Coniferous plants are popular in decorating country, home gardens, garden plots, city parks. They attract attention with their year-round decorativeness, unpretentiousness, resistance to low temperatures and adverse environmental factors. During the cultivation of conifers, there are times when they need to be transplanted. Especially carefully, this procedure should be carried out with juniper.

When is it better to transplant juniper

When growing juniper shrubs, you can encounter some problems, for example, poor growth and development of the plant, falling of needles. There may be several reasons for this. Establishing quality care, fertilizing, trimming can help in such situations. And, perhaps, a more radical measure will be needed - moving to a new place of growth.

You can move the plant to another place in any season except winter. Transplantation in each of the periods has both advantages and disadvantages.

However, one should know that such a procedure should be carried out only in exceptional cases, since the juniper is not always restored after it, often does not survive it at all. Particularly poorly transplanted ordinary appearance.

Did you know? Since ancient times, juniper has been attributed magical properties. His branch must be taken on the road as a talisman, so that the path goes easily and without unpleasant incidents.

In order for a juniper transplant to be successful, it is important to adhere to some rules:

1. Pick the right time.
2. Choose a place according to the preferences of the plant.
3. Properly prepare the site.
4. Observe transplant technology while maintaining the integrity of the root system.

Video: Juniper transplant

In the spring

Juniper will grow well only if planted on a site well lit by sunlight. Some varieties grow well in slightly shaded places. In spring, April and May are best suited for planting. It is important that the weather is warm.

Do not rush to change. If the threat of freezing frost still persists, then it is better to postpone this procedure.

Among the advantages of spring transplantation - the plant will have time to adapt in a new place and grow stronger to the onset of cold weather. By cons include the onset of heat. In this period, the plant requires increased attention to itself in the form of frequent watering, spraying, sprinkling, as a lack of moisture can cause drying out.

In summer

Difficulties with a summer transplant are also associated with the need for frequent hydration. If a plant has to overcome adaptation and experience drought at the same time, this will be double stress, which it will most likely not survive.

The newly transplanted shrub and high temperatures scorching the sun are poorly tolerated, so the plant should be shaded for the first time after the transplant.

Fall

When transplanting juniper in the autumn, as a rule, the soil is already quite moist and loose, so you can do without frequent watering and loosening. After the first frosts, the ground part should be covered with burlap or non-woven material. In the near-stem zone, you need to lay a high layer of mulch.

Important! More or less safely transplant only young plants up to three years old and up to one meter tall. Older specimens require prior preparation before the procedure.

Plants planted in autumn in the spring begin to grow several weeks earlier than those transplanted at other times. A favorable month for the movement of juniper is September. In regions with warm winters, this procedure can be planned for October.The main risks of autumn planting are related to the fact that the plant may not have time to take root before frost. The crown and root system should be well insulated.

How to transplant juniper to another place

If the transplantation of other species of conifers is standard, like most trees and shrubs, then juniper requires a special approach. You can not immediately decide to move it to another place. The preparation of an adult plant will require at least 6 months, or even a year. This is a preliminary digging. Without this procedure, the chances of success of the transplant are minimal.

Did you know? Juniper smell has healing properties on the human body. Native Americans placed tuberculosis-infected skin, bones, and joints in the thickets of this plant for treatment.

How to dig a juniper before a transplant

So, six months to a year before the planned transplant, the plant must be dug. Digging should be done around the trunk, at a distance of the diameter of the crown (about 40 cm from the trunk), rather deep - 40-50 cm.

The procedure is needed in order to prune the overgrown roots. Thus, it will be possible to achieve that the shrub at the time of transplantation will form small young roots, which, when removed from the soil, will be difficult to damage.

Preparing a new transplant site

When transplanting, the site should be prepared in advance. It is cleaned of plant debris, digged deep into a bayonet shovel and, if necessary, improve the composition of the soil. It is important that the acidity of the soil does not exceed 7 pH. If this indicator is higher, then you need to add slaked lime or dolomite flour to the soil.

The pit is prepared in advance. Its dimensions should be consistent with the length of the roots. Ideally, it will be 2–3 times larger than the root system. A nutrient mixture should be prepared to fill the hole. Most recommendations suggest mixing turf soil, sand and peat in a 2: 1: 1 ratio.The bottom of the pit must be laid out with a drainage layer, the function of which is to remove excess moisture from the roots. Broken brick, coarse sand is well suited for this purpose.

However, when preparing the mixture, you should focus on the grade of transplanted juniper, since each of them has its own preferences for the presence of nutrients. So, for a Cossack variety it is good to add 300 g of lime-fluff or dolomite flour, for the Virgin - compost or manure.

It is necessary to have a hole no closer than 2 m from other plants and buildings. When planting a hedge, the distance between the bushes is maintained at 1 m. A day before transplanting, the ground in the tree circle needs to be well moistened. This will help to remove the shrub more easily.

Transplant technology

It’s easy to transplant juniper. However, you need to act carefully, carefully. Any awkward movement can lead to irreparable consequences and ruin the plant.

When performing a transplant, proceed as follows:

1. Undermine the shrub below.
2. Transfer the root system to a section of burlap, trying not to destroy the earthen lump.
3. If any part of the roots is exposed, they should be treated with a rooting agent.
4. Sprinkle the drainage layer in the pit with prepared soil mixture, forming a small hill.
5. Set the root system in its center.
6. Fill the voids in the pit with earth.
7. Lightly seal.
8. Dig a small furrow along the entire diameter of the near-trunk zone, at a distance of 20–25 cm from the trunk.
9. Slowly pour 10 liters of water into it.
10. If necessary, tie the barrel to the landing peg.
11. Mulch with wood chips, bark, peat, pine cones.

Further care after transplantation

A transplanted plant for the first time will require increased attention and regular care. The procedures are standard - watering, moistening the crown, top dressing, cultivation, weeding, mulching. The first time, until the plant takes root, it should be shaded from sunlight. N

Important! Immediately after transplantation, it is worth processing a coniferous plant in order to prevent the development of diseases and attack of pests. Copper preparations and insecticidal agents should be used.

It is important to choose the optimal irrigation regime. Earth should not dry out and waterlogged. The minimum amount of hydration is once a week. If this is not enough, then the volume and frequency of irrigation should be increased.

The recommended water consumption is 5–10 l for a single plant, depending on its age. When the shrub takes root well, after about a year, watering will be needed only during periods of prolonged drought.

In summer, the juniper responds well to such a procedure as sprinkling - watering the crown around the perimeter from a hose with a diffused stream. It will increase the density of the needles, wash away dirt and dust from the needles, give it a more saturated color.

Important! Organic fertilizers are not suitable for juniper fertilizers, especially manure, as well as nitrogen-containing complexes.

In early spring, the plant should be fertilized. As for any coniferous representative, juniper suited complex mineral mixtures, for example, "Kemira universal". You can also use fertilizers specially designed for conifers, for example, "Uniflora", Agricole.

Dosage should be calculated according to the instructions. Juniper is not needed to be fed heavily, otherwise it can be harmed. Enough one feeding a year. Mature plants can not be fertilized at all.

After each moistening, rainfall, the earth in the near-stem circle requires loosening. Using this procedure, it is possible to avoid the formation of a hard crust on the surface, which prevents the normal penetration of moisture and oxygen to the roots.

It is important to monitor the cleanliness of the site. There should be no weeds in the near-trunk zone. They should be disposed of regularly. This must be done, as they are the spread of diseases and harmful insects.

An event such as mulching will not allow you to spend a lot of time on care. A layer of mulch inhibits the growth of weeds, which means that weeding will need to be done less often. Mulching also helps to maintain an optimal level of moisture in the soil and improve soil composition, which reduces the amount of moisture and cultivation.

Important! Over the next 4–5 years, the plant needs to be insulated. To remove the shelter in the spring, after the establishment of a warm temperature, it is necessary gradually. This will allow the bush to get used to the conditions of open air.

What can be the problems with transplantation

The main reason transplantation may fail is because of a violation of the integrity of the root system. Juniper reacts painfully if its roots are disturbing, and it is difficult to recover after that. How not to damage the root system, was discussed above.

If during the excavation it was found that the root system was slightly affected by rot, you should remove the diseased areas, treat the cut sites with an antiseptic and sprinkle with crushed charcoal. With a severe defeat, replanting the plant does not make sense.

There are cases when, in spring, the needles on the plant turn yellow and fall off sharply. This happens due to the fact that in the spring stomata open, and the roots at that moment have not yet taken root, are underdeveloped and cannot independently produce water for themselves. The result is the so-called. physiological drought.

You can avoid it only by choosing the right time for planting and adjusting the optimal irrigation regime. The fact that the plant has taken root will indicate its healthy appearance, active growth, and bright color of needles.

Transplant tips

We should not ignore the recommendations of experts on how to transplant juniper. Their strict observance will allow to save a bush which will please with decorativeness for many years.

Here are some more tips for successful procedure:

1. The timing for the transplant should be carried out in accordance with the climatic conditions in the region and the age of the plant. It is better to give preference to autumn. However, for areas where harsh winters reign, only spring or summer will do. Mature plants should be planted from August to September.
2. Equipping the pit with a drainage layer is a prerequisite for the normal growth and development of the plant. You do not need to stack it only when planting juniper in light sandstones.
3. When transplanting, it is important to observe the placement of branches. To do this, before digging up the bush, you should tie a ribbon on one shoot looking to the north. When landing, it should be positioned in the same direction.
4. The root neck of the plant should be located at ground level.

So, juniper should be transplanted only in exceptional cases. This must be done with extreme caution, following the recommendations. After transplantation, increased care is required. Properly and timely procedures will help the plant adapt, root, grow faster and minimize the risk of disease or death.