Juniper is common in garden plots. Decorative look allows it to be used in landscape design. But few gardeners know how to replant juniper so that it does not dry out and die. This unpretentious culture turns out to be very sensitive when the integrity of its root system is violated.
Juniper (Juniperus) is a plant belonging to the Cypress family. There are 75 species. You can also find such names for juniper as juniper or heather. Represents evergreen. It grows wild in the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic to subtropical mountainous regions. Creeping juniper species grow mainly in mountainous areas, and the trees, which can reach a height of 15 m, are found in the Mediterranean, America and Central Asia.
Juniper bush
Juniper is similar in appearance to cypress, in addition, its lifespan is also very long, measured in hundreds of years. These plants have the ability to purify the air, so walks in juniper forests are very beneficial. Since ancient times, it has been used as a medicine, as a spice, and dishes and various crafts were made from its wood.
Interesting! Juniper bonsai are very popular. They look fabulously beautiful.
In gardens, juniper is mainly grown in the form of a bush, not exceeding 3 meters in height. In rare cases, trees up to 10 m can be found in large areas. The plant has an erect, branched trunk; the bark of young shrubs is reddish in color, while in mature specimens it is brown. The leaves are very small, in the form of needles or scales, collected in whorls.
The plant is dioecious. Female juniper cones have a pleasant taste and smell, reach a size of 1 cm, and are colored green. Male - spikelets, elongated yellow color located in the axils of the leaves. Juniper cones ripen by the second year. There are about 10 seeds under the dense scales.
This culture has undeniable advantages:
Cossack juniper, unlike ordinary juniper, is poisonous. Sometimes people are afraid to plant all types of this plant on their plots without understanding them.
Cossack juniper
It often happens that a juniper planted in the fall remains green in the winter, but dries out and dies in the spring. This happens because the roots are damaged, especially in adult specimens, and have poor regeneration.
During autumn and winter coniferous trees and shrubs, the stomata are closed. This way the water stays inside and the juniper looks green. When spring comes, the air warms up first. The stomata begin to open, but the injured roots are unable to receive moisture from the still cold soil. It turns out that the plant evaporates more water than it extracts from the soil. This is called physiological drought. This phenomenon is also possible in the fall, when the air is still warm, but the ground has already become cold.
Advice! If you bring a large juniper from the forest, it most likely will not take root - you should choose younger specimens.
The most capricious in terms of transplantation is the common juniper. Horizontal and Cossack juniper are more resistant to stress and require little care.
When purchasing a plant, you need to be careful and do it only in trusted places, because juniper species may be sold that are not resistant enough to harsh winters. Such crops are not adapted to the conditions of the Moscow region and other regions with a similar climate and will freeze out in the first year.
Even at a young age, juniper requires very careful handling when transplanting. It is better not to disturb this plant again, but if the need arises, you should adhere to certain rules. Then you can hope that the bush will take root and not freeze. The timing when you can safely transplant juniper to a new location is also very important.
Transplant to a new place
6 months, or better yet a year before replanting, the juniper is dug around, deep enough to trim the roots. The perimeter of the earthen ball should be larger than the crown or the same size as it. This is done so that the plant has time to form a more compact root system, then it will be less injured.
The soil for planting should be low acidic, rich nutrients and loose. First, the soil is prepared, and before planting, a hole corresponding to the soil of the plant is prepared. The hole should be at least 2-3 times larger than the roots of the plant with soil. If the juniper seedling is small, then a size of 50x50x50 cm is sufficient.
At the bottom you need to make drainage from pieces of brick and sand. Typically the soil composition is as follows: turf soil, sand and peat. But for each type of juniper, the soil requirements may vary slightly.
Interesting! For example, for Virginia juniper add compost or manure, and if the soil is sandy, then clay. For Cossack, add 300 g of fluff lime or dolomite flour.
When the time comes for transplanting, the juniper must be dug up from below, placed on a piece of burlap and moved to the prepared hole. It is recommended to treat the roots along with the soil with a product for better survival in a new place. This procedure can be repeated a little later and with a more concentrated solution.
Important! Observe the location of juniper branches in the cardinal directions and do not plant deeper than the previous level.
After completing the procedure, you need to tie the plant to pegs, 2-3 pieces are enough.
It is recommended to purchase young juniper plants, sold in containers with a volume of 3-5 liters - they will grow and quickly take root. Older specimens will be more of a hassle. Such plants are sold either in large containers or bags with a large lump of earth.
Directly during planting, the most important thing is that the earthen lump remains intact. Otherwise, the root tips are injured and the plant may die. This crop cannot be planted very densely, otherwise trees will begin to fight with each other for territory, which will affect their growth and development.
No need to plant densely
If junipers have a large height and a wide crown, then the plants are placed at a distance of about 2 m from each other. If there are small specimens, half a meter will be enough. If created hedge, which is not planned to be cut, then maintain an interval of 1 m, with a trimmed hedge - 0.6 m.
When purchasing seedlings with an open root system, the best time for planting will be early spring or autumn, but before frost. Juniper, which is sold in a container, can be planted at any time except during very hot periods.
When planting, you need to make sure that the roots are horizontal. Afterwards, the juniper must be watered and mulched with bark, peat, wood chips, and pine cones. This is done not only to improve the conditions for the development of the plant, but also to make it more decorative.
Mulch with peat
When juniper is planted in a new place, it must be treated with insecticides and fungicides. These procedures are carried out regularly until the plant is completely rooted. Fertilizing is carried out foliar, using micro- and macro-fertilizers. When watering, do not direct the stream of water at the trunk and crown, this can provoke fungal infection.
For several months, care should be correct:
Compliance with these rules will allow the juniper to quickly take root in a new place, so that the efforts spent on replanting it will not be wasted.
The timing in which the plant can be disturbed is dictated by its ability to form new roots. This ability varies with the seasons, so it is important to know when to repot your juniper.
Plant in spring
The most favorable period for transplantation is early spring in March-April. Summer replanting is not recommended, because in the heat the needles tend to release a large amount of moisture to the surface. Then it is better to give preference to autumn - the plant will be able to take root in the spring. As for the Cossack juniper, replanting can be carried out in the fall without fear.
Thus, the most favorable time for transplantation is spring. If, after all, the juniper is transplanted to another place in the summer, then the following actions are recommended:
It is not recommended to replant an adult juniper unless absolutely necessary - the survival rate is very small. If this procedure had to be carried out, the plant must be carefully examined for injuries and diseases.
Interesting! If a juniper grew on loamy soils, it will take root better than one that grew on sandy soils.
When transplanting adult specimens, the best time will be August-the first half of September. Planting in spring, at normal soil temperatures, is also allowed. In any case, the plants are shaded on the south side to avoid burns from the active sun after winter.
Juniper – perennial with soft, beautiful needles, which is valued not only for its decorative appearance, but also for its medicinal qualities.
Variety of species allows you to choose the most suitable one for each gardener. Unpretentiousness to living conditions adds advantages to the desire to grow one of the oldest plants of the cypress family.
To obtain beautiful healthy plant, it must be planted by choosing the right place, soil and planting time.
Planting juniper in open ground requires observing all the nuances - the right choice time and place of planting, soil and planting material.
The most best disembarkation time juniper in open ground - early spring.
Moreover, there is no need to wait for warm weather; the plant can be planted immediately after the snow melts.
In later spring, young trees can also be planted, but there is danger burning of pine needles.
When planting juniper V autumn period, there is a possibility that the plant will not have time to take root and acclimatize.
A plant purchased with a closed root system can be planted Anytime, even in the hot summer months. True, shading from the sun's rays is required daytime.
Juniper grows well only in open sunny places. Access sunlight it should be during the whole day. Some shading is allowed only when growing common juniper, but also to a small extent.
From lighting intensity depends on the decorativeness of plants, the density of branches and needles. A juniper growing in the shade will have few branches, they will be random, forming a shapeless loose mass. Variegated needles will lose their original color.
Soil reaction depends on the type of plant. Alkaline is necessary for ordinary, Central Asian and Cossack juniper. To obtain such a reaction, dolomite flour or slaked lime is added to the soil.
Other species prefer acid reaction. This is achieved by adding peat and sand to the soil, mulching using wood shavings and peat.
Siberian juniper requires sandy and sandy loam soil, Virginia requires clay soil, into which it is advisable to add compost.
IN landing hole you need to add drainage from broken bricks, large pebbles and sand. The thickness of the drainage layer is about 15-25 cm.
The best thing plant young plants growing in containers up to 5 liters. They are easier to plant and take root. Especially if root system closed(i.e. the plant is placed in the ground along with a lump of earth).
For landing large plants Some experience and skill is required. Such seedlings are grown in the ground; before sale, they are dug up, wrapped in burlap or placed in special containers and plastic bags.
Planting mature plants Not recommended at all. This is explained by the peculiarity of the root system, which is pivotal and goes deep into the soil. It is almost impossible to dig up a specimen without damaging the main root. This will lead to almost inevitable death of the plant.
Try to plant adult juniper can only be grown in winter, with a frozen soil coma. It has been noticed that the closer to spring the planting is done, the greater the likelihood of plant survival.
Before planting specimens in a hole, they are prepared generously wetting the clod of earth 2 hours before landing.
For landing you need to dig a hole. Its dimensions depend on the size of the seedling. For young junipers, a hole is made one meter square. They dig about half a meter deep. In any case, the hole is made in 2-3 times larger than a soil clod.
The bottom of the pit is lined with a drainage layer. The remaining space is filled with cultivated soil suitable for each type of juniper. The plant is placed in a hole, being careful not to damage the soil ball and roots. In young seedlings, the root collar should be located at the very surface of the soil; in adult plants, it should rise to 6-12 cm.
After planting, the plant is watered with plenty of water. The tree trunk circle is mulched various materials– peat, pine bark, wood chips, sawdust, crushed pine cones, pine nut shells. The layer thickness should be 5-10 cm.
If several specimens are planted at once, the correct distance between them should be maintained. For small species it should be at least half a meter. In tall and spreading ones - from 1.5 to 2.5 m.
If the rules are followed, such a landing is quite possible. In some cases, even more reliable, since you choose planting material.
Need to replant small young plants that still have a small root system. When you find such a tree, mark the sunny side before digging it up. At home, plant on the same side.
The seedling is dug up together with a lump of soil, immediately placing it in polyethylene film or burlap, wrap it tightly and tie it.
Plant in the garden in the same way as purchased material.
You can plant such a juniper before it grows in breadth and depth. The root system of mature shrubs is strongly intertwined and grows downwards, deep underground. That's why only planted young specimens under two years of age.
Not all types and varieties of plants can be grow from seeds. Ornamental hybrid plants reproduce only by cuttings. Pollination occurs with the wind, so very few full-fledged seeds from which it is possible to grow juniper ripen.
Planting material can be collected from plants two years old, during the period of darkening of berries, but before this process is completed. Seeds from completely dark fruits “go” to rest and go into “hibernation”, so they take a very long time to germinate.
After collecting the seeds you need stratify. To do this, take a box and fill it with a moist substrate of peat, sand, moss, into which the seeds are placed. Cover the top with another layer of filler.
For the winter, these boxes are taken outside and remain under the snow for the entire cold season. up to 150 days. This is how cold stratification is carried out naturally. It is needed to speed up germination. Seeds that have not undergone this procedure will be able to sprout only in a year after sowing into the ground.
In May, stratified planting material is removed from the substrate and planted in prepared beds. Further care no different from other plants. Watering, timely weeding, loosening row spacing. Ready seedlings are planted in permanent places.
In this manner can be propagated absolutely all types of plants. Low-growing and common juniper take root most easily.
In the spring, cut off young annual branches from a tree you like, always with a piece of the main plant. The length of the cutting is about a decimeter. Material clear the needles and place for a day in a solution that stimulates root formation. After the expiration of the period, the cuttings are placed in a light substrate (sand, peat or a mixture of both). It is moistened, covered with film or trimmed plastic bottles and leave to take root in a shaded place.
Periodically, the “greenhouse” needs to be opened for ventilation and ensure that the substrate does not dry out. In a favorable situation in 30-50 days roots will appear.
After successful root formation, the cuttings are planted in open ground, having previously prepared the beds. To prevent young plants from freezing, they are covered with spruce or pine branches for the winter.
Transplanted to a permanent place after 2-3 years.
Unpretentious and unpretentious juniper does not require much attention. However, by following some rules, you will preserve the beautiful appearance of the plant and ensure long life.
Plant able to withstand without watering for a long period. However, in hot, dry summers it is recommended to water it at least once a month.
Also periodically arrange a shower using a spray bottle or other sprayers. The procedure is carried out every week in the early morning or evening, when the sun is not as active as during the day.
In spring, apply to the soil under the plant nitroammophos based on 45 g per square meter. During the summer, you can fertilize juniper with organic or mineral fertilizers no more than once a month. Such fertilizing is carried out if the tree grows slower than expected.
It is carried out only in case of emergency, because there is no guarantee that the juniper will take root in the new place.
Replanting juniper absolutely doesn't like!
If you still decide, prepare optimal soil . It is best to mix coniferous soil, peat, sand in equal parts. After placing in a new location, water the tree thoroughly.
The plant itself is perfect does not require pruning. All that is necessary is to remove dry branches at any time. However, when forming a beautiful crown, you can cut off excess branches using a sharpened tool.
You cannot cut many branches at once - a tree might get sick.
Young plants cover in the first couple of years Lutrasilom or other similar material. Older plants with a spreading crown are tied with rope or twine to prevent branches from breaking due to snow. You can also periodically shake off the snow from the tree.
When the sun becomes active and the snow slowly melts, a very dangerous period begins for all types of junipers. They may die, if you don't take action.
The sun can literally burn the pine needles, previously under the snow or simply unaccustomed to the burning rays. To prevent this, it is necessary to shade the plants using burlap, thin cloth or other covering material.
After the snow melts, the covering material is removed, the tree trunk circle is cleared of fallen leaves and other organic debris. The mulch layer is removed, as it can lead to rotting of the roots. The soil is dug up or loosened. When the soil dries out and the threat of rotting goes away, add a fresh layer of mulch.
Juniper diseases:
Juniper is affected by the following pests:
Growing trees in the country is not particularly difficult, with the exception of lack of space for small areas. Still, juniper requires enough large area– up to 2 m in diameter.
Cossack juniper is a poisonous tree, therefore it is undesirable for a summer cottage.
Caring for it is no different from growing conditions in other places, but the plant brings considerable benefits. Highlighting a large number of phytoncides, he protects surrounding trees from invasion of pests and diseases.
Many people notice an improvement in the quality of fruits after planting juniper trees.
You can grow tree-style juniper at home. The most suitable types are:
To care for an indoor tree, the same recommendations are used as for an outdoor tree. The place should be sunny, watering should be moderate, periodically spraying required from a spray bottle.
Bottom of the landing tank filled with a drainage layer, then with soil suitable for your type of juniper. In the warm season, it is advisable to take the plant out into the fresh air.
Domestic trees for the winter needs to be cleaned V unheated room with a temperature of no more than 10º. Keep it in the light. In cold conditions, watering is rarely required.
The transplant is carried out only if necessary in spring or November. At the same time, cut off excess branches. To form a bonsai, the branches are wrapped for the correct direction from October to April. Pinching can be done in the summer - from May to August.
Watch the video for tips from professionals on caring for juniper:
Junipers are a genus of coniferous plants, including about 75 species and a huge number decorative varieties, derived from them. Junipers are very diverse, from tall trees, slender (similar to cypress trees) or spreading, to creeping shrubs (see photo). They all grow in wildlife in different parts of the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic to and also in northern Africa, mainly in mountainous regions.
Junipers in general are not picky (after they are well rooted): they prefer bright sun (except for Chinese juniper), but they also develop well in shade; most species are drought-resistant and have absolutely no demands on soil nutrition. Frost resistance varies greatly among different species and varieties, because some of them grow in the polar zone, while others grow in the equatorial zone. These plants live for quite a long time, up to 500-600 years - if only the climate suits them and they are not disturbed by transplants.
However, all junipers, in addition to their undoubted advantages - beauty, originality, diversity and, in general, ease of care - have a common drawback: they, like all conifers, do not like transplanting, and take a long time to take root in a new place.
U different varieties this quality is expressed to varying degrees: thus, tree-like junipers (including common, heather, Juniperus communis) take root much worse than shrub and creeping ones, and artificially bred varieties tolerate replanting better than wild species and specimens. Of course, only healthy plants should be taken for replanting, and the younger the better. Junipers grown on sandstones take root worse - their roots are more damaged during transplantation, and if the new soil is much heavier and denser, it will be very difficult for the plant to adapt.
Juniper grows roots most actively in the first half of spring and at the end of June - July. However, in summer the survival rate is lower, because in hot weather A lot of moisture evaporates from the needles, and the roots that have not yet mastered the new place are not able to restore its reserves in the required volume. Consequently, the most favorable time for replanting juniper is the second half of autumn or early spring, so that in March - April the plant has time to take root at least a little, grow young roots and tolerate the summer heat more easily.
However, situations are different, and sometimes it is necessary to replant juniper in the summer - for example, to urgently free up the land it occupies, due to an unexpected purchase, or for other reasons.
It all depends on where and what kind of plant needs to be replanted - your own within the site, wild from the forest on your site, purchased, grown in a nursery in a container, or purchased, grown in the ground and dug up for sale. It is better to take any of the listed options young, because the older the juniper, the worse it tolerates transplantation. And of course, a lot depends on the climate in your area - in the north there is rarely a problem with prolonged heat and drought in the summer, which exhausts displaced juniper. Let's look at each case in more detail:
So, we have already learned which junipers can be replanted all summer, and which ones - not earlier than the end of August. But how exactly does this process happen? Let's take it point by point.
Many people are on their garden plot We would like to see beautiful evergreen coniferous trees - junipers. Despite their beauty, you won’t have to take much care of the trees. The only difficulty is the moment of planting or transplantation, as well as the next three years of development.
Juniper can be propagated using seeds or vegetatively.
Seeds, when choosing this method of propagation, they must be processed to accelerate germination - stratification. Mature seeds can be planted in the fall, almost immediately after collection. Planting is done in pre-prepared pallets with soil to which a polymineral additive has been added. After this, the pallets must be left on the street or on the balcony until May; this is necessary to create real conditions and weed out weak seeds at the germination stage. At the end of spring, it is necessary to plant seeds, some of which may already sprout small sprouts, into the ground.
To achieve a positive result, it is better to germinate many seeds at once, since their germination percentage is not high, even seeds with strong sprouts that appear often die in large quantities. It should be noted that junipers grown in this way do not have the decorative qualities of the mother tree.
A more acceptable method of reproduction is cuttings mature tree. Proper separation of cuttings should be carried out in April-May. Cutting a cutting from a tree must be carried out together with a small supply of tree bark. After cutting, the needles must be removed from the workpieces in order to fully preserve energy reserves, and immersed in water for 24 hours. For successful rooting, it is better to add a growth stimulator to the water.
The best soil for small sprouts is a mixture of peat soil and sand in equal proportions. After planting, constant monitoring of the juniper is necessary, since at the slightest drying out of the soil it is necessary to immediately spray the soil and the plant. A more or less formed root system appears in month-old plants; upon reaching this age, the chances of successful development increase. Rooted junipers can be planted in the desired growth areas in late June. The first year the trees are still weak, so winter period mandatory shelter is required. You can cover the ground with spruce branches, sawdust, leaves or special material. Complete formation of young junipers occurs in 3 years.
It is quite easy for plants to be transplanted to a new place of growth at a young age, which can be easily determined by their height, which is no more than a meter. More mature junipers have a well-developed root system, which is easily subject to mechanical damage during transplantation. If there are no options to leave the plant in its place, it is necessary to initial stages preparation. Preparation includes creating a circle of dirt cut with a shovel around the tree. The depth of the earth slot should be approximately 40-50 cm, the radius should be 40 centimeters. When carrying out these activities, the chances of a successful tree transplant increase if this is done in the fall or spring of next year.
The future place of growth of the plant after transplantation should be as similar as possible to its usual conditions. Ideally, junipers love bright places. If the new location of the tree does not suit it, the juniper becomes dull, the number of green needles decreases, which has a bad effect on its beauty. Another important point when transplanting is maintaining polarity. It is necessary to plant juniper in the same position relative to the poles of the earth in which it was before transplantation.
In fact, replanting junipers can be done at any time, even in winter, however, best time It is still autumn. At this time it's enough high humidity, with a high percentage of moisture in the air, the needles of coniferous trees, as well as the ground, do not give up moisture. This factor increases the good survival rate and the percentage of successful transplants of any coniferous plants.
Despite the widespread belief that juniper transplants are successful in spring, it is worth noting that air humidity at this time is much lower than in autumn; under such conditions, seedling needles easily give off liquid. The root system, placed in new conditions, will not always be able to immediately extract water in sufficient quantities, especially during the period of still cold spring soil. A plant transplanted in the spring, taking into account the facts described above, often dies from simple dehydration.
At summer transplant coniferous plants lose moisture even more, so the risks of failure increase sharply.
The first stage of preparation is a well-formed pit. Its dimensions should be several times wider than the earthen ball with the roots of the seedling. After digging a hole, you need to make a nutritious earthen mixture. It includes peat, turf soil and sand. Approximate component ratio 2:1:1
After planting the plant, it is necessary to sprinkle the surface of the ground a small amount peat and crushed bark of coniferous trees. When replanting an adult tree, it is necessary to remember that the place where the roots begin should be slightly higher than the place where the hole begins; this is necessary to prevent rotting and obtain a sufficient amount of microelements. When planting young plants, the beginning of the trunk should be located at the level of the beginning of the hole.
Juniper is quite hardy and tolerates cold, extreme heat and drought well. But, when replanting, it is necessary to water it well enough at the root, this will protect the tree from dehydration during difficult periods. In addition, in the first year, especially in dry times, the soil under the seedling needs to be moistened at least once a week; the root system, which is not strong in the new place, will not be able to take water from the dry soil. A year after a successful transplant, the tree may not be watered at all.
In addition to watering, you can also spray tree needles. This procedure will make their color more saturated and increase density.
At the beginning of the spring season, juniper needs to be fed; this will preserve its beautiful external qualities and enhance growth. Fertilizing can be done with a polymineral complex, for example nitroammophos.
It is better to cover young junipers and plants after transplantation for the winter for at least four seasons. Tree branches must be carefully tied to the trunk before being placed in the covering material. It is better to create a small one around the juniper wooden frame and then pull the material over it, this will protect the needles from increased solar radiation during winter. Removal of protection occurs in the spring, gradually, for good adaptation of the juniper to open air conditions.
Despite the widespread belief that there is no need to remove weeds from under juniper, it is still necessary to do so. The easiest way is not to remove harmful herbs, but to limit their growth by mulching. The mixture that needs to be used to sprinkle the soil on the floor with wood includes: crushed bark of coniferous trees, remnants of pine cones, pine needles. The mixture must be laid out under the crown of the tree in a fairly dense layer 5-10 centimeters high.
A competent approach to replanting and further caring for junipers will give the garden beauty and uniqueness, and healthy air saturated with essential oils for the people living nearby.
Somehow, quite separately from other evergreens in the garden, juniper is valued, whose very presence cures many diseases. This people-friendly plant is one of our favorite crops, filling the air with life-giving resins and stunning with its sweet beauty, combining perfectly with many green friends. Juniper is a fairly unpretentious coniferous plant. But in order to plant it correctly and care for it, you need to know a few basic rules.
Among the junipers we can distinguish the following shapes and sizes:
The most popular types and varieties of juniper are:
You can get acquainted with the appearance of different junipers in more detail in the following videos or in the last paragraph “What is better to plant - juniper or thuja?”
Video: types and varieties of junipers
Note! If you decide to plant juniper in the summer, then the young seedling should definitely be shaded and watered more often throughout the summer (but not overwatered!).
But still optimal time for planting juniper - this is spring, approximately April-May, when the earth warms up a little. But it is often planted in the fall in September-October.
Warning! Never buy seedlings from random people. As a rule, they have a bare root system, and such juniper seedlings actually do not survive.
It is better to purchase cypress seedlings in garden centers. In them, junipers are sold in special containers, in other words, their root system is closed and well developed.
As for the age of the seedling, it is optimal to purchase a 3-4 year old one.
Also, when buying a seedling, you should pay attention Special attention on the tips of the needles. They should be green and elastic (bendable). If upon inspection you notice that the tips are dry and breaking, then you should not buy such a plant. It is quite obvious that it is sick or has been overdried, which means that the likelihood that it will take root well is quite low.
After you select and buy a seedling, you will need to find the right place to plant it in your country garden. Juniper loves sunny and well-lit places. Growing under the sun, it will acquire all its best properties. If you plant it in deep shade, the crown will begin to deform and become loose. However, its varieties, such as Virginia and ordinary, can grow in light partial shade.
Important! Chinese juniper tends to burn heavily at the end of winter or at strong wind, so it is better to plant it in a quiet place, or next to taller conifers.
If you want to plant several seedlings nearby, it is advisable to do this at a distance of 50 to 200 centimeters, depending on the size (shape and type) of the juniper seedling.
The diameter of the planting pit for juniper should be about 2-3 times larger than the seedling's earthen ball, and its depth should be about 50-70 centimeters.
Junipers do not tolerate waterlogging, so a drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the planting hole. For drainage you can use broken bricks, stones, pebbles, crushed stone or gravel. Then you should pour a small layer of sand.
This conifer cannot be called a soil-demanding plant, but it is still recommended to fill the planting hole with fertile soil. For example, you can prepare the following soil mixture: 2 parts peat, 1 part turf clay soil and 1 part river sand. Or this: 2 parts turf or leaf soil, 1 part peat and 1 part sand.
Clarification! Each juniper variety has slightly different soil requirements. For example, if you are planting Virginia, then put more turfy clay soil, If Siberian - sand, Cossack- add , dolomite fly or lime(in other words, it is necessary to reduce the acidity level of the soil).
Step-by-step instructions for planting juniper in open ground:
Video: planting and caring for juniper
Newly planted seedlings require a fairly large amount of moisture, so they should be watered at least once a week.
Mature and well-established plants watering practically not needed. Unless the summer is hot and dry, it is still worth watering 2-3 times per season, pouring out 1-3 buckets at a time, depending on the size of the bush.
Remember! Juniper does not tolerate dry air very well, so it will respond well to periodic spraying with water, irrigation by sprinkling method.
Juniper not required frequent and abundant feeding, especially since it doesn’t need organic matter. Except that young plants should be fed in the spring- in April-May. Take 30-40 grams of nitroammophoska, potassium nitrate or another complex compound similar in composition mineral fertilizer and scatter it over trunk circle, and then pour it well with water.
As such pruning juniper does not require (another matter is cutting and giving the plant a certain shape), unless in early spring you need to carry out sanitary cleaning, in other words, cut off all dried and broken branches (although some gardeners do this and late autumn).
If you notice that some branch has deviated to the side, but is still alive, then it is not necessary to cut it off, you can simply pull it up with a string. After a certain time, it will return to its original position again.
Important! Essential oil Juniper resin is quite caustic, so before pruning, be sure to wear thick canvas mittens and sleeves. Otherwise, long-term irritation may occur on your hands.
In caring for juniper, the most important role is played by its antifungal treatments. They must be performed regularly, and not wait until the fungus appears. It is especially important to spray it with fungicides (for example, the systemic fungicide Topsin - M is excellent) after warm and humid weather, as well as in late autumn.
By the way! At the end of winter and beginning of spring, juniper may get sunburned, in other words, it may burn out(this often happens in Siberia), so it should be shaded. For example, by throwing burlap over the plant or installing screens. But by no means Not should use agrofibre, because it actually transmits ultraviolet radiation.
Video: proper care behind the juniper in open ground
Important! You can find all the detailed information about preparing juniper for winter (shelter, pruning).
Many gardeners, when they begin to think about which coniferous tree is best to plant on their plot, cannot decide - juniper or thuja. Let's try to understand the differences and advantages of planting each of them.
Both juniper and thuja belong to the same family - Cypressaceae, so they are similar in many ways.
Pay attention! You can read detailed information about planting, growing and caring for thuja
For example, Thuja occidentalis Columna is very similar to rock juniper Blue Arrow, they have equally smooth and clear tall silhouettes.
Left - Juniper Blue Arrow, right - Thuja Columna
And the Chinese juniper Stricta, with skillful pruning, can be made completely similar to the conical western thuja Smaragd.
Left - western thuja Smaragd, on the right - Chinese juniper Stricta
If globular junipers Until they were bred, the thuja is quite widely represented - these are Globoza, and Woodwardy, and miniature Teddies.
Thuja Teddy But junipers have a huge assortment of spreading and creeping crowns. These include the following: Cossack, Virgin Hetz, Scaly Blue Carpet.
Scaly Blue Carpet
In addition to the natural (standard) green color, juniper and thuja today can be of virtually any color: green, blue, and yellow.
For example, Tuya Miriyam - green thuja with yellow tips.
Blue and Gold Juniper is a plant with blue and yellow tops.
Junipers, as a rule, are planted either as single plants or in “loose” groups of several bushes.
The use of juniper as a hedge is quite limited: the price is high and it grows very slowly, so thuja varieties such as Columna and Brabant are better suited for this.
If you need to decorate a slope on your garden plot, decorate alpine slide or rockery, then optimal choice there will be creeping or groundcover varieties of juniper.
Thuja perfectly tolerates the dusty and polluted air of city streets, so it is very often used for landscaping large cities and industrial centers. On the contrary, junipers will suffer and wither from dusty and polluted air, so they are usually planted only in suburban areas.
Juniper is an exceptionally light-loving, frost-resistant, drought-resistant plant that is not demanding on soil conditions. This is explained by the fact that its root system goes several meters into the soil and from there receives all the necessary nutrition.
Thuja is a moisture- and light-loving plant, which can grow relatively successfully in the shade, but it is noticeably more demanding of soil. If the land is infertile and poor, then for normal development the plant will need additional regular feeding.
In general, both thuja and juniper are considered fairly unpretentious coniferous plants. However, young, recently planted seedlings should be insulated and covered for the winter, especially if you live in a cold climate.
Juniper is more beneficial than thuja. Because the phytoncides secreted by its needles kill almost all pathogenic microbes. ethnoscience I often use juniper cones, which have diuretic and disinfectant properties. It is useful to chew 1 berry per day during a flu epidemic; this will significantly reduce the risk of illness. These berries are also used in cooking: kvass, beer and gin are made from them, they are used for smoking meat (6-8 pieces per 1 kg of meat), and they are also used to make juniper brooms for the bathhouse.
By the way! Junipers can live up to 1000 years, while arborvitae tend to live to a maximum of 100 years.
Video: which is better to plant - juniper or thuja
If you follow all the rules for planting and caring for juniper in the open ground, you will have summer cottage This beautiful plant, which will delight you with its appearance and make the atmosphere in your garden healing and beneficial.
Video: secrets of growing and features of caring for juniper
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