Juniper forest: photo, planting and care

An evergreen plant from the Cypress family in the wild is represented by several species that differ in habit and growth height. Forest juniper is common in the Asian and European parts of Our Country, grows in the undergrowth of coniferous and larch forests.

Is it possible to plant juniper from the forest in the country

Common forest juniper has several varieties, they belong to shrubs and tall tree species. They have a decorative crown, fruits with a high concentration of essential oils are suitable for culinary use and for medicinal purposes. Juniper grows in the forest on the site of clearings, in the undergrowth. Found on the slopes of mountains. Feels comfortable in open areas and in partial shade.

Due to its exotic appearance, it is used for landscaping urban recreation areas and decorating homestead landscapes. Hybrid species adapted to the conditions of a certain climatic zone are in great demand. It is possible to transplant forest juniper to the dacha when creating conditions close to the natural environment. Initially determined with a choice, high-growing varieties reach up to 5 m in height, other shrubs are lower, but they have a voluminous crown. The plant is transplanted at a certain time of the year, following the recommendations for transfer.

When to transplant juniper from the forest

Common juniper grows slowly, calmly tolerates pruning, looks good on the site, like a tapeworm and hedge. The culture has a lot of advantages, but there is a serious minus, the forest representative of the Cypress does not take root well after the transfer. The slightest violation of the recommendations during transplantation can lead to the death of the plant.

A forest seedling is taken no older than 3 years of age and no higher than 1 m. Work is carried out when the conifer has not entered the active phase of vegetation. Planting juniper from the forest in spring is the best option for regions with cold winters. The work is carried out when the snow has partially melted, and the earth has thawed enough to dig out the seedling. In summer, it is not recommended to transfer forest juniper to the site. The culture is not stress-resistant, rooting is painful, the plant loses a lot of moisture and, as a rule, transplanted in the summer, the forest juniper does not take root in a new place.

For the central strip, except for spring, forest juniper can be planted in autumn. Work is carried out at the end of September, when sap flow slows down and the plant enters a dormant phase.

How to transplant juniper from the forest to the site

Before transferring a young tree or shrub, pay attention to where it grows: in open areas or partial shade. This is a necessary condition for determining the site in the country. In order for the culture to take root, it is placed in the same conditions as in the forest.

Rules for digging a seedling:

1. The boundaries of the root system are determined – the forest juniper forms a root and a crown of the same volume.
2. A landmark is made on a branch from the sunny side, you can tie a ribbon.
3. Carefully dig a bush to the depth of a spade bayonet.
4. Together with the soil clod, the seedling is placed on a cloth or polyethylene by the transshipment method.
5. A transport material is tied over the top of the head and gently pulled above the root.

The landing site is prepared in advance. The forest seedling does not react well to the acidic composition, it is neutralized. In the natural environment, it can grow in wetlands, this mistake is made when transferring the culture to the backyard. Outside the usual habitat, forest juniper does not grow on soil with high humidity.

Preparation of the landing recess:

1. Forest juniper is planted in a separate hole, if there are several seedlings, you can place them in a trench.
2. Deepen the planting hole, focusing on the height of the root ball, to the neck.
3. A nutrient soil is prepared, consisting of compost, peat, sand and soil from the planting site in equal parts.
4. Gravel or crushed stone is placed at the bottom, the drainage thickness is 15 cm, and part of the fertile mixture is on top.
5. The seedling is placed in the center, marked side to the sun.
6. They fall asleep with the rest of the mixture so that 10 cm remains to the edge of the pit, fill it with wet sawdust, and mulch it with a layer of leafy humus on top.
7. They install a support and fix a forest juniper to it, you can fix the seedling on stretch marks.

Along the perimeter of the landing hole, a restriction is made in the form of a small embankment to retain moisture. Water the forest seedling with water containing a drug that stimulates growth. If the landing is massive in a trench, the distance between the bushes is left at least 1,5 m.

How to care for juniper

The survival rate and full vegetation of the culture directly depend on how correctly the forest juniper is planted, as well as on the correctness of subsequent care. Even if the plant is rooted, in order for the crown to retain its decorative effect, constant sprinkling of the bush is necessary. The main problem is that at low humidity, the needles dry and fall from the lower branches. With the wrong agricultural technology, you can end up with an unsightly forest juniper with needles only on the upper branches.

Watering and top dressing

Hybrid varieties from the nursery take root well on the site, the forest representative of the species requires constant care. Irrigation is a primary task in agricultural technology. Do not allow waterlogging of the soil and its drying out. The forest seedling is watered for the first 6 months every evening with a small amount of water, the fibrous root system loses a lot of moisture during rooting. After this period, the frequency of watering is reduced, it is enough to moisten the soil 2 times a week.

Be sure to irrigate the crown in the morning before sunrise. If the forest representative is located in an area open to ultraviolet radiation, it is recommended to protect the needles from excessive evaporation of moisture. Forest juniper is wrapped in a wet cloth, removed in the evening. This measure is valid until full rooting.

If a forest seedling was planted in autumn, it must be fed with nitroammophos in early spring. Observe the dosage indicated in the instructions, the culture reacts poorly to excess fertilizer. Feeding is carried out for 2 years. Then fertilizers are not required for forest juniper.

Mulching and loosening

After the transfer, the seedling is weakened, cannot fully resist the fungal infection. It is necessary to constantly remove weeds, in which pathogenic fungi multiply intensively. Loosening during weeding will provide the root system with enough oxygen, this factor is important for rooting.

Mulch the plant immediately after planting with sawdust, leaf humus, peat or freshly cut grass. Mulch inhibits weed growth and retains moisture well. In autumn, the root cover layer is increased, in the spring it is completely replaced.

Trimming and shaping

In the care of forest juniper after planting, pruning is included only if the plant has fully taken root. The result of the autumn transfer will be visible in May: the forest seedling has taken root or died. You can remove dry patches and give the crown the desired shape. The procedure is carried out until the mass formation of young shoots. If planting is spring, the seedling is not touched in autumn, the first pruning is carried out next spring.

Every year they form a near-trunk circle:

1. A shallow ditch is dug around the perimeter of the crown.
2. Fallen leaves are placed in it.
3. A layer of lime is placed on top.
4. The ditch is covered all over the circle with earth in the form of a comb.

Work is carried out in the fall. Juniper forest grows slowly, as the crown increases in volume, the near-stem circle also increases.

Protection against diseases and pests

The forest representative of the species does not get sick in the wild, it retains this quality even when transplanted to the site. If rust appears, the only reason is the wrong place. Forest juniper is treated with copper sulphate.

The culture releases substances that are toxic to most pests. There are a number of parasitic insects that do not respond to toxic glycosides in the needles. The plant is affected:

1. Juniper sawfly. When a pest appears, the plant is treated with Karbofos, the remaining larvae are harvested by hand.
2. Shield – a frequent parasite at low humidity. To eliminate carry out daily sprinkling. Spray the juniper forest with a highly concentrated soapy solution. If the measures were ineffective, apply insecticides.
3. Aphid. An insect does not appear on the conifer on its own, it is carried by ants, then they collect waste products. It is necessary to get rid of anthills on the site, then remove the places where the parasite accumulates. Without ants, the remaining insects die.

In the natural environment, forest juniper does not affect other types of pests. A spider mite may appear on the garden plot, it is eliminated with colloidal sulfur.

Preparation for winter

A seedling in the first year of growth in another place requires shelter for the winter, regardless of what time the work was carried out. Event sequence:

1. Carry out water-charging irrigation.
2. Increase the layer of mulch by 15 cm.
3. The branches are collected in a bundle and fixed in such a position that they do not break under the weight of snow.
4. Arcs are made from above and the film is stretched, if the forest seedling is high, they are wrapped with covering material or covered with spruce branches.

Preparatory work for winter is carried out for 2 years. After the forest juniper is not covered, only mulched.

Tips from experienced gardeners

In order for the juniper transplant from the forest to be successful, and the plant to take root in a new place, certain rules must be followed. The advice of experienced gardeners is based on previous mistakes, if they are eliminated, the perennial plant will not only take root on the site, but will also endure stress more easily.

Transfer and landing rules:

1. Work is carried out in the fall before frosts or in the spring, when the snow has not completely melted.
2. Before extracting the crop from the soil, a landmark is made on the crown from the sunny side; when placed on the site, the polarity must be observed.
3. Dig up the seedling carefully so as not to damage the root, the width of the soil clod should not be less than the volume of the crown. If the earth ball is too large and the juniper is difficult to transport, it is reduced in depth.
4. The plant is transferred along with the root ball, it must not be allowed to shed. Juniper forest is completely placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in a cloth.
5. The landing recess is prepared in advance, be sure to put drainage and nutrient mixture.
6. The size of the hole should correspond to the volume of the coma, voids should not be allowed, they are covered and carefully compacted.
7. The place is determined in partial shade. If planting involves an open area, daily sprinkling is necessary, the forest juniper reacts poorly to low air humidity, especially in the first year of growth in a new place.
8. It is undesirable to plant forest juniper next to buildings, the branches of the plant are fragile, the flow of water or snow from the roof can cause significant damage to the crown.
9. After planting, it is necessary to irrigate with a growth stimulating drug.

Apple trees provoke the development of rust, the plant is weak after transfer, the disease will develop within a few weeks, it will be difficult to save the forest juniper.

Conclusion

Forest juniper does not take root well in a new place, but the procedure is quite possible subject to certain rules. To transfer the forest juniper to the summer cottage, they observe the planting dates, choose a place as close as possible to the natural environment. Do not allow the soil to dry out, carry out constant spraying of the seedling.