Juniper care. Juniper planting and care How often should juniper be watered after planting

in a modern way to plant greenery on the territory, to give it a noble, well-groomed appearance is the planting of juniper. It is a close relative of the cypress, but grows in harsher conditions. Different types and varieties (about 15 items: dwarf, giant, upright, spreading) will help the designer create a real masterpiece on the site. Juniper, the planting and care of which will be described in the article, has various shades of green, gray. Depending on the period of the season, the crown of the needles changes color to a bronze color.

When planting juniper

Planting time can be selected in spring and autumn. Juniper will feel good in the open field in April, May, October, but a place for it should be chosen without completely darkening the plant, it can only be partially. Indicators of hydrogen in the soil should be in the range of 4.5-7 units. considering the variety.

On a note! Designers love juniper for its unpretentiousness to soil and climate. It can grow even on heavy loams and sandy soils, except in wetlands. AT winter period he does not need shelter, unless we are talking about young cuttings.

The question of how to plant a juniper in the spring should also include a study of the soil in order to exclude the death of the plant.

Where to plant a plant

Juniper loves straight sunlight Therefore, it is planted fundamentally in open areas. Otherwise, the shadow will lead to the loss of the bright, rich color needles, degenerative crown formation. Only a slight lack of sun can endure only one variety - common juniper.

A feature of all species is the development of a long, voluminous root system, so even slopes, unstable soils that need to be strengthened can be a landing site.

Important! Juniper does not like long-term soaking, so planting in lowlands and marshy areas is not recommended.

If the question is: what to plant next to the juniper, then you should avoid the neighborhood with mountain ash, hawthorn and apple trees, which can be carriers of fungi that affect the crowns of plants.

How to plant a plant at home correctly? The main rule is to maintain certain parameters:

  • from 1.5 to 2 m apart;
  • pit dimensions for a small seedling - 50 × 50 × 50 cm, large from 70 × 70 × 70 cm.

The preparation of the pit begins 2 weeks in advance, forming a pillow from the following layers:

  • drainage (finely broken brick + sand) up to 20 cm thick;
  • nutrient soil with top dressing - 1 part of soddy clay soil + 1 part of sand + 2 parts + 250 g of nitroammophos.

It is necessary to take into account the peculiarity of each type of juniper. Growing a virgin specimen will not be successful unless 5 kg of compost and 5 kg of clay are added to the base mixture (with poor, sandy soil). In the case of Cossack juniper, up to 300 g of dolomite flour is mixed into the soil.

After 2 weeks, when the soil shrinks, you should start planting a seedling. It is placed in a prepared pit and covered with the same soil composition as in the pit, excluding top dressing.

Important! Before planting a juniper in a country house or in another area, you should remember the correct location of the root collar in the pit. For small seedlings, location at ground level is allowed, for large ones - up to 10 cm above ground level.

After planting, the plant is watered abundantly, and after shrinkage of the earth, it is mulched with a small (up to 8 cm) layer of a mixture of sawdust and peat.

Planting seedlings

The main conditions for the speedy survival of seedlings are:

  • 3-4 years of age;
  • the container where the plant grew (up to 5 l);
  • no signs of any disease;
  • maintaining the integrity of the earthy coma on the roots to prevent damage to the root system;
  • established garden center.

Planting of seedlings is carried out at any time of its growing season, except for very hot days. First, the root system is lowered into the water for 2 hours, you can add a little potassium permanganate. If a young plant has open roots, it is recommended to plant in the spring, at the end of summer, while the soil should be moist. For the development of healthy roots, a root formation stimulator is used.

If you follow all the points when choosing, then the seedling will quickly get used to the soil, and you will not need to use additional aids for a transplant.

Planting seeds is a complex process that requires some experience. A feature of the coniferous plant is low germination. You may be lucky and the plant will sprout, but it will be difficult to maintain it.

With patience and some botanical knowledge, it is possible. Planting is carried out in the fall, in a pot, which is taken out in the winter to an open area for 4 months (ignoring the weather).

The dead seeds are thrown away, and the surviving ones are planted again in a pot in May, still leaving them on the street. Shooting can be expected only next year.

Important! Regardless of the species, juniper grows very slowly, and in order to speed up the germination process, fertilizers are added, and they also provide a favorable regime - sun, soil moisture.

How to grow juniper from cuttings

The question arose, how to plant a cutting? The best option there will be a small pot with an earth mixture (1 part peat + 1 part sand + 0.25 parts of sod land).

FROM coniferous tree, whose age has reached 10 years, cut off an annual cutting about 12 cm long, along with wood. In a jar of water, a mixture is diluted to stimulate growth and a branch is lowered into it to a depth of up to 3 cm. If the cutting was cut without wood, then you need to watch the top so as not to put this particular side into the water.

Important! Before propagating juniper from a branch, its appearance should be taken into account. A creeping plant is lowered into a jar with a growth solution at an angle of 60 °, and columnar plants are placed vertically.

Common juniper lends itself to propagation through cuttings much better (90%) than other species. If the root system is actively developing, then you can transplant the plant into a separate pot. The only condition is a transfer to open ground not less than 2 years later.

How to fertilize and feed seedlings and young plants

The soil for juniper should consist of a mixture of nutrients and fertilizers, only if this condition is met, growth will be active and the plant will be resistant to pathogens of various diseases.

Important! When choosing a seedling, you should pay attention to its ability to grow. The needles should not be dry, not have damage and signs of disease (mold, fungus), and an earthen lump should be present on the roots.

How to properly feed? In the spring, mineral fertilizers are applied: superphosphate or nitroammophos. If the juniper was propagated by cuttings or a young plant was planted in the ground planting material from the nursery, then the improvement of soil properties is carried out every spring, summer (with obvious signs poor growth and mineral deficiencies).

By the state of the shoots, you can determine the excess or deficiency of the microelement:

Growing young planting material is impossible without fertilizer. You should also consider what kind of soil the juniper likes. By adhering to these recommendations, you can grow a lush, healthy plant, with juicy needles.

Top dressing of an adult plant

It is possible to grow an adult tree without fertilizers, but foliar top dressing is used for rich color and crown splendor. In dry summers and before the predicted frosts in autumn, the juniper is watered abundantly, which is necessary for the accumulation of moisture.

Transplanting juniper from the forest

How to transplant juniper from the forest to the site? best period for moving is early spring, when the snow has not completely melted yet. The following recommendations should be followed:

  1. Before transplanting into the garden, still in the forest, you need to tie the sunny side of the plant with a ribbon and plant it in the same orientation.
  2. Dig only with the "mother" earthen clod on the root system. If it is not lifting, then it is allowed to comb it vertically with a shovel, reducing the depth.
  3. Put an earthen ball with a tree on polyethylene and wrap it up for transportation. This will keep moisture in.
  4. Landing should be carried out in a single or trench way, avoiding placement near buildings (sliding snow in winter can damage the crowns).
  5. The size of the pit should be slightly larger than the earthen coma (they provide for the placement soil mixture from peat, compost, sand), shallow, so that the root neck is not below ground level.
  6. The roots are straightened in a pit and covered with earth and coniferous litter (sawdust).
  7. Form a bowl for watering and pour 2 buckets of water to compact the soil.

Reproduction of a tree and its survival in a new place depends on the degree of care for it. It is especially important to pay attention to the plant in the first six months, until the root system is fully established in the soil. To limit growth, juniper pruning is recommended in early May.

Juniper is an ornamental evergreen plant. Grows in any soil depending on the variety: some need an alkaline environment, others prefer acidic soils. Before buying a seedling, it is necessary to clarify information about which variety is best planted on the site in order to take root.

The plant adapts well to local conditions, does not require special care. But the main task gardener - to keep the needles green and lush. It is by the appearance of the greenery that they determine how suitable the conditions are for the juniper.

The rules of agricultural technology for coniferous plants are in many ways similar: they all love sprinkling irrigation, but do not tolerate stagnant moisture in the soil. Top dressing of adult plants is rarely carried out, young plants need more nutrients, so the first 3-4 years they are fertilized several times per season.

Planting a young plant

Seedlings are bought from nurseries or dug up in the forest.

But the plant that grew in special conditions takes root better. Taken from the forest, they take longer to take root and look bad at first. This happens because the type of soil, the way of feeding, and also the lighting are changing dramatically. If the plant is used to shading, then bright sunlight can damage the crown, and it will turn yellow.

Forest plants are not accustomed to abundant top dressing and here you need to guess with the amount of fertilizer for juniper.

Landing method

When landing, pay attention the following points:

  • They dig up the plant together with a clod of earth, the diameter of which is at least 50 cm. So that the roots of the juniper do not dry out, moisten the earth and wrap it with a film. You need to take some forest floor to add to the hole when planting, and also mulch the soil around the trunk. Useful moss, which is laid in the trunk circle.
  • If the soil is heavy, then peat, sand or pine needles. The size of the pit is made 2 to 3 times the size of a clod of earth.
  • After planting, the juniper is watered abundantly and the soil is mulched to create favorable conditions for the roots. Various preparations are suitable that stimulate root growth.
  • In order for the juniper tree to take root better, they make group plantings, so it is recommended to buy 3-4 bushes at once.

If the plant is planted closer to autumn, then it is necessary to apply fertilizer for juniper to protect the roots from freezing. root system in ornamental coniferous plants, it is superficial and, without sufficient nutrition, is easily damaged at low temperatures.

Nutrient mixtures for juniper

How to fertilize juniper can be found on personal plot. It could be humus which lay in the pile for 1.5 - 2 years. Do not use fresh manure, which contains a lot of free ammonia.

An excess of nitrogen has a bad effect on the condition of the needles. It turns yellow and dries, and with it the branches. Humus is desirable to add when planting. And do not use fertilizer for the next 3 years. Except when the conifer grows on sandy soil.

Compost, which is used to fertilize juniper in the fall, is used every 3 years for adult plants. It is dug up with top layer soil above the roots. Then water and mulch. Compost can be added to young trees more often - once a year in spring, to accelerate growth and set of green mass.

Video: Juniper Care

Wood ash is a popular substance for feeding junipers in the fall. It contains potassium and phosphorus in large quantities, as well as trace elements: magnesium, zinc, iron, boron, calcium. In order not to spend money on special additives, once a year it is necessary to make an ash solution and water the bush. 300 g of the substance is added to a bucket of water and infused. In this form, the fertilizer is absorbed faster. Ash has an alkaline reaction and reduces acidity in the area where the juniper is planted.

Green manure is used to replenish humus reserves. They are placed in a barrel and filled with water. When they begin to ferment, they water the soil with the resulting liquid, and spread the plant residues around the bushes, covering the top with a layer of bark. This is necessary to create a blackout.

Soil bacteria process organic matter in the dark; under the rays of the sun, microorganisms die. Mulch prevents the top layer of soil from drying out and weathering of nutrients.

Mineral fertilizers for conifers

Mineral complexes are used in spring and autumn. Special compositions are sold in stores, where the amount of nitrogen is strictly limited. It is needed by plants for the growth of needles, but an overabundance can destroy the plant. On the square meter you need about 30 g of complex fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

You can make a combined fertilizer for feeding juniper in the fall on your own. For this you need superphosphate and potassium sulfate. 40 g and 30 g respectively per square meter. The granules are dissolved in water and the root zone is watered.

If the plant likes alkaline or slightly acidic soils, then apply deoxidizers:

  • lime;
  • gypsum;
  • dolomite flour;
  • phosphate rock.

Add these substances according to the instructions. Dosages should not be exceeded, because this leads to a sharp change in pH, which can disrupt the nutrition of the roots. Some substances dissolve and are absorbed in a slightly acidic environment.

For example - phosphate rock. In an alkaline environment, phosphates form sparingly soluble substances with the soil that are inaccessible to the roots. Without phosphorus, there will be no growth of new branches and potassium will not be absorbed.

The names of fertilizers for juniper may coincide with the names for conifers, so when buying mixtures, you need to clarify whether this mixture is suitable for a particular type of plant. More attention should be paid to the variety of juniper and chemical composition soil in which to grow. Depending on this, select fertilizers or make them yourself.

Gardeners are increasingly choosing a beautiful and useful juniper for landscaping a site. This evergreen plant will help create the necessary shade or hedge, decorate the garden, alpine hill, flower garden.

Juniper is unpretentious and not particularly demanding on soil fertility. However, some points should still be taken into account.

Fertilizer and top dressing of seedlings and young plants.

When choosing, you should pay attention to it appearance. Its needles and branches should not be dry, the plant should look healthy, without signs of damage, mold, fungi.

Any transplant for a plant is stressful situation. Planting material should be with an earthen clod in which it grew. When planting on poor soils for better growth and development, fertilizers and nutrient mixtures should be applied to the hole. A mixture of peat with sand and turf is best suited. After planting, the plant should be watered abundantly to avoid voids in the soil. Juniper is good for group planting and soil incorporation with moss, bark or sawdust.

In spring, young plants can be fed with mineral fertilizers, highly diluted with water. Juniper responds well to the introduction of nitroammophoska, superphosphate. Young juniper, starting from the second year of planting, it is better to fertilize every spring when the snow melts. Top dressing is also acceptable in the summer. To do this, you should purchase a special mineral. It contains the necessary elements for the full growth and development of juniper (potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc and phosphorus). Before fertilizing juniper, you should find out what element it lacks. For example, yellowing of young shoots is associated with a lack of magnesium.

Fertilizers for juniper should not have a large amount of nitrogen. It is strictly forbidden to use manure and oversaturate the soil. Such manipulations will lead to a burn of the roots, deformation of the crown and even death of the plant.

Proper and timely fertilizer juniper will allow it to look very impressive, the needles will be juicy and rich in color.

Top dressing of an adult juniper.

What juniper fertilizers are required for an adult plant? Virtually none. The juniper is characterized by the rule: it is better not to overfeed than to overfeed. Therefore, fertilizers should be used with caution.

Juniper is good for foliar feeding. In dry seasons, as well as in autumn before the arrival of frost, water should be plentiful, but rarely watered. mature plant. This will allow him to accumulate moisture and easier to survive bad weather conditions.

Let's grow a Juniper in our area

juniper(Juniperus) trees and bushes, when created, are used very often today. Thanks to modern breeders, new varieties of junipers have been bred that are not “afraid to live” in urban conditions and even in megacities. But once they were not planted in industrial areas or densely populated areas precisely because of the dislike of junipers for gas contamination and polluted industrial waste air.

But among amateur gardeners at home, this plant has long been held in high esteem. Moreover, there are about 70 species of wild-growing Junipers. All of them belong to genus Cypress(Cupressaceae). But the habitat of each of them is limited, except for the common Juniper (Juniperus communis), which grows on a very large territory: from the mountain tropics to the polar zone in the Northern Hemisphere. Now imagine how many decorative varieties can be derived from them.

At first, juniper was planted in places that were prone to erosion, creating entire plantations or making hedges. And over time, seeing a huge variety of their varieties, they began to use them to create rockeries, rock gardens, mixborders, heather gardens. It looks equally good both in group plantings and in singles.

In fact, Juniper was first used by landscapers 400 years ago, because it gets used to the conditions of the new environment very well. People of that time probably did not know about its phytoncidal, disinfecting properties and beneficial effects on the general atmosphere on garden plot. But it was very often used as a remedy, in cooking and even in magical rites. Moreover, Juniper in winter garden looks great: it's forever green plants, and it can be both a shrub and a tree. Its leaves-needles grow for three years, gradually falling off and creating the appearance of an evergreen plant.

All varieties - shrubs and trees - are very well combined with each other: shrubs or undersized trees can be planted, creating alpine slides or Scandinavian type of landscape, and tall crops can become a natural fence.

The main thing you need to know if you want to grow juniper in your area is right place for landing and necessary care behind him.

Choosing a place of growth

Juniper is a culture that does not like harassment from other plant species. Having them too close to each other can create an unpleasant feeling of lethargy and monotony. And Juniper, planted intermittently (discretely), will set a certain rhythm for the site, emphasize its beauty and tie the entire composition of the garden together.

That is why a lot of space is needed for its good growth and development: from 0.5 m to 2 m - this is the most successful distance between crops. You should always take into account the fact that in ten years from a small tree or a nondescript bush it will turn into an adult plant. For example, bush of Cossack juniper(Juniperus sabina) after 10 years can occupy an area of ​​up to 20 m², but it grows only up to 1.5 m in height.

Junipers are very fond of well-lit places, although they can easily adapt to any place if they are properly looked after. This condition is especially true for Junipers, which have variegated needles, so they will quickly acquire decorative qualities.

All species of this plant tolerate frost well. True, there are forms of this culture that need to be shaken from snow or tied up, since its branches may not withstand it and break: columnar Skyrocket Junipers - Scaly Juniper (J. squamata), Virginian Juniper (J. virginiana) and their decorative varieties.

Juniper Planting

Often, amateur gardeners, in order not to buy juniper, dig it up in the forest, in glades, meadows or edges. In such cases, in order for the culture to take root faster, take land near it. It will help the plant acclimatize faster in a new place of growth.

Junipers can be planted in open ground from the beginning of April to the end of May, and in autumn - in October. But if you have a plant with (in a tub or pot), then you can take it outside at any time, the main thing for such crops is the right one, top dressing and shading.

Of course, there are many types of Juniper, which means that the soil for planting them should have some differences. In order not to bother, you can create a universal soil for planting them. For such a mixture, it is necessary to take peat, coarse-grained river sand and the soil from under coniferous forest(1/1/1). But be sure to carry out mulching with peat or wood shavings, sprinkling the near-stem zone of the plant.

For planting Juniper, it is necessary to dig a hole 1 m / 1 m, and two bayonets deep and fill it with soil mixture, leaving room for the culture. It is necessary to plant a crop so that it remains on the surface. After planting, Juniper is abundantly watered under. Spray the plant as needed, that is, in the hot summer in the morning or evening. It is desirable to water the Juniper with small droplets of near-stem soil.

If you are transplanting an adult plant, then this is best done at the end of winter. This is due to the sensitive roots of the culture. The root system of this culture is superficial, so it is almost impossible to dig out and not touch the roots. And in winter, a frozen clod of earth will not allow them to be damaged. But large-sized, adult Junipers are still not recommended to be transplanted - in most cases they die. Recovery period after adult transplant big plants, is three years.

Top dressing juniper

They begin to feed Juniper only a month after transplantation, and then, in small quantities. Instead of top dressing, it is better to use different biostimulants for the growth, development of the plant and its root system: Epin, Kornevin, etc. This is important for other reasons: Juniper is still very weak after transplantation and can be subject to various diseases and pests. And root-forming top dressing will help him acclimatize faster in a new place, enhancing root growth.

In winter, young plantings of juniper can be sheltered, as its delicate needles are exposed to the bright winter sun and cold wind. This can lead to browning of the needles or to the death of plants. Lutrasil, black, can also be used for soil.

Juniper Care and Reproduction

Caring for this culture is quite simple. The main thing is to water and feed on time. It is possible to carry out pruning: this removes, in most cases, dry shoots or shoots with brown needles.

Juniper is propagated if it is a wild species, and it is better to propagate a cultivated species

Junipers with their dense short needles of rich shades, amazing texture and whimsical shapes are incredibly popular. ornamental plants. In addition to their stunning appearance, species and selection diversity, the undoubted advantages of these conifers are undemanding to soil, resistance to cold and drought, and the ability to tolerate pruning well.

Site selection and preparation

Junipers grow well in any soil, but soils that are too alkaline should be treated with caution - most species prefer slightly acidic or neutral soil. Stony and sandy loamy, poor soils are suitable for growing unpretentious conifers, however, it is more suitable for luxurious development light sandy loam, humus-fertilized soil, which is brought into the planting pit.

Plants are not placed in low-lying areas with heavy, dense soils saturated with water - junipers tolerate drought much more easily than waterlogging. Water stagnation is especially dangerous in early spring, so the site is pre-drained, digging deep grooves to drain water, and be sure to lay the drainage in landing pits. If possible, seedlings are placed on a hill; various rocky hills are excellent for this purpose.

Particularly demanding on nutrition and moisture Chinese, lying and scaly junipers, as well as dwarf varieties, hybrids and standard forms . Sandy loam is more suitable for junipers horizontal, Dahurian, crowded, ordinary, Cossack. The last two species are known for their resistance to adverse conditions and are the best choice for planting in polluted areas.

Most species prefer sunny, open areas. Lots of sun and space needed large spreading trees and shrubs, the crown of which becomes loose in deep shade, and the needles lose their attractive richness of color. In the same time creeping varieties, varieties with blue needles or cream "feathers", many dwarf hybrids with a small crown grow better in light partial shade.

Junipers Chinese, scaly, Dahurian and medium in early spring they tend to get burned, which reduces stability and decorative effect. These species are planted with the condition of shading at noon. If this is not possible, in March, when the sun begins to warm up, they are covered with a white cotton cloth, which is especially true for young plants.

landing pits prepare at least 60 × 80 cm in size, be sure to immerse a drainage layer in the form of broken brick, expanded clay or gravel to the bottom, about 20 cm thick. Pits for spring planting seasoned in the fall, having prepared light formula the following composition:

  • leaf ground - 1 part;
  • sod land - 1 part;
  • sour peat (pH 3.5–4) - 1 part;
  • sand - 0.5 parts;
  • humus-sypets - 0.5 parts;
  • needles - 0.5 parts.

It is categorically unacceptable to introduce fresh manure into the substrate - this will lead to damage to the roots, fungal diseases, as well as the death of populations of microfungi living on the root system and necessary for normal nutrition and development.

How to choose juniper seedlings when buying?

Junipers do not belong to species that easily tolerate transplantation. The larger and older the seedling, the more difficult it will take root in a new place. Seedlings take root better not older than 3-4 years old with a closed root system, rooted in the substrate. You should not buy specimens with open roots - the chances that they will survive are minimal.

For a purchase, you should go to a large garden center with a proven track record. Optimal acquisition time early spring or cool autumn(September October). Dwarf and bicolor hybrid varieties it is advisable to buy and plant in the spring.

When choosing, you need to make sure that the color of the needles and the general habit of the seedling fully correspond to the declared variety or hybrid. You should not choose specimens with brown needles, partially bare branches, dried tops, without young growths, affected by pests and diseases. When examining a seedling, you can look under the bottom of the container - if large sections of roots come out through the holes, it is better to refuse to buy.

If the landing of large-sized vehicles is planned, entrust this task better for specialists garden center, provided that they provide guarantees for the survival of plants. You should not take risks and plant adult junipers on your own.

Planting junipers

When planting, take into account the approximate size of adult plants, which are indicated in the characteristics. sprawling large varieties junipers high, virgin or ordinary planted with distances of at least 3–4 m between plants. Species with a horizontally directed crown, for example, some varieties Cossack or virgin junipers can reach a considerable size in diameter, and they are seated even less often.

For group formation rounded and columnar dwarf specimens placed every 0.5–0.7 m. To get a solid carpet using creeping forms , seedlings are placed at distances of 1–1.5 m from each other, depending on the variety.

The acquired seedling is immersed in water along with the substrate. Do not clean or wash the soil from the roots. In pre-prepared planting pits, deepenings are dug 20–30 cm wider than the diameter of the container, and watered.

The seedling is removed from the water, the excess soil is easily shaken off directly into the planting hole and the plant is planted, without deepening the root neck. The roots are carefully straightened, sprinkled with loose soil, compacted and watered again.

If the plant was purchased hot weather or with an open root system, the roots are damaged, and the seedling is weak, before planting, it is worth treating the root system with a root formation stimulator, for example, Kornevin. In addition, it is useful to dip the roots in a clay mash, and to prevent fungal diseases, keep them in a solution of Maxim or Fundazol.

After planting, a layer of mulch of pine needles, peat or compost 7–10 cm thick is applied to the soil surface after planting. This will help retain moisture and improve soil structure, create an optimal microclimate at the roots, retain snow and protect the roots from freezing in winter. At the same time, the mulch should be regularly loosened, shifted to the sides in order to maintain air exchange and prevent fungal diseases.

plant care

Junipers, undemanding to growing conditions, still need easy care, which includes rare abundant watering, top dressing, pruning, shelter for the winter and protection from diseases and pests.

Watering

Young plants and dwarf forms with a small root system, they need more moisture. In rainy weather, watering is not carried out, and in dry weather it is watered twice in the first month after planting, and then once every 20–30 days. Junipers love washing the crown by sprinkling - this refreshes the needles, washes away dust, allows you to emit a wonderful smell, highlight useful phytoncides. The procedure is best done in the evening or early in the morning, otherwise the drops of water warmed by the scorching sun can cause burns.

Adult developed shrubs and trees are watered three times per season, with sufficient moisture they develop better, the needles become brighter, more saturated. Depending on the size of the plant, 10-30 liters of water are poured under the root. At the same time, most species tolerate long dry periods well, and in general, junipers are better to “underfill” than “overfill”.

The use of mulch will help to reduce the frequency of watering and maintain soil moisture, under which special permeable materials, such as lutrasil, can be laid. This technique will help protect young junipers from drying out and weeds.

top dressing

AT natural conditions junipers grow on poor stony, sandy loam, less often clay soils. Species plants are undemanding to the nutritional value of soils (exceptions - Chinese and scaly junipers). At the same time, modern varieties and hybrids are more whimsical and it is desirable to fully fill the planting pits, as indicated above.

In this case, the first two years of nutritional value of the substrate will be sufficient for the development of seedlings, and starting from the third year, every spring, complex fertilizer is applied to replenish nutrients, enhance growth and strengthen the plant. Successfully use liquid fertilizer for conifers Stimovit, containing both organic and minerals. For root dressing, 100 ml of the solution is diluted in 4 liters of water and watered over moist soil around the perimeter of the crown.

Even if the land is sufficiently saturated with organic matter and fertile, it is necessary to regularly add minerals to the soil. Universal grades of granular fertilizers for conifers AVA and Royal Mix, containing full complex macro- and microelements, including magnesium and iron, which is important for the prevention of chlorosis and other non-communicable diseases.

pruning

Junipers, unlike the same firs, lend themselves well to pruning. And although many varieties easily hold their ideal shape, such as the wonderful Canadian Sentinel, with its pressed branches and even crown, others may experience deviations from the norm.

They regulate by pruning branches growing at an unexpected angle, shoots of a color that does not match the variety, as well as too powerful shoots that spoil general impression. Besides, in those grafted on a stem plants, a predominant growth of the crown on one side can be observed, such one-sidedness looks ugly and can lead to breaking off of the scion.

The uneven growth of the crown most often looks untidy and is subject to regulation by creeping or rounded shapes, in the same time varieties with natural "disarrangement" don't need fixing.

Pruning is carried out with a pruner, young growths are pinched with fingers by a third or half of the length, depending on the purpose of pruning. Out of place, a powerful shoot or an incorrectly colored branch is completely removed at the fork, which will make the cut invisible.

The optimal pruning time is the end of June, at this time, the growths have already fully advanced, and the shoots remaining after pruning will have time to recover and leave stronger in the winter.

Formative pruning is also used when caring for hedges, as well as to give shrubs geometric shapes, however, this requires special skills, knowledge of growth patterns and creativity.

Pest and disease control

Strong junipers are less likely to be affected by diseases and pests than other conifers, but insects still damage them, a fungal infection can cause severe damage. Pests and diseases are most susceptible to young weak seedlings or old weakened plants.

Pests

A variety of caterpillars eat the needles and damage young growths, of which the most common pine moth, as well as juniper notch-winged moth. Outwardly similar to pubescent white aphid small hermes settles on a variety of conifers, adult insects and larvae suck out the juice and damage the needles.

adults juniper and pine sawfly, as well as their caterpillars, destroy the delicate needles on young shoots, after which their surface resembles a burnt one. small larvae juniper mealybug, settling on young twigs, also gnaw needles, it crumbles, and damaged branches become infected with soot fungus.

To prevent pest attacks in May, plants are treated with Actellik, Engio or Decis, repeating the treatment if necessary throughout the season, but at least twice in 7-10 days. It is better to alternate drugs.

Round holes on the bark, under which the species winding passages, are made by larvae of various pests, for example, luboedov or goldfish. If such damage is observed, the plant is treated with one of the insecticides, and undiluted Actellik is instilled into the holes.

fungal diseases

Young and weakened plants with a lack of space and light, high humidity soil and air suffer from fungal diseases.

Characterized by reddening and browning of the needles, the spread of infection begins with the upper branches, which gradually become bare and dry out. Infection Alternariosis manifests itself in the form of a black velvety coating on brown needles.

With symptoms of these fungal infections, the shrunken branches are removed, the ground part is treated and one of the fungicides is added under the root - Fitosporin M, Fundazol, HOM, Maxim. Under adverse weather conditions, for preventive purposes, the same treatment is carried out in April-May.

The most dangerous is visible on the branches in the form of multiple orange pustules; at a late stage of the disease, the bark is affected, which thickens and bursts. Branches infected with rust are cut and burned, after which the plant is repeatedly treated with fungicides.

Defeat biorelloma cancer manifests itself in the form of necrosis of the bark and deep ulcers, followed by drying of the branches. The affected parts are cut to healthy wood and burned, the sections and the whole plant are treated with a solution of copper oxychloride. To prevent infection from regular pruning, use a clean tool, fresh sections are treated with a solution of copper sulfate.

For the prevention and treatment of spring burns use the drug Ecoberin, dissolving the granules in water and spraying the needles at least 3-4 times.

Preparing for winter

Junipers are resistant to temperature fluctuations and cold, but they do not tolerate frosty, windy, little snowy winters with low air humidity, which leads to drying out of the soil and loss of moisture by needles. In such cases, it is desirable to pour more snow at the root system and crown, increasing the humidity and protecting the soil at the roots from weathering. Young shrubs with a small crown in winter it is worth covering with spruce branches, deadwood, holding back snow.

Varieties with a spreading fragile crown can be damaged in case of heavy snowfalls and in winter the branches are tied. Tying with covering materials, in particular burlap, is a common method of shelter, but it must be used with caution, because in mild winters this can lead to warming, falling off of needles, an outbreak of fungal diseases.

Reproduction features

Junipers are successfully propagated by seed, as well as cuttings. Grafting is a more time-consuming method, but with diligence, you can get the necessary skills and grow wonderful standard plants.

seed way

For sowing, cones are harvested, peeled, releasing the seeds, which are filled with water, changing it as often as possible throughout the week. If the fruits are unripe, the seeds are kept in wet sand on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 3–4 months (stratification is carried out) or winter sowing. Burying boxes of crops in the snow is a good way to stratify, but it is only available in regions where there is a lot of snow and it lies all winter.

Seeds obtained from overripe cones, in addition to stratification, must first be kept warm for three months before planting.

The seeds extracted from the refrigerator in April-May are treated with Epin and sown to a depth of 1.5–2 cm on ridges or in greenhouses filled with a porous substrate composed of leaf ground, humus and peat in equal parts, it is advisable to add a little fallen needles to the mixture.

Seedlings are watered, if necessary, seated and fed with one of the fertilizers for conifers. For transfer to permanent place seedlings are suitable at the age of three years. It must be remembered that the resulting specimens may not fully repeat the characteristics of the mother plant.

Vegetative propagation

Junipers reproduce well cuttings, and this technique allows you to grow enough planting material of the desired variety. Cuttings are cut in May-June, with secateurs or breaking out from the base “with a heel”.

In this case, it is important not to injure the mother plant too much, since branches with barbarically damaged bark can dry out. FROM dwarf specimens take small cuttings - a sufficient length of 2-3 cm, with tall get larger segments - up to 15–20 cm.

For planting cuttings, greenhouses are used, filling them with the same composition as for sowing seeds, be sure to place drainage on the bottom. Before planting, the lower part of the cutting is treated with Kornevin and sprinkled with Fundazol to prevent fungal infection.

The cuttings are planted in a moist substrate to a depth of 1–2 cm, watered, compacted and sprinkled with peat to a thickness of a finger. The greenhouse is covered, regular spraying, airing, watering only when necessary. Rooting lasts throughout the summer, in the winter the seedlings are covered, seated next year.

Graft

Graft used to get standard plants with a spectacular rounded or weeping crown. The best rootstock is sustainable common juniper with a smooth, strong trunk, the same diameter as the scion. To carry out the vaccination in May, oblique sections of the stock and the grafted cuttings are made, which are then connected, pressed tightly and tied with a polyethylene tape, covered with garden pitch.

Reproduction by layering

creeping species, prone to rooting in moist soil, can be propagated layering. For this with desired area side branches are removed from the shoot, lowered into a groove, covered with loose soil, pinned with one or two staples, covered, moistened and covered with a cut of lutrasil for 2-3 weeks. Then the covering material is removed, the surface is loosened, mulched, when shoots appear, spud. next spring the resulting seedlings are separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Video about planting and caring for juniper

Each juniper is good in its own way, the planting material is available, varied, and a keen gardener will always find a place for one or more bright plants that captivate with their convex texture, juicy flowers and in the most unexpected forms.