How to cover a young juniper for the winter. sunburn protection

Conifer lovers living in middle lane Russia, they dream of evergreen decoration of the adjacent 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 resistant 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:

hard frost wind;
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 for kraft paper, can be stapled to a 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 secure fixation and maintenance temperature regime.

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:

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;
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;
feeding with biohumus and compost will support vitality conifers, as well as the introduction of magnesium with dolomite flour;
nitrogen in large quantities and manure can harm plantings;
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.

Now it has become popular to grow on your own personal plot evergreen trees. They not only decorate the yard both in summer and winter, but also create a certain comfort on household territory. The main point during the care of juniper is its preparation for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring it will cast with saturated greenery, and not with a yellow-brown tint.

Features of juniper care in autumn and in preparation for winter - general tips and tricks

Juniper does not have a capricious disposition. But if you do not follow certain rules, then a beautiful plant can wither, it will cease to have a decorative appearance, it will turn into a wild tree.

Watering- the shrub practically does not require watering. If it turned out to be a hot end of summer, smoothly turning into a velvet autumn, then irrigation with water should be carried out no more than 1 time in 2 weeks. In case of rainy and cool summers, additional watering is not required.
spraying- the only moment favored by juniper. The event is best done before the first hours of the morning or after sunset. This is necessary so that the bright rays do not burn the delicate twigs.
fertilizers- Top dressing is applied mainly in the spring. But if the bush lags behind in growth or does not add young shoots at all, you need to apply in the fall mineral fertilizers in the form of nitroammophoska. But not more than once every 4 weeks.
pruning- if the juniper was planted specially in decorative purposes and its crown is constantly being formed, then in the autumn period a formative pruning is necessarily carried out. In addition, regardless of whether they form a figure from a shrub or a juniper grows in a natural crown, the removal of excess branches is necessary. All dry, broken or damaged branches are cut off.
Shelter for the winter- in most cases, additional shelter is not required, juniper perfectly tolerates even a strong decrease in temperature. The only moment that the bush does not break off the branches, they are bent to the trunk and tied with twine.

Attention! Juniper practically does not require special care. The main thing is to monitor the general condition of the shrub. If the plant withers and looks unhealthy, you need to look for the cause in improper care, including in preparation for winter.

Juniper pruning in autumn

The first pruning can be done only 2-3 years after landing in open ground. This period will allow young plant get stronger, gain weight. After this time, it will be possible to begin to form the crown according to the intended image.

Video: pruning Cossack juniper in autumn or spring

When to prune juniper - in autumn or spring

Juniper can be pruned both in the spring months and before the start of the first winter temperature drops. In autumn, it is recommended to remove excess juniper shoots no earlier than September-October. But do not delay until the first frost.

Important! The minimum temperature for pruning juniper in autumn is +4 C.

Lower degrees of air adversely affect the healing of fresh cuts - they do not tighten and are chic option for overwintering pests and diseases.

Timing of juniper pruning in autumn and spring

Spring pruning is carried out in early to mid-April, and autumn pruning of juniper - in September, until the end of October.

How to prune juniper in autumn

The event is only required clean, sharpened and disinfected tools.

A bush adds no more than 10 cm per year. Therefore, it is required to cut off no more than 15-20% of the mass that has grown over the past period.

Need to do pruning only with protective gloves. Juniper poisonous, on the cut it releases juice, which can burn the skin of the hands.

Pruning should be carried out according to the rules - less is better than more. If the pruning has led to the rash removal of growth buds, then the shrub can stop its growth completely.

You need to cut in such a way that the slope is 45 degrees to the kidney.
If you cut lower than required, then the wound on the tree will overgrow for a long time. This will provoke an incorrect growth of the kidney - it can either give a small increase, or completely die off (dry).
If the shoot looks up, then it is cut so that the final bud is that looks away from the center of the plant (outer bud). In the case of a lowered branch, pruning is done, on the contrary, on the inner kidney.
When removing branches, a small stump should be left - no more than 2 cm. It will block the upper bud from dying tissues, giving it the opportunity to start growing.

Feeding and fertilizing juniper after autumn pruning

Important! After pruning the juniper in the fall, it is necessary to control its condition. It is recommended to apply special mineral fertilizers. Stimulants-adaptogens are best for raising immunity. They activate the growth of the root system and strengthen the tree as a whole.

High-quality pruning will form not only a beautiful decorative ornament garden, but healthy plant with high immunity and no pests.

Video: how to cut juniper topiary in autumn or spring

How to save juniper in winter: features and methods of conservation

Juniper is quite frost-resistant, it can not be covered for the winter. But if the bush is specially formed, then under the layer of snow, the formed figures can disintegrate - the branches spread out, break off under the mass of the white blanket.

Note! Young animals under the age of 3 years are also subject to shelter. It is not recommended to over-wrap it. It is better to pile a snowdrift from spruce branches on top.

Some plant species may be more sensitive to temperature changes during spring periods. Warm weather and a sharp decrease in air degrees negatively affect the color shade of the plant.

The color of juniper twigs, when exposed to cold air, becomes a brown hue with a yellow tint. This indicates the death of the branch, which accordingly affects the loss decorative form attached over a long period.

For these purposes, they cover the bush in the last days of autumn. To shelter juniper for the winter, the following methods are used:

Snow- most The best way shelters. When the snowfall begins, the structure connected with ropes must be covered with a snowdrift. The latter should be crumbly, in no case should the branches and trunk be injured.
pine needles- if the plant is miniature, it can be completely covered with piled spruce branches. If the tree is large, then the spruce branches are tied to the branches.
Burlap or non-woven fabric (agrofibre)- the entire crown is wrapped with material so that the bottom of the tree remains open. You can’t wrap it with a film - all branches will be banned, the bush can get sick.
Screen in use- it is installed on the side where there is most sunlight. Reflecting from it, the rays will warm the crown.

Young cuttings are closed in exactly this way or, if possible, brought into greenhouse conditions. In regions where sub-zero temperatures drop to -300 C or more, the juniper must be insulated with the densest material in two layers, first the pots, and then the upper part of the crown.

Video: preparation and shelter of juniper in the winter

What are the features of preparing juniper for winter in different regions

In the Volga region, junipers often suffer from sunburn. They are not as afraid of frost in this region as the bright sun in the first days of spring. For this purpose, the plant is subject to shelter in late autumn.

For wrapping, any material that can be found at hand is taken: old burlap, cotton fabric, tulle, insect net. The selected material is attached to the branches of the tree, wrapping it in a circle. It is not worth squeezing tightly, you need the plant to breathe. A rope should be wound on top so that the shelter does not fly off.

By the way! Large trees are somewhat more difficult to cover. But this must be done at least from the side where there is the most sunlight. Otherwise, you can lose a separate section of the crown.

In the Moscow region, as well as in Siberia and the Urals juniper winters well. Before strong sub-zero temperatures, you need to pull off all the branches with a rope. If this is not done, you can lose some of the branches due to the heavy gravity under the snowdrifts.

In these regions, a large amount of snow falls, and as you know, white perineum is the best covering material. If the shrub is small, then it can be buried under a large snowdrift, throwing a specially large volume onto the plant.

In the spring, natural covering material will melt on its own, and the roots will absorb all the moisture after a long winter.

Thus, in winter it is worth covering the juniper if the seedlings are still very small. In addition, it is recommended to use shelter in regions with a small amount of snowfall and piercing winds.

Typical mistakes in caring for juniper in the fall and in preparation for winter

Important! It takes a lot of effort to grow a juniper, but even more patience and control over the state of the plant is needed so as not to make mistakes in caring for the fall and in preparation for winter.

Gardeners constantly supplement the list of errors. If you try to prevent these incidents, the plant will grow healthy and strong:

Incorrect, excessively abundant watering juniper- frequent irrigation of the plant leads to waterlogging of the soil. This process affects the health of the root system, it begins to rot, which negatively affects the entire tree.
Application nitrogen fertilizer at the end of autumn- top dressing should be done no later than the end of September. It is necessary that all nutrients absorbed by the root system, but did not have time to be distributed over the tree until the moment of retirement. Otherwise, fertilizing with nitrogen provokes the activation of the growth of young growth, which leads to freezing of part of the crown of the bush.
Incorrect cropping leads to a halt in the growth and development of the tree.
Juniper shelter for the winter with polyethylene- if a decision is made to cover, then it is better with burlap or a thick layer of paper. Oilcloth contributes to the formation of condensate inside the space, which provokes high humidity and the acquisition of a fungal disease.
In no case you can not feed the juniper chicken manure or mullein. Such a fertilizer will adversely affect the plant, predetermining its death.
Slices can not be covered with garden pitch, the sections should tighten on their own.

To obtain beautiful tree juniper, you should follow simple rules for caring for it in the fall and in preparation for winter. Otherwise, a wild bush may turn out from the plant.

Having bought a juniper in the fall, many doubt whether it is possible to plant it for the winter? Until November, you can safely plant it in open ground, provided that your seedling has a good root system. Rooting process will end in early spring. In general, it is better to plant in the spring, especially if it is a small specimen, so that it can get stronger before the onset of winter. Planting juniper in the fall is no different from planting in the spring. How to properly plant a juniper, we have already told in the article "Juniper, its planting and care." A seedling planted in autumn can winter well, and die in spring. This means that you either injured the root system, or violated the earthen ball and the roots dried up in the spring. When planting conifers in your garden, consider what they will be like in 5-10 years. Conifers grow slowly, especially the first three years, but still, do not plant them very close to each other.

Autumn top dressing of junipers

Winter is a period of rest. In the fall, junipers can be fed with special fertilizers for conifers. But first, the obligatory spill with water, then add the granules, loosen and spill again. You can simply feed with potassium, as it helps the plant to hibernate properly.

needle burn

Needle burns occur because the roots of plants do not yet “work” in cold soil and the plant does not receive the right amount moisture, and spring sunshine, and just spring air makes the moisture that was stored in plants thanks to snow or covering material evaporate.

When the plant is freed from snow or covering material, it very quickly loses moisture and dries up. And, if you do not follow, then the plant may die, so do not remove the shading devices and it would be good to spray the plant with water. It is possible to remove or remove protective materials approximately when the buds of coniferous plants growing in free nature begin to hatch (be guided by them). Junipers respond very well to sanitization. In the spring, after internal pruning and cleaning of the needles, they begin to restore their needles and form branches from awakened buds.

Shelter junipers for the winter

Junipers in winter, as a rule, do not freeze even when low temperatures and even in Siberia and even more so in the suburbs. They need to be prepared for the winter ahead of time. Very often they ask such questions as how to plant a juniper, when is it better to plant, whether it is necessary to cover for the winter and how to cover it correctly.

As a guide to action, accept the fact that all small seedlings must be closed in the first three years. But don't wrap too tightly. It will be enough to cover it with spruce branches. Too wrapped juniper will winter badly.

So that in early spring your conifers do not burn in the sun, as a result of which, the needles turn yellow, late autumn cover them with gauze in two layers. Spunbond accumulates heat too much, especially in late January and early February, when the ground is still frozen, and the sun is already quite strong and long. Spunbond takes a lot of heat, but gives little. As a result, the plant suffers from overheating. Gauze is devoid of this shortcoming. But the top does not need to be covered so that the juniper can breathe in its shelter. You can close the sun with special shade screens. If, nevertheless, the needles turned yellow, but the buds remained alive, then the young needles will gradually cover the burnt place. But if the buds are dead, then the branches must be cut to healthy wood and cover the cuts with garden pitch. A good result is obtained by spraying needles in spring with microfertilizers. Types such as Cossack juniper and Chinese, do not burn in the sun and frost-resistant.

It is in the first three years of their life that frost-resistant qualities are formed in conifers. With age, the frost resistance index only increases.
In winter, the juniper crown can fall apart under the weight of snow, and individual branches can even break. Therefore, do not forget to tie vertical forms (such as rocky juniper) for the winter with twine so that winter snow did not break branches. This is not necessary for horizontal views. Usually, careful preparation gives good results in winter.

Use junipers in landscape design different varieties and forms. They are incredibly decorative, and not only in summer, but also look no less attractive under a snow cap. Planting and growing them is not at all difficult.

Planting and caring for juniper in the open field is subject even to novice gardeners. This unpretentious coniferous plant can become a real decoration of the landscape. It forms a beautiful, elongated crown and is well suited for creating hedges and shrubs. unusual shape. In this material, we will figure out how to grow juniper on our own. suburban area and take care of it at different times of the year.

When to plant juniper in open ground

After buying seedlings of the variety you like, you should decide when to plant juniper in open ground:

Varieties with an open root system can only be planted in spring, after the snow has completely melted. The most successful period for this is April and early May. It is at this time that seedlings are best adapted to weather conditions and take root in a new place.
Junipers with a closed root system can be planted in open ground in spring or autumn, but no later than November, so that the plant does not die and has time to adapt.

In addition to beauty and durability, juniper also has medicinal properties. His essential oils rid the air of microbes and impurities, fill the garden with a pleasant coniferous aroma

Juniper planting is usually done in spring time when the climate is warm and humid enough for the seedlings to adapt properly. In summer, it is not recommended to plant it because of the bright sun and heat, in autumn - because of the proximity of cold weather.

What you need when boarding

Planting juniper in the open field does not cause great difficulties for gardeners, but it also needs to be done wisely. In order for the plant to actively grow and form beautiful crown, it is required to plant it in suitable soil and organize proper watering.

An important step is the choice suitable variety and type of seedling. All garden junipers are divided into tree-like and squat. The first species grows upward and forms a cone shape, like other conifers. The second species tends to the ground and scatters branches in breadth. It is customary to use it for decorating flower beds, garden paths and lawns.

Juniper seedlings are best purchased in a pot, as drying the roots can lead to the death of the plant. It is removed from the pot just before the planting process.

An important point is the choice of the place and location of future plantings. Juniper seedlings are usually placed at a distance of 0.5 - 2 meters from each other.

The density of plantings depends on the landscape solution and the variety of shrubs.

From juniper on the site you can make coniferous hedge- for this, the plants need to be planted in a row at a short distance from each other. At the same time, it is worth choosing such varieties of shrubs so that they have a similar shape, diameter and growth line.

Soil preparation

Junipers prefer loamy or sandy soil, which contains a sufficient amount of moisture and mineral elements. In our country, few summer cottages have a suitable soil composition for conifers, so gardeners recommend mixing the soil in the planting pit for seedlings.

A good composition of land for planting juniper in proportions:

2 parts of garden soil
2 parts of coniferous soil (humus of coniferous plants with needles and roots)
2 parts peat soil
1 part sand

Before planting, you need to provide drainage for the seedlings by pouring a little sand or crushed brick into the pit. Stagnant water is detrimental to coniferous plants, so it must be given a special place when planting. You should also take care to protect the roots from fungus and pests. To do this, special antimicrobial and antifungal compounds are added to the soil.

Juniper must be planted in the ground very carefully so as not to damage the root system of a young seedling. At the same time, care should be taken that during the process the roots do not have time to dry out in the sun.

The dimensions of the pit for planting juniper depend on the dimensions of the root system of an adult plant. For example, for large species bushes, you will need to dig a hole of at least 0.5x1 m

Fertilizer

In order for juniper seedlings to take root, even when planting it is worth using fertilizers that will help enrich the soil useful substances and save the roots of the plant. It is also advisable to add 150 g of Kemira-universal and 300 g of nitrophoska to the mixture, as well as epin after planting under each seedling.

Ready-made fertilizers for junipers can be purchased at garden stores.

Their compositions are specially selected for growing coniferous plantations in their summer cottage. They have the necessary supply of trace elements and minerals.

To grow a shrub with a dense and beautiful crown, even when planting, it is recommended to fertilize the soil with minerals. Be sure to add antifungal compounds and pest repellents to the soil.

Watering

After planting seedlings, they must be watered abundantly. At the same time, the soil may settle a little, since in the process of watering it will fill the voids between the roots of the shrub.

Abundant watering after planting will also help the seedlings absorb moisture and adapt to new conditions faster.

Abundant watering after planting seedlings contributes to better soil shrinkage and allows you to correct the plant if it is planted crookedly. Watering is carried out using a hose or a conventional watering can

juniper care

Proper and timely care of juniper is the key to its beauty and good growth. It consists of several simple activities that can become part of a country routine. We will figure out how to care for young and adult plants at different times of the year.

Caring for coniferous plants includes watering, pruning, feeding and sheltering them in the winter. Only when comprehensive care juniper will grow properly and retain its beauty for many years

How to save a plant in winter

Before the onset of winter, the juniper should be prepared for snow and frost in order to preserve good view plants and protect them from damage. Under the weight of snow, the formed juniper crown can twist or break. Therefore, in the fall, the plant must be tied in such a way that the branches fit snugly together.

Juniper tying is needed in order to maintain the shape of the plant during the cold season, when its branches can fall apart under a mass of snow. Thus, you need to tie all coniferous shrubs for the winter

Some types of junipers are subject to temperature changes and exposure to sunlight. From the direct sun, their branches turn yellow and the plant takes on an untidy appearance. Such varieties are best planted in the shade or covered for winter and spring.

Young plants should be covered for the winter. This can be done using an ordinary spruce branch, tying it together with juniper branches. The following materials are also suitable for sheltering a plant:

sackcloth;
kraft paper or ordinary newspapers;
nonwoven materials (spunbond, lutrasil, agrospan and others).

Covering material must be breathable and well ventilated. winter time. If the shelter does not allow air to pass through, the crown and roots may rot or become a wintering ground for garden pests.

Plant cover material can be purchased at garden stores. Such "cases" for conifers are selected according to the size of the plant and are very simply fixed on the bush

pruning

Most varieties of juniper form a beautiful natural crown on their own, while only ugly or damaged branches are pruned. Constant pruning of shoots is required only if you want to create an even hedge from juniper or give it an unusual shape.

To create various topiary and hedges from plantings of juniper, local, rather than exotic varieties of this plant are best suited. They will most easily endure acclimatization and regular pruning of protruding branches.

Many varieties of juniper tolerate pruning well, regardless of the time of year. In the process, care must be taken not to damage the young shoots and not to leave bare branches after pruning.

Pruning should be done twice a year to give the plant a neat appearance and rid it of a mass of dried twigs. With proper care, some types of juniper can not be cut for a long time.

To give an unusual shape to the bushes, you can purchase a special frame for the topiary, which is put on the seedling and forms a crown during the growth of the juniper. However, this method is suitable for growing only some varieties of shrubs.

Fertilizer

timely and proper feeding coniferous plants has a positive effect on the growth of new shoots and helps maintain a healthy crown color. Juniper should be fertilized in the first few years after planting, and then reduce the number of top dressings to one or two per year. Usually top dressing is done in the spring, after the descent of snow.

The plant can be fed with mineral fertilizers, superphosphate, nitroammophos. For proper nutrition of juniper, it is better to purchase a special fertilizer for coniferous plants. It contains and balances all the useful elements and minerals for a young plant. When choosing a fertilizer, it is worth making sure that it does not contain a lot of nitrogen - this substance provokes fast growth plants, but can lead to premature drying of young twigs and root rot.

Juniper is good for foliar top dressing microfertilizers. 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.

Watering

Adult junipers do not require abundant watering and are more likely to suffer from an excess of moisture than from its lack. On average, the shrub is abundantly watered 1-2 times a month. This amount of moisture is quite enough for the normal growth and development of juniper, accustomed to a hot subtropical climate.

You need to spray the plant in the morning or in the evening so that direct sunlight does not damage wet branches, reflected in water drops. Thanks to regular spraying, juniper will not need moisture and frequent watering.

To maintain a comfortable environment for the juniper, you can install an irrigation system with a sprinkler near it. Turn it on once a week for a short time

Possible diseases and treatments

Junipers are prone to fungal diseases that damage the crown and can lead to the death of the plant.

Most often, the plant becomes ill with improper care in spring and winter, if the soil is waterlogged or the plant suffers from exposure to bright sun.

Also, the cause of the appearance of diseases can be a dense planting and improper arrangement of shrubs.

The most common fungal diseases juniper:

Fusarium - a fungus develops in the trunk of a juniper and affects first the internal parts, and then the entire needles. At the first signs of the disease, it is treated with Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B, Gamair.
"Rust" - the appearance of local plaque spots of a bright red color on the trunk or branches of a shrub. Treated with antifungal drugs.
Schutte - in spring, the needles turn yellow and are covered first with gray, and then with black-brown bloom. It is treated by spraying the plant with a 1% Bordeaux mixture.

As a prevention of fungal infection, before planting, treat the root system of plants with one of the following fungicidal preparations: Vitaros, Baktofit, Fitosporin-M or Maxim

When diseases appear, damaged plant branches should be removed and the cut points should be disinfected. blue vitriol. The soil under the plants is shed with a solution of Alirin-B or Gamair, and the plant itself can be sprayed with a solution of Fundazol.

Juniper rust is one of the most visible and dangerous diseases for a coniferous plant. Often the infection occurs from standing nearby fruit trees and shrubs. To cure a plant of rust, use spraying with a solution of "Arceride"

Pests: control methods

Coniferous plants suffer greatly from insect pests, after their "invasion" the juniper loses its beauty and recovers for a long time. The main plant pests are:

Sawfly
Juniper scale insect
Needle tick

To completely cure a plant from pests, you must first determine the type of insect. For each of them there are special insecticides that effectively kill pests and do not spoil the plant.

Sawflies are a real enemy of conifers. The caterpillars of this insect multiply very quickly on the crown of the juniper and grind its needles into dust. When they appear, you need to act quickly and immediately treat the bush with insecticides.

Do not neglect the preventive treatment of the roots of the plant before planting - this will help get rid of diseases and pests in the future;
Choose in advance a well-lit and spacious place for planting juniper;
When choosing seedlings, consider the size and shape of an adult plant of this variety;
In order not to forget about watering and pruning the plant - fix the dates in a calendar or notebook.

Beautiful and healthy junipers can become a real decoration of the garden if you regularly monitor their condition and do not forget to care for the plant at any time of the year.

Juniper is one of the most unpretentious and useful garden shrubs. It is able to give the landscape a luxurious look, make the air cleaner, and stay in the country - comfortable. Relying on our advice, you can easily grow this plant on your site.

Now it has become popular to grow evergreen trees in your backyard. They not only decorate the yard both in summer and winter, but also create a certain comfort in the backyard area. The main point during the care of juniper is its preparation for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring it will cast with saturated greenery, and not with a yellow-brown tint.

Characteristics of juniper

Juniper - coniferous evergreen in the form of a tree or shrub, belonging to the family of gymnosperms, Cypress. The height of the juniper, depending on the type and growth conditions, can reach 15 meters. The root system is deep, mostly taproot, not branched. Depending on the type of juniper - bushy or in the form of a tree, its crown can be: sloping; conical; creeping; pyramidal; spherical. The male juniper has flowering in the form of earrings, consisting of 3-4 stamens, and the female - in the form of oval green earrings. The appearance of flowers occurs in late May-June, and the appearance of fruits in August. The fruits of juniper are small cones, most often having a blue-gray color and having a number of healing properties. The needles of this plant are predominantly blue in color, long with pointed ends, directed in one direction or scaly.

Why cover the juniper for the winter

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 the decorative look of the plant, it is planted along the 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:

strong frosty wind;
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 a cold and strong wind. If the needles of trees are able to withstand severe frost, then she does not like the wind.

Watering and spraying juniper in autumn

Watering - the shrub practically does not require watering. If it turned out to be a hot end of summer, smoothly turning into a velvet autumn, then irrigation with water should be carried out no more than 1 time in 2 weeks. In case of rainy and cool summers, additional watering is not required.

Spraying is the only moment juniper favors. The event is best done before the first hours of the morning or after sunset. This is necessary so that the bright rays do not burn the delicate twigs.

Juniper pruning in autumn

The plant tolerates pruning very well. You need to cut carefully, as the period of recovery and growth takes a long time. From shrubs, you can form a crown of any kind, a ball, a cone, a pyramid, and when growing a tree, you just need to cut off the damaged, dried branches.

Protection of juniper from diseases and pests

Rust brings the most trouble to junipers. The disease is signaled by the appearance of swellings with yellowish gelatinous or mucous secretions of fungi. Sick branches are removed, and the bush is sprayed with a solution of the drug abiga-peak (50 g per 10 liters of water), 4 times with an interval of 10 days.

Of the pests, they are especially annoying different types aphids. Fitoverm is used against it (20 g per 10 liters of water): double treatment with an interval of 10-14 days. Against the juniper moth, it is effective to double, after 10-14 days, spraying with decis pro (0.5 g per 10 l of water). FROM spider mite fight by using the drug Fufanon (15 ml per 10 liters of water). They also process a bush, badly damaged by a sawfly. You can find out about the appearance of this pest by finding that the branches have become fragile and hollow inside.

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Juniper shelter for the winter

Branch binding. The crown must not be tightly pulled with a rope to prevent breaking and freezing of the branches.

Shelter organization. For winter shelter you can use burlap, mesh or polypropylene panels. At the same time, you should not strive to wrap the plant completely, the only task is to protect it as much as possible from sunburn. But polyethylene and other “non-breathing” materials should not be used for this - fungi will actively multiply under them, which can lead to the death of the plant.

It is necessary to remove the shelter carefully so as not to damage the fragile, after hibernation, juniper. It is best to do this at the end of April, when the earth has already warmed up slightly and the root system begins to receive nutrition. A cloudy, calm day is chosen so that the plant gradually adapts to changing conditions.

Why juniper dies

Sometimes a planted plant after a successful wintering suddenly dies in the spring. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon:

the seedling was too old. Such plants do not tolerate transplantation very well, since the roots are inevitably injured, the restoration of which takes a very long time. Most often, the juniper fails to restore the root system and it dies. This is especially characteristic of the common juniper, while creeping species are less capricious in this regard;
lack of moisture. In winter, the stomata of the tree close, thereby reducing the evaporation of moisture. When spring comes and the air temperature rises, the stomata open, moisture evaporates more actively and the plant begins to miss it. The juniper cannot get enough water from the ground, because during the winter the soil has frozen, and therefore the plant dies. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to preserve the original earthen ball of the plant as much as possible when planting in open ground;
Cold winter. Although juniper is quite hardy, young seedlings are very sensitive to cold in the first few years and need serious shelter for the winter. The crown is tied and covered suitable material, and the soil must be mulched.

Today it is fashionable and popular to grow evergreen trees in their summer cottage. Plants not only decorate the yard throughout the year, but also create cozy atmosphere. Among the most popular crops, juniper stands out. He has external beauty and rich color. How to cover juniper for the winter is the topic of our today's article.

It is worth taking care of how the juniper winters even in late October - early November. During this period, frosts have not yet set in, so it's time to take care of such care activities as watering, fertilizing, pruning and sheltering evergreen shrubs.

Watering

It is worth noting that juniper is a shrub that does not need watering. If, even in the last summer days, there is a high temperature, you need to irrigate the plant with water no more than 1 time in 14 days. If the summer season is cool and rich in rains, additional watering is not required.

The only thing that the juniper bush is “disposed to” is spraying. It is better to carry it out after sunset, or, conversely, early in the morning, while the sun's rays are not so active. So the branches of the plant will not be burned.

Fertilizer

Various fertilizers are applied with the onset of spring. If it is noticeable that the juniper bush does not add young shoots or slows down in growth, mineral fertilizers are applied in the fall. As a rule, this is nitroammophoska, which is fed to the plant no more than once a month.

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that you need to control the condition of the juniper after pruning it in the autumn. It is after this event that it is better to apply mineral fertilizers. Adaptogen stimulants are ideal for boosting plant immunity. Substances strengthen the tree and contribute to the activation of the juniper root system.

pruning

To properly prune a shrub, it is important not to ignore the following tips:

the event is held exclusively with sharpened and disinfected instruments;
initially cut off the affected and dried branches, as well as those on which traces of pathogenic bacteria are obvious;
it is also necessary to remove young shoots that thicken the crown or grow inward;
during the year, the shrub adds about 10%, so it is recommended to cut off 15-20% of the mass that has grown over the past year;
the gardener must definitely use protective gloves during pruning - the shrub is poisonous, so if the secreted juice gets in, you can burn the skin of your hands.

When pruning, the gardener should not neglect the rule: less is better than more. The juniper shrub can completely stop growing if the summer resident accidentally and thoughtlessly cuts off the growth buds. When performing pruning, it is important to adhere to the following scheme:

The tilt to the kidney should be 45°. A bush wound will take too long to heal if the pruning is lower than required.
By cutting the kidney incorrectly, it can completely dry out or give a minimal increase.
If the shoot is directed upwards, it must be cut so that the outer kidney is extreme.
If the branch is lowered, it is worth cutting back - on the inner kidney.
When removing branches, it is important to leave a small stump, the height of which should not exceed 2 cm.

Video "Preparing conifers for winter"

In this video, a specialist shares tips on how to properly prepare juniper and other coniferous plants for the winter period.

How to cover a plant for the winter

For creating good conditions, with the help of which the juniper will overwinter, the shrub is covered in the last autumn days. Juniper care in autumn consists not only in pruning, but also in sheltering the plant. In this case apply:

Snow. considered optimal and effective way. The structure, tied with ropes, is covered with a snowdrift. In order not to injure the trunk and branches of the shrub, you need to use a crumbly mass.
Pine needles. The heaped spruce branches can completely cover small plant. If the shrub is large, spruce branches are knitted to the branches.
Agrofibre or burlap. Such material is able to protect the entire crown, and the bottom of the bush remains open.
Screen. It is installed on the side that gets the most sunlight. The plant is heated by the reflection of the sun from the screen.

Protection features for low and medium shrubs

Most coniferous plants are resistant to winter cold and unpretentious to frost. Spruce, thuja, juniper and other evergreens attract summer residents and gardeners in that they have a chic appearance and show excellent resistance to pests and diseases. It is also worth adding that the plants guarantee the presence of a pleasant aroma of needles.

Juniper is often found near administrative buildings, along city avenues and in gardens. Despite the many advantages, the owner must definitely carry out high-quality preparation of the juniper for the winter. This is necessary for young plants that have not yet reached the age of 4.

In winter, the cold wind dries the branches a lot. Due to the lack of sufficient moisture, they break off, freeze and die.

To preserve the beauty and guarantee the life of the plant in the next season, it is important to follow all of the above tips, and be sure to start preparing in advance.

Now it has become popular to grow evergreen trees in your backyard. They not only decorate the yard both in summer and winter, but also create a certain comfort in the backyard territory. The main point during the care of juniper is its preparation for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring it will cast with saturated greenery, and not with a yellow-brown tint.

Features of juniper care in autumn and in preparation for winter - general tips and tricks

Watering- the shrub practically does not require watering. If it turned out to be a hot end of summer, smoothly turning into a velvet autumn, then irrigation with water should be carried out no more than 1 time in 2 weeks. In case of rainy and cool summers, additional watering is not required.
spraying- the only moment favored by juniper. The event is best done before the first hours of the morning or after sunset. This is necessary so that the bright rays do not burn the delicate twigs.
fertilizers- Top dressing is applied mainly in the spring. But if the bush lags behind in growth or does not add young shoots at all, it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizers in the form of nitroammophoska in the fall. But not more than once every 4 weeks.
pruning- if the juniper was planted specifically for decorative purposes and its crown is constantly formed, then in the autumn period it is necessary to carry out formative pruning. In addition, regardless of whether they form a figure from a shrub or a juniper grows in a natural crown, the removal of excess branches is necessary. All dry, broken or damaged branches are cut off.
Shelter for the winter- in most cases, additional shelter is not required, juniper perfectly tolerates even a strong decrease in temperature. The only moment that the bush does not break off the branches, they are bent to the trunk and tied with twine.

Attention! Juniper practically does not require special care. The main thing is to monitor the general condition of the shrub. If the plant withers and looks unhealthy, you need to look for the cause in improper care, including in preparation for winter.

Juniper pruning in autumn

The first pruning can be done only 2-3 years after planting in open ground. This period will allow the young plant to get stronger, to increase mass. After this time, it will be possible to begin to form the crown according to the intended image.

Video: pruning Cossack juniper in autumn or spring

When to prune juniper - in autumn or spring

Important! The minimum temperature for pruning junipers in autumn is +4 C.

Lower degrees of air adversely affect the healing of fresh cuts - they do not drag out and are a chic option for overwintering pests and diseases.

Timing of juniper pruning in autumn and spring

Spring pruning is carried out in early to mid-April, and autumn juniper pruning is carried out in September, until the end of October.

How to prune juniper in autumn

The event is only required clean, sharpened and disinfected tools.

A bush adds no more than 10 cm per year. Therefore, it is required to cut off no more than 15-20% of the mass that has grown over the past period.

Need to do pruning only with protective gloves. Juniper poisonous, on the cut it releases juice, which can burn the skin of the hands.

Pruning should be carried out according to the rules - less is better than more. If the pruning has led to the rash removal of growth buds, then the shrub can stop its growth completely.

You need to cut in such a way that the slope is 45 degrees to the kidney.
If you cut lower than required, then the wound on the tree will overgrow for a long time. This will provoke an incorrect growth of the kidney - it can either give a small increase, or completely die off (dry).
If the shoot looks up, then it is cut so that the final bud is that looks away from the center of the plant (outer bud). In the case of a lowered branch, pruning is done, on the contrary, on the inner kidney.
When removing branches, a small stump should be left - no more than 2 cm. It will block the upper bud from dying tissues, giving it the opportunity to start growing.

Feeding and fertilizing juniper after autumn pruning

Important! After pruning the juniper in the fall, it is necessary to control its condition. It is recommended to apply special mineral fertilizers. Stimulants-adaptogens are best for raising immunity. They activate the growth of the root system and strengthen the tree as a whole.

High-quality pruning will form not only a beautiful decorative decoration of the garden, but also a healthy plant with high immunity and without pests.

Video: how to cut juniper topiary in autumn or spring

How to save juniper in winter: features and methods of conservation

Note! Young animals under the age of 3 years are also subject to shelter. It is not recommended to over-wrap it. It is better to pile a snowdrift from spruce branches on top.

Some plant species may be more sensitive to temperature changes during spring periods. Warm weather and a sharp decrease in air degrees negatively affect the color shade of the plant.

The color of juniper twigs, when exposed to cold air, becomes a brown hue with a yellow tint. This indicates the death of the branch, which accordingly affects the loss of the decorative form given over a long period.

For these purposes, they cover the bush in the last days of autumn. To shelter juniper for the winter, the following methods are used:

Snow- the best way to hide. When the snowfall begins, the structure connected with ropes must be covered with a snowdrift. The latter should be crumbly, in no case should the branches and trunk be injured.
pine needles- if the plant is miniature, it can be completely covered with piled spruce branches. If the tree is large, then the spruce branches are tied to the branches.
Burlap or non-woven fabric (agrofibre)- the entire crown is wrapped with material so that the bottom of the tree remains open. You can’t wrap it with a film - all branches will be banned, the bush can get sick.
Screen in use- it is installed on the side where there is most sunlight. Reflecting from it, the rays will warm the crown.

Young cuttings are closed in exactly this way or, if possible, brought into greenhouse conditions. In regions where sub-zero temperatures drop to -30 0 C or more, the juniper must be insulated with the densest material in two layers, first the pots, and then the upper part of the crown.

Video: preparation and shelter of juniper in the winter

What are the features of preparing juniper for winter in different regions

By the way! Large trees are somewhat more difficult to cover. But this must be done at least from the side where there is the most sunlight. Otherwise, you can lose a separate section of the crown.

In the spring, natural covering material will melt on its own, and the roots will absorb all the moisture after a long winter.

Thus, in winter it is worth covering the juniper if the seedlings are still very small. In addition, it is recommended to use shelter in regions with a small amount of snowfall and piercing winds.

Typical mistakes in caring for juniper in the fall and in preparation for winter

Important! It takes a lot of effort to grow a juniper, but even more patience and control over the state of the plant is needed so as not to make mistakes in caring for the fall and in preparation for winter.

Gardeners constantly supplement the list of errors. If you try to prevent these incidents, the plant will grow healthy and strong:

Incorrect, excessively abundant watering juniper- frequent irrigation of the plant leads to waterlogging of the soil. This process affects the health of the root system, it begins to rot, which negatively affects the entire tree.
Application of nitrogen fertilizer in late autumn- top dressing should be done no later than the end of September. This is necessary so that all the nutrients are absorbed by the root system, but do not have time to be distributed throughout the tree until it retires. Otherwise, fertilizing with nitrogen provokes the activation of the growth of young growth, which leads to freezing of part of the crown of the bush.
Incorrect cropping leads to a halt in the growth and development of the tree.
Juniper shelter for the winter with polyethylene- if a decision is made to cover, then it is better with burlap or a thick layer of paper. Oilcloth contributes to the formation of condensate inside the space, which provokes increased humidity and the acquisition of a fungal disease.
In no case do not feed juniper with chicken droppings or mullein. Such a fertilizer will adversely affect the plant, predetermining its death.
Slices can not be covered with garden pitch, the sections should tighten on their own.

To get a beautiful juniper tree, you should follow simple rules for caring for it in the fall and in preparation for winter. Otherwise, a wild bush may turn out from the plant.

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Lovers of coniferous plantations living in central Russia dream of an evergreen decoration of the adjacent plot. Despite the frost resistance of conifers, young seedlings need protection for the winter. 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.

strong frosty wind;
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 a cold and strong wind. If the needles of trees are able to withstand severe frost, then she does not like the wind.

Protection for medium height shrubs

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.

Advice! “You can make a frame out of a flexible plastic mesh, which is very convenient because of its flexibility.”

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

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

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

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 plastic containers on top of the spruce branches for reliable fixation and maintaining the temperature regime.

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 dressing will not 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:

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;
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;
feeding with biohumus and compost will support the vitality of conifers, as well as the introduction of magnesium with dolomite flour;
nitrogen in large quantities and manure can harm plantings;
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 with 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.