In ideal conditions, a balsam fir can grow about a foot a year. In the wild, they can grow to 90 to feet. You can also keep them in your home until they are a good size, or you can plant them as a sapling. Most people think of a Balsam Fir as a Christmas Tree, because a lot of balsam firs are grown for this reason.
They have a speedy growing time, and the pine cones stand up and brake up when they ripen. Most Balsam Firs have a neat, round shape, and have a bluish-green color that stands out. We picked Balsam Firs for our Service of Remembrance tree for these reasons. Here is how to plant a Balsam Fir. Some people keep their Balsam Firs inside until the spring, or until they are a few feet in height. When planting your Balsam Fir inside, you will need a good sized pot i.
The root system will quickly grow, and you may need to switch pots more often if you use a smaller pot. The tree should also be watered once a week. Saplings and young trees need a lot of water, so make sure to saturate the soil each time that you water. A Balsam Fir should be placed in an area that has lots of room to grow, and that gets light most of the day. The best times to plant your Balsam Fir is during the spring and fall. However, too much fertilizer can cause damage to these trees.
They do not need fertilizer more than once a year and mature trees do not require fertilizer at all. Propagating balsam fir trees through cuttings is possible, though it can be difficult to achieve. Many cuttings end up dying. However, by being aware of a few things, you can tip the scales in your favor and hopefully end up with a thriving cutting.
First off, cuttings are more likely to take root when taken from shorter, younger trees. Take cuttings in the spring or summer, selecting a branch from the bottom half of the tree. Gather the following supplies: a sharp pair of garden snips, a small pot, well-draining, moist potting soil, a plastic bag, a rubber band, and a mister bottle.
Propagating balsam fir trees from seed is the most popular and most successful form of propagation. To do this, follow these steps:. Because these trees are native to naturally cold areas, they are designed to withstand cold winters. Therefore, all that is needed to overwinter these trees is to add an extra layer of mulch to help insulate the roots.
Balsam fir trees are rather hardy and do not often struggle with many problems. However, yellowing needles and rot resulting from various conditions can affect their growth. If the needles of a balsam fir begin yellowing and the tree is not growing as it usually does, this can be a sign of root rot. This is caused by too much water in the soil. If these signs present themselves, cut back on watering and allow the soil to dry out.
If the soil is not draining properly, try adding in sand to increase drainage. Another problem that may come up with balsam fir trees is the growth of mushrooms out of their trunks or branches and a weakened structure that may break easily. These are signs of heart rot, which is a form of fungus that attacks the innermost wood of the tree.
This may occur from the fungus entering into a wound on the tree or from the tree weakening because of less than ideal conditions. If this occurs, remove the damaged or infected branches, if possible. Be sure not to damage the branch collar.
With ideal conditions, the balsam fir will grow about one foot each year. They will reach their mature size anywhere from 15 to 30 years.
These evergreen trees have a tall, conical shape and flat, dark green needles with silver-white bands on their undersides. Their bark is thin, gray, and covered with little resin blisters. The upright cones start out purple and mature into a gray-brown color.
University of California Agriculture, and Natural Resources. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. As previously stated, the balsam fir may be propagated a few different ways including through cuttings, grafting, and seed.
It should also be noted that natural layering is common with wild populations of balsam fir. Fir species are considered difficult to root, although some such as A.
However, cuttings are generally not a suitable means of propagation for the balsam fir. Grafting procedures such as the side veneer graft are sometimes used with fir species such as the Japanese Momi fir, A. This species is tolerant of southern conditions, and desirable cultivars are commonly grafted onto it because if its tolerance for heavy and wet clay soils.
The balsam fir does not have a high tolerance for those conditions and is not commonly used as a rootstock for grafting new cultivars. Seed propagation is the primary means of producing new balsam fir trees. Seed-fall begins in August and continues through November, with good seed crops usually occurring every other year.
The seeds are located within the cones which can be removed from the tree or taken from the surrounding area. They can then be stored for later use or prepared for germination through stratification since the embryo is often dormant. Fir in nursery production, Source stated in works cited; Photo 2. Ripe Balsam fir cones can be removed from the tree for drying out. Source in works cited, Photo 3. Step 1: Collect ripe brown-purple cones during seed-fall and dry them out.
Step 2: Remove the seed from the cones and place in a designated area for later use. After the seed is collected, it can be stored for up to one year since viability may be lost after this point.
Cones may be placed in an oven for drying at temperature no higher than F. Source stated in works cited, Photo 4. Step 3: Stratification: The embryo is usually dormant, so a cold, moist treatment is usually necessary for germination.
The cool, moist conditions during autumn will allow for stratification similar to the refrigerated process in step 2.
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