How to cover the juniper for the winter. Top dressing and fertilization of juniper after autumn pruning

What and how to cover conifers in winter?

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

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

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

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

When is the shelter removed?

Taking cover requires great care and several conditions. Firstly, it is necessary that the ground thaws at least to the depth of the bayonet and begins to work root system plants. This happens around the end of April.

Secondly, the shelter is removed in cloudy weather so that a sudden change in illumination and direct rays does not shock the needles. Ideal if you have studied the weather forecast in advance and opened the plants on the eve of an overcast period of 4-7 days. Then your conifers will be able to gradually adapt to the light regime and painlessly switch from hibernation to growth.

Watch our video on the shelter of thujas, conifers and fruit trees.

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

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

The most dangerous period after planting is the first winter. This happens due to the fact that it is necessary to plant conifers in the fall, after the end of the growing season and a fragile tree can completely "freeze" during severe cold weather. Therefore, the question of whether it is necessary to shelter conifers for the winter should not sound.

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

And, therefore, in order to achieve the most beneficial effect it is necessary to consider each breed separately. The article will consider ways to "warm" such popular trees as:

• Pine;
• larch.
• juniper;
• cypress;
• fir.

We cover the conifers for the winter

How to cover a spruce for the winter

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

It is more unpretentious than most other conifers to winter cold. The danger lies in two points:

- wind and sleet, which can break the tree;

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

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

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

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

How to cover a pine tree for the winter

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

In the first winter, the branches of the tree can break the adhered snow, and, therefore, it must be covered more thoroughly. The following scheme is best suited:

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

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

Like spruce, in the fourth year of life, the risk of causing irreparable harm to the tree in the winter season is sharply reduced and the need to cover the pine disappears.

How to cover larch for the winter

Larches are also hardy trees and preparation for winter is required only in the first two to three years.

This is done in the same way as in the cases of pine or spruce:

- covering the trunk with a tripod or non-woven fabric;

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

However, with the last point, the situation with larch is somewhat better: already in the second year, fallen needles provide sufficient protection from frost for the tree to survive.

How to cover a juniper for the winter

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

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

- scrapping of branches;

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

In the early years of life the best option there will be a gentle wrapping of the trunk with ropes, pulling them a little. This will protect the crown of the seedling.

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

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

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

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

Thuja, how to cover for the winter

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

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

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

It is better to release the tree from the cover at the moment when average temperature on the street it will be several degrees above zero, and the earth will move away from the cold weather. This will save thuja from sunburn and night frosts, which are typical for the spring of the middle lane.

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

How to cover a cypress tree for the winter

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

In the first years of life, in order to instill frost resistance in the tree and weed out unsuitable plants for growing, the cypress must be planted in the ground, and in the winter it must be covered with spruce branches, large sawdust or loose snow.

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

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

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

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

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

Yew, shelter for the winter

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

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

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

Fir, shelter for the winter

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

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

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

A few useful facts in conclusion

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

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

Why you need to cover the juniper for the winter

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

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

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

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

  Sunburn marks appear on the southern side of plants

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

  The piercing cold winter wind dries up the needles, as a result, they turn yellow, and the branches become fragile

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

  Due to the lack of moisture, the juniper turns yellow

Young seedlings and plants that have not reached four years old must be sheltered for the winter, otherwise they may die. IN northern regions they are sometimes even dug up, transplanted into pots and sent to winter in cool place in room.

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

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

Large adult plants do not need to be insulated for the winter.

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

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

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

Video: what the juniper is protected from in winter

How to properly cover a juniper for the winter

When organizing a winter shelter for a juniper, use:

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

Small plants can be completely covered with spruce branches

• Covering materials. You can only use materials that allow air to pass through (burlap, spunbond, agrofibre, etc.). Don't try to pack the bush tightly from top to bottom. The point is to preserve the crown. In this case, the lower part is left open for ventilation.

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

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

  The sun shield is installed on the south side

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

  Snow is considered the best insulation

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

Juniper shelter technology for the winter is as follows:

1. The branches are pulled to the trunk and fixed with ropes. This procedure will prevent branches from breaking off.

   Branches with ropes pull to the trunk

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

   

Lovers of coniferous plantations living in central Russia dream of 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 their beautiful appearance, but also with resistance 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:

1. severe frost strong wind;
2. spring sunbeams reflecting off 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 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 that have not yet reached 3 years of age for the winter, we first bend the branches to the trunk of the tree. To do this, 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, since 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 can 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 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 shelter 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 conifers 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 insulation work 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 reliable fixation and maintenance of temperature conditions.

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?

Let's describe a few steps leading to successful acclimatization and overwintering:

1. in the fall we water 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;
2. 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;
3. feeding with vermicompost and compost will support vitality conifers, as well as the introduction of magnesium with dolomite flour;
4. nitrogen in large quantities and manure can harm plantings;
5. in 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 advisable to take care of the conifers than to restore them as a result of a careless attitude.

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

Preparing for the winter for conifers should be started in advance. From the beginning of August, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is stopped in order to reduce the growth of young shoots, which will no longer have time to ripen by winter and, of course, will freeze over.

Winter watering

If the winters in your area are frosty, late autumn and deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs must be well watered. This will help them endure frost more easily. Sub-winter watering is done after the trees shed their leaves. The soil is poured 50-60 cm deep along the entire circumference of the crown (it is there that thin absorbent roots are located), and not only near the trunk. The thing is that wet soil does not freeze so much and cools less than dry soil. This is especially important if winter is expected to be snowless, but frosty. Of course, with rainy autumn there will be enough moisture even without watering.

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

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

Strengthening the crown from snow

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

The trees planted this year have not yet had time to properly root in the ground. Therefore, they must be secured with stretch marks.

Shelter from the frost

Conifers are not sissies, they no longer suffer from frost, but because they did not manage to take root at the planting site, did not grow a large number of new roots, and did not become saturated with moisture. Often, it is enough just to wrap the conifers with twine or netting so that the branches do not break off. You can only cover young, planted this year or not frost-resistant, but it is better not to buy such.

Evergreen trees do not "fall asleep" for the winter, unlike deciduous trees. Their green needles or leaves continue to produce chlorophyll in winter, but only to a lesser extent. And for the production of chlorophyll, as you know, requires sunlight. Therefore, it is impossible to cover evergreen trees with dense material that does not transmit light. If you doubt the frost resistance of your ephedra, loosely tie it with a rare burlap for the winter. Under no circumstances use polyethylene or thick non-woven material, this can lead to damping out of the plant, especially if the winter is with thaws. Nonwovens such as lutrasil, agrotex or spunbond, which are now so popular, are not used in winter. They let heat in and do not give it back, so during the winter months the plants under them are easily weighed out. But from low temperatures these materials won't save you.

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