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Pruning Cossack juniper is necessary, first of all, in order to maintain the attractive appearance of the shrub; however, lack of care has virtually no effect on the development of the plant. The variety is one of the most unpretentious representatives of its family and is characterized by high drought resistance. The immunity of the Cossack juniper to air pollution is especially highly valued in landscape design - this characteristic allows the shrub to be used 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 its low growth rate. Thanks to this quality, the shrub tolerates shearing well and holds its crown shape for a long time, however, this cannot be fully attributed to Cossack juniper. The variety is considered one of the fastest growing species.
The lack of pruning does not have any significant negative impact on the health of the plant, however, it is recommended to periodically adjust the crown of the Cossack juniper, since the variety is quite branched. On a regular basis, only broken, dried out or diseased branches are usually removed, without affecting healthy shoots. Intensive pruning is resorted to only when it is necessary to change the decorative shape of the juniper, stop the processes of lateral growth, or change the direction of branch growth.
Thus, it is possible to trim the Cossack juniper, but this is not necessary if the decorative effect of the bush is not a priority.
Timing of cutting and formation of Cossack juniper
The formation of the crown of the Cossack juniper begins at the age of two. Pruning is carried out both in autumn and spring, in April and September, respectively. It is permissible to form the crown at a later date - in May or October.
Under no circumstances should juniper be pruned during 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 cut shoots do not heal at low temperatures. The recommended average daily air temperature during the pruning period should be at least +4°C.
Cossack juniper is pruned at intervals of 6 months, not more often, with emphasis placed 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 pruned by only 2 cm.
Pruning Cossack juniper in spring
In spring, pruning Cossack juniper is best done on a cloudy day. Immediately before starting the procedure, it is recommended to refresh the bush through moderate sprinkling. Branches should not be cut dry, especially on a hot sunny day, as this can cause the wounds to dry out. At high temperatures, moisture quickly evaporates from the cut surface, which leads to sunburn - the ends of the branches darken and curl.
In addition, moistened shoots are much more convenient to cut, since garden shears do not become 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 survive the winter well. At this time, only sanitary pruning is permissible, when damaged and diseased branches are removed from the bush, slightly thinning the crown.
Types of pruning of 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, adjusting the crown in case of strong thickening or growth, as well as stimulating shoot formation, due to which the shrub acquires 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 bush.
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 bush’s low stature and 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 by giving the bush a basic shape: a triangle, square or ball. All subsequent figures are gradually formed from it, gradually giving the bush more detailed outlines. At this stage, many gardeners use special templates for cutting ornamental garden crops. Juniper is pruned along the guide lines of such structures.
Topiary haircut of Cossack juniper
Topiary pruning of the crown (also formative or thinning) is aimed at controlling shoot formation and correcting excess density of the bush. Creeping varieties of juniper, which include Cossack, are pruned with a focus on the most well-placed branches. All excess shoots are removed. The next year, only young growth is cut off, 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 processes of lignification of the bush. Thus, juniper adapts better to low winter temperatures. In addition, it is necessary to cut off all bare shoots - those from which the needles have fallen off. Such branches do not form dormant buds, which means that they will not be able to become covered with needles again.
Sanitary pruning
This type of pruning is required for all types of juniper. It comes down to removing all damaged and diseased shoots, while healthy branches are not affected in the process.
Gardeners' tips for cutting and shaping Cossack juniper
In order to minimize stress for 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 deep - this is one of the most important rules that applies not only to coniferous plants. It is necessary to remove shoots and sprout buds only after the shape of the bush has been carefully considered. If you cut off a large number of buds, this can negatively affect the development of the bush - it will slow down or completely stop its growth. Sometimes too intense pruning leads to the death of the plant.
- The bare branches of the Cossack juniper, from which the needles have fallen off, 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 “to the ring” - completely, right to the base, or a very small stump is left. If this is not done, the exposed shoot will dry out over time and will spoil the appearance of the juniper.
- You cannot cut more than 1/3 of the total volume of green mass at one time. Otherwise, the bush may weaken and will not have time to recover before the onset of winter. This is especially true for varieties with slow growth rates - significant “bald spots” will be noticeable on them, which will heal only after a few seasons.
- Cuts should be made at an angle of 45°C. If you cut the branches across, 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 cuts must be disinfected. Most often, for this purpose they are treated with garden varnish.
- Garden pruning tools must be well sharpened. Dull scissors “chew” the ends of branches, resulting in sloppy and stringy cuts.After such pruning, the shoots take a long time to heal. In addition, pruning with a blunt instrument increases the risk of infection of the juniper.
- All tools for working with shrubs must be disinfected. To do this, they can be wiped with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- For greater crown density, the shrub is cut along 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 gain green mass. After pruning, the bush is also fed, but moderately.
- In order to stimulate crown growth, you can spray Cossack juniper with Epin solution.
You can learn more about 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 low growth rate, however, shoots that stand out from the general mass can give the shrub an untidy appearance. In landscape design, plants of this variety are used primarily to create hedges and decorate rocky slopes. Shrubs are also planted singly or in small groups to decorate the lawn.
