While the dream of every gardener is to grow a tree that is as large and lush as possible in the wild or in seemingly endless gardens, the primary goal with less space is to keep the birch small. Find out here how to ensure that your birch does not exceed a certain level.
If you want to keep your birch small, you should start early
This is how you can keep your birch small
Sometimes less is simply more: For the birch in the pot, in the smaller garden and especially with the increasingly popular birch on the balcony, it is crucial that the tree does not exceed a certain height. This is usually around two to three, at most ten meters. Naturally, the intensively growing birch trees, which reach a height of 25 to 30 metres, are not the most suitable plants for this. However, you can do it with the following methods.
Keep crown small and compact
To keep the tree rather small, it is not enough to thin out the crown once a year. In addition to the recommended pruning time for birches, autumn, you also have to lend a hand several times in summer to maintain their shape. Since the trees pump water particularly intensively during these times, they will "bleed" at the interfaces, i.e. allow larger amounts of water to flow out. To avoid rotting, you should immediately treat the areas with wound sealing paste. Also, be careful not to cut the main branch, otherwise the tree may not thrive at all.
Choose a small bucket and repot regularly
Basically, the following applies: the less space the roots have, i.e. the smaller the pot, the lower their growth in height. So start with pots roughly the size of cleaning buckets and, over the years, choose slightly larger models when repotting.
Birch trees in tubs benefit from occasional fertilizer applications. This does not cause their growth to explode, but ensures an adequate supply of nutrients. Regular repotting every one to two years also has a supporting effect. By renewing the surrounding soil, the birch gets fresh nutrients again. However, stick to the same type of soil. Leave the root ball untouched or just cut out a few wedges. A root cut is only necessary in rare cases and requires some experience.
care instructions
- Commercially available bonsai soil is an optimal substrate for birch trees in pots.
- Make sure there is sufficient watering so that the tree can easily cope with the limited possibilities for spreading. Water baths are ideal in summer.
- The light-hungry birches need intensive sun. Contrary to a common misconception, depriving them of light will not keep them small, but will allow them to die.