Table of Contents
Junipers are usually planted from nursery-grown containers, although larger specimens may be available as ball-and-burlap plants. Dig a hole roughly 1.5 times the width and the same depth as the pot. Gently remove the plant from its pot. Check the outside and bottom of the root ball for circling roots.
How long does it take for a juniper tree to grow?
This slow-growing plant takes up to 50 years to reach maturity, which means it can be used in a large container for many years before it must go in ground. The juniper “Skyrocket” is probably the narrowest juniper variety available. The foliage is bluish green, scale-like, and aromatic when crushed.
Is juniper easy to grow?
Juniper is low maintenance and easy to grow. The plants need full sun and a well drained soil. These drought tolerant plants do not like wet soil. They can suffer, if over watered.
How do you take care of a juniper tree?
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.
What conditions do juniper trees like?
Full Sun to Part Shade. Water weekly to establish. Tolerant of most soil types, as long as well drained. Plant during spring, but available most of the year as potted specimens.
Do junipers need a lot of water?
Watering. Evergreen junipers are extremely drought tolerant and prefer their soil on the dry side. 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.
Where do junipers grow best?
Junipers grow especially well in well drained, sunny locations. Although some selections can be grown in full shade, most junipers will become more open and leggier if they don’t get enough sun. The only spot where a juniper won’t be happy is in poorly drained, boggy conditions.
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 grow juniper communis?
How to grow junipers in a garden Choose a sunny spot with well drained soil. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant’s root zone.
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.
Can junipers survive the winter?
Juniper trees are known to be winter hardy and drought resistant, and many can withstand sub-zero temperatures during the winter. Juniper hardiness zones begin at zone 3, while most juniper trees can actually qualify as hardy up to zone 9.
Why are my junipers dying?
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.
Does 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.
What type of soil do junipers prefer?
Junipers prefer open, sunny locations in well-drained soils. They will tolerate a wide range of pH levels. They are very tolerant of dry, clay soils and many varieties will grow in sand. Some types, such as Sargent juniper and Shore juniper have shown good salt tolerance.
What is the difference between juniper and cedar?
Eastern Red Cedar is very closely related to the Common Juniper, in fact they are in the same genus. The key obvious difference is that Juniper seldom grows as a tree, whereas Red Cedar nearly always does.
Do deer eat junipers?
It sounds like a variety of upright juniper may be the plant you’re looking for. You’re right, while deer will eat nearly everything if they are hungry enough. Junipers, unlike arborvitae, have a good track record of deer resistance. Upright forms offer beauty, screening and low maintenance within a small footprint.
How long does it take for juniper to spread?
Creeping junipers usually expand their width by one to two feet each year.
Can you overwater a juniper?
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.
Can you plant juniper in summer?
Because creeping juniper is such a tough little plant, you could get away with planting it any time from early spring to late fall. When you plant creeping juniper in spring, it has a chance to take root and establish itself before it has to face hot, dry summer weather, followed by winter winds and frosts.
