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Juniper is an evergreen ornamental shrub of the Cypress family. It can be used not only in landscape design, but also for medicinal purposes. The plant has many useful properties, it perfectly disinfects the air. Juniper propagation can be done in various ways, however, in order to do this successfully, certain rules must be followed.
Is it possible to propagate juniper
If the juniper reproduces in natural conditions, then this can also be done artificially, although self-breeding of conifers is a rather laborious task that takes time, as well as certain skills and experience.
Features of reproduction of juniper
In the wild, the main method of reproduction of juniper is seed. The plant is dioecious and produces both male and female buds, more like berries. They are where the seeds mature. They are small and very volatile. When the cones of the plant open, the seeds are carried by wind and birds over considerable distances.
How juniper breeds at home
The seed method can also be used at home, but only when propagating common juniper. For ornamental species, it is not suitable, because it does not preserve the varietal properties of the plant. In this case, vegetative methods of juniper propagation are much more effective, such as:
- cuttings;
- receiving layering from the mother plant;
- division of the bush.
Cuttings are the main method of propagation of varietal shrubs. Creeping species are propagated by layering. You can also use the method of dividing the bush for reproduction, but it requires preliminary preparation.
For self-propagation of this evergreen shrub, you can use any of the species mentioned above.
How juniper reproduces by spores
Contrary to popular belief, juniper does not reproduce by spores. After pollination, the seeds ripen in female cones (cones) for 2 years. They appear at the ends of the shoots usually for 3-5 years. During this time, their color changes from light green to dark blue, almost black. Each cone contains from 2 to 12 seeds. To get seeds from fully ripe cones, the fruits must first be soaked in water and then ground.
Seeds are planted in open ground from September to November, while the soil is necessarily mulched with peat or humus. In the ground, seeds undergo natural stratification and germinate in spring. Their germination rate is quite low, so do not be surprised that there may not be seedlings at all. Sometimes planted seeds germinate only 2 or even 3 years after planting. You can increase germination if you soak the seeds in a root growth stimulator for half an hour before planting.
Propagation of juniper by layering
Creeping species of this ornamental shrub are quite easy to propagate by layering. To do this, choose a strong lateral shoot, cut its bark in several places, then bend it to the ground, fix it with a wire bracket and cover it with soil. After that, this place is regularly moistened. In those places where the bark has been cut, the shoot will put down its own roots, and the growth of young shoots will begin.
After the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they can be cut off from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
Reproduction of juniper by dividing the bush
Young juniper bushes can be propagated by division. To do this, they are dug out of the ground and divided by secateurs into several parts, each of which has its own root system and shoots. After that, it remains only to plant the juniper in a permanent place.
Reproduction of juniper berries at home
Planting seeds can be done at home. To do this, you can use wooden boxes filled with nutrient soil. It is advisable to add soil from under an adult juniper to it, since it contains symbiont fungi useful for growth. A box with planted seeds is stratified in natural conditions, for example, buried in snow.
Propagation of juniper by shoots
Propagation by shoots (cuttings) is the most commonly used method. Green non-lignified shoots from the top of the bush are suitable for harvesting cuttings. For creeping species, vertically growing branches should be chosen. The length of the cut shoot should be about 20 cm. The lower part of it (about 4 cm) is completely cleaned of the bark. The cuttings are planted in a moist substrate of peat and humus, which are mixed together in equal proportions.
For planting cuttings, it is necessary to select places with diffused sunlight and moderate soil moisture, which must be controlled and waterlogged to prevent. Rooted cuttings can be transplanted to permanent places when they reach the age of 3 years.
Reproduction of juniper by dropping
For propagation of bushes by this method, they are spudded in advance. This measure allows you to get a large number of adventitious roots on the side shoots. Then the bush is dug up. Rooted shoots are cut off and planted as independent seedlings for growing.
How to propagate juniper
It is noteworthy that it is possible to work with juniper for breeding purposes throughout the season, and even the winter period is no exception. Although each of the above methods of propagation of this ornamental plant can only be used at certain times of the year.
Reproduction of juniper in summer
Summer is not the best time for breeding thorny evergreen shrubs. An exception can only be creeping species, which at this time can be added dropwise or planted with layering from the mother bush. This work can be completed until mid-July.
How to propagate juniper at home in the fall
In autumn, you can plant seeds of common juniper to obtain seedlings. These plants are the most durable planting material that can be grown both independently and used as a rootstock for grafting more valuable species. Seeds can be planted throughout the fall. For this, both open ground and special containers are suitable. A prerequisite is the stratification of seeds, that is, keeping them for a long time at a low temperature. Only in this case a healthy strong bush grows.
How to propagate juniper in winter
Juniper is propagated in winter by cuttings, but in this case, the cuttings are planted not in open ground, but in a special substrate and stored in a warm room. To obtain planting material, side branches with a piece of wood (heel) are used. The lower part of the shoot is completely cleared of needles. Then the cuttings are kept for 12 hours in Epin’s solution.
While the cuttings receive a boost of energy for growth, it is necessary to prepare a nutrient substrate. For this, it is preferable to use sphagnum moss, previously soaked in water. The further course of work is as follows:
- Cut off a strip of clean cloth. It will act as a container with a nutrient medium.
- Wet moss is laid out along the entire tape in a strip.
- The lower part of the cuttings is powdered with Kornevin. The cuttings are laid out so that the upper part is above the level of the fabric tape, and the lower part remains on the moss pillow.
- The cuttings are closed with the lower part of the tape.
- The entire strip of fabric with cuttings is rolled up like a medical bandage and fixed with an elastic band.
The roll is placed in a plastic bag and removed in a bright, cool place, for example, on a window. By spring, the cuttings will give good roots, and they can be planted in a greenhouse for growing, and then to a permanent place.
Juniper propagation in spring
The spring period is also well suited for propagation by cuttings. In addition, at this time, plants can be added dropwise for further division of the bushes, and in the spring, side shoots can be fixed for propagation of juniper by layering.
Juniper Propagation Gardening Tips
Reproduction of juniper usually does not cause problems. Here are some tips that will be useful to a novice gardener and help avoid many mistakes.
- The seed method of breeding this plant is long and unreliable. Due to the low germination of seeds, it can take several years, but plants grown from seeds are the strongest. Therefore, this method of reproduction should be used only for breeding common juniper, planted in order to improve the ecology of the site. For breeding decorative species, it is worth using other methods.
- Juniper is relatively easy to cut and, subject to all the rules, gives a high percentage of rooting. Cuttings are the most reliable way to propagate juniper, suitable for all its species.
- Dropping is the fastest and easiest way to propagate juniper. If the gardener is not ready to work with cuttings, then this method will probably be the most suitable for obtaining a small number of seedlings. The method of propagation of juniper by air layering is not particularly difficult.
- Juniper shoots have an interesting feature. If the material for cuttings is taken from the top of the bush, then the new plant will stretch upwards. This quality is used in the cultivation of columnar varieties. If the cuttings are cut from the side branches, then the young bush will tend to grow in breadth.
- For cuttings, bushes are used no younger than 8-10 years. By this time, the plant is fully formed, and the stalk will completely retain all its signs.
- Harvesting cuttings should be done in the early morning.
- Rooting juniper cuttings at home can be carried out and be quite successful without additional treatment with special preparations. However, to increase the percentage of rooted shoots, it is advisable to use root formation stimulants.
Conclusion
Reproduction of juniper at home is possible, and this can be done in several ways. Which one to use, the gardener decides, based on his experience and skills. This procedure is not particularly difficult, and if it is successfully completed, the backyard can be independently decorated with these wonderful long-lived evergreen bushes.