How to cover juniper for the winter. Feeding and fertilizing juniper after autumn pruning

How and how to cover coniferous plants in winter?

Before winter time prepare coniferous trees and shrubs. In order to avoid faults from a pile of snow, the branches of vertically growing junipers and thujas are neatly tied. For this, an ordinary twine is suitable.

Kraft paper, burlap, non-woven materials such as agrospan, lutrasil, spunbond can be used as a covering material. At home, even newsprint and wrapping paper can be used for shading. The only condition is that the material must "breathe", so films and plastic are unsuitable.

The snow around the plant is trampled or cleared. Now wrap the material around it, completely covering the needles. Fasten the seams with a stapler, leave a gap at the top for breathing (on the shady side, so that the sun's rays do not fall on the needles). There are also wireframe method shelters - a frame is installed around the plant and covered with a cap sewn from agrospan. Shelter and cap are fixed with pegs. You can see the types of frame shelters on our website.

Mature, long-planted plants in separate frosty and sunny winters it is enough to shade with a fine mesh from the sunny side.

When is the cover removed?

Removing the shelter requires great care and compliance with several conditions. Firstly, it is necessary that the earth thaw out no less than to the depth of the bayonet and begin to work root system plants. This happens around the end of April.

Secondly, the shelter is removed in cloudy weather so that a sharp change in illumination and direct rays do not cause a shock to the needles. Ideally, if you have studied the weather forecast in advance and opened the plants on the eve of a cloudy period of 4-7 days. Then your coniferous pets will be able to gradually adapt to the light regime and painlessly move from sleep to growth.

Watch our video on sheltering thuja, coniferous and fruit trees.

Each of us wants to decorate our country cottage area, somehow distinguish it from the rest, and one of the most popular ways is planting coniferous trees.

This is due to their beauty, durability and relative unpretentiousness. If the tree takes root, then, in most cases, it will please for several decades.

The most dangerous period after planting is the first winter. This happens due to the fact that it is necessary to plant conifers in the fall, after the end of the growth season, and an immature tree can completely “freeze out” during severe cold weather. Therefore, the question of whether it is necessary to cover conifers for the winter should not sound.

Naturally, you can do the old proven method: chop spruce branches, wide fir branches in the nearest forest and impose them on their landings. This method is good for its versatility and this is also its disadvantage, because it does not take into account the individual requirements of each tree.

And so, in order to achieve the most favorable effect each breed must be considered separately. The article will consider ways to "warm" such popular trees as:

• pine;
• larch.
• juniper;
• cypress;
• fir.

We cover conifers for the winter

How to cover a spruce for the winter

When we talk about this tree species, we usually mean European or Norway spruce.

It is more unpretentious than most other conifers for the winter cold. The danger lies in two things:

- wind and sleet that can break a tree;

- spring burns, which can lead to the death of branches.

To prevent this, it is necessary, firstly, to strengthen the tree by tying it to a peg driven into the ground or by setting up a tripod.

Secondly, to close from the spring sun. For these purposes, both the covering material and the spruce branches indicated above are perfect.

It is better to repeat this procedure for the first two or three years. After that, the tree will finally get stronger and will feel great in the winter season.

How to cover a pine for the winter

Pine is the second most popular tree in the middle forest belt. This is due to both good survival and attractive appearance tree. It would seem that the pine belongs to the same family as the Christmas tree, but because of the structure of the trunk, it is somewhat more demanding than its relative.

In the first winter, the branches of a tree can break the adhering snow, which means that it must be covered more thoroughly. The following scheme works best:

- the branches and crown of the seedling must be covered with covering material - this will protect the tree itself;

- line the bottom with spruce branches or cover it with sawdust to protect the root system from freezing.

Like spruce, in the fourth year of life, the risk of causing irreparable harm to the tree in the winter season is sharply reduced and there is no need to cover the pine tree.

How to cover larch for the winter

Larches are also frost-resistant trees and preparation for winter is required only in the first two or three years.

This is done by the same methods as in cases with pine or spruce:

- cover the barrel with a tripod or non-woven material;

- protection of the rhizome with the help of insulation with sawdust or spruce branches.

However, with the last point, things are somewhat better for larch: already in the second year, the fallen needles provide sufficient protection from frost so that the tree survives.

How to cover juniper for the winter

Juniper is one of the most optimal choices, for beginner summer residents who want to have something decorative on the site, but from the usual coniferous trees they rubbed calluses before their eyes. Those who planted it on the site have a question: is it necessary to cover the juniper for the winter?

Most varieties are extremely hardy, with the exception of a few southern species. In winter, for this evergreen shrub, in addition to already known problems, it is also dangerous:

- breaking branches;

- spring and winter sun, which can lead to burns.

In the first years of life the best option there will be a careful wrapping of the trunk with ropes, pulling them together a little. This will save the crown of the seedling.

After, the best option there will be the creation of a shelter by means of poles stuck into the ground, which create a pyramid and the closure of this structure with a covering material.

The top must be left so that the juniper can breathe in its shelter.

When the tree grows up, the creation of such structures becomes difficult and the crown of the tree is usually wrapped in covering material, pulled together with twine or twine.

Usually, in the fifth or sixth year, the juniper already calmly endures the winter without any additional tricks.

Thuja, how to cover for the winter

Thuja is one of the most popular trees used in landscape design. But all the work on planting and caring for it can go to waste if you do not prepare it for the winter period. Thuja is another member of the cypress family, with sufficient frost resistance to survive the winter in middle lane. But, like for other relatives, it is extremely undesirable when the tree remains uncovered in the cold.

What needs to be done first is to cover the thuja for the winter from snow, which can deform the trunk and bend the top, this will lead to a loss of aesthetic appearance, which is extremely difficult to return.

Usually any covering material is used for these purposes. white color, spunbond, burlap, a tree cover is sewn from it, which is then “put on” from above. Or the tree is simply neatly wrapped and tied with a rope over the material to form a trunk and secure the entire structure. In this form, the thuja survives the winter.

It is better to free the tree from the cover at the moment when average temperature the street will be a few degrees above zero, and the earth will move away from the cold. This will protect the thuja from sunburn and night frosts, which are typical for the spring of the middle lane.

The root system of this tree is no less demanding in preparation for the winter season, since in some regions the plant may die due to freezing of the soil, due to a lack of moisture received. The best solution is a layer of grass and leaves, which is abundantly sprinkled on the area under the crown of the tree, this will provide both a temperature cushion and additional top dressing trees in the future.

How to cover a cypress tree for the winter

Cypress - bush evergreen from the genus cypress. Usually, in the middle forest belt, it is grown in tubs or pots and removed for the winter in a room where the plant lives quietly until autumn.

In the first years of life, in order to instill frost resistance in a tree and weed out cypress plants unsuitable for growing, it is necessary to plant the cypress in the ground, and for the winter cover it with spruce branches, large sawdust or loose snow.

After two years of such selection, the surviving seedlings will have excellent frost resistance. .

If the adult cypress on the site is still planted in the ground, then in order for the tree to please in subsequent years, it is necessary to take seriously its protection and know how to properly cover the cypress for the winter.

At first, it is necessary to carefully wrap the shrub, pulling it slightly together with twine or twine, this must be done carefully so as not to damage the rather tender branches of the tree. After that, it is necessary to cover the cypress for the winter with a piece of burlap or any other light-colored material, leaving ventilation holes.

The root system must be insulated with sawdust, last year's foliage, mixed with grass or spruce branches. This will also protect the tree in the spring from sunburn.

It is best to open the cypress tree after the snow has completely melted.

Yew, shelter for the winter

Yew is one of the most ancient coniferous plants that have come down to our time in their almost original form. Its habitat is basically exclusively warm countries, which means that it is extremely sensitive to temperature changes and can die from such a phenomenon as snow.

If the tree is small, then it is best to sew a cover for it for the winter, after carefully forming the crown with the help of twine, close it, leaving holes for ventilation. It is extremely important that the material is light, and preferably white, because a tree in a dark wrapper can die due to the greenhouse effect and condensation.

It is also better to insulate the roots of the plant by covering them with a layer of cut grass, spruce branches or sawdust.

Fir, shelter for the winter

Fir is a relative of pine and spruce, and some of its species, especially those who come from Siberia, are able to survive in frosts down to minus fifty degrees. Therefore, only young seedlings need protection.

For protection, spruce branches are used, which cover both the rhizome of the young shoot and the crown. Then, when the first snow falls, the structure falls asleep and waits for a thaw in this state.

Summing up, we can say that no matter what coniferous plant is chosen for planting on your site, you need to take care of preparing it for the upcoming winter. Especially if the seedling is one or two years old or not known at all. It is in the first three years of his life that he forms his frost-resistant qualities and adapts to the conditions in a new place.

A few useful facts in conclusion

1. Before preparing for winter, it is necessary to water your tree abundantly. This will allow him to feed for the next few months, when there will be no moisture from the outside.
2. Do not forget that the shelter of the root system - mulching, is mandatory if we want to save our plant.
3. Coniferous plants are evergreen, with the exception of larch, and photosynthesis in their cells does not stop. Therefore, it is necessary that sunlight penetrate to the crown even during shelter.
4. If, despite the protective measures taken against sunburn, by spring the needles on the plants have lost their usual color, then the branches begin to be regularly sprinkled with water, and on sunny days the plant is shaded. You need to water the trees with warm water in small portions. When the air temperature becomes about +10 C, the crowns of the affected conifers must be treated with growth biostimulants, for example, HB 101 or Epin.

Juniper is considered a very frost-resistant culture, like all coniferous plants, it is not afraid of even severe cold. But nevertheless, he needs shelter for the winter.

Why you need to cover the juniper for the winter

Coniferous crops rarely suffer from frost, juniper is no exception.. By spring, it may lose its decorative effect or even die for a number of other reasons:

• The weight of the precipitation. The volume of snow mass accumulated on a spreading crown can not only break fragile branches, but also turn the entire bush out of the ground along with the root system.

  Under the weight of snow, juniper falls apart, branches can break

• Ultra-violet rays. The bright rays of the sun, especially active in January and February, are reflected from the still pure white snow, fall on the juniper needles and cause sunburn. The shrub does not immediately lose its decorative effect, yellowness appears only in May.

  Sunburn marks appear on the south side of plants

• Strong and cold wind. Penetrating currents of winter air dry up juniper branches, they become brittle and break off at the slightest mechanical impact.

  The piercing cold winter wind dries up the needles, as a result it turns yellow, and the branches become brittle.

• Lack of moisture. During winter and spring thaws, the ground mass of the conifer comes to life, the stomata on the needles open and moisture actively evaporates through them. At the same time, the root system is not yet functioning, since the soil has not thawed. The plant fails to replenish the liquid reserves, its crown gradually turns brown and crumbles.

  Juniper turns yellow due to lack of moisture.

Young seedlings and plants that have not reached four years of age are subject to mandatory shelter for the winter, otherwise they may die. AT northern regions they are sometimes even dug up, transplanted into pots and sent for wintering in cool place in room.

Sometimes very small conifers are dug up, transplanted into pots and kept indoors in the winter so that they do not freeze out.

Adult specimens in areas with mild climatic conditions are no longer sheltered, as they are able to endure hard times without loss. The exceptions are areas where during the winter months there is often a strong wind from the north and little snow. But in a harsh climate, even large bushes need to be insulated.

Large adult plants for the winter can not be insulated

Some particularly delicate varieties of juniper will need to be created winter shelter even in the south, in a warm winter.

In our city, low hedges are often made from juniper near public institutions (administration, schools, shopping centers etc.). Unfortunately, not every institution has a person whose duties include sheltering plants for the winter. The problem is aggravated by the fact that the snow is removed from the paths and thrown onto the same long-suffering coniferous bushes. In the spring, having thawed out of a snowdrift, the juniper looks extremely unpresentable.

In the absence of shelter for the winter, the juniper may die

Video: what protect juniper from in winter

How to cover the juniper for the winter

When organizing a winter shelter for juniper, use:

Pine and spruce branches perfectly protect from burning sunlight, wind and snow, but at the same time let air and moisture through. Small bushes can be showered with pine needles all the way to the very top. Large plants are protected by tying spruce branches to branches.

Small plants can be completely covered with spruce branches

• Covering materials. You can use only materials that allow air to pass through well (burlap, spunbond, agrofibre, etc.). No need to try to pack the bush tightly from top to bottom. The bottom line is to save the crown. Wherein lower part left open for ventilation.

  To shelter the conifers, you can use any agromaterial that allows air to pass through well.

• Screen or shield. protective structure placed on the south side, from where more sunlight hits the plant.

  The sun shield is installed on the south side

• Snow. Natural snow cover is the best and effective insulation . But you can only throw loose snow mass without lumps and pieces of ice, so as not to damage the bush and break the branches.

  Snow is considered the best insulator

Cannot be used to cover conifers polyethylene film that does not allow air to pass through. In conditions high humidity fungi begin to multiply under polyethylene, all this will lead to the death of the shrub.

The juniper shelter technology for the winter is as follows:

1. The branches are pulled to the trunk and fixed with ropes. This procedure will prevent branch breakage.

   Branches with ropes are pulled to the trunk

2. The plant is wrapped with breathable agromaterial in several layers and tied with twine or cord. It is better to stick several long sticks (poles) into the ground next to the bush to create an impromptu pyramid, and only then wrap the juniper with agrofibre.

   

Lovers of coniferous plantations living in central Russia dream of an evergreen decoration of a house adjoining plot. Despite the frost resistance of conifers, young seedlings need protection on winter period. How we cover the conifers for the winter, and other ways to protect against ice and snow, we will consider in this article.

Why cover winter-hardy crops?

Almost all coniferous plantations from trees to low-growing shrubs are characterized by unpretentiousness and resistance to frost. Both thuja and spruce attract the attention of gardeners not only with their beautiful appearance, but also with their resistance to diseases, pests, and also exude a wonderful coniferous aroma. In addition, they are excellent antiseptics.

Out of love for decorative look plants, it is planted along alleys, near administrative buildings, as well as in parks and gardens. But despite such positive characteristics, coniferous plants need shelter for the winter. Namely, young seedlings that are not yet 3-4 years old are considered weak and need protection. Here are two aspects that adversely affect evergreen crops:

1. hard frost wind;
2. spring sun rays reflecting off the snow.

Why wind and sunlight? The fact is that the winter wind causes severe dryness of the branches, and from a lack of moisture they freeze, break off and die. If you watched a beautiful spruce with a withered shoot and yellowed needles, then you should know that this happened due to the cold and strong wind. If the needles of trees are able to withstand severe frost, then she does not like the wind.

Everyone knows that the thaw at the end of February and March is characterized by a bright sun, the rays of which are reflected on the white snow. At this time, sap flow has not yet begun, and shrubs are still weak and vulnerable. Then pine needles and green thuja legs under bright light can get sunburned. Therefore, there is a need to shelter the culture for the winter, not to mention the break of branches under the weight of adhering snow.

Protection for medium height shrubs

To cover for the winter coniferous bushes that have not yet reached the age of 3, we first bend the branches to the trunk of the tree. To do this, we take a twine, preferably green or the same color as the trunk, and, without pressing hard, lightly wrap the cord so that the paws of the stems do not stick out. After that, we take a non-woven material or spunbond, and determine the size of the future bag. Then we fix the seam with a stapler.

To date, manufacturers offer ready-made bags of agrotex in various sizes. Spruce and pine need autumn shelter only in the first year of life.

How to cover shrubs and young trees of medium height so as not to damage the crown and preserve the integrity of the culture as much as possible? For this, a wooden frame is constructed from bars of medium thickness.

Advice! “You can make a frame from an elastic plastic mesh which is very convenient due to its flexibility.

It is better not to install an iron or wire frame, as the metal conducts cold and can cause frostbite of branches.

After preparing the walls of the frame, we wrap it with a covering material. It is better not to use polyethylene for these purposes, as it collects moisture. The moisture accumulated under the film in the winter cold freezes and does not contribute to thermal insulation or leads to decay and mold. In addition, polyethylene may not withstand low temperatures and burst, allowing the penetration of snow and cold wind. To protect coniferous plantations for the winter, it is better to use:

• burlap;
• spunbond;
• kraft paper;
• agrofibre;
• lutrasin;
• agrospan.

Any of the listed materials, except kraft paper, can be stapled to wooden frame. You can wind the insulation around the mesh, connecting the ends into a single seam.

Any agrofibre should be of medium thickness for air to enter (sometimes they leave a small gap or do not fix the top), but not tear from strong gusts of wind. After winter, shelters should be removed in early April or late March, when it gets warmer and sap flow begins. When to open the insulation you will be prompted by moderate melting of snow and air temperature close to 0 ° C.

If your pets have reached the age of 4, and you did not cover them, but only pulled them with twine, then we do the following frauds. At the end of February, on the south side of the garden, we install an awning from any available covering material. Our goal is to create a shadow curtain so that the conifers do not get sunburn from the blinding sun.

Protection for undersized shrubs

If your juniper or cedar is too young, or you are a fan of undersized crops, then the amount of insulation work is significantly reduced. It is enough to stock up on spruce branches in the forest and cover them with seedlings in the form of cone-shaped houses. Zealous owners prefer to install on top of spruce branches plastic containers for reliable fixation and temperature maintenance.

The industrial business satisfies any demand, and therefore the Moscow region is provided with covering material for planting in full. It is sold in the form of cone-shaped bags with a pulling rope at the bottom. So that the ends of the coniferous paws do not turn yellow, it is enough to use special bags.

Agronomist advice! “For young conifers with a weak root system, it is necessary to sprinkle the place at the roots with sawdust or mulch before sheltering for the winter.”

Extra care

Despite the winter hardiness and unpretentiousness of the culture, mineral supplement won't hurt. Especially for freshly planted crops in the fall, so that they can take root until spring. The plant must be strong and disease resistant. How to feed pets in anticipation of cold weather?

We will describe several steps leading to successful acclimatization and overwintering:

1. we water in autumn 50-60 cm deep, not only near the root, but also in the radius of the root system. With heavy autumn rains, the procedure is canceled;
2. near-stem mulching with organic matter (needles, pine bark, sawdust, spruce branches, hay, etc.) is poured in 1–2 layers, not thicker, so that rodents do not make a nest;
3. feeding with biohumus and compost will support vitality conifers, as well as the introduction of magnesium with dolomite flour;
4. nitrogen in large quantities and manure can harm plantings;
5. in the spring at a temperature of +10 ° C, it is recommended to carry out treatment with biostimulants: epin, HB 101, Zircon. Sometimes it is enough to spray the crown warm water and hide from the sun.

It is much more expedient to take care of the conifers than to restore them as a result of a careless attitude.

It seems that conifers, even in central Russia, feel absolutely calm in winter, because we are used to seeing spruce and pine trees in our forests. However, now on household plots more and more often other conifers appear that are not quite familiar in our region. This is thuja canadian firs, cypresses, yews, junipers. When buying coniferous bushes and trees, it is important to pay attention to the frost resistance of the variety. But, even if you made the right choice, the plant must be prepared for winter, especially in the first two to three years after planting.

Preparation for winter for conifers must begin in advance. From the beginning of August, they stop fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, in order to reduce the growth of young shoots that will not have time to ripen by winter and, of course, will freeze.

Podzimny watering

If the winters in your area are frosty, late autumn and deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs should be well watered. This will help them to endure frosts more easily. Winter watering is done after the trees shed their leaves. Shed the soil 50 - 60 cm deep around the entire circumference of the crown (this is where the thin absorbent roots are located), and not just near the trunk. The thing is that wet soil does not freeze and cool less than dry soil. This is especially important if the winter is expected to be snowless, but with frost. Of course, at rainy autumn enough moisture even without watering.

If you properly water the trees in late autumn, the trunk and crown will be saturated with moisture. Again, this is important for deciduous trees, for their spring
sap flow, but especially for evergreens. In early spring when the sun begins to bake, the needles will actively evaporate moisture. And the earth is still frozen, the tree has nowhere to replenish its water supplies. And the needles just dry out from the wind and sun. We often see whitish, thinned, lifeless needles in spring, which then crumble.

Trunk circles must be mulched with organic matter, you can use sawdust, needles or spruce branches. This is especially important for young conifers planted this or last year. In early spring, the mulch should be removed so that the soil under the trees warms up more quickly.

Strengthening the crown from snow

Imagine how heavy the heavy snow that falls on them is for the thin branches of coniferous trees. Even if they do not break off, it will be difficult for them to recover in the spring, they will lose their decorative effect for a long time. Therefore, in the fall they must be tied with twine, preferably synthetic, it will not get wet and will not tear. Small coniferous trees and bushes can be wrapped with a net.

Trees planted in current year, have not yet had time to properly take root in the ground. Therefore, they must be fixed with stretch marks.

Shelter from frost

Ephedra are not sissies, they suffer more not from frost, but because they did not have time to take root at the landing site, did not grow a large number of new roots, not saturated with moisture. Often, it is enough to simply wrap conifers with twine or net so that the branches do not break off. You can cover only young ones planted this year or not frost-resistant, but it is better not to buy such.

Evergreen trees do not "fall asleep" for the winter, unlike deciduous ones. Their green needles or leaves continue to produce chlorophyll in winter, but only to a lesser extent. And for the production of chlorophyll, as you know, sunlight is required. Therefore, it is impossible to cover evergreen trees with dense, light-transmitting material. If you doubt the frost resistance of your conifer, loosely tie it for the winter with a rare burlap. In no case do not use polyethylene or thick non-woven material, this can lead to the plant dying out, especially if the winter is with thaws. Nonwovens, such as lutrasil, agrotex or spanbond, which are now so popular, are not used in winter. They let heat in and don't give it back, so during the winter months the plants underneath can easily rot. But from low temperatures these materials will not save.

Plants are covered only with the onset of stable cold weather, when night temperatures are already below zero. Even non-frost-resistant conifers can easily withstand temperatures down to -5 o C.