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

Coniferous plant lovers living in middle lane Russia, dream of evergreen decoration of the local area.Despite the frost resistance of conifers, young seedlings need protection on winter period... How we shelter ephedra for the winter, and other methods of protection from ice and snow, will be discussed in this article.

Why harbor winter-hardy crops?

Almost all coniferous plantations, from trees to low-growing shrubs, are unpretentious and frost-resistant. Both thuja and spruce attract the attention of gardeners not only with 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 appearance plants, it is planted along alleys, near administrative buildings, as well as in parks and gardens. But despite such positive characteristics, conifers need shelter for the winter. Namely, young seedlings that are not yet 3-4 years old are considered weak and need protection. There are two aspects that are detrimental to evergreen crops:

severe frost ny wind;
spring sunbeams reflecting from snow.

Why exactly wind and sunlight? The fact is that the winter wind causes severe dryness of the branches, and from the lack of moisture they freeze, break off and die off. If you watched a beautiful spruce with a withered appendage 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 it 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 the bushes are still weak and vulnerable. Then pine needles and green thuja legs under bright light can get sunburn. Therefore, it becomes necessary to shelter the culture for the winter, not to mention the breaking of the branches under the weight of the adhered snow.

Protection for medium-sized shrubs

To shelter coniferous bushes for the winter that have not yet reached 3 years of age, we first bend the branches to the trunk of the tree. To do this, we take a string, preferably green or the color of the trunk, and, without pressing hard, lightly wrap it with a cord so that the legs of the trunks 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 agrotex bags of 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 elastic 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 on the 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 freezes during the winter cold and does not contribute to thermal insulation or leads to decay and the appearance of mold. In addition, polyethylene may not withstand low temperatures and burst, allowing the penetration of snow and cold winds. To protect conifers for the winter, it is better to use:

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

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

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

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 shenanigans. At the end of February, on the south side of the garden, we install an awning made of any available covering material. Our goal is to create a shade curtain so that ephedra do not get sunburn from the blinding sun.

Protection for low-growing shrubs

If your juniper or cedar is too young, or you are a fan of low-growing crops, then the amount of work on insulation is significantly reduced. It is enough to stock up on spruce branches in the forest and cover the seedlings with it in the form of cone-shaped houses. The zealous owners prefer to install on top of the 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 a covering material for planting in full. It is sold in the form of cone-shaped bags with a pulling rope from the bottom. To prevent the ends of coniferous paws from turning yellow, it is enough to use special bags.

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

Additional care

Despite the winter hardiness and unpretentiousness of the culture, mineral dressing 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 on the eve of cold weather?

Here are a few steps to successful acclimatization and overwintering:

in the fall, we water it 50-60 cm deep, not only near the root, but also in the radius of the root system. In case of heavy autumn rains, the procedure is canceled;
near-trunk mulching with organic matter (needles, pine bark, sawdust, spruce branches, hay, etc.) is poured into 1-2 layers, not thicker, so that rodents do not make a nest;
feeding with vermicompost 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 spring, at temperatures from +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 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 courtyard in summer and winter, but also create a certain coziness on backyard territory... The main point when caring for a juniper is preparing it for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring will cast rich greens, and not a yellow-brown tint.

Features of caring for junipers in the fall 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 away, 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 that the 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.
Fertilizers- dressings are applied mainly in the spring. But if the bush lags behind in growth or does not add young growth at all, you need to add mineral fertilizers in the form of nitroammophoska. But not more often 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 it is necessary to carry out a formative pruning. In addition, regardless of whether the figure is formed from a bush or the juniper grows with a natural crown, the removal of excess branches is mandatory. All dry, broken or damaged branches are cut.
Shelter for the winter- in most cases, additional shelter is not required, the juniper tolerates even a strong decrease in temperature. The only moment so 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 bush. 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 young plant get stronger, build up 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 junipers - fall or spring

Junipers can be pruned during the spring months as well as before the first winter drops in temperature. In autumn, it is recommended to remove excess juniper shoots not earlier than September-October. But you should not delay until the first frost.

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

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

Timing of pruning juniper in autumn and spring

Spring pruning occurs in early to mid April, and autumn juniper pruning in September until late October.

How to prune junipers in the fall

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

The 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.

You need to prune only with protective gloves... Juniper poisonous, secretes juice on the cut, which can burn the skin of the hands.

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

You need to trim so that the slope is 45 degrees per kidney.
If you cut it lower than required, then the wound on the tree will heal for a long time. This will provoke abnormal growth of the kidney - it can either give a small increase or completely die out (dry out).
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, the pruning is done, on the contrary, to the inner bud.
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.

Top dressing and fertilization of juniper after autumn pruning

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

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

Video: how to prune juniper topiary in autumn or spring

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

The juniper is frost-hardy enough, you can not cover it 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! Youngsters up to 3 years old should also be sheltered. It is not recommended to overwrap it. It is better to pile on top of a snowdrift of spruce branches.

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

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

For this purpose, the bush is covered in the last days of autumn. To shelter a juniper for the winter, the following methods are used:

Snow- most The best way shelter. When the snow begins to fall, the structure tied 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 heaped spruce branches. If the tree is large, then 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. It is impossible to wrap up with a film - all branches will rot, the shrub can get sick.
Screen used- it is installed on the side where there is most of the sunlight. Reflecting from it, the rays will warm the crown.

Young cuttings are closed in exactly this way or, if possible, are brought into greenhouse conditions. In regions where the subzero temperature drops to -300 C and 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 a 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 so afraid of frost in this region as the bright sun in the first days of spring. For this purpose, the plant should be sheltered at the end of 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. Do not squeeze tightly, you need the plant to breathe. A rope should be wound from above so that the shelter does not fall 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 most of the sunlight. Otherwise, you can lose a separate section of the crown.

In the suburbs, as well as in Siberia and the Urals juniper winters well. Before strong subzero temperatures, you need to pull off all branches with a rope. If this is not done, you can lose some of the branches due to the strong gravity under the snow drifts.

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

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

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

Common mistakes in caring for junipers in autumn and in preparation for winter

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

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

Incorrect, excessively abundant watering of the 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.
Introduction nitrogen fertilization at the end of autumn- feeding should be done no later than the end of September. It is necessary that everyone nutrients absorbed by the root system, but did not have time to distribute over the tree until the moment of retirement. Otherwise, feeding with nitrogen provokes the activation of the growth of young animals, which leads to freezing of part of the crown of the shrub.
Incorrect cropping leads to a halt in the growth and development of the tree.
Shelter of juniper for the winter with polyethylene- if a decision is made to cover it, it is better with burlap or a thick layer of paper. Oilcloth contributes to the formation of condensation inside the space, which provokes high humidity and the acquisition of a fungal disease.
In no case you can not feed the juniper chicken droppings or mullein... Such fertilization will negatively affect the plant, predetermining its death.
Sections should not be covered with garden pitch., the slices should tighten on their own.

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

Having bought a juniper in the fall, many doubt whether it can be planted for the winter? Until November, you can safely plant it in open ground, provided that your seedling has a good root system... The 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 junipers in autumn is no different from planting in spring. We have already described how to plant a juniper in the article "Juniper, its planting and care." A seedling planted in the fall can winter well and die in the spring. This means that you either injured the root system, or violated the earthen lump and the roots dried up in the spring. When planting conifers in your garden, consider what they will be in 5-10 years. Conifers grow slowly, especially the first three years, but still, do not plant them very close to each other.

Autumn feeding of junipers

Winter is a dormant period. You can feed the junipers in the fall with special fertilizers for conifers. But first, the obligatory spillage of water, then add the granules, loosen and shed again. You can simply feed it 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 the spring sunbeams, and just the spring air makes the moisture that the plants retained thanks to snow or covering material evaporate.

When a plant is freed from snow or covering material, it very quickly loses moisture and dries up. And, if you do not keep track, the plant may die, so do not remove the shading devices and it would be good to spray the plant with water. You can remove or remove protective materials, approximately, when the buds of conifers 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 regenerate their needles and form twigs from awakened buds.

Shelter of junipers for the winter

Junipers in winter, as a rule, do not freeze out even when low temperatures and even in Siberia and even more so in the Moscow region. They must be prepared for winter in advance. Very often they ask such questions as to plant a juniper, when is it better to plant, whether it is necessary to cover for the winter and how to cover 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. An overly wrapped juniper will not winter well.

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 earth is still frozen and the sun is already quite strong and long-lasting. Spunbond takes up a lot of heat, but gives off little. As a result, the plant suffers from overheating. Gauze is devoid of this drawback. But you don't need to cover the top so that the juniper can breathe in its shelter. Can be covered from 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 have died, then the branches must be cut off to healthy wood and the cuts must be covered with garden pitch. A good result is given by spraying the needles in the spring with micronutrient fertilizers. Species such as Cossack juniper and Chinese, do not burn in the sun and are 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 crown of a juniper can disintegrate under the weight of snow, and individual branches can even break. Therefore, do not forget to tie vertical forms (such as rocky juniper) with twine for the winter so that winter snow did not break off the branches. You don't need to do this for horizontal views. Usually, careful preparation gives good results for winter.

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

Planting and caring for junipers in the open field is subject to even 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 a juniper on your summer cottage and take care of him at different times of the year.

When to plant junipers outdoors

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

Varieties with an open root system can only be planted in spring, after the snow has completely melted. The most successful periods for this are April and early May. It is at this time that the seedlings adapt best 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 its beauty and durability, the juniper possesses and 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 the summer it is not recommended to plant it because of the bright sun and heat, in the fall - because of the proximity of cold weather.

What is needed when landing

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

An important step is the choice suitable grade and the type of seedling. All garden junipers are subdivided into treelike and squat. The first species grows upward and forms a conical shape, like other conifers. The second type tends to the ground and scatters branches in breadth. It is customary to use it to decorate flower beds, garden paths and lawns.

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

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

The planting density depends on the landscape solution and the type of shrub.

You can make coniferous from juniper on the site hedge- for this, the plants must be planted in a row at a short distance from each other. In this case, 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 loam soil that contains sufficient moisture and minerals. In our country, few summer cottages have a suitable soil composition for conifers, therefore, for seedlings, gardeners recommend mixing the soil in the planting pit.

A good composition of the earth for planting juniper in the proportions:

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

Before planting, you need to provide drainage for the seedlings by pouring some sand or crushed brick into the pit. Stagnant water is detrimental to conifers, therefore, special attention should be paid to its diversion during planting. You should also take care of protecting the roots from fungus and pests. For this, special antimicrobial and antifungal compounds are added to the soil.

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

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

Fertilizer

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

Ready-made juniper fertilizers can be purchased at garden stores.

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

To grow a shrub with a dense and beautiful crown, it is recommended to fertilize the soil with minerals even during planting. It is definitely worth adding antifungal compounds and pest control agents to the soil.

Watering

After planting seedlings, they must be watered abundantly. In this case, the soil may settle a little, since during the watering process it will fill the voids between the roots of the shrub.

Watering abundantly after planting will also help the seedlings absorb moisture and adapt more quickly to new conditions.

Abundant watering after planting seedlings promotes better soil shrinkage and allows you to correct the plant if it is crooked. Watering is carried out using a hose or a regular watering can

Juniper care

Correct and timely care of a juniper is a guarantee of its beauty and good growth... It consists of a few simple activities that can become part of a suburban routine. Let's figure out how to care for young and adult plants at different times of the year.

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

How to keep a plant in winter

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

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

Some types of junipers are susceptible to temperature extremes and sunlight. From the direct sun, their branches turn yellow and the plant takes on an untidy appearance. These varieties are best planted in the shade or sheltered for winter and spring.

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

sackcloth;
kraft paper or regular newspapers;
nonwovens (spunbond, lutrasil, agrospan and others).

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

Plant shelter material can be purchased at garden stores. Such "cases" for conifers are selected according to the size of the plant and are very easy to attach to 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 the juniper or give it an unusual shape.

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

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

Pruning should be done twice a year in order to give the plant a neat look and rid it of the mass of dried branches. With proper care, some types of juniper may not be trimmed 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 the crown during the growth of the juniper. However, this method is suitable for growing only a few varieties of shrubs.

Fertilizer

Timely and correct feeding conifers have a positive effect on the growth of new shoots and helps maintain a healthy crown color. You need to fertilize the juniper in the first few years after planting, and then reduce the number of dressings to one or two per year. Usually feeding is done in the spring, after the snow melts.

The plant can be fed with mineral fertilizers, superphosphate, nitroammophos. For full nutrition of the juniper, it is better to purchase a special fertilizer for conifers. 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 treats well foliar feeding micronutrient fertilizers. In dry seasons, as well as in autumn, before the onset of frost, it should be abundantly, but rarely watered. adult plant... This will allow it to accumulate moisture and make it 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 a lack of it. On average, the shrub is watered abundantly 1-2 times a month. This amount of moisture is quite enough for the normal growth and development of the juniper, accustomed to the hot subtropical climate.

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

To maintain a comfortable environment for your juniper, you can install a sprinkler system nearby. You need to turn it on once a week for a short time.

Possible diseases and treatments

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

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

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

The most common fungal diseases juniper:

Fusarium - the fungus develops in the trunk of a juniper and affects first the internal parts, and then all the needles. At the first signs of the disease, it is treated with phytosporin-M, alirin-B, gamair.
"Rust" - the appearance of local spots of a bright red bloom on the trunk or branches of a bush. It is treated with antifungal drugs.
Shütte - in the spring the needles turn yellow and are first covered with gray and then black-brown bloom. It is treated by spraying the plant with a 1% Bordeaux mixture.

As a prophylaxis of fungal infection, before planting, the root system of plants should be treated with one of the following fungicidal preparations: "Vitaros", "Baktofit", "Fitosporin-M" or "Maxim"

If diseases appear, the damaged plant branches should be removed and the cut sites should be disinfected. copper sulfate... The soil under the plants is spilled with a solution of the drug "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, infection occurs from people standing nearby fruit trees and shrubs. To cure the plant from rust, spraying with Arcerid solution is used.

Pests: methods of struggle

Conifers suffer greatly from insect pests, after their "invasion" the juniper loses its beauty and takes a long time to recover. The main pests of the plant are:

Sawfly
Juniper Scale
Needle tick

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

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

Do not neglect the preventive treatment of plant roots before planting - this will help get rid of diseases and pests in the future;
In advance, choose a well-lit and spacious place for planting junipers;
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 - record 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 take care of 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 make your stay in the country more comfortable. Relying on our advice, you can easily grow this plant on your site.

Now it has become popular to grow evergreen trees on your backyard. They not only decorate the courtyard in summer and winter, but also create a kind of coziness in the backyard area. The main point when caring for a juniper is preparing it for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring will cast rich greens, and not a yellow-brown tint.

Juniper characteristic

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

Why cover your juniper for the winter

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

For the love of the decorative type of plant, it is planted along alleys, near administrative buildings, as well as in parks and gardens. But, despite such positive characteristics, conifers need shelter for the winter. Namely, young seedlings that are not yet 3-4 years old are considered weak and need protection. There are two aspects that are detrimental to evergreen crops:

strong frosty wind;
spring sunbeams reflecting from snow.

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

Watering and spraying juniper in autumn

Watering - the shrub requires little or no 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 that 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 the pruning process very well. It is necessary to cut carefully, since 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 damaged, dried branches.

Juniper protection from diseases and pests

Rust brings junipers the most trouble. 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 l 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 l of water): double treatment with an interval of 10-14 days. Against the juniper miner moth effectively double, after 10-14 days, spraying with decis pro (0.5 g per 10 l of water). WITH spider mite are struggling using the drug fufanon (15 ml per 10 liters of water). They also treat a bush that has been badly damaged by the sawfly. You can find out about the appearance of this pest by discovering that the branches have become fragile, and inside are hollow.

Fresh articles about garden and vegetable garden

Juniper shelter for the winter

Tying branches. The crown must not be pulled tightly with a rope to prevent the branches from breaking off and freezing.

Shelter organization. For winter shelter you can use burlap, shading net or polypropylene sheets. In this case, 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. This is best done at the end of April, when the ground has already warmed up slightly and the root system begins to receive nutrition. A cloudy, windless day is chosen so that the plant gradually adapts to changing conditions.

Why does the juniper die

Sometimes a planted plant, after a successful wintering, suddenly dies in the spring. There can 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 the creeping species are less capricious in this respect;
lack of moisture. In winter, the stomata of the tree are closed, thereby reducing moisture evaporation. 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 water from the ground in sufficient quantities, since during the winter the soil was frozen, and therefore the plant dies. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to preserve the original earthen lump of the plant as much as possible when planting in open ground;
Cold winter. Despite the fact that the juniper is a fairly frost-resistant plant, young seedlings in the first few years are very sensitive to the cold and need serious shelter for the winter period. The crown is tied up and covered suitable material, and the soil must be mulched.

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

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

Watering

It is worth noting that the juniper is a shrub that does not need watering. If, even on 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 the juniper shrub is "for" 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. This way, 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 growth or slows down its growth, mineral fertilizers are applied in the fall. As a rule, this is a 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. The substances strengthen the tree and help to activate the root system of the juniper.

Pruning

To properly prune your shrub, it's important not to ignore the following tips:

the event is carried out exclusively with sharpened and disinfected instruments;
initially cut off affected and dried branches, as well as those on which traces of pathogenic bacteria are obvious;
you also need 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 use protective gloves during pruning - the shrub is poisonous, so if the secreted juice gets in, you can burn your hands.

When pruning, the gardener should not neglect the rule: less is better. A juniper shrub can completely stop growing if the summer resident accidentally and thoughtlessly cuts off the growth buds. It is important to adhere to the following pattern when performing pruning:

The inclination to the kidney should be 45 °. A wound in the bush will take too long to heal if pruning is done lower than required.
By cutting off the kidney incorrectly, it can dry out completely or give minimal growth.
If the shoot is directed upward, it must be cut so that the outer bud is at the extreme.
If the branch is omitted, it is worth pruning the other way around - to the inner bud.
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 junipers and other conifers for the winter period.

How to cover a plant for the winter

For creating good conditions, with the help of which the juniper overwinters, the shrub is covered in the last autumn days. Caring for a juniper in the fall consists not only in pruning, but also in covering the plant. In this case, apply:

Snow. It is 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 bush, you need to use a crumbly mass.
Pine needles. The heaped spruce branches will be able to 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, while the bottom of the shrub remains open.
Screen. Installed on the side that receives the most sunlight. The plant is heated by reflecting the sun off the screen.

Protection features for low-growing and medium-sized shrubs

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

Junipers are often found near office buildings, along city alleys 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 4 years of age.

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

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 on your backyard. They not only decorate the courtyard both in summer and in winter, but also create a kind of comfort in the backyard territory. The main point when caring for a juniper is preparing it for wintering. If some recommendations are followed, the shrub will successfully overwinter and in the spring will cast rich greens, and not a yellow-brown tint.

Features of caring for junipers in the fall 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 that the 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.
Fertilizers- dressings are applied mainly in the spring. But if the bush is lagging behind in growth or does not add young growth at all, it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizers in the form of nitroammofoska in the fall. But not more often than once every 4 weeks.
Pruning- if the juniper was planted specifically for decorative purposes and its crown is constantly being formed, then in the autumn period, formative pruning is required. In addition, regardless of whether the figure is formed from a bush or the juniper grows with a natural crown, the removal of excess branches is mandatory. All dry, broken or damaged branches are cut.
Shelter for the winter- in most cases, additional shelter is not required, the juniper tolerates even a strong decrease in temperature. The only moment so that the bush does not break off the branches, they are bent to the trunk and tied with twine.

Attention! Juniper requires little or no maintenance. The main thing is to monitor the general condition of the bush. 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 grow stronger and 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 junipers - fall or spring

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

Lower air degrees adversely affect the healing of fresh cuts - they do not heal and are a smart option for wintering pests and diseases.

Timing of pruning juniper in autumn and spring

Spring pruning occurs in early to mid April, and autumn juniper pruning in September until late October.

How to prune junipers in the fall

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

The 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.

You need to prune only with protective gloves... Juniper poisonous, secretes juice on the cut, which can burn the skin of the hands.

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

You need to trim so that the slope is 45 degrees per kidney.
If you cut it lower than required, then the wound on the tree will heal for a long time. This will provoke abnormal growth of the kidney - it can either give a small increase or completely die out (dry out).
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, the pruning is done, on the contrary, to the inner bud.
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.

Top dressing and fertilization of juniper after autumn pruning

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

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

Video: how to prune juniper topiary in autumn or spring

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

Note! Youngsters up to 3 years old should also be sheltered. It is not recommended to overwrap it. It is better to pile on top of a snowdrift of spruce branches.

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

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

For this purpose, the bush is covered in the last days of autumn. To shelter a juniper for the winter, the following methods are used:

Snow Is the best way to hide. When the snow begins to fall, the structure tied 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 heaped spruce branches. If the tree is large, then 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. It is impossible to wrap up with a film - all branches will rot, the shrub can get sick.
Screen used- it is installed on the side where there is most of the sunlight. Reflecting from it, the rays will warm the crown.

Young cuttings are closed in exactly this way or, if possible, are brought into greenhouse conditions. In regions where the subzero temperature drops to -30 0 C and 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 a 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 so afraid of frost in this region as the bright sun in the first days of spring. For this purpose, the plant should be sheltered at the end of autumn.

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

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

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

Common mistakes in caring for junipers in autumn and in preparation for winter

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

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

Incorrect, excessively abundant watering of the 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.
Nitrogen fertilization at the end of autumn- feeding 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 the moment of retirement. Otherwise, feeding with nitrogen provokes the activation of the growth of young animals, which leads to freezing of part of the crown of the shrub.
Incorrect cropping leads to a halt in the growth and development of the tree.
Shelter of juniper for the winter with polyethylene- if a decision is made to cover it, it is better with burlap or a thick layer of paper. Oilcloth contributes to the formation of condensation inside the space, which provokes increased humidity and the acquisition of a fungal disease.
In no case you can not feed the juniper with chicken droppings or mullein... Such fertilization will negatively affect the plant, predetermining its death.
Sections should not be covered with garden pitch., the slices 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-growing bush may turn out from the plant.

In contact with

Fans of coniferous plantations living in central Russia dream of evergreen decoration of the local area.Despite the frost resistance of conifers, young seedlings need protection for the winter. How we shelter ephedra for the winter, and other methods of protection from ice and snow, will be discussed in this article.

Why harbor winter-hardy crops?

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

strong frosty wind;
spring sunbeams reflecting from snow.

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

Protection for medium-sized shrubs

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

Advice! "You can make a frame out of an elastic 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 on the branches.

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

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

Protection for low-growing shrubs

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

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

Additional care

Despite the winter hardiness and unpretentiousness of the culture, mineral feeding 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 on the eve of cold weather?

Here are a few steps to successful acclimatization and overwintering:

in the fall, we water it 50-60 cm deep, not only near the root, but also in the radius of the root system. In case of heavy autumn rains, the procedure is canceled;
near-trunk mulching with organic matter (needles, pine bark, sawdust, spruce branches, hay, etc.) is poured into 1-2 layers, not thicker, so that rodents do not make a nest;
feeding with vermicompost 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 spring, at temperatures from +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 it from the sun.

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