How to plant a mountain ash.

The attitude to mountain ash in Russia reflects the affectionate name given to it - mountain ash, as well as a huge number of folklore and art works dedicated to this tree. Our ancestors found it very widespread. For example, the wood of a tree was quite common as a building material used by carpenters, carriage craftsmen, and was also in demand in artistic and decorative craft. At times, woodcarvers even used it to imitate more expensive and rare wood species. Housewives made homemade preparations for the winter, tinctures and medicines from it. After all, the amount and content of vitamins is such that mountain ash can be used as a multivitamin with a tonic effect. For the same purposes, dried fruits were added to livestock feed. Jam was made from fresh berries, compotes and fruit drinks were cooked, marshmallows and juices were made. They were added to cabbage when it was harvested for the winter and to brine for soaked apples, since the berries contain sorbic acid, which prevents harmful microflora from developing. The rowan bark and its branches were also used. So, the bark was used for tanning skins, for making expensive and thin leathers. And craftsmen wove strong baskets from tree branches.

What do we know about rowan?

They also predicted the weather using the mountain ash and determined the time of field work. It was believed that the late flowering of mountain ash - by a long and warm autumn. And also, with the beginning of the flowering of the tree, they began to sow laziness. If there are a lot of ripe mountain ash in the forest, wait for a damp autumn and a cold winter.

Rowan grew in every courtyard as a talisman against the evil eye and magical powers, so it was considered not good to damage or break a tree. Bunches of berries were hung in houses to protect the dwelling from fire. As a protection from the evil eye, branches of mountain ash were fixed on their clothes, folded in the form of a cross and tied with a thread of always red color, and the bark of a tree was placed in the cribs of children so that they would sleep soundly at night.

It should be noted that not only the Slavs endowed the mountain ash with certain powers. The Celts and Scandinavians also had beliefs about the magic of this tree. The priests of the Celtic peoples, the Druids, believed that mountain ash patronizes people born in April and October. Even in the ancient Chinese science of Feng Shui, there is a mention of mountain ash. According to Taoist practice, this tree, probably due to its bright red berries, is attributed to the element of fire, believing that it is responsible for its popularity and reputation. So, following the ancient practice, by planting a tree in the south of the site, you will be guaranteed the popularity and respect of your neighbors.

Now, for us, mountain ash, more, has a decorative and aesthetic purpose and is more often planted for the purpose of landscaping the area. The tree will decorate the site at any time, in the spring with juicy and bright greens and clouds of inflorescences, and in the autumn with an incredible combination of fiery red berries and foliage, first green and then yellow-orange. And even in winter, against the background of white snow, with only one with bunches of berries, the mountain ash still looks very picturesque.

Currently, according to the Plant List maintained by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) and the Missouri Botanical Garden (USA), the number of rowan species has exceeded two hundred. And breeders have bred quite a lot of hybrids that differ in special decorative properties, for example, the foliage shape that is completely unusual for us and the color of berries, from amber yellow to pink.

In our country, so far, the common mountain ash is the most widespread. This is a fairly large tree, from five meters high and a crown width of up to 4 - 6 meters. The plant can also develop in the form of a shrub, for example, a mountain ash bush can often be found in the mountains.

Experts advise those wishing to grow mountain ash to plant annual or biennial plants.Older seedlings take root much worse. Rowan is not demanding on growing conditions and caring for it. The tree will grow equally well, developing normally in both lighted and shaded areas. It is only necessary to remember that mountain ash, over time, will become a rather tall and spreading tree, which can shade the plantings of other ornamental plants and shrubs, as well as vegetable beds. Therefore, many people plant a tree at the edge of the site. The plant prefers sandy loam soils, loams, and does not tolerate alkaline soil with a high ph-level at all. In this case, the soil must be deoxidized and, if possible, in advance. The soil is deoxidized by liming, as well as by adding wood ash or dolomite flour. Rowan can be planted in early spring, as well as in autumn, in late September - early October. When preparing the planting pit, it should be borne in mind that the root system of the tree is developing quite actively, quickly becoming powerful and branched. Therefore, the diameter of the pit should be at least 60-80 cm, and its depth - from 50 to 100 cm.A drainage layer, 10-20 centimeters thick, should be poured at the bottom of the pit, since mountain ash does not tolerate stagnant moisture, and also introduce high-quality humus into quantity of at least 6-8 kg, premixed with soil. In addition, when planting, it is recommended to add about 400-500 grams of superphosphate and about 100-130 grams of potassium salt. It is important that after planting, the growth point of the seedling is at the soil level. Rowan is a moisture-loving plant and the main thing when growing it is regular watering. In summer, during periods of extreme heat or drought, at least a bucket of water is applied for each square meter of the trunk circle or crown projection, which means the area under the entire tree. You should also loosen the soil and remove the root growth, doing this in such a way that no stumps remain on the surface, otherwise, this will negatively affect the growth rate of the tree. Regular loosening of the soil to a depth of no more than 5 cm will help to reduce the activity of root shoots. Rowan, like any plant, responds well to fertilization. In the spring, the tree is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea), and in the fall with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (nitramophoska). The thickness and height of the tree is adjusted by pruning. This procedure is especially necessary and relevant for tall varieties of mountain ash. Before you start pruning the crown, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations for its behavior, since there are a number of important nuances that will help to form the crown correctly and will contribute to uniform and harmonious growth. For example, skeletal branches, that is, those that extend from the trunk and form the frame of the tree, are advised to be cut with the blade of the cutting tool at an angle of 45 degrees. Every spring, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning, getting rid of dry and damaged branches. Rowan is not afraid of low temperatures and cold winters, however, young plants are still recommended to keep and mulch the entire perimeter of the trunk circle with sawdust or peat mixture, with a layer of at least 15 cm thick.

The collection of rowan fruits begins in the first decade of September. Despite the fact that the berries are not afraid of frost and can remain on the tree, they should not be delayed with their collection, as this may negatively affect the taste.

The tradition of collecting mountain ash on the feast of Peter and Paul, which is celebrated on September 10, has come down to our time. The same date is considered the birthday of rowan. On this day, our ancestors decorated their houses with rowan branches and began to make blanks from berries. The harvest was not completely removed, leaving the berries for the birds too.

Now, many gardeners and summer residents are learning with great interest various recipes for making rowan berries.Those who do not grow mountain ash on the site think about the need to plant it. It should be noted that the cultivation of mountain ash does not require much effort or constant attention to oneself, which is important, since not everyone has the opportunity to be on the site all the time or to come regularly.

Further, we will take a closer look at various tips and recommendations for planting, growing and caring for a tree, as well as get acquainted with interesting varieties bred by breeders and methods of mountain ash propagation, which allow you to grow planting material on your own.

Rowan ordinary: features of cultivation, care.

In nature, there are many varieties of mountain ash tree. For example, on Sakhalin, Korea, Japan, the Mixed mountain ash is widespread. It is a fairly compact tree with a conical crown. For this reason, this variety is more often used in landscape design. Rowan Olkholistnaya, which can also be found in Primorye, grows into a tall, slender tree with a narrow pyramidal crown and is actively used in landscaping alleys, groves and parks. On the mountain slopes of the Western Himalayas, the Kashmir mountain ash grows. Closer to the upper border of mountain vegetation, it develops as a shrub, on low slopes and in the foothills it grows as a low tree. This variety of mountain ash is very decorative during the fruiting period, since the berries are colored white and pink. Its clusters are not so large and full, but the fruits themselves are noticeably larger than those of ordinary mountain ash, they grow up to 10-12 cm in diameter.

It should be noted that in our country the mountain ash is not often used in landscape design, and, in vain. Many varieties of wood, differing in height, crown shape, variety of color of berries, ways to decorate any territory.

The most common species, of course, is the common mountain ash, it is found everywhere, almost reaching the Far North, so it can be grown in any region, even with very cold winters.

Due to its wide distribution, it will not be difficult to find common rowan seedlings. And they can also be obtained independently, by grafting, layering, sowing seeds, as well as their shoots appearing on the roots of plants.

Low-stemmed trees are propagated by layering when the distance from the root collar to the first skeletal branch (stem) is small and allows the shoot to bend to the soil.

Rowan can also be grown from seeds, but for best results, the berries should be freshly harvested and, before sowing the seeds, if possible, it is necessary to keep them in a moderately moist state, while preventing rotting. Seeds are sown very often, at the rate of 100-120 pieces per 1 meter. Crops are watered and covered with dry foliage, cut grass or straw.

The easiest way, according to gardeners, is to graft a stalk or bud onto any other rowan seedling. This option is suitable for those who plant a tree specifically to get berries, because, in this case, the fruits will appear two or even four years earlier.

In addition, experts advise, if possible, planting several varieties of mountain ash, since cross-pollination helps to increase yields.

There are many ways of grafting seedlings, which you should familiarize yourself with, choosing the most appropriate one. However, in any case, it is recommended to plant plants before the start of sap flow or at the very beginning.

When planting seedlings, it is important to properly prepare a planting pit, the diameter and depth of which should be at least 60 cm. Approximately two-thirds of the pit is filled with humus, compost, and mineral fertilizers are added. It is better not to use chicken droppings at this stage. This fertilizer is quite aggressive, which can lead to the death of a young plant.The seedling should be placed in the planting pit in such a way that the root collar, after watering and compaction of the soil, is at the level of the soil. After planting a seedling, pull it by the top of the head, if it is holding tight, it means that the planting is done correctly, if not, then the planting should be repeated. Immediately after planting, it is necessary to form irrigation holes. At first, the seedling is watered regularly so that the plant takes root faster and grows roots. The trunk circle is mulched with needles or straw. Subsequently, tree care will consist of watering, loosening, fertilizing, removing weeds and, of course, overgrowth, as well as pruning. The latter procedure allows you to provide the same illumination of the crown of the entire tree and thereby, contributes to an increase in yield. The shape of the crown of the mountain ash is closer to the pyramidal, and skeletal branches extend from the trunk, at an acute angle. It is better to correct this position of the branches, trying to display the branches at a more extended angle when pruning. Over time, the yield will increase and heavy branches growing at an acute angle, with full bunches of berries, will simply break off. Rowan pruning, like most other fruit trees, is carried out in the spring before the onset of sap flow and bud swelling. Pruning young trees consists in shortening the shoots by about one bud, thinning the crown and removing branches extending from the trunk at right angles. In adult trees, last year's fruiting growths are shortened and the crown is also thinned out, since the mountain ash grows quite actively. If the yield of the tree decreases, it is recommended to carry out anti-aging pruning, shortening the shoots to 3-5 year old wood. When more than one variety is grafted onto a mountain ash, the semi-skeletal branches are slightly cut off, and the shortest branches, the so-called ringlets, are also thinned out. It is important to remember that sections of more than 1 cm in diameter should be covered using a garden pitch, otherwise there is a possibility of infection of the tree with various pathogenic fungi and infections.

It should be noted that thanks to the efforts of breeders, rowan ordinary became the progenitor of some very interesting varieties. For example, the Russian mountain ash variety, obtained by crossing the chokeberry with the ordinary one, has excellent taste. This mountain ash is also called liqueur, because, due to its sweet taste, it is perfect for the production of various tinctures, liqueurs and, of course, jams. Also, the plant is distinguished by frost resistance and high productivity. Fruiting begins in the third, sometimes fourth year. The author of the variety is the famous Russian biologist and breeder Ivan Michurin. This circumstance alone does not raise any doubts about the high qualities of rowan fruits. However, according to the information contained in some sources, now practically no one is engaged in the reproduction of this hybrid.

Rowan Domashnaya is well known to the inhabitants of Crimea and Central Asia for its large, like plum, berries, which are colored red, yellow and orange at the stage of full ripening. Berries not picked are crumbled. It is a huge, slow-growing tree, 15-20 meters high, and the trunk diameter can reach 1 meter. Rowan is actively grown in Europe both as an ornamental plant and for the purpose of producing fruits. It should be noted that this variety is quite frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees.

The most famous rowan variety is Nevezhinskaya. This plant is one of the most popular, since the fruits of Nevezhinskaya do not have the bitter taste characteristic of rowan berries. The berries ripen by early September. The tree itself grows up to 10 meters, forming a spreading pyramidal crown. The trunk and branches of the tree are very strong.Experts note that recently it has been difficult to find a real variety in nurseries and recommend contacting experienced gardeners, summer residents who are engaged in the cultivation of garden rowan.

Rowan Pomegranate is another hybrid of different plants, in this case rowan and hawthorn. The name of the variety corresponds to the color of the berries, and they taste rather sweet and, at the same time, slightly tart. The berries ripen fully in September. It should be noted that the tree of this variety is not too tall, up to 4-8 meters, and the crown is not prone to thickening. In addition, this mountain ash is self-fertile, but with the possibility of cross-pollination with other varieties, its yield increases markedly. To make the taste qualities of Pomegranate become even more impressive, it is advised to plant the varieties "Sorbinka", "Vefed" next to it.

Rowan Titan is another Michurin variety obtained as a result of pollination of mountain ash with the pollen of fruit trees - apple and pear. The berries of this mountain ash have a juicy pulp and a sweet taste with a slight sourness. The tree has a dense, spreading crown. It tolerates frost well and up to -50 degrees. Drought resistant. It is probably for these qualities that the plant got its name. Gardeners note that the dried berries of this variety taste like raisins.

Another rowan variety that needs to be mentioned is Ruby... Like the previous variety, Rubinovaya mountain ash was obtained by pollination of seedlings with pear pollen of several varieties. When fully ripe, the berries are dark red in color and have a sour-sweet taste. According to their purpose, they are characterized as universal.

All of the above varieties are sweet-fruited and are especially suitable for those who are going to grow mountain ash for subsequent processing of berries.

Self-fertile rowan varieties are more common, that is, for fruiting, and even more so for obtaining high yields, pollen from other trees is needed and it is better that they are all of different varieties. If for some reason it is impossible to plant several trees, then two or three other varieties can be grafted directly into the crown of the mountain ash. And also, having agreed with the neighbors, you can plant different types of rowan trees on each tree.

The timing of harvesting berries depends on the variety. For example, fruits of varieties that differ in bitterness are removed after frost so that the taste of the berries is less tart. And if the tart taste and bitterness do not bother, then it is better to remove the berries before frost, since just such fruits will be stored longer. Alternatively, if the crop is harvested before the first frost, in order to slightly eliminate the bitterness and astringency, the berries are placed in the freezer for several hours. After such freezing, their taste will noticeably improve.

The harvest of berries of sweet-fruited varieties of mountain ash can be harvested immediately after they are ripe.

Berries, caught in frost, are stored in whole bunches in a cool place or peeled off from brushes and put in the freezer. Fruits, taken before frost, are recommended to be sorted out, peeled from stalks, twigs and foliage, then dried well in the open air or in the oven, and afterwards put away for storage.

It is not advised to wash the mountain ash, otherwise the protective coating that promotes long-term storage will simply disappear.

You can significantly increase the shelf life of berries by sprinkling them with sugar and putting them in the refrigerator. In this form, they will be stored for up to 6 months.

By the way, the yield of one common mountain ash tree, properly planted, well-groomed and normally developing, can be more than 50 kg of berries. And mountain ash "live" for more than a hundred years. Trees grow especially actively for the first 30 years. The peak of fruiting, when crop volumes can exceed 100 kg, occurs between 35-40 years.

Rowan red: medicinal properties of berries and care of a valuable tree.

So, in addition to the taste of the fruits, as well as the decorativeness of the tree itself, one cannot fail to note one more property of mountain ash - therapeutic and prophylactic.

Rowan fruits contain many vitamins necessary for the body.For example, there is no less vitamin C in rowan berries than in black currants, sea buckthorn and even lemon. It also contains the most valuable vitamin PP, the lack of which negatively affects the nervous system and is fraught with irritability and insomnia. The content of beta - carotene in mountain ash is superior to some varieties of carrots. Revealed such macro and microelements as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, iron.

With such a composition, mountain ash, of course, can be attributed to the number of funds aimed at preventing vitamin deficiency and increasing immunity.

Due to the content of sorbic acid, it is also a bactericidal agent.

Compositions based on mountain ash are used for diseases of the kidneys, liver, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol.

It is scientifically proven that mountain ash-based extracts help to increase blood clotting.

The use of fresh berries or juice made from them helps to normalize blood pressure.

For medicinal purposes, decoctions, infusions, berry juice are used. For their preparation, both fresh and dried berries can be used.

Rowan is widely used in cosmetology, as a remedy that has a tonic effect on the skin.

The presence of such a "complex" of vitamins and useful elements at hand is another argument in favor of the decision to plant rowan.

To the number of previously given tips for planting rowan, it should additionally be indicated that the best time for planting rowan, nevertheless, is autumn. This is the opinion of most gardeners who have grown more than one rowan tree. This argument is well founded. During the spring and summer period, the soil warmed up well, and its temperature allows the young seedling to quickly adapt and begin to actively grow the root system. The temperature decreases gradually, and given that the mountain ash is a frost-resistant plant, the seedlings have every chance of rooting well and getting stronger. However, autumn temperatures also depend on the climatic characteristics of the region, therefore, experts have determined the optimal months for planting mountain ash in different latitudes. For example, for the central region, this is mid-September and the first half of October. In the southern regions, where the first month of autumn is still a continuation of summer, mountain ash can be planted starting in October, and throughout the month. In the Urals and Siberia, it is better to land a landing immediately with the arrival of September and before the first days of October.

Also, in a little more detail, let us dwell on the question of feeding mountain ash. Fertilization should be started no earlier than in the third year after planting, of course, provided that both organic and mineral fertilizers were introduced into the planting pit. Top dressing can be carried out with complexes of minerals purchased in specialized stores, or you can use real biovitamin products of your own preparation. Experts note that it is organic fertilizers that stimulate the active growth and development of the tree. One of these natural fertilizers is solutions prepared on the basis of bird droppings or mullein. Both the one and the other means must be poured with water in a ratio of 1 to 10 and insisted for at least 1 month. It is strictly forbidden to add fresh manure to the soil. Firstly, the potassium, nitrogen and methane contained in it contribute to the heating of the mass up to + 80 degrees, as a result of which the plant roots simply burn out. Secondly, there is no calcium in fresh manure, but nitrogen is present in excess, which can acidify the soil, and mountain ash, as we remember, does not like high acidity. After a month, the present mass is used for watering plants, dissolving 1 part of the finished fertilizer in 10 parts of water.

Experts note that plant roots absorb liquid fertilizers faster and more actively. Before applying fertilizers, the soil of the trunk circle is loosened, the weeds that have appeared are removed and watered with solutions of mineral substances or infusions from organic matter.

Rowan fertilizing is carried out three times during the season. The first time fertilizers are applied in early spring, using organic matter (compost, humus) and ammonium nitrate. Then the mountain ash is fed in June, with solutions prepared on the basis of manure or poultry droppings. The last time the tree is fertilized is already in September, superphosphate and wood ash are added.

How to choose the right seedlings.

Having decided on the optimal period for planting rowan, we turn to the choice of planting material. As a rule, in late August - early September, seedlings of fruit and decoartive trees, shrubs are widely represented and there is plenty to choose from. It should be noted that another plus of the autumn planting. In addition, it has already been proven by practice that young plants planted in autumn subsequently grow noticeably more actively than those that were planted in spring. One of the indicators of a healthy seedling is the condition of the roots. Therefore, if planting material is sold with an open root system, it must be inspected first. The roots should not be twisted, lethargic, or have any damage. The optimum length of the root system of the seedling is 25-30 cm, the number of main branches is 3 or 4, and their minimum number is two. You should also pay attention to the bark, if it is shriveled - the plant is overdried, leaving it without moisture for a long time. In this case, you can knock off the bark a little to see the state of the trunk, it should be green. The crown of the rowan planting material is usually already developed and formed, that is, there is a central conductor and main branches extending from it.

When purchasing planting material with an open root system, for the period of its transportation, the roots must be wrapped in moist material. Before planting, the seedling is recommended to be placed in water for several hours so that the plant is saturated with moisture. In this state, it will more easily transfer planting and, accordingly, will begin to take root faster.

By the way, the use of a clay talker is another way to keep the root system moist, for example, in the case of long-term transportation or if the planting will take place some time after purchasing the seedling. If it is cloudy outside, then the root system treated in this way will retain moisture for a week. In order to prepare a chatterbox, the clay is diluted with water, gradually bringing it to the consistency of thick sour cream. Some gardeners additionally add a root stimulator and mineral fertilizers to the clay mixture.

If the dates for the autumn planting are missed, and the seedlings were purchased, they are left until spring, planting in containers with a mixture of peat, sawdust and sand. The containers are left in a room with a temperature of 0 to +10 degrees and a fairly high humidity - at least 80%.

If possible, it is better to dig a planting hole for planting mountain ash in advance, 2-3 weeks in advance. During this time, the pit will settle, the soil will sag and, subsequently, no air pockets will appear. In addition, the seedlings should be planted in well-moistened soil, so the hole, in advance, is spilled abundantly with water and wait until it is absorbed. In the autumn, the weather is quite windy and so that the young plant does not break, it needs to provide support. It is better to install the peg directly into the planting pit.

For the winter, seedlings planted in the fall should be covered. First of all, the trunk circle is mulched, with a layer of at least 10-15 cm. Further, the trunk of the seedling is wrapped in burlap, and after that it is warmed with spruce branches. Later, the seedling can be covered with fallen snow.

Also, experts recommend whitening the trunk in order to subsequently avoid sunburn and frost damage that occurs from strong temperature changes, when the bright spring sun, during the day, heats the dark trunk, and night temperatures cool it down.

Rowan transplant.

There are situations when a tree needs to be transplanted to another place, for example, when the area on which it grows will be built up or when the mountain ash has become too shaded for the plantings of other ornamental and garden crops.

The transplantation procedure is very similar to planting a mountain ash, with the only difference that the tree will first have to be dug up and how correctly this is done depends on whether the mountain ash will take root in a new place after transplanting.

Experts advise replanting the tree after leaf fall, during this period the plant goes into a state of dormancy.

By the way, leaf fall is a kind of defensive reaction of plants. So, in the autumn, when the soil begins to freeze, the roots of plants cease to absorb water, which is partially already in a solid state. The plant does not have enough moisture, and the leaves continue to evaporate it, spending the resources accumulated by the tree. To prevent the tree from drying out, it sheds its foliage.

The optimum daytime air temperature for transplanting a tree is -1 ... -3 degrees, and the night should not fall below -15 degrees.

We remember that rowan has a very ramified root system, so you should be very careful when digging it up. First, stepping back at least 1 meter from the trunk, dig a small groove around the tree. Then, they begin to dig an earthen ball, in which the root system is located, along the way, cutting off the roots protruding beyond the perimeter of the circle. Having dug out a tree, the earthen lump is wrapped with material or film and slowly dragged to the planting site. It is important to remember how the tree grew in relation to the cardinal points and mark it in the same way in a new place.

The diameter of the planting hole should be 40-50 cm larger than the diameter of the earthen coma. And the depth of the pit should be calculated taking into account the drainage layer. Its thickness should be at least 5 cm and repeat it three times, alternating with the ground. After planting, the soil is tamped and the trunk circle is mulched.

Rowan propagation.

In nature, birds are "engaged" in reproduction of mountain ash, carrying tree seeds around. Rowan fruits, growing naturally, are sour in taste and noticeably bitter.

The garden rowan is distinguished by a much more pleasant taste and, following certain rules and recommendations, it can also be propagated by seeds.

At the initial stage, it is important to choose the right berries. Fruits should be rich in color, which indicates their ripeness, large and not damaged in any way. Selected berries are carefully kneaded so as not to damage the seeds. Then, the whole mass is immersed in water at room temperature, stirred a little so that the seeds are separated from the pulp, and left for several hours. Non-emerging seeds will rise to the surface, and those that have sunk to the bottom of the container need to be collected and rinsed. Further, the seeds are mixed with peat mixture or sawdust and a container with seeds is left in the room for a month. After the seeds are subjected to stratification, removing them for a long time in a cold place, cellar or refrigerator. Stratification is aimed at increasing seed germination. In fact, this process mimics the effect of winter temperatures on seeds and subsequently contributes to their faster germination and germination. It is only important to ensure a moderate moisture content of the substrate throughout the entire period. Take out a container with seeds in early spring. As soon as the snow melts, and the earth warms up at least a little, the substrate, along with the seeds, is introduced into the soil. The depth of the embedding of the substrate into the soil is no more than a centimeter. The substrate is poured into the grooves, the distance between which should be at least 30 cm. After a while, seedlings will begin to appear. Of these, you need to leave the strongest, and remove the rest so that they do not interfere with the development of stronger, more active plants. At first, seedlings require a lot of attention.So far, their root system is in the upper layers of the soil, so it is important to ensure regular watering of the plantings and constant moderate soil moisture, otherwise the still weak roots will simply dry out. In addition, as you know, weeds grow much faster than other plants and so that they do not shade the plantings of mountain ash, and do not take away moisture and nutrition, weeds must be weeded regularly, otherwise, they will significantly slow down the development and growth of young seedlings.

Mountain ash is also propagated by cuttings. It should be noted that this method is easier and simpler. For cutting cuttings, both lignified shoots and green twigs are suitable. Those cuttings that are cut from lignified shoots are planted in the autumn, but young cuttings are grown in spring, planting them in a greenhouse or greenhouse.

Another way to breed rowan is budding. Perhaps this is the most common way to reproduce fruit trees. Budding is the grafting of the bud of a fruit tree, which must be propagated to another seedling. It should be noted that this method requires some theoretical training, consultations with specialists or gardeners who have experience in grafting trees. Although, technically, it is not difficult at all.

It is recommended to carry out budding in late July - early August, using a new bud that has grown in the current season and a young stock (the plant on which the graft is being made). Spring budding is also allowed, but it is carried out less often, since it is associated with the inconveniences that storage of planting material under certain conditions during autumn and winter brings.

Prevention of diseases and pests.

Rowan is weakly affected by various diseases, however, it is better to know the signs of the most common of them, so that, when they are detected, take measures in time, preventing further development.

Diseases can be divided into two categories, the first is characterized by the defeat of the leaves, the second - the trunk and branches.

If in the first case the decorative appearance of mountain ash suffers more, then damage to the trunk and shoots can lead to the death of the entire tree.

The causative agents of foliage diseases are pathogenic fungi and viruses.

If you find spots of an irregular rounded shape on the leaf plates, with many small dots in the center of the spot, then most likely the plant is affected by brown or gray spot. Over time, the microorganism will attack the entire leaf blade.

Similar signs, with the only difference that the lesions in the form of spots are orange-yellow in color and slightly more prominent, has another disease, rust. And yellow rings on the leaves indicate the presence of a disease such as ring mosaic.

All of these diseases are fraught with complete or partial loss of foliage. Premature leaf discharge also negatively affects the development of the tree, its fruiting and frost resistance.

Necrotic diseases of the trunk and branches of a tree pose a great danger, because pathogenic fungi, which are causative agents of necrosis, can develop not only in the bark, but also in the wood of the tree itself. Signs of necrosis are formations of various shapes and locations, growths spreading along the trunk and branches of the tree. Such lesions are visible to the naked eye.

Necrosis significantly weaken the plant and, over time, can cause its death. Such diseases are especially dangerous for young plants.

Rot diseases, in contrast to necrosis, develop much faster. Fungi of pathogenic pathogens can develop under the bark of the roots and, then, climb the trunk and branches of a tree, or they can arise directly on the trunk, settle in places where branches break off, frost holes and dry slopes.

Rotted trees dry out rather quickly. Moreover, decayed roots no longer ensure the stability of the tree, and during strong winds it can pose a danger to people and buildings.

The most important preventive measure is the timely cleaning and destruction of fallen leaves, since it is in it that pathogenic microorganisms winter. In early spring, it is advised to treat trees with copper-containing preparations, for example, Bordeaux liquid. Also, you should not neglect the whitewashing of trees, carrying it out both in the spring and in the fall.

In addition, diseases, of course, are more likely to affect trees that are not cared for.

In addition to diseases, insect pests can also attack mountain ash. Moreover, there are “lovers” of leaves, berries, and even flowers.

Buds, leaves and buds can be eaten by caterpillars of butterflies, herbivorous mites. Aphids and scale insects, attacking the plant in whole colonies, suck the juice from the leaves and shoots. The sawfly and the mountain ash moth feed on the pulp of the berries.

The presence of insect pests can be judged by the presence of curved and twisted leaves, sometimes collected in a lump entangled in cobwebs.

In order to prevent the appearance of pests, it is important to regularly weed the trunk circle, removing weeds from which insects migrate to the tree, regularly loosen the ground, especially in the autumn period, so as not to give them the opportunity to overwinter in the soil.

If the pests have already attacked the tree, it should be treated with insecticides immediately so as not to let the insects rise higher, where it will be more difficult to deal with it. And in the future, the crown and trunk of the tree should be inspected from time to time in order to take the necessary measures at the first signs of the appearance of pests.

Conclusion

Rowan, of course, deserves attention and, in full, will justify its presence on the site. Not many plants have so many qualities and so many useful properties as this tree, moreover, that much effort, neither its cultivation, nor its care does not require.

We hope that now the question will not arise - why grow mountain ash? And you already know how to plant, grow and provide care.