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Not a single fan of decorative gardening will refuse to have a beautiful evergreen juniper on its site. However, it is not always possible to purchase high-quality planting material, and shrubs taken from the wild take root rather poorly. In this case, you can try to grow a juniper yourself from seeds.
Features of growing juniper from seeds at home
Under natural conditions, juniper almost always propagates by seed. However, this process is long, and the seeds of this shrub do not differ in good germination. Therefore, the reproduction of juniper is very slow, it is for this reason that in many regions the planting of this plant is protected at the legislative level. However, picking ripe buds from the bushes can be completely calm.
At home, seeds can be used to propagate common juniper, as well as Cossack and some others. Varietal characteristics with this method will not be preserved, therefore, vegetative propagation methods must be used to breed ornamental varieties. Grown seedlings can be used, for example, for rootstock during grafting. Common juniper can be used for single plantings or for creating hedges.
Ripening period of juniper seeds
Juniper cones are often called cones. They really resemble berries in appearance. After pollination, the cone berries ripen within 2 years. In the first year, their color is light green, in the second they turn dark blue, almost black. They are harvested from early September to early November. Ripe buds are quite easily detached from the branches. Therefore, to harvest, it is enough to spread a cloth under the tree and gently shake the juniper by the trunk.
Juniper Seed Stratification
Stratification is a must for juniper seeds. The essence of this process is keeping the seeds at negative temperatures for a long time (3-4 months). This is a kind of seed hardening, which significantly increases their germination. In nature, it happens naturally.
To grow a juniper from seeds at home, stratification is carried out either using a refrigerator, or by keeping the seeds outside under a layer of snow in a special container.
How to plant juniper seeds
Juniper can be planted both directly in open ground and in previously prepared containers. However, it must be remembered that plants are transplanted to a permanent place only when they reach the age of 3-5 years. All this time, they will require increased care, therefore, it will be optimal to germinate juniper in containers, and then grow it under cover.
Preparation of containers and soil
You can plant juniper seeds in special containers or boxes. They are filled with a nutrient substrate from a mixture of sand and peat in a 1: 1 ratio with the addition of sphagnum moss.As a growth stimulant, it is advisable to add a little soil from under an adult juniper to the container. It contains symbionts - fungi that have a beneficial effect on the growth of plant roots.
Seed preparation
To extract the seeds, ripe buds are pre-soaked in water or a weak acid solution. Then they are ground using a scarification method to destroy their hard shell. The extracted seeds are dried and stored in a cool dry place, placed on stratification or prepared for planting.
How to plant juniper seeds correctly
Sowing juniper seeds in containers with prepared soil is carried out in the fall, in October or November. The seeds are usually planted in rows, embedded in a moist substrate to a depth of about 2-3 cm. After that, the containers are placed in a refrigerator or under snow for stratification. It is possible to stratify seeds without planting them in a soil substrate. In this case, they are planted in open ground in the spring. They will be in the ground until next spring, and then they will sprout.
Caring for juniper seedlings at home
After planting juniper seeds, you should regularly loosen the soil in the container with the planted seeds. After the emergence of seedlings, you need to carefully monitor the dynamics of their growth. Since the seeds are sown, as a rule, with a multiple excess of the required amount, in the future it will be necessary to cull them, leaving only the strongest and tallest seedlings for growing.
Optimal growing conditions
It is recommended to keep the juniper seedlings growing in the container on the window. In the warm season, they can be taken out into the fresh air, for example, on a balcony or veranda. It is necessary to regularly loosen the soil and remove small weeds... In winter, you need to carefully monitor the temperature and humidity in the room where the seedlings grow. In rooms with heating, humidity is very low in winter, so the land with seedlings can easily dry out.
If the apartment has a glazed and insulated balcony, the plants can be kept there. The main thing is that the air temperature does not fall below + 10-12 ° C. There are no other special conditions for growing juniper seedlings.
Watering and feeding
The soil in the container should be regularly moistened, it will not be superfluous to spray the seedlings themselves with water from a spray bottle. However, this must be done carefully. Stagnation of water in the roots has a very negative effect on the health of the seedlings and can lead to their death. There is no need to feed the seedlings. The nutrient substrate contains all the necessary substances for the normal development of the plant.
Other activities
All other activities, such as pruning or sheltering for the winter, are carried out after the plant is planted in open ground. Until this time, juniper pruning is not done. And even after planting it in a permanent place in the garden, the plant is not touched for another year or two, giving the shrub the opportunity to properly take root and adapt to a new place.
Open ground transplant
Planting and caring for seed-grown junipers is no different from caring for vegetatively propagated or nursery-grown species. Transplanting grown seedlings to a permanent place is carried out after they reach the age of 3 years. It is better to do this in the spring, from the beginning of April to the end of May. Seedlings with a closed root system can also be planted in autumn, September or early October. A later planting can lead to the fact that the plant does not have time to adapt in a new place and die in winter.
The landing site is important.Most juniper varieties prefer open, sunny areas, but they also tolerate light partial shade well. It is desirable that the place be closed from the north wind. Common juniper is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but it is better to choose a site with light, breathable sandy soil. It should not be swampy, even after rains, water should not stagnate on it. Common juniper prefers to grow on soils with a neutral level of acidity, while the Cossack one feels better on limestone.
Planting holes for juniper seedlings must be prepared in advance so that the soil has time to settle and be saturated with air. If the soil is loamy, then a layer of drainage of coarse gravel or broken brick is laid on the bottom with a layer of 15-20 cm. The size of the hole should be larger than the earthen clod on the roots of the seedling. For backfilling, it is better to use specially prepared soil from a mixture of river sand, peat and turf. It is recommended to pre-calcine the sand in order to destroy harmful microflora.
The procedure for planting a juniper bush is very simple. The seedling is placed vertically in the pit and covered with nutritious soil. At the same time, the root collar is not buried, it should be at the same level with the surface of the ground, and a little higher in large bushes. After planting, the root zone is poured abundantly with water and mulched with peat or tree bark. Around the seedling, it is advisable to put a fence made of plastic or metal mesh. This will serve as protection from pets that love to mark conifers. And for a young seedling, animal urine can be destructive, since it has a strong alkaline reaction.
Conclusion
It is not difficult to grow a juniper from seeds, but the procedure is quite long. To get full-fledged seedlings, you have to be patient, because the process can take several years. However, this work may well pay off. Seedlings have a much stronger immunity and are easier to tolerate adverse weather conditions. The positive point is that planting material can be found completely free of charge, while ready-made juniper seedlings in nurseries are not cheap.
