Juniper care. Juniper: planting and care in open ground and at home Names of autumn feeding for thujas and junipers

Juniper belongs to the cypress genus of evergreen plants. They are quite unpretentious to the soil and do not require careful care. But in order for the juniper to grow healthy and please the eye, it is still necessary to perform a number of procedures.

Plant care

To ensure favorable conditions for the growth and development of juniper, it is necessary to observe special rules to care for him. Required:

• Watering. Juniper does not require much water. Even in hot weather, one watering per month is enough. It is recommended to give the plant a “shower” once a week by spraying water on it. It is best to do this in the early morning or late evening to prevent damage to wet needles by active sunlight;
• Trimming. Apart from the systematic removal of dried branches, the plant does not need pruning. If desired, you can give the bush an individual shape, but this should be done carefully, without cutting off many branches at a time, as the plant may get sick;
• Care in winter and spring. In order to prevent freezing (if the juniper grows in cold areas), the juniper is covered with a cloth, and the young seedlings are sprinkled with sawdust or straw. If the plant is winter period was not covered, then this must be done with the beginning of spring, when the intensity of solar activity intensifies. This will help prevent the risk of burns due to exposure. sun rays, after which it is difficult for him to recover. After the snow melts, the plant is freed from the covering material, then it is carefully inspected, protective mulch is removed around the trunk - this will help protect the basal trunk and roots from rotting.

Note! Another important component caring for juniper - fertilizing. This is a necessary procedure, especially for transplanted, young plants, since they are still weak and susceptible to all kinds of diseases.

It is also necessary to fertilize if the soil at the planting site is poor. This process must be performed throughout the season. Feeding should begin a month after planting, adding nutrients in small quantities.

Soil requirements

Before planting juniper, you need to carefully study the composition of the soil on the site. This is due to the fact that each type of plant has an individual need for soil. For example, Cossack, Central Asian and common juniper require soil with an alkaline composition for favorable life activity. For other species, an acidic environment is more suitable. To create it, add peat, sand or mulch using sawdust or wood shavings. To create an alkaline environment, dolomite flour or slaked lime is used.

It is also important to create natural air exchange (aeration) for the root system. To do this, be sure to add drainage: broken bricks, river pebbles, large expanded clay.

There is a recipe for preparing a universal soil composition suitable for all species. It is necessary to mix peat, river sand and soil from coniferous forest in proportions 1:1:1. Mulching is a must wood shavings or peat, sprinkling them near the base of the trunk.

Important! After planting any type of juniper, it is watered with a large volume of water. Then, for protection purposes, mulching is done around the trunk of the plant. The material used is the shell pine nuts, peat, sawdust, pine bark, crushed cones. The thickness of the pillow varies from 5 to 10 cm.

Fertilizers and fertilizers

While the juniper bush is still young, it requires annual fertilization. It is allowed to start fertilizing the plant only in the second year after planting. If this is an adult representative of the cypress family, then it is necessary to feed it once every 2-3 years. The fertilizer material can be superphosphate, rotted manure, ammonium nitrate and other mineral fertilizers.

The most optimal time for adding nutrients is the period from late April to early June (the period of bud swelling). Fertilizers should be applied to the ground around the plant, retreating 15 cm from the trunk, to a depth of 10 cm. After fertilizing, water the plant with water.

IN summer period juniper needs feeding special compounds and substances useful for coniferous representatives. They must contain the following elements:

• copper;
• manganese;
• iron;
• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• zinc.

Such elements enrich juniper with essential substances that have a beneficial effect on the richness of the color of the needles, strengthen the plant’s immunity and increase resistance to weather conditions.

When choosing a fertilizer for feeding shrubs in the autumn, preference should be given to mixtures in which nitrogen is present in minimal quantities. This is due to the fact that this component reduces the ability of juniper to tolerate low temperatures. This occurs due to the active growth of shoots that do not have time to harden before the onset of cold weather, as a result of which they freeze out. The plant also needs magnesium at this time of year to prevent yellowing of the top.

Organic junipers are favorably perceived liquid fertilizers based on vermicompost dissolved in water. This fertilizing can stimulate root growth and also activate photosynthesis.

Conclusion

Proper care of juniper will help not only extend the life of the plant, but also preserve it natural beauty which will please the owner long years. An integral part of caring for this shrub is the application of fertilizers to the soil, which strengthen the plant’s immunity and its root system, ensuring its healthy appearance.

Juniper is a fairly common plant that has been decorating gardens for countless years. This genus of cypress is known quite interesting name- Veres. If we proceed from the scientific approach to the naming of this plant, juniper is usually called Archa (Turkic name).

Junipers are old-timers of the earth's flora; they appeared about 50 million years ago. The species of junipers are very diverse - among them there are giants up to 30 m tall and bizarre elfin trees that rise from the ground barely 10–15 cm. Now over 60 species and 150 decorative forms of junipers are known, of which 22 species and 25 cultivars are cultivated in Russia.

Soft needles of various colors, delicate aroma, undemanding to growing conditions - these are the reasons why gardeners and designers are attracted to junipers. Junipers are planted in alleys, grown on alpine hills and in rock gardens. They are good at any time of the year garden compositions with other conifers.

Despite its unpretentiousness, juniper from the forest does not take root well in the garden; if it has taken root, it means you have light hand and gardening happiness. But it’s better not to tempt fate, but to immediately plant a seedling of an already cultivated species. Moreover, there are a great many of them.

Species diversity of juniper

Of the many types of juniper, about a dozen and a half are used to decorate the site. Based on each of them, many varieties have been bred. We list the hardiest and easiest to grow varieties.

Common juniper. This species is most widespread in wildlife Russia. Depending on its shape, it can be either a two-meter shrub or a spreading fifteen-meter tree. It is easiest to grow it with your own hands, because common juniper can easily tolerate drought, frost, and poor soils.

In addition, it is better suited for cutting than other types. The most the best varieties- these are columnar Hibernica, Goldcon with yellow needles and Meyer of a blue hue. An interesting variety is Pendula with a weeping crown, as well as the spherical Echinoformis. Of the low-growing forms, Hornibrook, Repanda and Nana Aurea are good. Their height does not exceed half a meter.

Red cedar. As the name suggests, this species comes from North America. But it winters well here too. There is another name: pencil tree. Once upon a time, pencils and souvenirs were made from it. The view is different rapid maturation fruits: it takes one season, not two or three. In the autumn months, blue berries look good against a background of green needles or scales.

Such varieties of Virginian juniper as Pyramidiformis and Shotti enjoy special attention. They are ten-meter trees with beautiful light green needles, and in Pyramidiformis they change color to purple in winter. Other high grades- these are Polymorpha and Filifera with needles of a bluish shade. The Chamberlaini variety forms a wide and lush crown. Albospicata, Helle and Glauka are more compact, their height does not exceed 5 m. Costeri is a creeping variety for alpine slide or lawn.

Juniper Cossack widely spread. It can be found in the Caucasus, Crimea, in some countries of Europe and Asia up to China. This is an unpretentious shrub, the height of which can reach four meters, but usually does not exceed 1.5 m. Cossack juniper has a particularly pronounced aroma, but some of its varieties are poisonous. The shrub is often used in rock gardens. For example, the Tamariszofolia variety with bluish needles is suitable for this. The variegated Variegata is also interesting; its needles at the end are yellow or white. Erecta, a neat pyramidal tree up to two meters high, is popular.

Juniperus chinensis growing in China and Japan, respectively. This is a mountain tree. It is interesting because it grows on vertical slopes and develops in a suspended state thanks to its tenacious roots. This is a valuable species that is used to strengthen slopes, and it is also in demand in rock gardens. Good varieties- this is a lush five-meter Hetzi with gray-blue needles, a four-meter Pfitzeriana with light green needles and a three-meter spreading Japonica. There is also the Gold Coast variety, which is a yellow-gold shrub.

Juniper Daurian thrives in eastern Russia in Siberia and the Far Eastern region. It is a creeping shrub no more than half a meter high, but its branches extend 3 meters around. They say that cone berries of this type are especially suitable for tinctures. The Expanza variety is distinguished by a beautiful light blue shade of needles.

Can I also mention juniper Siberian. He is close to the Ordinary and just as unpretentious. It is more compact and decorative. This species grows slowly, and the young fluffy branches make it very elegant. Junipers are also common Scaly And Horizontal.

Planting juniper seedlings

Due to their decorative properties, junipers - good choice for a young garden, when a group of several conifers can immediately after planting fill the voids in the landscape and form an attractive composition. To plant light-loving junipers, select an open, well-lit garden area with loamy or sandy loamy light soil - nutritious and sufficiently moist.

If the soil is clayey and heavy, then a mixture of garden soil, peat, sand and coniferous soil (loose soil with needles, collected under spruce or pine trees in the forest) is added to the planting hole. In this case, the soil is pre-drained by pouring broken brick or sand into the bottom of the planting hole. Junipers grow well on thin soils and can easily tolerate drought, but stagnation of moisture in the soil is detrimental to them.

The most successful soil mixture for planting juniper is: 2 parts turf soil, 2 parts humus, 2 parts peat, 1 part sand. It is also advisable to add 150 g of Kemira-station wagon and 300 g of nitrophoska to the mixture, as well as Epin after planting (for optimal survival) for each seedling.

The dimensions of the planting hole depend on the size of the juniper root system, for example, for large species dig a hole about 60x80 cm. Plant the plant quickly so that the root system does not have time to dry out, but carefully so as not to damage the earthen ball or young roots. After planting in open ground, the juniper is watered abundantly and protected from direct sunlight.

The density of placement of juniper on the site depends on landscape composition– whether it will be a hedge, solitaire or group planting. For junipers, the distance between seedlings when planting is selected in the range from 0.5 to 2 m. For a small garden it is better to stay at compact types juniper.

Growing juniper from seeds

When collecting juniper seeds for sowing, it is important to observe time intervals - it is better to prepare not quite ripened seeds at the end of summer than to prepare fully ripe ones in the fall. This will make germination more likely. The collected planting material must be sown immediately, but you need to be prepared for the fact that, due to the hard shell, the juniper seeds will sprout only 2-3 years after sowing.

You can plant a juniper dug up in the forest on the site, having previously marked on its trunk the orientation according to the parts of the world in order to imitate as much as possible when transplanting the peculiarities of its growth in natural environment. The lump of “native” soil should be large, with the top layer of humus preserved.

Rules of care

Watering and feeding

Juniper in a flowerpot The plant can withstand a long period without watering. However, in hot, dry summers it is recommended to water it at least once a month. They also periodically arrange a shower using a spray bottle or other sprayers. The procedure is carried out every week in the early morning or evening, when the sun is not as active as during the day.

In spring, nitroammophos is added to the soil under the plant at the rate of 45 g per square meter. During the summer you can fertilize juniper with organic or mineral fertilizers no more than once a month. Such fertilizing is carried out if the tree grows slower than expected.

Unpretentious and unpretentious juniper does not require much attention. However, by following some rules, you will preserve the beautiful appearance of the plant and ensure a long life.

Transfer

It is carried out only in case of emergency, because there is no guarantee that the juniper will take root in the new place. Juniper absolutely does not like replanting!

If you still decide, prepare the optimal soil. It is best to mix coniferous soil, peat, sand in equal parts. After placing in a new location, water the tree thoroughly.

Plant pruning

The plant itself does not require pruning at all. All that is necessary is to remove dry branches at any time. However, when forming beautiful crown You can cut off excess branches using a sharpened tool. You cannot cut too many branches at once - the tree may get sick.

Caring for juniper in winter

Young plants are covered with lutrasil or other similar material in the first couple of years. Older plants with a spreading crown are tied with rope or twine to prevent branches from breaking due to snow. You can also periodically shake off the snow from the tree.

In winter, the formed crowns of junipers may fall apart under the weight of snow, and some branches may break. To avoid such troubles, the crowns of formed junipers are tied in advance in the fall. Selected species junipers are sensitive to changes in day and night temperatures in early spring, active winter and spring sun and require shelter in February-March. Burns of needles lead to a change in the green color of the crown of conifers to a brown-yellow hue and, consequently, to the loss of the decorative appearance of the juniper.

If the buds of the conifer remain alive during a sunburn, then the young shoots gradually cover the burned areas, but if the buds are dead, then the frost-damaged branches must be cut back to healthy wood and treated with garden varnish. In order for juniper needles to remain bright in winter, the plant must be regularly watered, fertilized in the spring and late summer with granular bait, and the needles must be sprayed with microfertilizers.

Juniper care in spring

When the sun becomes active and the snow slowly melts, a very dangerous period begins for all types of junipers. They may die if measures are not taken.

The sun can literally burn needles that were previously under the snow or simply unaccustomed to the scorching rays. To prevent this, it is necessary to shade the plants using burlap, thin cloth or other covering material.

After the snow melts, the covering material is removed, and the tree trunk circle is cleared of fallen leaves and other organic debris. The mulch layer is removed, as it can lead to rotting of the roots. The soil is dug up or loosened. When the soil dries out and the threat of rotting goes away, add a fresh layer of mulch.

Diseases and pests

Juniper diseases:

• Rust. The needles become dirty orange and then dry out. The reason is that a lot of salts are concentrated in the soil. This can happen if animals choose a tree as a toilet.
• If the needles first turn yellow and then die, it means the plant is suffering from excess moisture. This occurs due to heavy rains or floods, waterlogging along natural reasons, level up groundwater. Lack of moisture in the ground and air manifests itself with the same symptoms.
• Red growths on the trunk and branches. In dry weather they are no more than 0.5 cm, after rain they increase 3 times. The tree was attacked by rust fungi. To get rid of the scourge, it is recommended to promptly remove the affected branches and shoots. Increase the resistance of juniper using immunostimulants and microfertilizers.
• Schutte mushroom attack. At the beginning of the season, last year's needles turn orange or brown, but do not fall off. Subsequently, small black round growths appear on it. The fungus attacks weakened plants in the shade. It especially loves humidity and is not afraid of cold weather. Damaged branches must be immediately cut off and burned, and the juniper should be sprayed with sulfur and copper preparations.
• Drying of branches and bark is caused by various fungi. Because of them, growths form on the tree in the form of red warts and longitudinal wood ulcers. To prevent diseases, copper preparations are used, which are used to treat plants in spring and autumn. All open scratches and cuts are disinfected with copper sulfate.

Juniper is affected by the following pests:

Growing trees in the country does not present any particular difficulties, except for the lack of space. small areas. Still, juniper requires enough large area– up to 2 m in diameter.

Caring for juniper in the garden

Caring for it is no different from growing conditions in other places, but the plant brings considerable benefits. By releasing a large amount of phytoncides, it protects surrounding trees from invasion of pests and diseases.

Many people notice an improvement in the quality of fruits after planting juniper trees.

Juniper is a plant that belongs to the cypress family. It appeared 50 million years ago, and there are about 70 species of this plant around the world. Some types of juniper reach up to 15 m in height.

Types and varieties of junipers used in landscape design

Let's move on directly to the types and varieties of juniper themselves.

– has a light green color and grows up to 10 m in height and about 1.5 m in diameter. Looks great as a hedge and in compositions. Can be cut.

Red cedar- native to North America. It grows above 15 m. The bluish needles of a compact conical shape are suitable for decorating your yard. Interesting varieties of this juniper - Pyramidalis and Glauka.

Juniper horizontal– a group of varieties with green, bluish-blue, white-spotted color. Reaches up to 2 m in diameter and up to 0.5 in height. Used for foregrounds in compositions and borders. The most commonly planted are dwarf forms of juniper, such as Andpressa, Andorra Compact and Wiltoni.
Juniper Cossack– this type of plant reaches up to 1 m in height and 3 m in diameter. The needles can be green, blue, white and yellow-spotted. Used for planting on the lawn and in large rock gardens. There are both high and dwarf varieties: Variegata, Cupressifolia and Tamariscifolia. Of the dwarf species, Nana is the most famous.

– the plant has a pyramidal shape with a gray-blue color. Reaches up to 12 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter. Used for group plantings in the background of compositions.
- a plant that came to us from China, has a blue color and grows up to 2 m in diameter and up to 2 m in height. The shape of the crown depends on the variety. This group of junipers is used in rock gardens.

How to choose the right juniper seedling when purchasing

First of all, you should choose a variety of juniper that will look original in landscape design.

It is also worth considering that junipers bloom in April-May. The first fruiting begins at 5-15 years of age. The fruits are formed by fusion of scales and ripen annually in the fall. When choosing seeds of this plant, it is important to observe the following time intervals - you need to prepare unripe seeds in August. This will make germination more likely. The collected material must be planted immediately, but juniper seeds will sprout only 2-3 years after planting.

Successful rooting and growth of the plant depends on the quality of the seedlings. Therefore, when purchasing, pay attention to the following:

1. A plant with an exposed root system is not worth buying;
2. Buy juniper with an earthen lump in burlap;
3. The root system and branches should show the current year's growth;
4. There should be no cracks on the juniper trunk;
5. New shoots should not break and be flexible;
6. The color of the crown should be uniform and not have brown spots or white flakes at the base;
7. We recommend choosing plants that have been grown in containers.

The root system of all plants of this species is superficial and fibrous. This allows the juniper to grow strongly and strengthen the soil. This plant is undemanding to the soil - it will also grow on rocky, poor sandy soils.

How to plant juniper in your dacha

Any type of juniper is popular in landscape design. The advantage of juniper is longevity.

Did you know? Juniper can live up to 600 years.

This plant is widely used due to its different colors and shapes. In order for your juniper to grow healthy and beautiful, you should take care of the place and time, which will be discussed in this section.

Timing for planting juniper seedlings

The beginning of spring is the ideal time to plant juniper. Planting is also possible in the fall, closer to October. Juniper is very light-loving, but, for example, common juniper also tolerates slight shading.

Selection and preparation of soil for planting

First you should choose a place to plant juniper. This plant loves an open, well-lit area of ​​the yard or garden. It prefers soil with loamy or sandy loamy light soil. It should be nutritious and moisturized.

If the soil is clayey and heavy, then you should add to the planting hole a mixture of garden soil, sand and coniferous soil, which can be collected under spruce or pine trees in the forest. If you have juniper virginia, then clay soil will do.

Rules for planting juniper seedlings in the ground

Now that we have chosen the variety and the place where to plant the plant, we need to understand how to plant juniper so that it grows and does not die during planting.

A seedling with a closed root system is watered abundantly, but not freed from the coma. The hole dug in advance should be 3 times the diameter of the roots of the purchased juniper. The most successful soil mixture for planting juniper is as follows: mix two parts of turf soil, humus and peat with one part of sand. For optimal survival rate, add 150 g of nitrophoska to each seedling, and after planting - Epin.

The seedling is buried so that the root collar is not deeper than the previous level. The juniper planting ends with watering and mulching. If more than one juniper is planted, leave enough space between them, from 0.5 to 4 meters. Junipers do not like close quarters.

Also, don't ignore 4 main mistakes when planting juniper in the ground:

1. Disturbance of the earthen coma during planting. It is necessary to preserve the earthen lump, otherwise the roots will dry out and die. To better preserve the coma, you should water it well. Some gardeners leave the burlap in the soil, as it will rot anyway, but the stiff wire that remains to hold the burlap in place should be removed.

2. A small planting hole or a large earthen ball. It is worth adhering to the rule: the palm of an adult man should fit between the lump and the walls of the pit, and the root neck of the juniper should be at soil level. After the earthen lump of juniper has been planted, the hole is filled with pre-prepared soil, which includes additives useful for the plant. If there is none, then the soil removed during preparation will do. seat, but in this case the juniper will develop worse.

3. Backfilling of the root collar. You should fill the juniper roots so that the plant is free from the ground to the level of the root collar.

4. Ignoring the special requirements of juniper when planting. Planting juniper has its own nuances, which depend on the type or variety of the plant. In order for any juniper variety to adapt well to a new location, optimal conditions for its development should be created.

Growing and caring for juniper

Growing juniper does not require much effort. Due to its unpretentiousness to the soil, landscape designers use the plant very often. Caring for juniper does not require much intervention on your part.

It is enough to properly water and fertilize the soil, apply mulching in winter and summer, and sometimes prune the juniper. And we will look at how to do this correctly in this section.

Watering and fertilizing the soil

During the growing season, you need to water it only in extreme heat, but you should not do this more than once a month. 10-20 liters of water are required for one adult bush. The plant will also thank you for spraying the foliage weekly in the evening. Especially if you have Chinese or common juniper. You should loosen the soil and remove weeds from time to time. You need to feed the juniper. It is enough to scatter 40 g of nitroammophoska around the tree trunk in the spring and water the planting site. If the soil at the planting site is poor, the plant will need feeding throughout the season. But you should do this no more than once a month. In the first winter, young juniper should be covered with a thick layer of spruce branches and mulch.

In spring, move the mulch away from the trunk to avoid rotting, since the soil is moist at this time.

Did you know?It was noticed that the air therewhere the juniper is planted,much cleaner. In one day, a hectare of juniper evaporates 30 kg of phytoncides.

The benefits of mulch in summer and winter

There are many advantages of mulching in the summer and winter seasons:

• mulch prevents the evaporation of moisture from the soil at the roots of the juniper;
• it protects the roots from overheating or freezing;
• By using mulch correctly, you can maintain the optimal acidity level in the soil.
• mulch enriches the soil with useful substances and prevents leaching and weathering.
• mulch suppresses the growth of weeds and promotes the proliferation of microorganisms in the soil.

Crown trimming and shaping

Forming a juniper crown is not an easy task. Not only the appearance of your hedge, but also the health of the plant itself depends on this. This plant is characterized by its slow growth, so be careful when pruning, as if you make a mistake, your bush will take a long time to recover. For juniper, it is enough to occasionally remove dried branches.

Did you know? When juniper wood becomes strong, it is used to make canes and pencils.

Propagation of juniper in different ways

When you first have this plant in your garden, you will want to propagate it. Due to the nature of the structure, it is quite easy to do this simple and reproduction juniper will give you pleasure. There are several methods:

• Seeds;
• Cuttings;
• By layering.

Also note that juniper has a gender - male and female. Many gardeners often wonder why there are no berries on juniper. And it depends on the “sex” of the juniper whether your plant will bear cones or not.

Seeds

Since juniper seedlings are not very cheap, we offer you more economical option breeding - by seeds. This is not an easy task, but it is possible to do it yourself.

The main thing is to adhere to the following rules:

1. Seed preparation. To do this, you need to find a fruiting bush and pick a dark blue cone from it. You should be careful with this, as there may be cones on the bush Green colour- unripe seeds.
2. Soak the cones in water and rub it. Since the shell of the cones is very dense, it must be destroyed. To do this, rub the grains between two sheets of sandpaper. We wash the extracted seeds.
3. In the fall, we plant the seeds in a box of soil. The depth of the hole should be small, approximately 2-3 cm.
4. We take the box out into the yard and leave it until the end of winter.
5. The seeds are planted in the garden in May. In the first weeks we protect it with mulching and remove weeds.
6. Plant grown plants in a permanent place after 3 years.

Cuttings

Cuttings – universal remedy propagation of all varieties of juniper. It is best to do this in the spring.

The following steps need to be taken:

1. Take cuttings in August, when the young shoots have already become woody.
2. Preparation of cuttings is carried out in cloudy weather, since the rays of the sun can cause a negative effect on planting material and adult juniper.
3. For cuttings, use the tops of lignified shoots. It all depends on the variety: in columnar and pyramidal varieties, shoots that are directed upward are cut off; any shoots can be collected from creeping varieties; In spherical or bushy forms, any shoots can be cut off.
4. It is worth cutting off the shoots with a sharp knife. Then they are freed from branches and pine needles.

Important! Cut shoots cannot be stored.

If it is not possible to plant immediately, they are placed in containers with water for 1-3 hours. Plant the planting material in the substrate and water the bud with sodium humate or heteroauxin. This will speed up root formation. Plant the cuttings in wooden boxes and don't forget about drainage. Immerse the cuttings in the ground to a depth of 3 cm at an angle of 60°.

After planting, place the boxes in a dry greenhouse with optimal climatic conditions: high humidity, air temperature not lower than 16°C and not higher than 19°C. After bud break - 26°C. It is also worth protecting the cuttings from sunlight.

Cuttings require watering. The plant should be sprayed at least 6 times a day. Water the soil as it dries. Roots on the cuttings will appear after 50-90 days. But don't rush to replant them. Wait a year for the roots to strengthen and grow. If this is not possible, then replant the cuttings very carefully.

Bends

Some gardeners propagate juniper by layering. But this should be done with species that are creeping. Only young branches that have gained strength need to be rooted.

The method is as follows:

Useful and healing properties of juniper

Juniper is also used for medicinal purposes. And in this section we will talk about them.

Mainly mature black berries and young shoots are used. Less often - roots. For treatment, a special decoction of berries or pine needles is made. It can be used externally and internally. The roots are used for bronchitis, tuberculosis, stomach ulcers, and skin diseases. A decoction of branches helps with diathesis.

Juniper fruits are harvested in September - October. Needles can be harvested at different times. Berries should be dried in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 30°C or in the attic. The needles are dried in the shade. The shelf life of dried berries or pine needles is up to 3 years.

In former times, people fumigated their homes with the smoke of set fire branches and chewed berries during severe epidemics of influenza and cholera. This plant improves kidney function and disinfects the urinary tract.

Important! You should not use juniper or preparations made from it if you have acute or chronic inflammation of the kidneys.

Also, decoction and tincture are used for joint diseases, tumors, rheumatism: rubbing with insulation is done for neuralgia and paralysis.

Juniper oil is considered a very valuable medicine. It disinfects and accelerates the healing of wounds, eliminates depression, and normalizes blood pressure. For flu or acute respiratory infections, juniper oil is rubbed into the chest and neck.

Alcohol tincture is used as an expectorant. For skin diseases, rashes, lichen, scabies, wounds, ulcers, bruises, juniper tincture is used. If you have ear pain, use the tincture - bury it in your ears and rub around them.

Pests and diseases of juniper, their treatment

Juniper, like other plants in your garden, is often affected by pests and diseases. In this section we will tell you why juniper dies and how this can be prevented; how to deal with pests that can ruin the appearance of your plant.

The causative agent of this disease is the Fusarium fungus. It causes root rot. The fungus penetrates the vascular system, and the juniper roots begin to turn brown, as nutrients do not reach the crown. This causes the juniper to turn yellow , and then the needles turn red and fall off. The plant itself begins to die. Most often, fungi settle in young plants. A gray-white coating appears on the roots at high humidity.

Control measures are very simple. It is best to promptly destroy dried plants with roots. For prevention, young plants are treated with a solution of Baktofit or Vitaros before planting. At the first signs of wilting, the ground under the plants is watered with a solution of Fitosporin-M or Gamair.

The main causative agent is the fungus Gymnosporangium. The spores of these fungi germinate on shoots, needles and cones. Thickenings appear on the affected areas, shaped like a spindle, and the branches begin to die.

Swellings form on the trunks, then the bark dries out and small wounds appear. They form a golden-brown coating, the so-called rust. The spores spread quickly in strong winds and infect rosaceous crops. Over time, the juniper dries out and the needles fall off. Control measures are the same as for drying out branches. You should also place juniper away from rosaceous plants.

The causative agents are several species of fungi: Cytospora pini, Diplodia juniperi, Hendersonia notha, Phoma juniperi, Phomopsis juniperovora, Rhabdospora sabinae.

When affected by this disease, the juniper bark dries out and small brown or black bodies appear on it. The needles gradually turn yellow, and the branches of the bushes dry out.

Control measures are as follows:use high-quality planting material, cut off affected branches and disinfect wounds on all cuts with a 1% solution of copper sulfate. Also remember to collect and burn any affected branches that are cut off.

Juniper Alternaria

The causative agent is the fungus Alternaria tenuis. A black coating appears on the affected needles. It falls and the branches dry up. You can fight the fungus using the same methods as when branches dry out.

The causative agent is the fungus Nectria cucurbitula, during the development of which red sporulation pads form on the surface of the affected bark. Over time, the branches dry out. The fungus also causes the bark of individual branches to die. The needles turn yellow and the affected branches dry out.

Control measures are the same as for drying out of juniper branches.

Juniper aphid

Juniper mealybug

It is very difficult to get rid of scale insects. It is necessary to treat juniper with poisons at least 3 times with an interval of 10 days. The drug Engio is best suited for treatment.

Juniper moth

The pest settles in the middle of the crown. During April, the caterpillars weave branches into large nests.

In early June, butterflies lay larvae for a new generation in the same nests. Young caterpillars damage 75-80% of the needles.

Juniper should be treated with pesticides from the end of June at least 2 times, with an interval of 11 days. Engio and Calypso preparations are suitable.

The larvae form cone-shaped galls on the tips of juniper shoots. When the gall matures, the tips of the needles bend outward.

The affected juniper branches should be treated with pesticides 2 times with an interval of 12 days.

Oregon flat beetle mite

Treatment is carried out with Caesar and Actellik at least 3 times with an interval of 10 days. In this article we looked at the varieties and types of juniper, methods of growing it and methods of caring for it. We learned how to properly prune juniper without harming its health, and how to protect the plant from pests and diseases.

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The undeniable advantage of juniper is its excellent decorative properties and absolute undemandingness to growing conditions. However, despite the vitality and unpretentiousness of this shrub, some stages of its care should not be ignored. So, even before planting a plant on a plot, you must become familiar with the technology of its fertilization.

Normal growth and development coniferous bush are provided with sufficient content of the following micro- and macroelements in the soil:

• magnesium;
• potassium;
• iron;
• copper;
• manganese;
• zinc;
• phosphorus.

The listed components of the juniper diet are needed to maintain the rich color of the needles, ensure resistance to various diseases and pests, and increase protective forces plants. Magnesium is especially important for shrubs: the quality of photosynthesis processes in the above-ground part of the plant depends on it, and without potassium, phosphorus and boron, it is difficult for junipers to survive the cold.

Fertilizers and fertilizers

Young juniper bushes are fed annually, starting from 2 years after planting them in open ground. Adult plants require fertilizing less often - once every 2-3 years. Additional nutrition for shrubs is provided by applying various types of fertilizers.

Organic

Organic substances for junipers begin to be added even before the seedlings are planted in a permanent place. When preparing a planting hole for better rooting of plants, peat, turf and humus are added to the substrate in equal proportions. This nutrient mixture will help feed the bushes throughout the growing season. If the soil on the site is heavy (clayey), loose coniferous soil collected in the forest under pine or spruce trees is added to the soil mixture.

You cannot feed juniper with infusions of mullein or bird droppings: these compounds, even if used as carefully as possible, burn the root system, which subsequently leads to the death of the bushes.

Natural organic matter (manure of all types) is what can be used to fertilize juniper only in the spring and only in exceptional cases. This type fertilizing is not particularly useful for conifers, as it is an excellent source of nitrogen, the need for which is minimal in evergreen shrubs. An organic mixture suitable for coniferous plants is vermicompost. Junipers respond well to such feeding, since the use of biological compounds activates photosynthesis and stimulates the process of growing the root system.

The plants in question are fed by watering them with aqueous solutions of humus prepared according to the instructions. It is not recommended to apply such compositions in dry form, since most of their beneficial properties are lost under the influence of sunlight.

Mineral fertilizers

As mineral fertilizing Nitroammophoska is used for the growth and development of juniper. It is placed in planting pits(at the rate of 200-300 g per 1 plant), and then young bushes are fertilized with this preparation annually (40 g of the preparation per planting unit). A one-time application of nitroammophoska to juniper will be enough for good nutrition throughout the season. However, if the shrub is planted in soil depleted of nutrients, it is recommended to feed it throughout the growing season. Apply fertilizers to in this case monthly.

By autumn, juniper bushes deplete magnesium reserves in the soil if fertilizers containing this magnesium are not applied to them. chemical element. The attractive appearance of the crown will be spoiled by yellowing of the needles at the tops of the shoots.

Complex means

Balanced nutrition for young plants is provided with complex organic-mineral fertilizers. They are introduced in April-May and done this once during the entire growing season. The following drugs have proven themselves to be excellent in caring for conifers:

1. Needle is a complex fertilizer suitable for spring or summer application, as it contains a large amount of nitrogen - 13%. The composition for irrigation is prepared by diluting 20 g of the drug in 20 liters of water. The resulting solution is used to water the bushes abundantly during the active growing season.
2. Kemira-M is a universal feeding product with a balanced composition, including all important micro- and macroelements. Suitable for applying to the soil before planting junipers (30-40 g of the drug for each bush) and for fertilizing during the growing season (60 g of the drug is applied to the soil for each plant).
3. Fertile universal fertilizer for spring feeding of conifers. Promotes active growth of the crown. Can be used at the planting stage - 100-200 g of the drug is added to the holes for shrubs for each plant. Planted juniper bushes are fed with a solution of 30 g of the product in 10 liters of water.
4. Green needle is a fertilizer containing a high percentage of magnesium and sulfur. Provides rich coloring of needles. Its use is especially effective if the juniper needles begin to turn yellow. Application is carried out by distributing granules in the soil under plantings at the rate of 50 g of the drug per 1 bush.

Most shrubs are fed with complex preparations, adding them to the soil in dry form or watering the plants with prepared aqueous solutions of fertilizers. For junipers, another method of feeding is relevant - spraying the ground part of the bush with complex preparations dissolved in water. The same Kemira-M or other similar products are suitable for this procedure.

Homemade fertilizers

The enrichment of the soil under juniper bushes with nutrients is facilitated by such a measure as mulching the tree trunk circles. Mulch is prepared from hay, straw, humus, grinding all of the above to a loose fraction. The resulting material is laid out under the bushes in a layer 5-10 cm thick. The mulch is changed after each loosening and weeding.

Benefits of mulching:

• mulch, when properly prepared, maintains an optimal level of soil acidity;
• important micro- and macroelements are washed out and weathered more slowly from the mulched substrate;
• mulch promotes the development of special microflora in the soil, which helps plants receive more nutrients from water and soil;
• Mulching helps fight weeds that take food from shrubs.

With the onset of spring, the mulch is moved away from the trunks so that high humidity under it did not provoke bark rotting and other diseases.

During the growing season, junipers can also be fed with rotted compost made from grass or kitchen waste. Sprinkle the product onto the pre-loosened soil under the bushes so that tree trunk circle a 10-centimeter layer of the nutrient mixture was formed. The soil and fertilizer can be lightly mixed so that the beneficial substances penetrate quickly to the roots.

Rules for using fertilizers for juniper

The main nuances that should be taken into account during fertilization procedures:

1. The first feeding with the nutrient mixture is carried out during the swelling of the buds on the bushes (depending on weather conditions - from late April to early June). The need for subsequent measures is judged by the rate of development of the juniper. If they notice that the bush has begun to grow slowly, weak shoots have appeared on it, and the color of the needles has faded, repeat feeding. During the summer, fertilizers can be applied repeatedly, it is only important to observe the frequency - no more than once every 4-5 weeks.
2. When choosing fertilizers, preference is given to those preparations that contain a minimum amount of nitrogen, especially if they will be used for autumn feeding of bushes. Nitrogen can burn the roots of the plant, and also provoke increased growth of shoots, which easily freeze out in winter, since they do not have time to become woody before the onset of cold weather.
3. Any fertilizer should be used strictly following the instructions for its use. Deviations from the recommended dosages and timing of application may negatively affect the further growth and development of juniper.
4. Preparations applied to the soil in the form of granules are evenly distributed in a circle near the trunk under each bush, departing from the trunks at least 10 cm. There is no need to deepen the fertilizer into the soil or, conversely, leave it near the surface, otherwise the juniper root system will not be able to reach to the nutrition she needs.
5. Fertilizing will be most effective if it is accompanied abundant watering bushes. Nutrients that dissolve in water penetrate quickly to the roots and are better absorbed by plants.

Typical mistakes when applying fertilizers

Juniper does not require much attention, expressed in frequent and complex feeding, but it is quite easy to make mistakes when organizing nutrition for this shrub.

The very first mistake many gardeners make is at the selection stage. planting material, paying attention only to the decorative characteristics of a particular variety of juniper and not taking into account the key requirements for its growing conditions. Most types of juniper prefer acidic soils, but there are also varieties that grow and develop well in soil with an alkaline reaction (these include common, Central Asian and Cossack junipers).

Cossack juniper is a poisonous plant; it is better to avoid growing it if there are children or pets on the site.

To create an acidic environment for the shrubs, peat with added sand is added to the soil before planting junipers, and the ground under the planted plant is mulched with sawdust or wood shavings. To increase the alkalinity of the soil, planting holes are filled with soil with the addition of slaked lime or dolomite flour.

Another common mistake is failure to comply with the recommended dosages and timing of fertilizer application. “Overfeeding” is especially dangerous for plants. Juniper generally needs very little additional nutrition. There are several reasons for this:

• the crop does not shed leaves for the winter, therefore, does not need “ building material» for annual restoration of the crown;
• the bush does not produce a harvest, which means it does not spend on its formation large quantities nutrients;
• essential nitrogen conifers capable of independently obtaining from the air.

To avoid problems caused by improper feeding, you should strictly and carefully follow the dosages of the drugs indicated in the instructions, as well as their compatibility and application schedules.

Proper care of juniper allows you not only to maintain the natural attractiveness of this unpretentious shrub, but also prolongs the life of the plant for many years. A mandatory component of this approach is the timely provision of juniper bushes necessary nutrition: properly applied fertilizers strengthen the immune and root system, maintaining plant health.