QA

Quick Answer: How To Trim Juniper Bushes

What time of year do you trim junipers?

Since junipers and other conifers produce new growth in spring and fall, and do not grow much in summer, prune them in early spring in warm regions or early summer in cooler regions. The only exception to this rule is pines, which should be pruned before the candle growth develops in the spring.

How do you trim an overgrown juniper bush?

Pruning Juniper Trees The branches on the sides should be less than half the trunk’s diameter. If one is too large, remove it or prune it back to slow its growth. Branches should be cut back to the trunk, a bit outside where they connect to it (the branch collar). The three-cut method is safest for juniper trees.

How far back can you cut junipers?

But in a juniper, only buds close to the cut get the green light. Anything farther away than 12 inches won’t leaf out. And juniper branches tend to grow longer, not fuller, when left untrimmed.

Will juniper grow back?

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) can be used in nearly every part of your landscape. The long-lived evergreens can become scraggly and overgrown, however. Although a juniper won’t grow back from a branch that has no green growth, careful pruning can revive the shrub.

Can Brown juniper come back?

If they’re brittle and dry, they’re dead and won’t come back. Some of the “brown” junipers that are still alive will put out new growth in the spring, but it will be from the tips of branches. If the browned junipers do survive, they’re likely to be unattractive for quite some time.

Why are my junipers turning brown?

There are many reasons a juniper might turn brown. Fungal tip blights, cankers, mechanical damage, and salt injury are some of the most common causes. Several juniper samples with tip blight were submitted to the Plant Disease Clinic this spring. Phomopsis and Kabatina tip blights are two common diseases of juniper.

Can junipers be trimmed?

While overgrown juniper pruning has its limits, it is possible to trim your plant down to a more manageable shape. One good place to start is the removal of any dead or leafless branches – these can be cut off at the trunk. You can also remove any branches that are overlapping or sticking out too far.

How do you prune a Wichita blue juniper?

To reduce the juniper’s size, prune the longest branches back to a lateral branch or bud with green growth. When possible, hide the cuts under overlapping branches to maintain the natural shape of the plant.

Can you trim a blue arrow juniper?

Pruning. Most people will find that the Blue Arrow Juniper Tree needs little to no pruning. If it is looking scraggly or there are unhealthy parts or untidy branches sticking out, you can cut these back to neaten the tree up. This can be done as and when they are noticed.

How do you reshape overgrown bushes?

When pruning mature, overgrown shrubs, remove the thickest branches first. Cut them back to the base of the shrub to promote new growth. Hand pruners are useful for smaller branches. Some can handle diameters up to an inch, but long-handled loppers give you leverage to cut branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

How do you care for junipers?

Plant juniper shrubs in a location with full sun or light shade. When they get too much shade, the branches spread apart in an effort to let more sunlight in, and the damage to their shape can’t be repaired. Junipers grow in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained.

How do you treat Browning junipers?

Treat scales with horticultural oil; pour 1 to 2 ounces of horticultural oil into 1 gallon of water and spray the juniper. Coat the leaves and branches thoroughly. The treatment should be done every two weeks while the scale insects are present but should not be done more than four times.

How long do juniper bushes live?

Junipers grow very slowly. A juniper standing only five feet tall may be 50 years old. Junipers typically live from 350 to 700 years, with some even passing the millennium mark. Despite their longevity, junipers rarely exceed 30 feet in height or three feet in diameter.

Will juniper grow back from stump?

ANSWER: You are in luck! Juniperus ashei (Ashe juniper) trees do not regrow from cut stumps. If you cut the trees at about ground level the roots will die, and there will be no damage to nearby hardwood roots.

Do junipers attract bugs?

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) belong to the cypress plant family (Cupressaceae), and many varieties grow well as multibranched shrubs. Tolerant of various environmental conditions, these hardy bushes still occasionally attract various bugs.

Do junipers need fertilizer?

Fertilization and Watering Junipers respond well to a balanced fertilizer at planting such as two teaspoons of 10-10-10 per 1 gallon plant. Incorporate fertilizer into the soil or spread it around the plant, but avoid directly placing fertilizer into the planting hole.

Do junipers need a lot of water?

Watering. Evergreen junipers are extremely drought tolerant and prefer their soil on the dry side. Junipers need weekly watering for the first summer to develop an extensive root system. After the first summer, most junipers can rely on natural rainfall and fog for moisture.

How do you keep junipers small?

You’ll need to start selectively pruning a juniper bush by trimming back each branch’s terminal tip. This will reduce the length and weight of the branch, making it less likely to pull out from the trunk. You can also use an arbor tie to attach sagging branches to the central trunk.