Table of Contents
How to Take Care of Junipers. Plant juniper shrubs in a location with full sun or light shade. When they get too much shade, the branches spread apart in an effort to let more sunlight in, and the damage to their shape can’t be repaired. Junipers grow in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained.
Why are my juniper trees turning brown?
There are many reasons a juniper might turn brown. Fungal tip blights, cankers, mechanical damage, and salt injury are some of the most common causes. Several juniper samples with tip blight were submitted to the Plant Disease Clinic this spring. Phomopsis and Kabatina tip blights are two common diseases of juniper.
How often do you water juniper trees?
Water newly planted junipers twice a week when there is no rainfall for the first two months. Junipers need weekly watering for the first summer to develop an extensive root system. After the first summer, most junipers can rely on natural rainfall and fog for moisture.
Are juniper trees high maintenance?
Unlike many other types of plants, junipers grow both as trees and as shrubs. With proper juniper tree care, the trees are very low maintenance and grow to sizes ranging from 18 inches to 60 feet. Juniper trees also come in a wide variety of shapes, from low ground covers and tiny Bonsais to massively tall trees.
How do you keep junipers healthy?
Junipers need air flow to avoid fungal disorders, so cleaning up around the shrubs and pruning out any dead wood is important. It is also important to keep branches dry during warmer weather, so avoid overhead water or watering too often during the summer.
How do you save a Browning juniper?
Treat scales with horticultural oil; pour 1 to 2 ounces of horticultural oil into 1 gallon of water and spray the juniper. Coat the leaves and branches thoroughly. The treatment should be done every two weeks while the scale insects are present but should not be done more than four times.
Will juniper grow in shade?
Common juniper (Juniperus communis) and single seed juniper (Juniperus squamata) can tolerate partial shade even in cool-summer areas, but should never be planted in dense shade. Common juniper grows in USDA zones 4 through 8. “Green Carpet” is the traditional ground cover variety.
How often should I mist juniper?
Trees that are grown indoors can benefit from misting once a week or so to rinse the dust that naturally collects on them. Otherwise, a bonsai tree takes moisture up through the roots and supports the rest of the tree through a process called transpiration. That’s all a well watered and healthy bonsai tree needs.
Can junipers get too much water?
Junipers may suffer from overwatering; branches might even die and turn brown. If drought is severe, a deep watering of about 1 inch will help plants retain their healthy green growth, but water should never stand under their low-growing branches.
How long do juniper trees last?
Junipers grow very slowly. A juniper standing only five feet tall may be 50 years old. Junipers typically live from 350 to 700 years, with some even passing the millennium mark.
Do junipers need sun in winter?
Juniper bonsai trees are not as low maintenance as the juniper trees and shrubs most often found in gardens in the U.S., and they will require extra care during the winter. Bonsai Empire explains that juniper bonsai trees need plenty of sunlight and should not be kept indoors.
How do I know if my juniper is dying?
However, you can test them by bending the smaller branches. If the branches are flexible and full of sap, they’re still alive. If they’re brittle and dry, they’re dead and won’t come back. Some of the “brown” junipers that are still alive will put out new growth in the spring, but it will be from the tips of branches.
How do you fertilize junipers?
Fertilize the juniper annually in early spring with a complete, slow-release fertilizer with a formulation such as 12-4-8 or 16-4-8. Spread the fertilizer evenly around the juniper at a rate of 1/2 pound per 100 square feet just before it rains or water it thoroughly after applying the fertilizer.
Do juniper trees turn brown in winter?
Junipers (Juniperus spp.) are low-maintenance evergreens and maintain their color throughout the cold winter months in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10. However, a winter occurrence of browning branches usually indicates either Kabatina tip blight or an injury called winter desiccation.
Can juniper be saved?
Although a juniper won’t grow back from a branch that has no green growth, careful pruning can revive the shrub.
Should junipers be pruned?
All junipers have dead zones at their center so severe pruning, including topping, is never a good idea. Instead, prune lightly and regularly, just before new growth begins in spring. The key to pruning juniper is to leave areas with dormant bud on each branch you trim.
Why are juniper trees dying?
The majority of affected trees are shaggy bark juniper species, including Utah juniper and one-seed juniper. While there have been some scattered observations of insects on dead trees, Forest Health Protection believes that the initial cause of death is directly tied to water stress.
Do junipers need fertilizer?
Fertilization and Watering Junipers respond well to a balanced fertilizer at planting such as two teaspoons of 10-10-10 per 1 gallon plant. Incorporate fertilizer into the soil or spread it around the plant, but avoid directly placing fertilizer into the planting hole.
What causes junipers to turn yellow?
A lack of iron causes the entire juniper bush to yellow, while manganese and zinc discolor the top portion of the plant. Molybdenum affects the bottom half of the plant. Always perform a soil test to determine which nutrient is lacking, and amend the soil accordingly.
