7 Conditions For Successful Wintering Of Conifers. Protection From Snow, Frost, Sunburn

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7 Conditions For Successful Wintering Of Conifers. Protection From Snow, Frost, Sunburn
7 Conditions For Successful Wintering Of Conifers. Protection From Snow, Frost, Sunburn

Video: 7 Conditions For Successful Wintering Of Conifers. Protection From Snow, Frost, Sunburn

Video: 7 Conditions For Successful Wintering Of Conifers. Protection From Snow, Frost, Sunburn
Video: Winter Conifer Burning 2024, March
Anonim

Recently, the assortment of conifers and shrubs has been striking in its variety. In spring and autumn, the counters of supermarkets and horticultural shops are filled with various types of junipers, thujas, yews, cypresses, pines and fir trees. Brought from distant countries, often with completely different climatic conditions, not all of them are able to withstand our harsh winters. Therefore, they begin to prepare these evergreens for the cold long before their onset.

7 conditions for successful wintering of conifers
7 conditions for successful wintering of conifers

Coniferous plants grown in local nurseries take root and winter easier here. They are sold, as a rule, in containers and practically do not experience stress during transplantation, therefore adaptation, preparation for winter and subsequent wintering take place with "local" plants, usually without surprises.

But, regardless of the origin and type of coniferous plant, preparation for winter is a prerequisite for young seedlings of coniferous plants. Further - 7 conditions, the fulfillment of which will provide your pets with a successful wintering.

1. Moisture-charging irrigation

During the entire growing season, overdrying of the soil in conifers should not be allowed - these are moisture-loving plants, and the lack of moisture will affect their general condition and endurance. Therefore, timely watering, especially in the absence of rain, is a must.

But at the end of autumn it is also necessary to carry out water-charging irrigation. Young conifers planted in the current or last year especially need it. Mature trees and shrubs have a sufficient root system to extract moisture on their own, but if the summer was dry, then they will have to be watered for the winter.

In spring, the needles wake up quite early, when the roots cannot yet work at full strength and often it is at this time that burns occur. The amount of water for irrigation depends on the size of the tree or shrub, but on average it is 5-7 buckets per plant. Ordinary trees will tell you about the time for water charging: as soon as most deciduous ones drop their foliage, it is time to water the conifers.

2. Lack of dressing since late summer

Top dressing containing nitrogen is applied only until mid-summer. The fact is that nitrogen stimulates the growth of needles and branches, but in order for the plant to winter well, the shoots must ripen. Therefore, from mid-July to August, emphasis should be placed on phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. For the same reason, complex fertilizers cannot be used at this time, since they all contain nitrogen in one or another proportion.

Mineral fertilizer "Autumn" contains potassium, calcium, phosphates, boron and magnesium and may well be used for conifers. However, they need less fertilizer than fruit and berry crops, so the concentration should be two times weaker than indicated in the instructions. From the end of August, the application of fertilizing for conifers is stopped.

3. Treatment against diseases and pests

One of the important measures in preparing conifers for winter is preventive treatment (spraying). Even if no diseases or pests were noticeable on the plants, it is still necessary to carry out preventive spraying.

To begin with, the plant needs to be cleaned - remove all dried or broken branches with pruning shears, remove spoiled needles from thujas. If the plant is large and thickened, it is necessary to move the branches apart, because it is near the trunk that spoiled needles can be found. All cut out parts from the site must be removed, or better, burned.

For the prevention and treatment of fungal diseases, conifers must be sprayed with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or "Fitosporin". How to properly dilute Fitosporin is described in detail in the instructions attached to the preparation, which cannot be said about copper sulfate.

To obtain a 1% solution of it, you need to dilute 100 g of powder in 10 liters of water. To do this, pour the powder into a plastic bucket (you cannot use iron dishes) and mix with a little water. Then we add the volume to 10 liters, adding water heated to 45-50 o C. In warm water, the drug dissolves better. Strain the mixture before spraying. Processing is carried out in dry, calm weather, in the morning or in the evening. The air temperature must be at least +5 o C.

After treatment with copper sulfate, after about two weeks, you can spray conifers from pests. For prevention, you can use any insecticide for a complex of pests, or, if harmful insects have occurred, use a special tool.

Today on sale you can find special caps for conifers of different sizes and shapes
Today on sale you can find special caps for conifers of different sizes and shapes

4. Mulching

For the winter, it is necessary to mulch the near-trunk circle of conifers. This measure will protect their roots in frosty, snowless winters. Mulch is laid out along the perimeter of the crown with a layer of 5-7 cm. It is especially important to do this for young and conifers brought from other regions, in which the process of adaptation to local conditions has not yet been completed.

For mulch, you can use a variety of organic materials (peat, straw, sawdust, cut grass or coniferous litter from the forest). When collecting litter in the forest, be sure to pay attention to the trees - only under healthy spruce and pine trees can litter be collected. Otherwise, there is a chance of infecting your plants. In the spring, the mulch must be removed - this way the soil warms up faster and there is no threat of root drying out.

5. Shelter from snow and frost

Thujas, yews, junipers and cypresses in winter can be threatened by snowfalls. The abundant snow, even if it does not break the branches, will break them apart in different directions, and the tree will lose its shape. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to wrap the plant in a spiral with synthetic twine, lightly pressing the branches against the trunk.

Young conifers that grow on the site for less than three years must be protected from frost. The best material for insulation is burlap, as it allows air to pass through well and reliably protects against frost. Many gardeners use ordinary gauze, wrapping the plant in two layers and securing it with twine. You can use agrofibre, but on condition that it will be possible to remove it in early spring, otherwise there is a threat of damping.

A net for sheltering conifers began to appear in special gardening shops. This is ideal - hide and forget. For those who care about the aesthetics of their garden, you can find on sale special caps for conifers of different sizes and shapes. They are very comfortable, just put on the plant and tighten with a cord at the bottom. The caps are made of special breathable fabric and have a very nice look.

Conifers living on the site for more than three years, as a rule, have already adapted to the environment and do not need shelter.

Young conifers planted this year do not have time to firmly root in the ground by winter. They need to be strengthened with stretch marks. To do this, 3-4 strong ropes are tied to the trunk. Pegs are driven into the ground along the perimeter of the seedling, to which the free ends of the ropes are attached. Such a measure will not be superfluous - the fixed seedlings will withstand strong blizzards and will not bend under the snow.

6. A separate issue is horizontal junipers

Separately, I would like to say about horizontal junipers. These are low-growing plants, the lower branches of which spread along the ground, due to which they are considered ground cover. The culture is represented by all kinds of miniature and dwarf plants with an interesting color of needles - from bright green, like the junipers "Cossack" and "Prince of Wales", to blue, like the "Blue Chip" or "Blue Alps".

Horizontal junipers do not need shelter, but in spring, when the snow melts, the lower shoots are often in the water for a long time, and this can negatively affect the development of plants. In the fall, when preparing the garden for winter, you need to put large stones or bricks under the lower branches of the juniper, lifting the branches from the ground. It is undesirable to use boards or wooden blocks, as the wood gets wet, and various pests settle in the bark for the winter.

Young conifers that grow on the site for less than three years must be sheltered from frost
Young conifers that grow on the site for less than three years must be sheltered from frost

7. Protection of conifers from the bright sun in early spring

All coniferous plants that do not take shelter for the winter can suffer from the bright spring sun. Needle burns occur not so much from the sun itself as from the sun's rays reflected from the snow. Experienced gardeners in the spring sprinkle the snow around their conifers with earth, harvested in the fall, or ash. This is a good way to protect conifers from burns, but it is quite time consuming with repeated snowfalls.

Dear Readers! Most species of conifers grow and thrive even in the most difficult climatic zones. But the harsher the climate, the more care these evergreens will require from you. Particular attention should be paid to preparing for winter. But, as you can see, there is nothing complicated here either - the usual procedures, which should not be neglected. By performing all the above preventive measures, you will get rid of possible problems with the wintering of your conifers and ensure their health for the entire next season.

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