Root juniper in spring. Juniper propagation: advantages and disadvantages of various methods, necessary conditions. Growing from seeds

Among the wide variety conifers juniper is one of the most popular plants that use in ornamental plantings and landscape design . It belongs to the cypress family, the juniper genus, and has more than 70 species, of which 21 species naturally grow in Russia and the CIS countries. The uniqueness of this plant in its amazing properties.

General information

The appearance of these representatives of conifers is diverse, it can be tall trees and low, ground cover shrubs. Junipers are undemanding to growing conditions, undemanding to soil fertility and low temperatures. He lives for a long time over 1 thousand years, but there are cases when very ancient specimens were found, the age of which exceeded 2-3 thousand years and even 5 thousand years. Of particular note is the ability of juniper to purify the air from harmful impurities.

Juniper has long been widely used both in folk and official medicine, and is also used in the food industry.

Types and varieties of juniper

It is impossible to imagine today a modern landscape gardening without junipers.

They have long been one of the first places among the most sought-after elements of landscape design. Among the most famous are the following kinds:

• Ordinary.
• Prickly, or red.
• Smelly.
• Tall.
• Cossack.
• Chinese.
• Solid.
• Virginia.
• Turkestan.
• Turkmen.

These representatives of cypress also differ in the form of the main trunk. They are presented in three main forms that are characteristic of perennial plants:

• Shrub form.
• wood form.
• Creeping form.

Juniper can be propagated in several ways, both seed and vegetative.

The plant reproduces :

• Seeds.
• cuttings.
• layering.
• Vaccinations.

It is very difficult and inefficient to propagate junipers by seeds. Therefore, seed reproduction of the species is used much less frequently than other methods of reproduction, which are related to the vegetative method. Creeping forms are made by layering during the entire period of plant growth. Shrub and tree forms are propagated by grafting and cuttings. Vaccinations are used much less frequently than propagation by cuttings.

Therefore, cuttings are the most popular and effective method juniper breeding.

Propagation of juniper by cuttings

For breeding ornamental species, cuttings are usually used. You can cut juniper almost the entire vegetative period. But it is best to root the cuttings in the spring. Depending on the area of ​​​​growth and weather conditions, cuttings for rooting are harvested from April to May. During this period, the plants begin to grow and develop intensively.

The choice of the mother tree is made depending on its phenotype and genotype. As a rule, highly ornamental juniper species are chosen for vegetative propagation, which are more difficult to obtain by other methods of species reproduction. Cuttings are taken from young actively growing plants, aged three to eight years. Preparation of cuttings for rooting should be done in the early morning before the appearance of direct sunlight, or on a cloudy day.

Apical annual shoots from the top or middle part of the crown of the mother tree or shrub are good clonal material. It is necessary to cut the cuttings with a “heel”. "Heel" is a piece of old bark with wood, which is left on a one-year-old shoot, when it is separated from the main branch. The long prepared stalk should be from five to seven centimeters.

The next step is to prepare the cut cuttings for planting in the substrate. To do this, the cuttings are cleaned of needles to a height of three, four centimeters from the "heel". Cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or in a greenhouse, the air temperature in which should be in the range of 20-23 degrees. The soil for rooting cuttings resembles a multi-layer cake, consisting mainly of three main layers. The first layer is small pebbles or pebbles, the thickness of this drainage layer should be up to six centimeters. The second layer is a soil mixture rich in humus.

The final third layer is coarse river sand. Cuttings are planted in prepared soil, the angle of inclination of the cutting depends on the plant variety. Woody forms are planted vertically, and shrubby and spreading at an angle of forty - forty-five degrees to the depth of the upper layer.

Features propagation of juniper cuttings in the spring

The percentage of juniper rooting increases significantly if, when planting in the ground, the cuttings are treated with one of the root-forming preparations or the already planted material is shed with a solution of the preparation. The most famous and used root-forming preparations are heteroauxin, root, sodium humate, zircon. These drugs not only accelerate the formation of roots, but also make the root system more powerful and well developed. For successful cuttings, several necessary conditions must be met, such as:

• Maintaining a constant and uniform temperature of the soil and air.
• Soil temperature should be slightly higher than air temperature.
• The presence of scattered light.
• Keep the soil moderately moist.
• Maintaining air humidity levels 80% .

And you can also propagate juniper in the spring with cuttings, and in open ground. But at the same time, you should strictly monitor the humidity of the soil and air. This is especially problematic in hot and dry climates.

Rooting in cuttings it takes from fifty to ninety days. Further care consists in airing the greenhouse or greenhouse and spraying the soil with warm, settled water. It is necessary to carefully monitor that there is no excessive waterlogging of the soil, which can lead to rotting of the roots.

Transplanting seedlings to a permanent place is best done in the spring of next year. Choosing a suitable place for planting seedlings in open ground and follow the following rules:

1. A hole is dug in the ground, approximately 2-3 times more than an earthen lump with juniper roots.
2. At the bottom of the hole, a drainage layer of sand or pebbles is poured 20-25 cm.
3. The finished substrate is poured, the composition of which is selected depending on the variety of juniper.
4. The rooted cutting is carefully transferred to the prepared hole along with a clod of earth, trying not to damage it. We do not cover the root neck with soil, but leave it on the surface of the soil.
5. We fill the roots of the seedling with prepared soil and tamp it well.
6. Pour abundantly with plenty of water.
7. We mulch the near-stem circle with peat or sawdust with a layer up to ten centimeters thick.

Many amateur gardeners wonder if junipers can be propagated by cuttings, in the spring, at home or on personal plot. We can safely say that yes, you can. The technology for propagating juniper at home basically does not differ from technology in industrial scale. The difference lies in the absence of a greenhouse and hotbeds, where you can achieve the required air humidity and diffused lighting.

Procurement of cuttings and soil preparation at home is carried out in the same way as in greenhouse cultivation.

1. It is necessary to prepare a special container for the substrate. It can be special plastic containers or flower pots.
2. We first pour drainage (small pebbles) into the selected container, then special earth (it can be purchased at flower shops) on top of river sand.
3. We plant cuttings and water with a solution of a root-forming preparation.
4. From above we cover with any glass container made of transparent non-colored glass or a thin plastic film. We create conditions for a mini-greenhouse or greenhouse. We regularly ventilate and moisten the soil.

By following these guidelines, you can special costs, plant many highly decorative types of junipers on your site, which can multiply so effectively in the spring, by rooted cuttings. Thus, breeding juniper cuttings in the spring effective method obtaining an exact copy of the mother tree.

There are several methods for propagating juniper plants at home. For this purpose, seeds, cuttings are used, new specimens are obtained from the branch and layering. But not all of these methods are equally effective and allow you to quickly get young plants. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and also requires compliance with the necessary conditions for successful breeding of juniper.

Popular types of junipers

In modern landscape design, juniper is very popular. Juniper plants are distinguished by a variety of shapes, color, plasticity and unpretentiousness. They are suitable for the implementation of the ideas of designers, as they perfectly tolerate a haircut. Depending on the species, juniper can take the form of a sprawling tree, a lush bush, or creep along the ground. Several types are the most popular.

Juniper Cossack is found in nature in the wooded part of the European territory and in many parts of Asia. Usually plants of this species are winter-hardy creeping shrubs. They are undemanding to the composition of the soil, love the light and perfectly tolerate the lack of moisture. Thanks to these qualities, their parts are used to strengthen the slopes.

Creeping juniper is also called horizontal. In nature, plants of this species live in North America. This ground cover plant is used as a decoration for retaining walls and slopes.

Varieties of common juniper are distinguished by their endurance and ability to adapt to adverse conditions. They tolerate frost, lack of light and water well. These plants are highly decorative, and their slow development is an advantage for solving some design problems, for example, such varieties are suitable for growing bonsai.

Juniper rocky in nature lives in North America. These plants have an attractive conical shape, thanks to which they have gained popularity in landscape design. They are used for landscaping parks and squares, as well as for creating hedges.

Growing from seed

Reproduction of juniper from seeds is difficult process. Even in natural conditions, this method is rare. Plants appear only a few years after the seeds enter the soil, and fruiting is possible after 10 years.

In practice, such propagation of juniper is practically not used due to the length and difficulty of the process and low germination.

At home for successful cultivation plants in this way, the seed material is first stratified, that is, subjected to cold treatment. To do this, from autumn they need to be sown in boxes with soil and stored under snow until spring (at least 4 months). Then, if the seed coat is very dense, which happens with some types of juniper, it must be scarified to speed up germination, that is, mechanically damaged or treated with acid. The easiest way to do this is to take two boards covered with sandpaper and rub the material between them.

In May, the prepared seeds are sown on the beds, planting to a depth of 2–3 cm. Then they are mulched and watered as needed. After the emergence of seedlings, they are covered from the sun for the first 2 weeks. Be sure to loosen the soil and weed out the weeds. When the seedlings reach the age of three, they can be dug up along with a clod of earth and planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction by cuttings

At home, cuttings are most often used to propagate juniper plants. They take root better, successfully acclimatize and develop faster.

The most successful time for grafting is in the spring, in which case strong roots will form in the seedlings by the end of summer. In autumn, young plants can be placed in open ground, arranging a small shelter for wintering. If cuttings are made in the summer, then the root system will not have time to get stronger. In this case, in winter, the plants should be at home or in the country house indoors.

For successful reproduction, perform the following steps:

1. 1. Cuttings are harvested in cloudy or rainy weather. To do this, take branches 10–15 cm long and separate them with a sharp knife along with a piece of trunk wood.
2. 2. All needles and branches are removed from them to a height of 3–4 cm from the cut point. Prepared cuttings can be immediately planted in the ground. If this cannot be done, then for some time they are able to stand in a jar of water, but not more than 3 hours.
3. 3. To root the cuttings, they are planted in tall boxes with drainage holes, filled with a mixture of peat and humus in equal parts. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom, and sand (3–4 cm) is poured over the soil. The cuttings are deepened by 3 cm at an angle of 60 degrees, keeping a distance of at least 7 cm between them.
4. 4. The boxes are positioned so that they are illuminated by diffused sunlight. Juniper does not like too high humidity, so watering is rarely done. Top dressing during this period is also not needed.
5. 5. When planting in the ground in a permanent place, the cuttings are treated with growth stimulants. If the creeping juniper breeds, then it is placed horizontally, all other varieties - vertically.

Juniper, known for its high decorativeness, winters well in the middle lane. It also creates a beneficial microclimate around itself, which has a beneficial effect on human health. The easiest and most effective way to propagate varietal juniper is.

In view of the extreme unpretentiousness of all cypress trees, many (especially inexperienced summer residents) believe that sticking a cutting into the ground is enough for rooting. In reality, this approach is usually ineffective. So, today we will talk about the reproduction of juniper cuttings in the spring and about further care for seedlings. But first things first.

All members of the cypress family are long-lived. And juniper, having a long life cycle, grows slowly and begins to bear fruit late. Yes, only by the age of nine or ten, he has the first cones, and they ripen in another two or three years. It should also be noted that seeds for germination require long-term stratification, and seedlings often turn out to be unviable and have weak roots.

Note! Under natural conditions, juniper is quite difficult to reproduce due to the same slow pace of development. And for this reason, at home, the culture is propagated mainly by cuttings.

Juniper rocky "Moonglow"

Shrubs grown by cuttings have such important characteristics.

1. Shrubs grow much faster than seedlings - they reach adult size about three to four years earlier.
2. They also adapt faster and better to new conditions. environment when compared with purchased seedlings.
3. Finally, the juniper retains all the varietal characteristics that the mother plant had.

There are a number of factors on which the success of growing a crop by cuttings depends: this is the time of cutting, and the correct choice of the mother bush, and growing conditions, and agricultural technology.

About suitable timing

Regardless of which particular variety we are talking about, the period between the snow melting and the beginning of autumn is suitable for harvesting cuttings.

1. The beginning of spring is most suitable for cuttings., that is, the time of waking up of the kidneys and the beginning of the active movement of the juice. In the same season, the cuttings will take root.
2. Cuttings can be harvested in the summer. The first half of June is suitable for this - the time when active growth is already ending, and spring growth becomes stiff. Although in some varieties the duration of root formation is long - only callus is formed in a year, and full-fledged roots are only not the next season.
3. With the onset of autumn, namely in September or October, lignified shoots are cut. The next spring they are planted in the soil.

Note! The first roots of this plant appear after about 1 month. But in order for a completely viable root system to appear, it takes at least 2 months.

It is for this reason that the cuttings are not immediately planted in the soil - they are left until the next season to take root.

How to choose cutting material

Juniper grown by cuttings can turn out not only healthy and thick, but also crooked and weak. It all depends on what plant and where it was taken planting material. And in order for the grown juniper to really live up to all expectations, it is necessary to adhere to the following simple rules.

1. An ideal candidate for a mother liquor is a shrub that is five to eight years old, as the plant's ability to form a root system declines over time.

   

2. The shoots that are selected for cuttings must have a growth cone and a healthy apical bud, otherwise there will be a chance that the seedlings will begin to bush excessively.
3. It is also important that the mother liquor is healthy, has an even, dense and - importantly - a symmetrical crown.
4. In such species of the described plant as bushy, columnar and pyramidal, the cuttings must be cut from the central branches from the first to the third order. But when choosing a side shoot that grows horizontally, the bush can later develop in breadth.

   

5. Finally, if we are talking about creeping varieties of juniper, then the place of the cut does not particularly matter. It is only necessary that the branch be spreading and developed, so that sunlight regularly falls on it.

How to prepare planting material

Juniper is recommended to be cut in the morning or when it is cloudy outside. Due to this, moisture from the cuts will evaporate less. Thin branches should not be touched - they will run out of stock useful substances even before they take root. We advise you to use annual shoots, the length of which is about 25 cm.

From large branches and the trunk of a shrub, cuttings are taken with a "heel" (that is, with a piece of wood), which contributes to better rooting. By the way, it is for this reason that it is better to tear off the cuttings (with a sharp downward movement) than to cut them off. If the tongue is too long, it must be cut off.

Important! If the cutting is taken from a large shoot, then it is cut with a sharp knife or garden pruner. It is necessary that the cut captures about 1.5 cm of the lignified part (it can be recognized by the way the green bark turns brown).

The lower part of the root is freed from needles and overgrowth by about 3-4 cm. Moreover, it is recommended to do this with your hands, since the wounds that appear after tearing off will stimulate the formation of the root system. In addition, cuts of cuttings before planting should be sprinkled with a product that accelerates the formation of roots (such as, for example, Kornevin, Heteroauxin). Soaking in a solution of root activators should not be carried out - if the moisture is long time affect the cuttings, the bark may peel off.

Table. Instructions for rooting juniper cuttings.

Steps, photo	Brief description of actions
	Here, side branches are used for cuttings, which are torn off with the “heel” already mentioned above. Too long pieces of bark are cut, otherwise there is a risk of rotting.
	For rooting, healthy and strong cuttings are harvested that meet all the requirements listed above.
	Needles from the bottom must be carefully removed.
	The prepared cuttings are soaked in the Epin solution (a few drops of the agent for every 100 ml of water) for approximately 12 hours. As you know, juniper does well with rooting without stimulants, but we are talking about winter period, and therefore additional "vigor" for the cuttings will not be superfluous.
	At the time when the cuttings are soaked, dry sphagnum is also soaked. It is important that it is well saturated with water.
	Then you need to fold the disposable diaper so that the absorbent surface "looks" outward.
	Sphagnum, slightly squeezed from excess moisture, should be laid out along the diaper with a ribbon. Everything, the substrate for rooting the prepared cuttings is ready!
	After that, each cutting (more precisely, its base) is dipped in a powder of a root formation stimulator (this, for example, Root, Kornevin and others).
	Next, the cuttings are laid out on a diaper. The next step is to fold the diaper in half, and the legs of the cuttings should be pressed against the sphagnum.
	After that, the diaper rolls into a small roll.
	A roll with juniper cuttings is tied with an elastic band, after which it is placed in a plastic bag and stored in a bright but cool place.
	AT winter time you can hang the cuttings by the window or, alternatively, between the frames (if we are talking about ordinary wooden windows). With the onset of spring, the package can be hung out of the window, but preferably not in the sun.
	By the time it comes spring planting, cuttings, as a rule, are already rooting, and therefore can be planted in the garden for growing (you need to choose a semi-shady place for this).

Basic soil requirements

Planting material that has passed all the preliminary preparation must be planted in specially prepared soil. Due to the fact that the rooting of juniper (as well as other coniferous plants) takes a lot of time, special requirements are put forward for the preparation of the soil mixture.

1. First of all, the soil should be light, loose and breathable.
2. Slightly acidic and neutral soil is suitable for juniper, and therefore you should forget about adding ash or lime.
3. To root cuttings, you can use a mixture consisting of peat and the same amount of soddy soil / sand / vermiculite / perlite (choose any of the options).

If there are several cuttings, you can take for them flower pot. At the bottom of the pot, you need to fill the drainage, then the soil mixture (about 15 cm layer), and sprinkle the top with sand. At in large numbers planting material, it is planted in greenhouses, large boxes or greenhouses.

Note! If there is any doubt about whether the ingredients of the substrate are of high quality, you can pre-disinfect them - spill them with a solution of potassium permanganate or steam them.

How to plant cuttings in spring?

To land them, it is not enough to simply stick them into the ground. You need to follow the short instructions below.

Note! It is important that the direct rays of the sun do not fall on the makeshift greenhouse. The fact is, the cuttings will take root better in the shade.

Root formation will occur more intensively if the ambient temperature (including the soil) does not fall below 21-24 degrees, and the humidity level is in the range of 95-100 percent.

How to care after planting?

Active rooting of cuttings occurs two to four months after planting. Although a more accurate time will depend on the particular variety of juniper, and root formation for the summer may stop, resuming with the onset of autumn.

In order to avoid stagnant moisture during the first watering, it is necessary to act with caution, and to carry it out only after the earth has dried. For irrigation, water at ambient temperature is used. In order to prevent the development of diseases, plantings should be watered with fungicidal solutions several times a year.

Note! Due to the fact that the seedlings will be in for about a year, it is important that the covering material always remains transparent (this must be maintained).

As for lighting, it should be diffused, but bright, because under the influence of light, the production of a plant hormone, which is responsible for root formation, is activated.

And when the cuttings take root and growths appear, hardening can begin (that is, periodically open the greenhouse and ventilate the plants). You can insulate for the winter with the help of leaves, covering material or burlap.

On a note! A year later, young bushes can already be transplanted into the garden. For this purpose, they are transferred together with an earthen clod into a previously prepared soil.

As a conclusion. About propagation by cuttings-layering

Let's talk a little about an alternative method that is used for plants with a flattened / creeping crown. In the spring, when the juice is actively moving, the lower branches need to be bent, laid in a small groove, fixed in this position and sprinkled with earth (strawberries can also multiply).

Obviously, it is necessary to remove all needles and small processes from the rooted area. In one growing season, roots will already form on the cuttings. Then, separating the seedling from the mother bush, it can be planted anywhere.

Propagation by cuttings is the most affordable method of obtaining healthy and high-quality juniper seedlings at home. If you follow the cultivation practices, then using this method, you can quickly propagate any coniferous crop on the site.

Video - Juniper / thuja cuttings in winter

One of the representatives of the cypress family is juniper - an unusual, interesting and attractive plant. The evergreen juniper, whose decorative properties are used by landscape designers with pleasure, has different colour and form, but unpretentious and undemanding to the conditions of detention. Therefore, the plant is popular not only among landscape specialists, but also among flower growers - amateurs whose experience in gardening is very small. Today we will talk about how juniper can be propagated so that the new plant is strong and healthy.

Juniper can be in the form of a cone-shaped tree, tall or stunted shrub. Regardless of the species, there are several methods of propagation: cuttings, layering and grafting. In order for the work to be effective, the forces and time for landing were not wasted, we will consider the features of each method.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings are used for different types plants, including conifers. Under favorable conditions, this can be done not only in spring, but also in summer and autumn, but still better in spring and we will explain to you why:

• the roots formed over the summer will form well and the young plant will overwinter well. It will be much more difficult to root cuttings cut at the end of summer by winter, so they cannot be left in the open field. The cuttings are removed for the winter in a warm room, and if this is not possible, then they are well insulated in the open field;
• cuttings are cut on a cloudy, not hot day, in the spring it is easier to choose such conditions. The sun can damage not only them, but also the branches of an adult bush from which the planting material was cut.

It is best to take a plant at the age of eight to ten years. If you want to plant a spiky or pyramidal plant, cut off the branches that grow upwards. If creeping - you need branches growing on the sides of the bush. To obtain a plant of a spherical or bushy shape, any shoots are suitable.

We prepare planting material correctly

Armed with a sharp knife, we cut off a twig 10 centimeters long so that a heel remains on it - a piece of bark from the branch on which it grew. Three centimeters above the cut, we clear the branch of needles and twigs so that nothing interferes with the formation of the root. It is better to plant a cut shoot immediately, but if this is not possible, wrap it in a wet cloth and put it in the refrigerator, or put it in a jar of water for several hours.

Many believe that the cuttings of any plants before planting should be held in preparations for the growth of the root system. One can argue with this, because the bark of the juniper is very delicate and fragile, in water it can be torn away from the cutting and then the formation of a root will be difficult. It is best to water the planted stalk in a timely manner with sodium humate, then for sure, the result will not be long in coming.

We root cuttings

In order for the cuttings to take root quickly, you need a light, well-permeable substrate (you can take equal parts of river sand and peat). Boxes, preferably wooden, with drainage holes, are filled with substrate, laying drainage on the bottom. The cuttings are not deepened, it is enough to lower them by three centimeters and lay them at an angle.

The boxes are taken out into a room with a temperature of up to 19C and placed under diffused light, away from direct sunlight. Water the cuttings often, but a little bit, excess moisture will not lead to anything good. high humidity reach by spraying, you need to do this often, you can 6 times a day.

At proper care after three months, the cuttings will take root. But when you see the roots, do not rush to transplant them. The first roots are fragile and very brittle, breaking even from a simple touch. In the same boxes and in the same room, let the cuttings stand for another year. If the conditions do not allow you to root them for so long, then plant very carefully so that the earthen ball is preserved and the root system is not affected.

Reproduction of juniper by cuttings is not a difficult, but interesting task, which even a novice grower can do. This is the easiest and most popular juniper propagation method to date.

We propagate by layering

If you are interested in creeping juniper species, use propagation by layering. Young branches can be cut throughout the growing season, their rooting is faster than the rooting of stiff shoots. Layers are dug in and pinned near the old bush. On the eve of the landing, river sand and peat are brought in, it is dug up so that the soil is light and loose. The layers are lightly spudded and regularly watered, but it is impossible to fill in, excess moisture can cause root rot of the old bush and the death of the layer from soaking.

After six months or a year, when the cuttings take root, they can be transplanted to the place where you plan to grow a new bush.

We use the vaccination method

Rare and valuable varieties of a beautiful conifer need special care, including special reproduction. The shoot of the variety you like is grafted onto an ordinary bush. It is pressed tightly and covered with a transparent plastic film, it is possible with a package.

It is impossible to unambiguously answer the question about the effectiveness of this method, the scion does not always take root, so it has not received wide distribution.

We use seeds for propagation

Growing a tree from seeds is not easy, so propagating juniper with seeds is less popular than the methods described above. Low seed germination, capricious sprouts - all this makes propagation by seeds a laborious and difficult task.

Seeds are sown in boxes in the fall, and when it gets colder, they are taken out to Fresh air where they stand for four months in any weather. Those seeds that have overwintered are sown in pots in early May, the pots are again taken out into the street. Do not wait for shoots, they will appear only after a year.

Ephedra is a light-loving plant, it does not grow quickly, so that it is healthy, it needs to create the appropriate conditions - to monitor the regular watering of the soil and fertilize it in a timely manner.

Cultivated, propagated exclusively by cuttings. Moreover, according to experienced gardeners, this technique has a number of advantages over the method of seed propagation. Plants planted by rooting cuttings have a significantly higher resistance and viability. They take root better, develop faster and more actively, are less susceptible to the adverse effects of temperature extremes, typical diseases and pests.

Moreover, according to statistics, the number of successfully rooted cuttings is almost twice the number of surviving seedlings. Therefore, according to gardeners and landscape designers, this method of propagating juniper under artificial conditions is the most effective. A plant planted in the ground by cuttings is better acclimatized and adapted to new conditions, without requiring special care and attention. However, to achieve the most favorable results, you must follow some rules.

Estimate a favorable time for disembarkation

Should be done in autumn and winter months. However knowledgeable people recommend planting plants from mid-September to the last decade of November. During this period, the stomata of plants close due to the increased degree of air humidity, as a result, water evaporation practically does not occur, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the tree and the reproduction process.

In the spring and summer, planting a juniper plant is categorically not recommended. This is due to damage to the root system, which is caused by increased evaporation and physiological drought observed in conifers during the warm season. However, the question of the optimal timing of planting juniper trees is quite controversial. Many gardeners argue that the time from the first days of April to the end of May is ideal for organizing the propagation of juniper by cuttings, since just in the fall, this period is the peak of its growth and development.

When deciding on the timing of planting, one should also pay attention to climatic conditions. In order for the rooting of juniper cuttings to be successful, the air temperature should be from +5 to +25 degrees. Higher or lower heat levels can adversely affect the reproduction process of the plant and lead to its death.

Preparation of soil and cuttings

To grow a beautiful and healthy juniper tree, you should responsibly approach the fence of planting material. For plant propagation, cuttings taken from mature trees that are 8–10 years old are best suited. As for the choice of variety, it is best to give preference to undersized or common juniper, their rooting rate is about 90%. Please note that in plants with a vertical crown shape, shoots for propagation are cut vertically. In junipers with a bushy crown shape, cuttings located on the sides go to the cut. As for the length of the shoot, it is advisable to observe 10–15 cm.

It is recommended to cut the cuttings no later than three hours before planting in the ground. Then their lower part should be cleaned of coniferous needles, which can rot when they enter the soil. In addition, it increases the efficiency of growth and development of the root system. However, on the top of the branches, the needles must be left in order to aerate the cutting. Before planting, the shoots are placed in a container filled with water, or they can be wrapped with a damp cloth. To speed up the growth process of the future juniper tree, the cutting can be placed in a glass with a special stimulating solution for a day. Kornevin or a sugar solution in a ratio of 1: 2 is well suited for these purposes.

Next, you can proceed to preparing the soil for growing juniper. Planting soil should be a mixture of earth with peat and sand (in a ratio of 1: 3). Juniper like others coniferous trees, feels bad in overly acidic soils. You can reduce acidity, as well as disinfect it, by moistening the earth with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. When the planting soil is ready, dig a hole, fill it with mortar, and place a layer of sand about 30–35 mm thick on top.

How to plant a young shoot?

After finishing preparatory stages you can proceed to the direct planting of juniper. To do this, planting material should be placed in the soil no deeper than 20-25 mm. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that the columnar varieties of juniper are planted in an upright position, without turning the cutting, and the creeping varieties of this plant take root best in the presence of a slight slope. The distance between the cuttings should be about 70 m. After that, you should slightly compress and moisten the soil. In conclusion, the earth is mulched with a mixture of ash and pine bark, and the cuttings themselves are covered with plastic wrap, this is important to create a greenhouse effect. In order for a tree to take root and acclimatize as quickly as possible, it needs to create optimal conditions for this.

Care consists in regular moisturizing, necessary to strengthen the plant. It is necessary to water the cuttings as the soil dries out, on average twice a week. Care must be taken to protect the plant from sunlight. Despite the fact that the juniper is considered a light-loving plant, during the development of its root system and general adaptation, direct sun can have an extremely adverse effect on it.. Rooting juniper lasts about 2-3 months. At the same time, it is recommended not to rush to transplant the plant into open ground in order to give it the opportunity to finally get stronger.