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Pruning the Cossack juniper is necessary, first of all, in order to maintain an attractive appearance of the shrub, however, the lack of care has practically no effect on the development of the plant. The variety is one of the most unpretentious representatives of its family and has high drought resistance. The immunity of the Cossack juniper to air pollution is especially highly appreciated in landscape design - this characteristic makes it possible to use the shrub to decorate city parks, alleys and playgrounds.
Is it possible to cut Cossack juniper
Juniper is a long-lived plant, the key characteristic of which is low growth rates. Due to this quality, the shrub tolerates a haircut well and keeps the shape of the crown for a long time, however, this cannot be fully attributed to the Cossack juniper. The variety is considered one of the fastest growing species.
The absence of pruning does not have any significant negative effect on the health of the plant, however, it is recommended to periodically correct the crown of the Cossack juniper, since the variety is rather branched. On a regular basis, only broken, dry or diseased branches are usually removed, without affecting healthy shoots. Intensive pruning is resorted to only when it is necessary to change the decorative form of the juniper, to suspend the processes of growth to the sides or to change the direction of growth of branches.
Thus, it is possible to cut Cossack juniper, but this is not necessary if the decorative effect of the bush is not a priority.
Terms of cutting and formation of Cossack juniper
The formation of the crown of the Cossack juniper begins to be produced from the age of two. Pruning is carried out both in autumn and spring, in April and September, respectively. The formation of the crown at a later date is acceptable - in May or October.
In no case should the juniper be pruned in the summer months, especially in June and July - this is a period of intensive growth and sap flow. In winter, the procedure is also not carried out, since trimmed shoots do not heal at low temperatures. The recommended average daily air temperature during the pruning period should be at least + 4 ° С.
The Cossack juniper is pruned at intervals of 6 months, not more often, while the emphasis is on the sanitary type of pruning. When determining the intensity of pruning, it is necessary to focus on the average annual growth of the shrub - if shoot formation reaches 10 cm per year, then the branches are cut off by only 2 cm.
Pruning Cossack juniper in spring
In spring, pruning of Cossack juniper is best done on a cloudy day.Immediately before starting the procedure, it is recommended to refresh the shrub with moderate sprinkling. Dry branches cannot be cut off, especially on a hot sunny day, as this is fraught with drying out of the wounds. At high temperatures, moisture quickly evaporates from the cut surface, which leads to sunburn - the ends of the branches darken and curl.
In addition, moist shoots are much more convenient to cut, since the pruning shears are not so dull in this case.
Pruning Cossack juniper in autumn
As a rule, intensive pruning of Cossack juniper is not carried out in the fall - after such a procedure, the bushes are weakened and do not always safely endure the winter. At this time, only sanitary-type pruning is permissible, when damaged and diseased branches are removed from the shrub, slightly thinning the crown.
Types of pruning Cossack juniper
It is customary to distinguish the following types of pruning suitable for Cossack juniper:
- Sanitary. This type of pruning does not affect the shape of the bush, only bare, damaged or diseased branches are cut.
- Formative (or topiary) implies deeper processing of the bush. Pruning is aimed at changing the shape of the juniper, correcting the crown with strong thickening or overgrowth, as well as stimulating shoot formation, due to which the shrub takes on a more lush and rounded appearance.
- Plucking. In this case, only the ends of the branches are cut off. The purpose of this procedure is to increase the density of the shrub.
When choosing a decorative form for Cossack juniper, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarity of the natural silhouette of the bush - it is impossible to make a high spiral or arch from a creeping plant. On the other hand, the shortness of the bush and its rounded shape make it possible to give the juniper the appearance of a compact pillow or ball lying on the ground.
If the Cossack juniper is planned to be grown in the form of a complex figure - a person, animals, etc., pruning begins with giving the bush a basic shape: a triangle, square or ball. All subsequent figures are gradually formed from it, gradually giving the shrub more detailed outlines. At this stage, many gardeners use special templates for trimming ornamental horticultural crops. Juniper is cut along the guiding lines of such structures.
Topiary haircut of Cossack juniper
Topiary crown pruning (also forming or thinning) is aimed at controlling shoot formation and correcting the excessive density of the bush. Creeping juniper varieties, which include Cossack varieties, are pruned with an orientation to the most well-located branches. All excess shoots are removed. The next year, only a young growth is cut, but no more than 20% of the total length of the shoots.
Formative pruning must be carried out at least 2 times in the spring months. In March, young branches are removed - this is necessary in order to stimulate the lignification of the shrub. Thus, the juniper adapts better to low winter temperatures. In addition, it is necessary to cut off all bare shoots - those from which the needles fell off. Such branches do not form dormant buds, which means that they will not be able to re-cover with needles.
Sanitary pruning
This type of pruning is required for all types of juniper. It boils down to removing all damaged and diseased shoots, while healthy branches are not affected in the process.
Gardening tips for cutting and shaping Cossack juniper
In order to minimize stress on the plant during pruning, it is recommended to adhere to some general recommendations that are suitable for almost all varieties of juniper:
- It is better to cut a little less than to damage the branches by cutting too deeply - this is one of the most important rules that applies not only to conifers. It is necessary to remove the shoot and sprout buds only after the shape of the bush has been carefully considered. If you cut off a large number of buds, then this can negatively affect the development of the shrub - it will slow down or completely stop its growth. Sometimes too much pruning will kill the plant.
- The bare branches of the Cossack juniper, from which the needles fell, do not have dormant buds, as is the case with most deciduous crops. They will not be covered with needles again, so such branches are cut “into a ring” - completely, under the very base, or they leave a very small stump. If this is not done, the exposed shoot will dry out over time and spoil the appearance of the juniper.
- You cannot cut off more than 1/3 of the total volume of green mass at a time. Otherwise, the shrub may weaken and will not have time to recover before the onset of winter. This is especially true for varieties with slow growth rates - they will show significant "bald spots", which will be overgrown only after a few seasons.
- Slices should be done at an angle of 45 ° C. If you cut the branches across, then the bush will heal slowly.
- To give the shrub a neater appearance after pruning, it is recommended to cut the shoots to the nearest fork, and not just the ends.
- For better healing of the branches, all sections must be disinfected. Most often, for this purpose, they are treated with garden pitch.
- The garden clipper must be well sharpened. Blunt scissors "chew" the ends of the branches, so the cuts are sloppy and fibrous. After such pruning, the shoots heal for a long time. In addition, pruning with a blunt tool increases the risk of juniper infection.
- All tools for working with shrubs must be disinfected. To do this, they can be wiped with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- For a greater density of the crown, the shrub is cut off according to the young growth.
- Shortly before cutting, you should feed the juniper with mineral fertilizers. The plant responds especially well to nitrogen fertilizers, which help the bush to gain green mass. After pruning, the shrub is also fed, but in moderation.
- In order to stimulate the growth of the crown, you can spray the Cossack juniper with the Epin solution.
In addition, you can learn how to prune Cossack juniper from the video below:
Conclusion
Pruning Cossack juniper is necessary to give the plant an attractive appearance. The shrub holds its shape for a long time due to its insignificant growth rates, however, shoots that are knocked out of the total mass can give the shrub an untidy appearance. In landscape design, plants of the variety are used primarily for creating hedges and decorating rocky slopes.Also, the shrub is planted singly or in small groups to decorate the lawn.
