There are more than 130 species of pine in the world: these conifers grow both in the northern latitudes and near the equator, and are also considered the most common, second only to larch. In the wild, they form pine forests or grow in mixed forests, take root well in urban parks and garden plots, which is why they are often used in landscape design. In this article, you can find information about the cultivation of Rumeliya pine, or Balkan, Macedonian (lat. Pinus peuce) and the characteristics that this plant possesses.

Tree description

Short description of the Rumelian pine:

• narrow pyramidal tree about 20 m high;
• krone - thin, thick, pin-shaped, grows almost from the ground. The growth per year is about 30 cm. In the mountainous regions, it often changes, assuming a bushy shape;
• the trunk is straight, the bark is brown or red-brown in color, it can also be gray-brown in color, scaly;
• branches - short, bare, grayish-brown;
• young shoots with a diameter of about 3-4 mm, green color;
• kidneys - elongated, up to 1 cm long, with a pointed end, resinous, brown;
• needles - straight, solid, trihedral, up to 10 cm long and up to 1 mm thick, gray-green, sharp, grow 5 pieces in a bunch;
• cones - cylindrical in shape, single or paired, light brown, about 10 cm long and up to 4 cm in diameter, flakes are hard, maturation occurs in the third year;
• the seeds are oval, 5–7 mm long, the wing 1.5 cm, have a high germination rate of up to 90%;
• profuse flowering occurs in May;
• has high winter hardiness;
• drought resistant.

Growing regions

Rumelian pine grows in the mountainous regions of southern and southeastern Europe (on the Balkan Peninsula), in Asia Minor, and Russia.

Did you know? The highest pines of the Lamberta cultivar grow in North America: the height of some trees reaches about 70–80 meters.

Landing

Due to the fact that this type of pine is considered frost-resistant and unpretentious, it is well suited for cultivation in garden plots. Experienced gardeners are advised to plant pine in the spring (April - May) or in the fall (September - October). It is best to plant three-year-old or five-year-old seedlings in containers with a closed root system, although you can sow a plant with seeds.

Planting seedlings is carried out in this way:

1. It is necessary to choose a spacious bright place, remove all weeds on it along with the roots.
2. The soil should be well-drained, light, with good air permeability and moderate humidity, with a water table not exceeding 1.5 m, because when the water stagnates, the root system of the plant rots.
3. Dig a hole in the chosen place with a depth of 80-100 cm and a width of 60 cm, between the holes there should be a distance of 4 m.
4. It is necessary to make a drainage about 20 cm thick, add gravel and crushed stone to the bottom of the recess, then add fertile soil with compost (15–20 kg), superphosphate (150 g), pour plenty of water (10 l).
5. Lower the sapling with a lump of earth into the hole (the root neck should be at ground level), sprinkle it with the dug up soil, slightly tamping it, water it again. When the liquid is absorbed, you can cover the near-trunk circle of mulch (sawdust, hay, bark).

Important! Pine seedlings with an open root system (ACS) are not recommended to be bought, since it dies within 15–20 minutes. It is best to purchase seedlings in proven garden nurseries with appropriate quality certificates.

Seeding is carried out as follows:

1. First of all, seeds must be prepared (stratified). To do this, they must be soaked in water at room temperature, kept in it for about 3 days, after which the liquid should be drained, let them dry slightly (to make it easier to sow). Mix sand, soil for conifers, peat in equal proportions, place seeds in a container, sprinkle with soil (about 1 cm), moisten, cover with a plastic bag, put in a refrigerator or cellar with a temperature regime from 0 ° to + 5 ° С for two months . From time to time you need to remove the bag, ventilate a little, and moisten the soil.
2. In spring, seeds can be sown.
3. In the open ground, you need to make a ditch on a prepared spot at a depth of one and a half bayonet shovels, fill with a mixture of fertile soil and sand (2: 1), make a small groove 3-4 cm deep, sow the seeds, fill with sand, and water. It is necessary to irrigate the sowing often for the first 7–10 days in order to avoid drying out of the soil;
4. Young sprouts need to be protected from direct sunlight: they can be slightly shaded artificially or covered with agrofibre.
5. After two years, pines can be planted in a permanent place.

Care Rules

To ensure the proper development of pine and to grow a healthy beautiful tree, it is necessary to carry out preventive work, water, mulch and loosen the soil, prune and feed the crop.

Watering

At first, after planting, the plant needs regular watering, then irrigation should be carried out in the summer, when it is very hot, or if the season turned out to be dry. Adult trees can be watered 1-2 times a month, young trees - every week. It is necessary to pour water at the trunk; for one tree, 15–20 l is enough.

Top dressing

The first two to three years after planting, it is recommended to fertilize young seedlings. In spring (late April - early May), mineral fertilizer (40 g per m²) is spread around the near-trunk zone of pine by dispersion, the soil is dug up and watered. In summer, for good development, a tree is watered with a bucket of infusion of manure and water (1: 8). In the future, he will miss the organic matter accumulated in the soil.

Mulching and loosening the soil

The soil in the near-stem circle must be loosened, especially after watering - in order to avoid the formation of a crust, which prevents the evaporation of moisture and the penetration of oxygen to the roots, and also remove weeds along with the roots.

An important factor is mulching the soil with a layer of about 5 cm: it helps to retain moisture in the earth, enriches it with nutrients and prevents the germination of weeds and grass. For mulch, materials such as hay, sawdust, peat, compost are suitable.

Haircut and trim

Another important factor in caring for the Balkan pine is pruning: mostly dry and damaged branches are pruned. Sanitation should be carried out from early spring to autumn. Also, this species can be formed in a certain way, it is well suited for nivaki (Japanese garden pruning style).

To do this, you need to pinch off young shoots by two-thirds every year at the end of May or the beginning of June - new buds are formed in the cut sites, which will give new shoots next season, and thus, year after year, you can create the desired shape.

Winter preparations

Adult trees of this species are considered winter-hardy, therefore they do not require any special preparation for winter, but young pine trees - on the contrary, it is advisable to cover them for the winter to avoid sunburn and to protect them from frost.

Important! Young seedlings must be periodically treated for pests and diseases with fungicides.

To this end, use spruce branches (harvested branches of coniferous trees) or wrap a tree with rare burlap or agrofiber. Before proceeding to shelter a seedling, you must first process the periostemal circle and mulch it.

Diseases and Pests

The Rumelian pine is resistant to fungal diseases and pests, but there are still risks of defeat by such representatives:

1. Rust - fungal disease, which manifests itself on the crown in the form of orange vesicles (they contain fungal spores). To combat it, use the preparations "Tsineb", "Nitrafen", Bordeaux liquid.
2. Tar cancer (rust cancer) is a dangerous disease in which fusiform swellings appear on the trunk, the bark cracks and exposes the wood, resin constantly emerges from the cracks, wounds spread further along the trunk. The crown thins, the development of the tree stops, and it perishes. You can overcome this ailment at the initial stage with the help of the drugs "Alirin", "Gamair", "Bayleton", "Fitosporin-M". But before processing, it is necessary to clean the affected areas with a knife, disinfect the sections and paint over with paint based on drying oil. The cut off parts need to be burned.
3. Pine spider - manifests itself in the form of yellow swellings that crack. The spores of this disease are spread by the wind, affecting young shoots of pine, which eventually bend, die and dry, the needles turn yellow, fade and fall. Often, young seedlings die. Cracks formed on the branches are filled with resin. You can fight this disease by spraying plants with chemical solutions - Bordeaux liquid 1%, Polycarbacin, Tsineb. You also need to use immunostimulants and micronutrient fertilizers. Infected needles need to be burned.
4. Pine shield - These are small insects with a body length of about 2 mm. Females are covered with an elongated white shield: they lead a motionless lifestyle, sucking plant juices, and lay eggs. Larvae appear in May, are very mobile, spread throughout the tree. In the affected areas, the needles turn yellow, dry and fall, which leads to a weakening and slowdown of pine growth. To get rid of these pests, it is necessary to carry out treatment with the preparations "Calypso", "Confidor Maxi", "Mospilan".
5. Mealybug (hermes) - a sucking insect with a length of about 4 mm, an oval-shaped body, covered with white powdery wax, a life span of 3 to 6 months, the female lays 300-800 eggs. The plants feed on the juice, winter in the fissures of the bark and sinuses of the needles. As a result of feeding worms, yellowing and shedding of needles occurs. In case of severe defeat, the death of young seedlings is possible. For their destruction, insecticidal preparations Confidor, Calypso, Aktara, Biotlin, Tarek, Mospilan and others are used.

To protect the pine tree from pests, infections, it is necessary to carry out preventive work in a timely manner, remove fallen needles, cut dry, damaged branches and treat it with medicinal solutions.

Did you know? For the manufacture of artificial silk and artificial leather using pine wood. Amber stone is obtained from petrified fossilized pine resin: not only jewelry is made from it, but is also used in pharmaceuticals, perfumes, food and chemical industries.

Landscape design application

Since the Rumelian pine is an evergreen coniferous tree, many gardeners recommend planting it as gardening in squares, parks, forest plantations, in alleys, garden plots, and use it as a hedge. In addition, with the help of this pine tree, alpine hills, ponds and flowerbeds are decorated, creating bonsai and nivaki.

To grow a Rumeliya pine, you need to provide it with proper care and make very little effort, then it will delight you with its beautiful and healthy appearance at any time of the year. It can also be decorated with electric garlands and toys for the New Year, which will emphasize the beauty of the coniferous tree and will delight children and adults.