QA

Quick Answer: When To Plant Juniper Ground Cover

This low-growing evergreen ground cover is a tough perennial that you can grow at any time between early spring and late fall. However, the best time to plant is in the spring when the temperature is rising. Spring is the ideal season, as it allows the roots to get set before hot and dry weather takes over.

When should you plant junipers?

Juniper is ideally planted in fall to ensure root growth and thus proper settling in in spring. However, you can also plant in spring and water a bit more at the beginning. Note that juniper tolerates virtually all types of soil, and behaves exactly the same whether conditions are moist or during a full-blown drought.

How far apart should you plant juniper ground cover?

conferta) is a favorite groundcover, which should be planted 5 to 6 feet apart. Plants grow 12 to 18 inches high with a 6- to 8-foot spread.

How do you plant juniper ground cover?

Growing creeping juniper: Plant junipers in full sun in well-drained, dry soil. They are tolerant of heavy and slightly alkaline soil. Fertilize in early spring with a well-balanced, complete fertilizer. Propagating creeping juniper: Start plants from stem cuttings in late spring.

Is juniper A good ground cover?

If you’re looking for a low-growing ground cover that thrives on neglect, give creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) a try. These graceful, aromatic shrubs spread to fill sunny areas and they can be used as foundation plants or accents in flower borders.

How long does it take for juniper to spread?

Creeping junipers usually expand their width by one to two feet each year.

Can you plant juniper trees in winter?

The only trees you should totally avoid planting in winter are evergreens. Unlike deciduous trees and shrubs, evergreens hold on to their foliage in wintertime, and it’d be really hard for them to establish their roots and preserve their needles’ moisture levels with a limited water supply in winter.

How many ground cover plants do I need?

Plant Calculator: How many plants do you need? Spacing between plants Sq. ft. per plant Number of plants for 100 sq. ft. of planting area 12″ x 12″ 1 sq. ft. 100 15″ x 15″ 1.56 sq. ft. 64 18″ x 18″ 2.25 sq. ft. 44 24″ x 24″ 4 sq. ft. 24.

How do you place juniper?

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 can I plant with juniper ground cover?

Plants with blue flowers, berries or leaves make good companion plants for juniper. When you are looking for juniper plant companions, think about bamboo. Bamboo species, particularly dwarf bamboo plants, are also good choices for juniper companion plants.

How do you plant a Blue Rug juniper ground cover?

Make the planting hole twice as wide and 2 inches shallower than the blue rug juniper’s root ball to reduce the chance of damaging the roots and ensure the proper planting depth. Space multiple plants 6 to 8 feet apart to accommodate their mature spread. Remove broken, dead, discolored or mushy roots before planting.

How do you plant a creeping juniper on a slope?

We suggest planting your junipers about 3-5 feet apart. Within 2 years these plants should be touching covering up any soil or mulch which will greatly stabilize the area. If you’re looking for a taller juniper that gets about 3-5 feet tall we suggest the Grey Owl or the Angelica Blue. These varieties are very similar.

Is creeping juniper poisonous to dogs?

ANSWER: The University of California – Davis list Juniperus (Junipers) in their Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants list as having a minor toxicity (class 2) for pets and children. This rating means ingestion of these plants may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea.

Is juniper fast growing?

How Fast Do Junipers Grow. The growth rate of Junipers varies, but these plants tend to grow at a slow or moderate rate. Most shrub and groundcover junipers grow 4 to 8 inches per year. For creeping or spreading junipers this means growth by width and for other bushes it means height.

Is creeping juniper invasive?

A. It isn’t invasive when it comes to taking over sections of native landscapes. But if you prune it, it can spread at an increased rate. This is why pruning is not recommended for creeping juniper.

Will creeping juniper grow in shade?

Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), which grows in USDA zones 3 through 10, also tolerates partial shade, although its feathery needles won’t be as lush or full and the plant will grow more slowly.

How fast does Blue Rug juniper spread?

Blue rug juniper creates a flat ground cover. It grows 6 to 12 inches per year and bears ovoid dark blue fruit.

Will juniper grow back?

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) can be used in nearly every part of your landscape. The long-lived evergreens can become scraggly and overgrown, however. Although a juniper won’t grow back from a branch that has no green growth, careful pruning can revive the shrub.

Is it OK to plant a tree in the winter?

Ideally, trees and shrubs need about 6 weeks to establish roots before a heavy freeze, but it’s actually OK to plant them anytime the ground is workable, and many bare-root trees and shrubs are planted in very early spring while they’re still dormant.

Can you plant a tree in cold weather?

Trees and shrubs need approximately six weeks to put down roots before a heavy freeze. As a general rule of thumb, deciduous trees—or trees that lose their leaves in the fall—can be planted in soil that has hovered around 50°F for several days. Evergreens need to be planted in soil that’s been stable at 60°F.