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Almost every summer resident dreams of having a tree in the garden, which can become a central element, while the plant should have a decorative appearance throughout the year. An excellent option in this case would be a weeping mountain ash. Such a tree can rightfully become the highlight of the garden. This is due primarily to the fact that in the springtime there are quite beautiful flowers that create a romantic image. In the summer, a cascading crown of leaves appears, in the autumn, the leaves acquire bright shades, fruits appear, and in winter you can admire the beautiful branches of the weeping mountain ash.
Such varieties of trees are perfect when it is planned to arrange an unusual artificial reservoir in a summer cottage or a Japanese-style garden. In addition, weeping trees can be used as an attractive background for arranging a flower garden, decorating a romantic alley. Also, this option can be planted next to the bench to get a kind of beautiful canopy that protects from direct sunlight in the summer.
Description of weeping rowan
Rowan weeping on a trunk, as a rule, grows in natural conditions: in the forest belt, steppes, mountains, as well as on the plains, the territory of the eastern and western hemispheres. A distinctive feature of this culture is the fact that it is able to decorate the garden in winter, which is facilitated by the shoots of a rich yellow-red hue. In spring, feathery leaves of a rich green color and a large number of small snow-white flowers appear on the weeping form of mountain ash. In autumn, on mountain ash, you can see small berries of rich red color and golden foliage. The fruits begin to appear on the tree in the second half of summer and persist until the first frost.
As practice shows, weeping mountain ash has an irregular crown shape. The branches are quite thin and long, they hang down to the ground, in addition, they can intertwine with each other. The height of the tree largely depends on the height at which the grafting was carried out. If the process of grafting the mountain ash is carried out correctly, then after 5 years the tree can grow to almost 6 m in height, and the size of the crown can vary from 4 to 6 m.
During the flowering period, small white flowers appear. As a rule, the inflorescence is collected in rather dense shields. The flowering period is short and can take from 5 to 7 days. The first fruits appear in the first half of July. The leaf plate is pinnate, simple in appearance. The first leaves can be seen in early spring. Initially, the leaf plate is saturated green, gradually it becomes an orange-red or golden hue.
Despite the fact that this species is undemanding to the soil, it is worth taking into account the fact that cultivation in a saline area or on land where there is stagnant water is not allowed. An excellent solution would be to choose an area in partial shade or illuminated by a lot of sunlight. If necessary, you can choose a cool and humid place. If the drought continues for a long time, then the growth of weeping mountain ash is significantly reduced.
Thanks to the work of breeders, it was possible to bring out a large number of forms of decorative mountain ash, which have not only a weeping, but also a spreading, pyramidal crown. The foliage is golden or variegated, and the shade of the fruit can be crimson, yellow, white.
Formation of a red weeping mountain ash shape
In the process of forming a standard weeping mountain ash, it is worth taking into account the fact that this process is quite delayed, as a result of which it will take a lot of time. Thus, the weeping mountain ash will acquire its final attractive form only after it is about 8-10 years old.
During the formation work, it is recommended to bend young branches to the ground as carefully as possible, while bending them in the required direction. For these purposes, use a rope and a fairly stiff wire. In this case, you will need to bend the wire so that it is directed towards the bend of the branch, after which they are tied with a rope. Rowan branches should be securely fixed in the right direction, and you should not exert undue zeal. The bark should not be damaged and the branches broken.
The fixing elements are removed only after the inclined branches are stiff and have taken the required position. If the formation work was carried out in the fall, then the next fall it is already possible to remove the fixation. Many experts recommend using a rope, as the wire becomes cold in winter, as a result of which it can easily scratch the mountain ash bark.
If you plan to grow ordinary weeping rowan, it is worth taking into account the fact that such an unusual shape of the branches is not inherited, as a result of which reproduction is possible with the help of grafting.
For propagation, if necessary, you can use seeds or bring a small weeping rowan seedling from the forest. Cuttings are usually used for spring grafting and are harvested from February to March. The thickness of the cut should be about the size of a pencil.
After the planting material is harvested, it is placed in the refrigerator for about 21 days, previously wrapped in moss or damp paper. 24 hours before the planned vaccination, it is recommended to place the weeping rowan stalk in water, after updating the cut of the lower part.
It is recommended to vaccinate in May, while the temperature regime should vary from + 23 ° С to + 25 ° С, and the humidity level should be high enough. If necessary, work can be carried out in the summer period - in July.
Weeping rowan care
After the culture is planted in a permanent place of growth, watering must be abundant for 14 days - at least 10 liters of water must go to each bush. It is recommended to water the crop early in the morning or in the evening a few hours before sunset.
After the soil has been irrigated, the soil is loosened, and weeds are removed as necessary. Since moisture can evaporate quickly enough in the summer, it is best to mulch the trunk circle. Peat, sand, pebbles and expanded clay are used for mulching - the mulch layer should be about 12 cm. In addition, thanks to the mulch layer, the soil practically does not heat up in summer, and does not freeze in winter.
Complex mineral fertilizers can be used as top dressing. As practice shows, the greatest efficiency was recorded in summer dressings. If you plan to use phosphorus and potash fertilizers, then you should understand that they can be used once every 2.5 years. In addition, many experts do not recommend using nitrogen fertilizers often enough. This is due primarily to the fact that a large amount of nitrogen has a negative effect on the winter hardiness of the culture, in addition, the weeping mountain ash takes root rather poorly.
In the first year of life, it is necessary to carry out formative pruning, these works should be carried out before the first buds bloom on the tree.In this case, you will need to remove the shoots that emerged from the young buds on the trunk. It is also worth getting rid of the rootstock shoots that appear below the grafting site, not far from the roots. For pruning, it is recommended to use a pruner, while it is worth making sure that there are no hemp left after work. If, after the vaccination has been carried out, the weeping mountain ash begins to bloom, then all the flowers should be removed immediately.
Conclusion
Weeping mountain ash is a rather graceful and delicate crop that will perfectly fit into the design of any land plot. Thanks to its unusual and at the same time attractive appearance, it has fallen in love with many landscape designers. As practice shows, there should be no difficulties with leaving and forming the crown. If necessary, you can use the advice and recommendations of many experienced specialists or gardeners, as a result of which everyone, even a novice gardener, can grow the weeping form of mountain ash.
It is important to understand that in order for the weeping mountain ash to please with its appearance for many years, it is required to provide the culture with high-quality care. In addition, it is also worth approaching the formation of the crown as responsibly as possible, otherwise the tree will not be able to become the central figure in the garden, in the worst case it will die.
