Juniper Cossack
Content:
Landscaping is a field that is very popular among a huge number of gardeners and gardeners. Coniferous shrubs are an integral part of any landscape that is actively formed by gardeners today. Juniper Cossack is one of the most common plants, which differs in that it does not show its whimsicality in any way. The plant is not capricious. It is also suitable for the arrangement of home gardens. And in order to be a great design addition to any apartment.
Juniper Cossack is a creeping type of plant that has a very bright appearance and very decorative external characteristics. At the same time, the juniper differs in that it has a very high level of resistance to dry periods. It withstands frost and polluted air very well, since not all regions where the plant grows have an excellent ecological situation.
In its natural habitat, juniper grows well in Asia Minor, as well as in Southeast Asia, the Caucasus and the Urals, Siberia and Primorye. At the same time, in general, the juniper also takes root well in Southern and Central Europe. It feels great exactly there, gives an unsurpassed decorative appearance to any territory.
Juniper Cossack - description of the plant, its characteristics
If we talk about numbers, then today there are more than seventy species of juniper. They all differ in various ways: some plant is higher, some lower. Some have an unusual crown shape, which gives a wonderful aroma and incredibly attractive shades of green.
Cossack juniper can be correlated with the following number of characteristics:
- the plant looks more like a woody shrub. In height, it usually varies from one meter to one and a half meters. In this case, the juniper has the properties to grow, additional thickets may form. To some, this will seem decorative specificity, while others strive to ensure that the bush is formed. So he looks more well-groomed and attractive. Less often, this plant can be found in subspecies low and curved, although some junipers look just like that due to the fact that they do not receive enough care procedures and cannot develop normally;
- young plants are distinguished by the fact that they have needle-shaped needles of a straight form. It is slightly pointed, and the length of the needle varies from four to six centimeters. When a juniper reaches its maximum height, then it has scaly organs that look more like shingles rather than ordinary needles;
- if the shoots are lightly rubbed, then you can feel the characteristic coniferous aroma. It comes from the fact that the plant contains various essential oils. But you should be very careful, as these oils can be toxic to humans. So when rubbing, you need to be vigilant.
Thus, the plant has attractive external characteristics, which makes it an essential element in landscape design. But there are also some features that relate to plant planting, as well as care measures. They must be followed by the grower. And only in this case he will receive an excellent result and attractive plants that will decorate both personal plots and even apartments.
Cossack juniper: planting a plant and caring for it
From the very beginning, as in planting any other crops, the gardener needs to decide on which area the juniper will grow. This species is very fond of warmth and sunlight, so it is worth planting it in such lighted and warm areas.
If the juniper is in the shade or even partial shade for a long time, then it may simply lose its decorative properties. And this will play a very cruel joke with him. In addition, it is best to maintain a distance of about half a meter between plants. Then they will develop well without casting a shadow over each other.
Planting and caring for a plant has several specific features, which should also be mentioned:
- the plant differs in that it has an open root system. For this reason, it is necessary to plant junipers in open ground only in the middle of spring, when the ground has already warmed up enough. And the risk of recurrent frost is reduced to a minimum. You can also plant junipers in the fall. At this time, moderate precipitation is observed, which will have an excellent effect on the adaptability of the plant to the soil and its conditions. To make the root system feel even better, you should first lower it into growth stimulants. So the roots will form better, get stronger. As a result, the root system will be less susceptible to disease;
- if the gardener is planting seedlings directly from containers, then before that he should thoroughly moisten them. For this, a lump of earth is kept in the pallet for no more than two hours. This time will be enough for the root system to moisturize, but at the same time observe the measure in moisture;
- the planting hole should be larger than a clod of earth in which the juniper root system is located. Usually the dimensions can exceed two or three times, but not more. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pit, which the gardener can make on his own. To do this, take river sand and mix it together with broken brick. The root system is sprinkled with a soil mixture, which consists of peat, turf and sand mixed in equal proportions. Thus, the plant will receive the soil that will most positively affect the plant's root system.
Plant care
Immediately after the plant has been planted, it needs to be very abundant. to water... At the same time, the soil is covered with mulch in order to retain moisture in the required amount. And also in order to protect the soil from pests and improve its properties.
The ideal mulch is peat and pine bark and compost. Since they are really great for these purposes, and they perfectly protect the soil. Sometimes no more than eight centimeters of mulch is enough.
Juniper watering is organized according to the schedule. It is best to increase watering if the weather is too dry. Usually, watering is carried out no more than three times during the entire season. This plant is very enough, and it feels great on the site.
One adult juniper bush accounts for ten to thirty liters of water, which is applied directly under the root. Periodically, the plant can be moistened by spraying. To do this, take the settled water.
It is recommended to spray the green part when the sun begins to set. Otherwise, the needles can be burnt, which will negatively affect the decorative properties of the plant.
In the second half of the spring, it is best to do top dressing plants. To do this, it is better to purchase mineral mixtures directly from specialized stores for gardeners. Ideally, Nitroammofosk is well suited, as well as Kemira-wagon. Since they contain a sufficient amount of substances that have an excellent effect on plants, they make them strong. And the root system is more susceptible to various substances and growth.
When the plantings are still very small, the soil around them must be very carefully loosen, so the root system will be saturated with oxygen, which will have the most positive effect on the growth of the plant and on some of its properties.
Pruning bush must be carried out in accordance with all agrotechnical norms and rules. The fact is that in general, juniper very rarely needs pruning. But it has a tendency to grow. And here the gardener is simply forced to take some measures to give the juniper bush an attractive appearance again.
Also, in order for the plant to feel good, it is necessary to regularly examine it, remove damaged branches, branches that have already dried up or have signs of any diseases. By pruning, you can temporarily stop the growth of the plant so that it is more moderate and decorative.
Formation it is best to practice either in the spring or in the fall. In this case, it is best if the average air temperature is about +4 degrees. Then pruning will not be particularly traumatic for the juniper, which will play a good role for him.
The plant should also not be processed after pruning. The places are not covered with anything, they heal themselves perfectly. If the damage is very severe, then for preventive purposes it can be treated with resin. Some professional sprayers are also used. The most striking example is epin.
How to propagate Cossack juniper
Reproduction is another aspect that can be discussed in more detail. Junipers in modern gardening can reproduce in four basic ways:
- Seeds. This method is quite complicated, and gardeners use it very rarely. Moreover, it is not popular either among beginners in gardening, or among those who already have a wealth of experience in the reproduction of various ornamental crops. Seeds should be kept for a very long time in special conditions, manipulations, thanks to which growth will be actively stimulated, otherwise the seeds will simply disappear.
- Cuttings... This is the second most popular method. And it is best to use it either in April or in August. Cloudy weather should be noted for several days before planting. Since if the sun shines too brightly, and the temperature is very high, then all these conditions can only harm the cuttings. And the original plant will refuse to grow normally.
- Layers. This method is ideal for propagation of creeping plant varieties. Individual branches can be fixed to the ground with wooden studs. And the soil around should be periodically gently loosened and periodically watered.
- Vaccinations... Even though this method is used quite often, it still often does not work at all on some varieties. Elite plants can be grafted onto the most common juniper varieties. They are waiting for the branch to take root, this is the whole method.
In general, the choice of the type and method of reproduction depends solely on the desires and capabilities of the gardener himself. He has the right to independently decide how he wants to propagate the juniper, which method will be the easiest and most suitable for him.
Conclusion
Juniper, as we have already indicated, is great for decorating personal plots, landscapes, as well as apartments and window sills. Also, junipers take root well on curbs, decorate them, and can create a hedge. And it is a really wonderful plant for bringing the look of the site to life.
Juniper can be combined with some other perennials that perfectly dilute the overall landscape, making it vibrant and lively. However, junipers are completely incompatible with plants that have a lush crown, as they can simply get lost there.
The variety is suitable for decorating flower beds in English and Japanese styles. They look very aristocratic, they can hide some flaws that sometimes arise in the areas, and they should be hidden from prying eyes.