Dogwood: description, planting in the open field, care, reproduction, possible diseases - a plant for all occasions (50+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Dogwood

Dogwood is a deciduous perennial plant with a spreading crown. There are both woody and shrubby forms of this plant. The family to which it belongs has the same name - Cornelian.

All of its representatives are characterized by the same flower shape, although plants can differ significantly. The homeland of dogwood is the tropics of China, where it has been cultivated for a very long time, thanks to the unique taste of berries capable of self-fermentation.

It is possible that mankind received the first alcoholic drinks from dogwood. Another feature of that plant was a unique wood with exceptional strength.

Even the strength of the legendary ebony persimmons can not be compared with the strength of dogwood wood fibers. Caring for the dogwood is relatively simple, but its reproduction and planting can puzzle the novice gardener, because it takes a lot of work to make the seeds of this plant “wake up”.

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plant description

Despite its southern origin, dogwood has spread widely around the globe and is currently absent only in Australia. If earlier it was valued mainly for the exceptional properties of wood, now much more attention is paid to both the palatability of the plant and its pharmaceutical properties.

General view of flowering dogwood

Dogwood, depending on the generic affiliation, can be either a shrub or a tree. The sizes of the former rarely exceed 3 m in height and the same in diameter. Trees can reach a height of up to 15 m and have a crown diameter of about 20 m.

There are also several types of dogwood related to perennial herbs. The plant has opposite leaves on stems; in just a few species, the leaves are arranged alternately.

dogwood flower

Dogwood blooms relatively early - already in April, however, its growing season is about 200 days, which means that some species of the plant cannot be grown in the northern regions for harvest. Despite their frost resistance, they may not have time to form fruits.

A distinctive feature of the dogwood flower is its four petals., which, of course, could not pass by religious figures. A large number of various mystical and near-religious stories and legends are associated with dogwood.

red dogwood fruit

Despite the fact that the flower contains only 4 pistils and stamens, this cannot be said at first glance, because visually in the center of the flower their number seems to be large. Moreover, each flower forms one drupe fruit with only two seeds.

The genus Dogwood includes about 50 different species. For convenience of classification, they are conditionally divided into 4 subgenera, and this division is more functional than botanical.Representatives of each subgenus have a fairly narrow specialization: some are used for landscape design, others are used for cooking, and so on.

Dogwood with yellow fruits

Selection work with dogwood has been carried out for several millennia. Thanks to this, several new varieties of the plant have appeared that can tolerate environmental conditions other than tropical ones. Currently, for example, there are dogwood varieties that can tolerate frosts down to -30 ° C without any shelter.

The name "kizil" in Turkic means "red"; thus one of the characteristic features of the plant is indicated - the color of its berries. In the vast majority of cases, ripe dogwood berries are exactly red. However, out of fifty species belonging to the genus Dogwood, about a dozen have a bright yellow fruit color.

Fruits of different varieties of dogwood

Fruit ripening occurs from August to October, however, this process is not periodic, repeating year after year. This is another feature of the dogwood. In it, the formation of the crop of the next year is carried out at the beginning of the summer of the current year - it is then that the generative buds are laid for the next year.

By the end of the current season, next year's buds should be fully formed. And as soon as this process is completed, the plant proceeds to the enhanced formation of the fruits of this season. All this must be taken into account when caring for a plant so that it can bear fruit normally and not get out of rhythm for the next years.

Dogwood is a long-lived plant. How bushes, and trees can exist for several tens or even hundreds of years. The oldest dogwood ever documented had over 500 annual rings.

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Planting dogwood

In the vast majority of cases, dogwood is planted using seedlings. The option of planting seeds is not excluded, but it takes much more time to get a fruit-bearing tree.

Since the life of the plant is very long, do not be surprised at its long period of growing up: sometimes the time required to get a fruit-bearing adult tree (or bush, depending on the species) from a dogwood seed exceeds a decade.

Seedlings at the age of one and two years. Grafting sites are visible on both seedlings

No matter how the plant multiplies, it will be possible to get fruits in any case, the main question is how long it will take. The use of seedlings can significantly reduce this time period.

In the most favorable outcome, when grafted seedlings are used, the time required for dogwood to start fruiting is about 3 years. If the seedling is not grafted, but obtained by layering, or, despite the grafting, it is not yet sufficiently developed, this time can be from 5 to 10 years.

dogwood grafting

Which method of propagation and planting of a plant to choose, each gardener decides for himself. However, there are certain rules common to all planting methods regarding the choice of a site for a plant, preliminary soil preparation and other organizational issues.

Let's consider them in more detail:

Choice of landing site

Despite the presence of frost-resistant dogwood varieties, its southern origin makes itself felt. Dogwood prefers warm, well-lit areas, located mainly in the southern parts of gardens or kitchen gardens.

It is believed that the peak of the plant's metabolism occurs in the afternoon, so the location on the southwestern slope of the site will be the best for it.

Unfortunate (too close to the fence) location of the bush

The distance from large buildings, fences or other large plants to a dogwood tree or bush should be at least 5 m. Otherwise, the crown of the plant after 10 years will begin to thicken greatly, or vice versa - it will stretch out strongly and correct it even with pruning will be very problematic.

In its homeland, dogwood is pollinated by bees and is a good honey plant. In our climate, pollination with the help of bees will not work, because the flowering of the dogwood occurs too early and the bees are still in a state of hibernation at this time. Dogwood blossoms at a temperature of about + 12 ° C, which is unrealistic to combine with the active phase of the life of a bee colony.

In this regard, in our climate wind pollination is used. Despite the fact that the plant is monoecious, for more successful pollination, it is recommended to place 2-3 dogwood trees in one garden at a distance of about 4-5 m from each other. For a more compact fit, they are placed not in a row, but in the shape of a triangle.

Dogwood grows exclusively on alkaline soils. Of course, you can try to grow it on acidic soils, however, this will negatively affect not only the growth rate and development of the plant, but also its yield. In some cases, given the characteristics of the fruiting of the plant, the dogwood will bear fruit once every 3-4 years.

Flowering dogwood at the age of 5 years

Acidic soils need liming with lime or chalk. Consumption rates depend on the degree of soil acidity, as well as on the intensity of the use of top dressings in precursor plants. In principle, you should be prepared for the fact that when leaving, you will have to constantly carry liming of the soil in the middle and end of the season.

The root system of the plant is quite powerful and relatively deep. This has both its pros and cons. The presence of a deep and branched root system allows the plant to perfectly tolerate periods of drought without losing the quality of the vegetative part and yield.

On the other hand, like most garden plants, dogwood roots do not tolerate waterlogging, so most of the root system should be above the groundwater level. Dogwood has a value of this minimum level of 1.5 meters, which is actually comparable to plants such as cherries or plums.

Preliminary soil preparation for planting dogwood includes digging the site, where the plant will be located to a depth of 2 bayonet spades. In the case of dogwood planting in the spring, it is carried out in the fall of last year. If the plant is planted in the fall, then the preparation must be done a month before the planned dates.

It is not necessary to apply fertilizers, since they are added to the soil when the plant is planted. However, at the same time, the soil should be cleaned of old roots and other parts of plant origin.

It is also recommended to lime the soil with lime; consumption in this case will be 500 g per 1 sq. m. Since the dimensions of the pit when planting a seedling are about 60x60 cm, it is recommended to dig and cultivate a piece of land with a small margin (no more than 1x1 m).

Planting seedlings

The recommended time for planting dogwood seedlings is mid-October. In the southern regions, this period can be postponed to the end of October or even the beginning of November.

It is advisable to use seedlings that are at least two years old, so that their growth is approximately 1.5 m and a diameter of about 2 cm. On the other hand, this is not mandatory: even one-year-old grafted seedlings that do not have such parameters take root perfectly.

planting hole

A pre-prepared area is cleaned with a rake and a hole is dug in its center with a depth and diameter of about 50-60 cm. In this case, it is necessary to do the following: divide the soil taken out of the pit into two parts: separately the upper 30 cm, separately the lower ones.

The top 30 cm of soil should be set aside and mixed with an equal amount of some kind of organic fertilizer (such as compost, humus or rotted manure).

In addition, the following components are added to this soil mixture:

The resulting mixture is poured in the form of a mound at the bottom of the pit and a seedling is installed on its “top”. The seedling is located in such a way that the root collar is 3-5 cm above ground level. There should be enough soil mixture to completely fill the planting hole. After a slight compaction of the soil, the dogwood seedling is watered with 20 liters of water.

Some gardeners recommend after planting the plant to make its primary pruning. It consists in shortening the shoots by one third of the length. At the same time, it is desirable that at least 3-4 buds remain on each shoot.

If the number of buds is less, then pruning should not be done, or it should be done by making a cut 2 cm above the highest located bud.

Planting a dogwood seedling

The lower part of the soil from the pit is simply removed and evenly distributed over the site anywhere. It can be used as dogwood mulch by mixing it 1:1 with manure or compost.

Sometimes a small barrier border around a plant 10-15 cm high is made from the lower soil, located at a distance of about 40-50 cm from the seedling. A similar border allows you to simplify the procedure for watering.

Together with planting a seedling, it is necessary to install a wooden peg 10-15 cm from it, to which the young tree will be tied for the first 5-6 years of life, until a strong and strong trunk is formed. The peg must have a length of the above-ground part of at least 1.5 m, and its installation is carried out on the leeward side.

Planting with seeds

Seed planting dogwood is associated with a number of difficulties. They are connected primarily with the fact that the bone of this plant is too strong and strong. In addition, the seed itself has several stages of dormancy.

The combination of these factors leads to dogwood seeds planted in autumn germinate only on the third or even fourth spring after planting. On the other hand, growing from seeds is often the only way to get new varieties of dogwood at your disposal, especially the taste of which has already been tasted.

dogwood seeds in fruit

There are many ways to speed up the germination of dogwood seeds.

The first three methods are used in selective cultivation of plants, and they are quite difficult to implement. The latter is actively used by amateur gardeners and is a fairly effective means of accelerating seed germination in time by about two times.

That is, at the beginning of all events at the end of autumn, it is already possible to get shoots of a new plant in a year and a half.

Peeled and dried dogwood seeds

This stratification is done in the following way. Seeds are placed in a strong nylon bag and buried in the ground to a depth of about 20 cm. During the year, the seed planting site is watered so that the seeds are constantly in moist soil. Watering is stopped only with the approach of frost, so as not to freeze the seeds.

As soon as the snow melts and the temperature at the place of occurrence of the seeds becomes above + 5 ° C, watering is resumed again. Exactly one year later, a bag of seeds is dug out. Microorganisms contained in the soil during the year make the outer shell of the seeds less durable, but at the same time they do not reach the embryo itself.

The impact of microorganisms is sufficient for the seed to have the strength to destroy the outer shell during subsequent planting. With such a stratification, the germination of seeds for the next year is at least 60% of the total.

Plastic bag with wet sawdust for stratification

Seeds should be dried for about one week, and then planted again, having previously treated them with some kind of stimulant. As a stimulant, you can use, for example, Epin or potassium humate.

Planting seeds is carried out in a pit similar to that described earlier. At the same time, the whole complex of measures for preparing the substrate and filling the planting pit with it is repeated. At the same time, the seed itself sits at a depth of about 5-10 cm.

There is an alternative method for germinating dogwood seeds, it is longer by half a year, but at the same time, the probability of getting healthy and strong plants is much higher. Its main difference from that described earlier is that the seeds are planted not in the fall, but in the spring; in addition, the cultivation of dogwood according to this method is carried out using seedlings.

This method of planting is preceded by additional processing.. It consists in the following: the seeds are cleaned of pulp, washed with cold water and mixed with sawdust. After that, they are placed in an opaque fabric bag in a refrigerator for stratification, lasting 18 months at a temperature not higher than +5°C.

Dogwood seeds successfully stratified

The time must be adjusted in such a way that in mid-February, take the seeds out of the refrigerator and start warming them up for a week at a temperature of about + 20-22 ° C.

Simultaneously with the heating of the seeds, the soil should be prepared for the germination of the seeds.

It will consist of the following components:

The components are mixed, and the resulting soil is treated with a 0.2% potassium permanganate solution to purify it from pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases. After that, it is dried under gauze in a sunny area for 2-3 days.

As soon as the seeds pass the heating stage, they are planted in the ground in some box, which is covered with an opaque film, and the box itself is placed in a warm place.. Seeds are planted to a depth of about 3 cm and watered.

Watering is done daily with a moderate amount of water. In this case, it is recommended to use a spray gun. After 1-2 weeks, the first sprouts appear on the seeds, after which the film is removed.

Further care of seedlings consists of regular watering and loosening the soil.. No top dressing or dives need to be done. Planting seedlings in the ground is carried out in mid-May. All the activities with which it is associated (preparation of the pit, planting, etc.) repeat those considered earlier.

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shrub care

Plant care almost completely repeats the care of any fruit-bearing tree or shrub that inhabits the average garden. Like all plants, dogwood needs watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and pruning.

Harvest from one bush

However, since the dogwood buds of the next year are formed simultaneously with the fruits of this year, care for it, especially watering and fertilizing, should be followed in a timely manner and in no case be late, since a shift in dates even by a dozen days can be fatal for the next crop. of the year.

Watering

Watering the plant is carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather. It should be plentiful, but not frequent. Usually 1-2 waterings per week are sufficient. As such, there are no irrigation norms; it is necessary to focus on the moisture content of the upper soil layer.

On the other hand, since dogwood is a perennial plant, it is possible to roughly estimate the required watering rates depending on the age of the plant. A plant up to 5 years old needs about 20 liters for one watering.

The age of 5-10 years requires about 30 liters, older plants will require 40 or 50 liters per watering. In hot weather, watering rates can be increased by 30-50%.

dogwood fruit sizes

Watering is carried out under the root of the plant, at the same time, it is desirable to surround it with a small side with a diameter of about a meter (for plants over 10 years old - 2 m) and a height of 10-15 cm so that water does not spread over the site. The plant does not need sprinkling or drip irrigation.

The procedure for watering a plant always ends with loosening the soil around it. In this case, you should loosen all the soil inside the circle for watering, limited by the side. Loosening should be carried out to a depth of 8-10 cm, the soil must be carefully cultivated and weeds and pests removed from it, if any are found.

top dressing

During the season, the plant needs five top dressings, each of which must be made strictly in its own time. It is advisable to combine top dressing with watering the plant and loosening the soil under it.

Each top dressing is made after the onset of a certain event, and if for some reason, it was missed, you should not rush to make it late on the principle of "just to make it". It is necessary to understand at what stage the plant is currently in order to either adjust this top dressing or abandon it altogether.

After flowering begins, the shrub is fertilized with potassium sulfate.

The above applies primarily to nitrogenous fertilizers. Since dogwood flowers bloom very early, it is recommended to apply them only once and only in early spring. On the other hand, already in June, the plant may feel a serious need for nitrogen, since it has sown significant forces for vegetation and the formation of generative buds.

Consider the recommended scheme for applying fertilizing for dogwood, depending on the time of year:

Two important points in the application of top dressing, which should not be forgotten:

plant pruning

Growing dogwood requires its regular scrap, since the growth of shoots in it occurs quite quickly and a too dense crown does not contribute to high yields.

overgrown tree in need of pruning

As usual, this process is divided into sanitary and shaping pruning.

Before cutting each branch, dip the secateurs in a solution of bleach in water (concentration 1 to 3). This is done so as not to transfer infections or fungal spores from diseased and damaged areas.

Separately, you should consider the removal of shoots damaged by fungus or pests. They should be removed completely, even if they have healthy buds and these shoots bore well last season. After the end of sanitary pruning, all cut shoots must be destroyed; best to burn them.

Correctly formed center of the plant, in need of a little cosmetic pruning

Also at this stage, all branches growing inside the bush and branches located below the grafting point should be removed to the base, if the dogwood was grafted.

Removal of unfruitful branches

Some types of dogwood may not need shaping pruning. in the general sense of this expression, since the growth of branches in these species is directed radially, from the central trunk.

In this case, it is necessary to thin out the plant, removing the branches of this and last years, on which less than three generative buds are formed, or there are no buds at all. As practice shows, if the inner branch does not bear fruit for more than two seasons, it will never bear fruit.

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Conclusion

Dogwood is a relatively unpretentious and easy-to-care plant that can be grown in temperate climates. Only some planting issues can cause a problem, but they can be solved in different ways.

Proper care of the plant guarantees not only its good appearance and healthy appearance, but also excellent yields.

The scope of the plant is quite wide - from the elements landscape design and raw materials for various products to gastronomic and pharmaceutical recipes. When growing dogwood, you should strictly follow the recommendations for caring for it, so that the plant enters the necessary stages of its life cycles at the right time, otherwise you will not be able to get good harvests.

VIDEO: Dogwood breeding: selecting new varieties

VIDEO: Dogwood breeding: selecting new varieties

Dogwood: description, planting in the open field, care, reproduction, possible diseases - a plant for all occasions (50+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

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