Spirea Japanese Goldmound

Spirea Goldmound is a low-growing ornamental shrub of the deciduous group. The plant is highly regarded in landscape design for the fact that it retains an attractive appearance until the first frost, which allows it to bring color to a faded autumn garden. This shrub is especially popular with gardeners due to the low price of planting material and the unpretentiousness of the variety.

The undoubted advantage is the resistance of the Goldmound spirea to air pollution - this quality allows you to grow the plant not only outside the city, but also as a decoration for city parks and playgrounds.

Description of Spirea Goldmound

Spirea Japanese Goldmound is represented by a low cushion-shaped bush, as seen in the photo below. The height of the shrub is on average 50-60 cm, the diameter is about 80 cm. The leaves of the spirea are elongated, narrowed at one end and serrated along the edge. They resemble an egg in shape. The crown of the bush is dense. The color of the leaf plate of this variety changes depending on the time and growing conditions:

• young, freshly blossomed leaves are pinkish-red;
• in summer, spirea changes its color to golden yellow when grown in open, well-lit areas;
• in the same period, the plant can be painted in delicate light green tones if it is grown in the shade;
• by autumn, the color of the leaves smoothly turns into an orange-red hue.

The flowering of the variety begins in June and ends by the end of July. The flowers of the Japanese Goldmound spirea are small, pale pink. They form dense inflorescences in the form of scutes on the shoots of the current year. In October, small fruits are formed in place of these flowers.

Spirea Goldmound in landscape design

This variety is used in landscape design to create flower arrangements on the lawn, dense borders, curtains, rock gardens and rockeries. Spirea Goldmound also looks impressive in single landings. In addition, the shrub is often grown in wooden containers as a decoration for a terrace at a summer cottage.

Planting and caring for the Japanese Goldmound spirea

Planting a Goldmound spirea and the subsequent care of the plant is not difficult. This horticultural crop is undemanding to the composition and quality of the soil, although it prefers well-drained moderately moist soils. The variety grows best on loamy and sandy loam soil of low acidity, but it also develops well on other types.

Spirea Goldmound is thermophilic, therefore, when choosing a place for planting a shrub, one should focus on well-lit areas. With a lack of light, the bush changes its color from rich golden to light green.

Preparation of planting material and site

Spirea seedlings must be carefully examined before planting and unsuitable ones should be set aside. Healthy plants bend easily, have a greenish bark and moist roots without black spots on the cuts.

Immediately before planting, the planting material is compulsorily disinfected - this will help to reduce the risk of disease of the bush with a fungus to a minimum. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is used for disinfection.

The area chosen for planting the spirea is dug up 1-2 weeks before and organic fertilizers are applied to the soil.

Planting rules for Spirea Goldmound

Planting the Goldmound spirea in open ground is done at the end of March. The procedure is very simple:

1. In a previously prepared area, a hole is dug with a depth of about 40-50 cm. In this case, one should be guided by the size of the root system of the bush - the hole is dug with a margin of about 20%.
2. Drainage in the form of broken bricks or gravel is placed at the bottom of the planting pit.
3. A soil mixture of peat, sand and sod land is placed on top of the drainage, and a small hill is formed from it.
4. A seedling is installed on this hill and the roots of the spirea are spread along its slopes.
5. Then the root system is sprinkled with the top layer of soil from the site.
6. Planting ends with moderate watering.

Watering and feeding

The drought resistance of the variety is average, so the spirea bushes need to be watered regularly. Otherwise, the drying out soil will inhibit the growth of the shrub.

Spirea is fed mainly on poor soils. When planted in fertile soil, the variety develops well without additional processing of the site.

Special mulching compositions or organic fertilizers are used as top dressing. They are brought into the ground once a year - in the spring.

Pruning

It is recommended to prune the Goldmound spirea once every 30-40 days, however, this procedure automatically excludes the subsequent flowering of the bush. That is why, before planting a shrub, it is necessary to determine its role. Profusely flowering forms are not pruned, unlike decorative deciduous ones.

Sanitary pruning is done to preserve the shape of the bush. For this, only dry and broken branches are removed. Healthy shoots are not touched.

In addition, you can learn more about the features of trimming the spirea from the video below:

Preparing for winter

All varieties of spirea are considered fairly cold-resistant plants. Nevertheless, it is recommended to cover young seedlings for the winter, since they are still weak and unable to winter safely without protection.

As a shelter, dry leaves or sawdust are used, with which the shoots bent to the ground are sprinkled with a layer of up to 15 cm.

Reproduction

The most effective way to propagate the Goldmound variety is by cuttings. For this, both green and woody cuttings are suitable.

The breeding procedure in this case looks like this:

1. In the summer, a young, non-flowering shoot is selected on the bush and incised at the base.
2. This cut is divided into several more parts of 15 cm, no more.
3. The resulting cuttings are cleaned from the bottom of the leaves and buried in the ground. For this it is better to use a greenhouse.
4. The plantings are covered with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. In this case, it is important to make small holes in the shelter for air ventilation.
5. As the cuttings develop, they are regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.
6. In October, the planting material is moved to open ground.

Young spireas can also be propagated by dividing the bush. Old bushes will not work for this.

The algorithm for dividing the bush is as follows:

1. A young bush is dug out of the ground, focusing on the diameter of the crown. Damage to roots that are too long extending beyond the specified area is allowed. When removing the plants, they try not to destroy the earthen lump.
2. Then the spirea is lowered into a bucket or basin of water for 1-2 hours. This is necessary in order to soften the earth, so it will be easier to clean the plant's root system.
3. The roots are watered with a hose, removing the earth from them, after which the spirea is taken out of the water and laid on its side.
4. With a sharpened knife or garden shears, the common root system is divided into 2-3 equal parts. At the same time, each delenka should have a sufficient number of buds and approximately the same volume of roots.
5. The resulting parts are planted in pre-moistened wells and sprinkled with earth.
6. The near-stem section is lightly tamped and mulched.

Soon after planting, the cut takes root.

Seed reproduction occurs according to the following scheme:

1. In spring, seeds are sown in wooden or plastic containers with pre-moistened soil. Recommended substrate composition: leafy soil and high peat, mixed in a 1: 1 ratio.
2. The soil surface is mulched with peat for better moisture retention.
3. After 8-10 days, the first shoots appear. They are immediately sprayed with Fundazol to protect against fungal infections.
4. After 2-3 months, the seedlings are planted in separate containers.
5. When the spirea seedlings form a full-fledged root system, they can be planted in open ground.
6. To do this, take them out of containers and shorten the roots slightly.
7. Then the seedlings are buried in the dug up loose soil.
8. Planting is watered and mulched.

After 1 year, the height of the seedling should reach 10-15 cm. In subsequent years, the rate of development of the shrub increases.

Diseases and pests

In the description of the spirea of ​​the Japanese variety Goldmound, it is argued that the plant's resistance to diseases and pests is high. It rarely gets sick and does not undergo significant insect attacks. And yet, sometimes the bushes are affected by a spider mite.

The invasion of this pest is evidenced by the appearance of whitish spots on the outside of the leaf plate and the subsequent drying of the shoots. If nothing is done, the shrub will soon begin to shed foliage. Ultimately, the spirea may die.

The spider mite poses the greatest threat in the hot, dry summer, in August. In order to get rid of it, the bushes are sprayed with "Ares".

Conclusion

Spirea Goldmound is a non-capricious cold-resistant plant that even an amateur gardener can grow. Shrub care is reduced to the most basic procedures, and the versatile rounded shape of the spirea allows you to combine it with many other garden crops. In particular, the Goldmound variety looks good in combination with coniferous shrubs and trees.

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