grafted lilac grows together and the crown regrowth, it is formed by cutting off the branches to the required length. On the stem of the grafted lilac, side shoots are not formed, which greatly facilitates the care of the tree.
How to form lilacs on a stem without grafting
To grow lilacs on a trunk without grafting, you can use a young bush. You can get a new bush from a planted shoot or use an already growing one on the site.
For the formation of the trunk, a central, even and strong shoot is chosen. To speed up its growth, the lateral shoots are cut off, leaving the central branch. They are fed with organic or mineral fertilizers, watered and mulched. It will take about 4-5 years to grow a standard lilac.
To support the stem, as in the case of grafting, it is tied to a peg. On top of the stem, 5-6 buds are left, which later form lateral branching and crown formation. When the side branches begin to grow, they pinch them or immediately create the necessary shape.
The formed stem is kept bare, removing excess shoots. On the resulting stem, you can also additionally graft another variety of lilacs or leave only the initial one.
The crown of the standard tree must be thinned out over time. For abundant flowering, dried inflorescences are cut off with a small part of the branch. In the first years of growing a standard tree, about half of the flowering brushes are also cut off in order to achieve more lush flowering in the next season.
In order not to damage the formation of the crown, the branches should not be broken off, but only a sharp garden tool should be used to remove them.
Planting and caring for standard lilacs
Planting and caring for lilacs on a trunk is similar to caring for a conventional crop. A permanent place is chosen for planting, but an adult standard tree can be transplanted.
For planting, choose a bright place, some varieties withstand light partial shade. But the spectacular and rich flowering of the standard tree occurs only in well-lit, windless areas. The culture is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but prefers loose fertile soils with neutral acidity. Lowlands and wetlands are not suitable growing areas.
Planting and transplanting is carried out on a cloudy day or in the evening. The planting hole is prepared 2 times the size of the root system. If planting is carried out on depleted soils or uncultivated areas, the pit is made even larger in order to change the soil composition to a more fertile and breathable one. Acidified soils must be deoxidized in advance by adding lime or dolomite flour.
A hole is dug into the depth according to the size of the seedling and taking into account the drainage layer. The root collar of the plant is not buried when planting. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the planting pit. For this, pebbles or expanded clay are used. The soil for planting is mixed with fertilizer.
The plant is lowered vertically into the planting hole, the roots are straightened. The planting is covered with soil, carefully distributing it so that air layers do not form between the roots and the roots do not dry out, then the soil is tamped.
After planting, an earthen roller is poured around the trunk, retreating 25-30 cm. So, when watering, the water will not spread. A bucket of water is poured into the formed circle. In the future, the roller is compared with the general soil level. The soil around is mulched.
Caring for the standard lilac:
- Watering. Young plants need additional watering in the first half of summer, especially when there is a lack of moisture from atmospheric precipitation in dry and hot periods. In the fall, with the onset of leaf fall, an abundant moisture charge of the soil is carried out so that the plant is prepared for winter.
- Top dressing. For abundant flowering of an ornamental tree, fertilizers begin to be used from the second year of cultivation. For this, both organic and mineral dressings are introduced into the soil. The first feeding is carried out in early spring after the snow melts. At this time, fertilizers with a nitrogen content are used. The next two dressings are carried out with an interval of 3 weeks. To do this, take herbal infusions, as well as infusions of mullein or ash.
- Mulching. It is useful to cover the soil under the tree with peat or tree bark. This allows the top layer not to dry out, to remain loose and breathable.
- Removal of root growth. The resulting root shoots must be cut exactly to the ring. A method in which after pruning there is no hemp left, from which the growth only increases.
- Pruning. Most varieties of lilac grow rapidly. The formed crown requires maintaining the height of the branches at the required level. In the spring, remove all dry and broken branches. They also periodically rid the crown of thickening so that all flower buds have enough light.
In the first years of growing the standard lilac, in the winter period, it is necessary to take care that the snow that falls does not break the crown and the stem itself. The trunks are wrapped in burlap so that they are not damaged by frost breakers.
Conclusion
Lilac on a trunk is a compact tree that will decorate the garden in any style. Any gardener can become the owner of a tree with an exquisite silhouette. The process of creating a standard lilac with your own hands is simple and exciting, but it takes some time. In addition to its decorative function, a lilac hedge retains dust and cleans the surrounding space.
