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03.07.2024
- Douglas fir origin
- Douglas fir care and location
- Cutting Douglas fir
- Do you need to fertilize Douglas firs?
- Water Douglas fir properly!
Douglas fir origin
The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is an evergreen conifer and is a genus within the family Pinaceae (pine family). It is originally native to North America and was introduced to Europe in the mid-19th century. It is now grown in many parts of the world as a timber plant and is also popular as an ornamental plant.
The Douglas fir is a fast-growing tree that can reach heights of over 60 m in Germany. It has a broad, rounded crown and long, slender branches. The needles are about 5 cm long and shiny green.
The male and female flowers are found on different trees and appear in spring. The male flowers are small and delicate, while the female flowers are larger and more vigorous.
The fruits are seed-rich cones that ripen in autumn and remain on the branches for a long time.
The Douglas fir is a valuable tree for forestry because it produces high-quality wood. It is used for making furniture, lumber and paper. It is also popular as an ornamental plant and is often planted in parks and gardens. It is easy to care for and can also be used as a privacy screen.
Douglas fir care and location
The Douglas fir is undemanding in terms of soil and can grow in many different types of soil. However, it prefers a sunny location and well-drained and nutrient-rich soil.
Cutting Douglas fir
To maintain an attractive crown, Douglas firs can be pruned regularly. This is best done in early spring when the tree is still dormant. By cutting off long branches and side shoots, the crown can be tightened and the growth shape improved.
As a Douglas fir ages, it can be revitalized through rejuvenation pruning. This pruning involves removing older, diseased or dead branches. If a Douglas fir has grown too large, it is possible to reduce its crown. This can be achieved by cutting off branches to reduce the overall height and width of the tree.
Watering Douglas firs
Douglas fir water needs can vary depending on the species, size and location. In general, however, Douglas firs have medium-high water needs and are able to thrive in areas with low rainfall as long as they are watered regularly. Douglas firs are generally well adapted to dry soils, but they do require adequate water during the growing season.
Watering should be done regularly during the growing season, especially during long dry periods. The soil around the plant should be kept moist but not wet. The soil should be watered thoroughly and only re-moistened when it becomes drier again.
Douglas firs have different root systems, depending on the species. Some Douglas fir species have deep roots, while others are more shallow-rooted. Very dry soils can cause root damage in shallow-rooted varieties.
When watering with a garden hose, a lot of water is lost through surface runoff and evaporation. A more efficient way of watering is to use Tree watering bags. Water is released to the trees drop by drop over several hours through two holes in the bottom of the bags. This ensures that the water does not evaporate or seep through the root area before it reaches the tree. Another advantage of the watering bags is that the continuous watering prevents the risk of root rot.
Attaching and filling the water bags is easy, as can be seen from the enclosed and downloadable Instructions can be removed. The bags are placed around the tree trunk like a jacket, closed with a zip and filled with water.
The capacity of one irrigation bag is sufficient to supply young trees with the amount of water they need. For existing trees with a larger trunk diameter, several irrigation bags can be connected to each other to ensure they are supplied with enough water.
Do you need to fertilize Douglas firs?
The Douglas fir is an undemanding plant and a fertilization with compost in spring should usually be sufficient. It is hardly susceptible to pests and diseases, but frost-drying is a danger for young Douglas firs, so care should be taken to ensure a good water supply in winter and spring.
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