Holly ordinary is a very popular plant in many countries of the world, but this is not surprising. He is loved by gardeners for their brilliant dark green leaves, red, orange, white, yellow, and even black attractive berries. Fruits on the stems appear in autumn and continue to decorate the plant throughout the winter. In order to become holly, it is well-established on the site and delighted the summer resident, you need to know the basic rules of planting and caring for the plant. This is what will be discussed in the article below.
The choice of location: lighting and soil
Holly does not require special attention to itself in the process of growing. Nevertheless, there are moments that should not be omitted. Holly likes to grow on the shady area, so that in the open sun it is not worth planting it. It is also recommended to protect it from wind.
The soil should be sufficiently well hydrated, light and nutritious. We must take care of quality drainage. Holly holly will grow poorly in heavy ground, it will be especially difficult for him to survive the winter under such conditions.
Rules for the purchase of seedlings
Holly saplings are recommended to buy in nurseries, best in container. This will help the culture to successfully transfer the transplant, regardless of whether it is summer or spring. Saplings on sale happen with open root system and with closed. Buying the first option, you need to pay attention to the fact that the root system has not been dried out.
Roots should be elastic and flexible, do not crack and not break when bent. The main roots should be from 4-5 pieces and more. The branches and trunk of the tree must also be resilient. You need to inspect them for any mechanical damage. The kidneys must also be alive.
Read also about other ornamental trees: red maple, sycamore, red oak, catalpa.
Planting Holly Seedlings
For planting of holly olympodate, it is desirable to use ready breathable fertile soil. If this is not possible, you can prepare it yourself. It is necessary for this to mix turf, leaf, peat and humus soil in equal parts, subsequently adding perlite or coarse sand to the mixture.
After that, a hole is made in the selected area, the prepared soil is filled in there, and the seedlings are planted. Hole is desirable to do about one meter in width and depth, it is possible more. It is important that the root system of the seedling can be evenly distributed in the hole, without being damaged or twisted. After planting the tree should be poured abundantly.
Did you know? Literal translation of the word Hollywood means "holly grove" or "holly grove".
Care Tips
Caring for holly ordinary is quite simple. It is only necessary to get acquainted with a number of recommendations and tips.
Watering, weeding and loosening
Most often this plant is enough natural rainfall. It usually does not require additional watering. If there is a prolonged drought, it is possible to moisten the soil, but it should be done only in the evening or in the early morning, long before the heat of the day. 2-3 watering per week will be quite enough for the holly, since it also does not tolerate stagnant water in the soil.
Additionally, you can spray the foliage of the tree with cold water. Also, do not forget about loosening the soil and weeding the area from the weeds. Loosening is required so that the soil allows air and moisture to flow well, and weeding, in order to avoid the use of nutrients from the soil by other plants.
Top dressing
For the normal development of the plant in the garden, it will be necessary to fertilize the soil from time to time. In the spring, compost should be poured into the root zone mixed with complex fertilizers. Also, no more than twice a month, you can fertilize liquid organic and mineral mixtures.
Important! You need to ensure that the concentration of nitrogen in the mixture for feeding was low, otherwise you can harm the holly.
A haircut
Due to the fact that it is possible to form beautiful hedges from holly hollows, you should take care of their appearance. At the very beginning of the spring season, pruning of the branches is necessary to form an attractive crown. Tree growing quite slowlytherefore, a neat crown will please the eye for almost the whole year. As for curly hairstyle, it is also allowed and can be applied if desired.
For hedgerows, they are also perfectly suited for: calinus bractor, thuja, sloe, boxwood, hawthorn, forsythia, privet, yew, barberry Turnn.
Wintering
Speaking of holly, namely, its winter hardiness, it should be noted that endure the short-term lowering of temperature, down to -22 ° C it can. But at the same time, it is difficult for him to survive the whole winter in particularly cold areas. You can protect it with the help of shelter sawdust or peat. It is also permissible to use dry fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Some gardeners prefer to grow this plant in containers, bringing it into the room during the winter period. This option is valid, but keep it in warm rooms is not worth it. The temperature should be cool anyway during wintering.
Use in landscape design
For landscape design, holly ordinary has become just a godsend. It will be able to decorate any personal plot, it will become a reliable decorative live fence. From a practical point of view, plants can play the role of windproof plantations.
Especially often they land on the shores of the sea, as they have a good level of resistance to salt. Their leaves are prickly, and this will help rid the garden fenced from unwanted visitors. Due to the fact that he is remarkably amenable to curly hairstyles, beautiful topiary is often formed from it.
Did you know? Harry Potter, the protagonist of the series of novels of J. Rowling, had a magic wand made from holly of holly.
Reproduction features cuttings
Holly breeding can be carried out both by seed and cuttings. The second option has a higher popularity, because the seeds have a long period of germination.
First you need to cut the cuttings themselves. Choose for this should be the shoots of the current season, which are only semi-woody. The cutting knife must be very sharp so as not to damage the tree, and the cuts themselves are made oblique. Each stalk should be about 4-5 cm in length and always with the presence of one or two internodes.
Finished cuttings, it is desirable to first plant in the greenhouse. The substrate for the landing can be prepared from layers of humus and sand. It is recommended to plant cuttings to a depth of about 2 cm, after which regular spraying with clean water should be carried out.
The temperature in the room should not drop. As for direct sunlight, then from them the plant is recommended pritenyat. For 0.5-1 month cuttings will have time to take root, after which they can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
Important! The advantage of the method of grafting is that you can save all the varietal characteristics and quality of the plant.
Medicinal properties
Holly has not only decorative, but useful properties. Its leaves have cardiotonic, antifebrile, diuretic and antiseptic properties. Leaf infusions are often used as a medicine for colds, bronchitis or cough. In addition, they can help with rheumatism, dropsy and arthritis.
Antiseptic and diuretic properties also have: physalis, sage, momordika, cumin, pumpkin, savory, bay leaf.
The recipe for making universal tincture is very simple. You need two tablespoons of carefully crushed leaves of holly pour vodka (about 150 ml) and insist this liquid for a week in a dark cool place.
At the end of this period, the tool must be drained and you can take 25 drops two or three times a day. The tincture is pre-diluted in 50-70 ml of water, drunk 30 minutes before eating.
Holly ordinary or holly is a wonderful ornamental plant that can decorate any personal plot. In addition, its foliage can be used as an ingredient for the preparation of medicinal tinctures. The advantages of growing this tree are obvious. In addition, in the care he is completely unpretentious.
