Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Preparation
• Method 2 of 3: Transplanting Pyracantha bushes
• Method 3 of 3: Caring for the Pyracantha
• Tips
• A warning
• What do you need

Pyracantha is also known as the "fire thorn". It is a thorny, evergreen bush that grows bright red, orange and yellow fruits that are shaped like apples. By planting a young pyracantha in your garden, you will get a beautiful, unpretentious plant.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Preparation

1. 1 Choose the right plant variety. Different varieties have different properties. Choose the one that best suits your taste.
   • The most disease resistant varieties are Apache, Fiery Cascade, Mohave, Navaho, Pueblo, Rutgers, Shawnee and Teton.
   • Apache grows up to 5 feet (1.5 m) high, 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. Its fruits are bright red.
   • The Fiery Cascade grows to 8 feet (2.4 m) high and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide. Its fruits are orange, they turn red over time.
   • MohaveThis variety can be up to 12 feet (3.7 m) high and wide. Its fruits are orange-red in color.
   • Teton (Teton) grows well in cold climates. It can be up to 12 feet (3.7 m) high and 4 feet (1.2 m) wide. The fruits are golden yellow.
   • Gnome tolerates cold well, produces orange fruits, but is not very resistant to various diseases. Grows up to 6 feet (1.8 m) high and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide.
   • Lowboy (Dwarf) grows 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 m) in height, but can be much larger. Its fruits are orange in color. Very susceptible to disease.
2. 2 Planted in autumn or spring. The best time to plant a pyracantha in the ground is mid-autumn. But if you did not manage to plant it during this period, then the next favorable time for this will be early spring.
3. 3 Choose a sunny location. All pyracantha species thrive best when planted in areas with abundant sun, but most can thrive in partially shaded areas as well.
   • Try to avoid areas that are illuminated by the sun from the west, as this light can be too aggressive.
4. 4 Look for well-dried patches of soil. Pyracantha can grow well in a variety of soils, but it is best to plant it in areas that are well drained and do not contain much moisture.
   • This plant is best planted in less fertile soil. Soil, saturated with nutrients, makes the shrub extremely thick. This, in turn, makes it vulnerable to diseases such as fire blight and reduces the number of fruits.
   • Keep in mind that the optimal pH (pH value of soil acidity) for pyracantha is between 5.5 and 7.5. In other words, it does well in neutral or slightly oxidized soils.
5. 5 As for planting a plant near a wall or fence. By planting a pyracantha near a bare wall or fence, you can encourage the rapid growth of the bush.
   • The pyracantha has sharp thorns. When the plant develops more in height than in width, these thorns become inaccessible from the ground.
   • If you are planting a pyracantha near a wall, it is best to do this at some distance from it: within 12-16 inches (30-40 cm). The soil in the immediate vicinity of the wall may be too dry.
   • Do not plant the shrub next to a painted wall, doorway, or gate, as its thorns and thorny leaves can scratch the paint.
   • It is also not recommended to plant the plant next to the foundations of one-story buildings, as it grows and becomes too large, it can cause problems.

Method 2 of 3: Transplanting Pyracantha bushes

1. 1 Dig a hole twice the size of the root. Use the scoop to dig a hole that is twice as wide as the container in which the bush is housed. The depth of the pit must be at least the height of the container.
2. 2 Remove the plant carefully from the container. While holding the pyracantha, tilt the container slightly. Using a scoop or spatula, gently scrape the soil and root away from the container using gentle strokes. Then, lightly pressing on the bottom of the container, squeeze the bush out of it.
   • When freeing the plant from the plastic container, you can also lightly press down on the sides to make the removal process easier.
   • If the plant is placed in a harder material (such as metal), submerge the scoop in the ground along one side of the container all the way to the bottom. Then, tilt the scoop handle back. This leverage will help free the root.
3. 3 Transfer the plant to the prepared hole. The pyracant should be placed exactly in its center. Fill the remaining space with earth.
   • Make sure the shrub is planted at the same depth as in the container. Covering the root with too much soil can weaken it or even destroy it.
4. 4 Add a small amount of organic fertilizer. Spread a handful of bone meal evenly around the root of the plant.Then, use your hands or a small garden pitchfork to gently mix it into the soil.
   • Bone meal is a fertilizer that enriches the soil with phosphorus. It promotes the development of the plant's root system. If you want to use any other fertilizer, make sure it contains the required amount of phosphorus.
5. 5 Plants should be at some distance from each other. If you want to plant multiple pyracantha bushes, the distance from one bush to another should be 2–3 feet (60–90 cm).
   • If you want to plant your bushes in multiple rows, the row spacing should be 28-40 inches (70-100 cm).
6. 6 Water constantly until the plant takes root. The first month after transplantation, the pyracantha needs to be watered regularly. While the plant is taking root in the garden soil, watering requires a little more water than usual.
   • The soil should receive a small amount of moisture every day. If, according to the forecast, no rains are expected during the day, then lightly pour water on the ground in the morning.
   • You don’t need to pour a whole puddle of water, but you also don’t need to save too much to keep the soil dry. Both are harmful to the plant and it can fade.

Method 3 of 3: Caring for the Pyracantha

1. 1 Provide a constant flow of water. A planted pyracantha can survive in moderately dry conditions, but if there has been no rain in your area for a week, then you should thoroughly spill the soil around the bush with water from a garden hose so that it is thoroughly saturated with moisture.
   • If the plant begins to drop its leaves, then it probably does not have enough water.
   • If the leaves begin to turn yellow and the stems of the plant become soft, then it is receiving too much moisture.
2. 2 If you want, you can make the bush grow in the direction you want. If you planted it near an open area of ​​a fence or wall, then you can strengthen the bush so that it grows straight up, and does not deviate to the side.
   • Most pyracantha varieties are strong enough to not reach against a wall or hedgerow without any support, but it will be better if you tie them up.
   • To do this, lay a wire along the wall and tie the branches of your bush to it using pieces of cable or rope.
   • If you want the bush to grow in the opposite direction to the hedge or trellis, then you can tie the branches directly to the structure with a rope or wire.
3. 3 Mulch processing. Apply a 2-inch (5 cm) layer of organic mulch around the root of each pyracantha bush. Mulch retains moisture, preventing weakening of the plant's root system in dry weather.
   • In cold winters, mulch protects the soil around the bush from freezing.
4. 4 Treat fertilizers with care. In principle, there is no need for a pyracantha to fertilize. It should be remembered that fertilizers containing a lot of nitrogen can do more harm than good to this plant.
   • Nitrogen promotes vigorous foliage growth. As a result, the number of fruits is reduced, and the bush becomes more susceptible to various diseases.
   • If you decide to fertilize your plant, use a balanced composition containing equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or containing more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen. Fertilize once in early spring and a second time in late summer.
5. 5 Crop three times a year. In principle, you can prune a pyracantha at any time of the year, but many gardeners prune this shrub once in mid-spring, then at the beginning of mid-autumn and a third time - at the turn of late autumn - at the beginning of winter.
   • Wait for the plant to finish blooming before beginning pruning in mid-spring. Choose new branches for pruning at your own discretion, leaving at least a few inflorescences that will bear fruit by autumn. Remember that fruits will only grow on branches that are at least one year old.
   • Cut off the shoots in early mid-autumn when the fruits are ripening.Sufficiently trimmed branches open air access to the fruits, thereby protecting them from rotting.
   • Clearing the shrub from excess foliage and branches at the end of late autumn - at the beginning of winter, opens access to the most ripe and juicy fruits.
   • Regardless of when you prune the plant, you should never remove more than a third of the branches.
6. 6 Treat the plant from pests if necessary. Aphids, husks, lace bugs (as small insects Tingidae are called) and spider mites can appear on it. If any of these pests appear on the shrub, treat it with an appropriate pesticide, following the instructions on the shrub package.
   • If you plan to eat fruits grown on pyracantha, then use only organic pesticides for processing, and in no case spray the plant with formulations based on chemical components.
7. 7 Watch out for fire blight and scabs. Firefly is a bacterial disease that can destroy a plant. Scabs are a fungal disease that causes the plant to gradually lose its leaves, and its fruits darken and eventually become inedible.
   • It is better to treat the plant in advance than when it is already affected by the disease. Choose disease-resistant pyracantha varieties and maintain proper humidity and a constant supply of fresh air.
   • At the moment, there is no remedy that could stop the development of fire blight, even at an early stage.
   • If scabs appear, you can try to heal the plant with a fungicide. However, such treatment can be equally successful and unsuccessful.

Tips

• You can use the pyracantha fruit in a variety of dishes. "Apples" or pyracantha berries are approximately ј inch (6 mm) in diameter, usually red or orange-red in color. Collect them as soon as the color is saturated and use to make jellies or sauces.
  • Boil 1 lb (450 g) pyracantha fruit in ѕ cups (about 175 ml) water for 60 seconds.
  • Strain the juice, then add 1 tsp to it. (5 mg) lemon juice and one sachet of powdered pectin.
  • Bring to a boil, add ѕ cups (175 ml) sugar, and boil again for 60 seconds. Stir constantly while doing this.
  • Pour the jelly into warm, clean jars. Roll them up with lids and store the resulting jelly in the refrigerator.

A warning

• Keep in mind that you should consume pyracantha foods in moderation to avoid causing health problems. Shrubs of the genus Pyracantha are plant species that contain substances that produce hydrogen cyanide. And although pyracantha usually does not contain such substances, the fruits and other parts of this plant should not be eaten by people with weakened immunity or weak lungs.
• Having transplanted the pyracantha bush once, it is better not to touch it more. Each time the plant will weaken, and multiple transplants can simply destroy it.

What do you need

• Pyracantha plant
• Scoop
• Putty knife
• Garden pitchfork
• Bone meal or similar fertilizer
• garden hose
• Organic mulch
• Spring scissors
• Pesticides (only if needed)
• Fungicide (only if needed)
• Fence, wall or trellis (optional)
• Pieces of wire or string (optional)
• Wires (optional)