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Juniper Meyeri is a durable, frost-resistant, coniferous plant that will decorate any garden plot. The conifer gained great popularity for its beauty and unpretentiousness. Meyeri is a fairly large evergreen shrub; an adult tree reaches a height of up to 4 m.
Description of juniper scaly Meieri
Juniper Meyeri belongs to the ground cover plants of the Cypress family. The ephedra forms a bowl-shaped crown of irregular shape, up to 3 m in diameter. Lateral, flowing branches give the shrub an unusual, fountain-like appearance. Juniper scaly Meieri is a slow-growing shrub, annual growth is 15 cm.
Flexible shoots are covered with thick needles, the length of the needles reaches 10 mm. The conifer gained its popularity for the unusual color of its needles. In mid-May, during the period of active development, the bush is covered with gray-blue needles.
A well-branched root system is located superficially, so an area with surface groundwater is not suitable for planting.
Single-seeded fruits, in the form of cones, are dark gray in color.
Juniper scaly Meieri gave birth to new varieties:
- Blue Star – the needles are arranged in the shape of miniature stars.
- Blue carpet - a ground cover shrub that spreads along the ground, forming a silvery-blue carpet.
- Compacta - a new variety that gardeners immediately fell in love with.
Brief description of juniper scaly Meyeri Compacta:
- a small plant, the height reaches up to half a meter;
- the densely growing needles are painted in a silvery, heavenly color;
- the species is frost-resistant;
- Prefers an open, sunny area and well-drained soil.
To reveal the beauty of juniper scaly Meyeri, you need to look at the photo.
Juniper Meieri in landscape design
Thanks to its unusual needles, the Meyeri scaly juniper looks decorative, so it is often used to decorate a summer cottage. The shrub is planted on alpine hills, in rose gardens, rocky and coniferous gardens. Due to its small annual growth, the shrub is planted in flower tubs and used to decorate roofs, terraces, verandas, balconies and loggias.
Planting and caring for juniper scaly Meieri
Scaly juniper Meyeri juniperussquamatameyeri is an unpretentious conifer that, with proper care, will decorate your garden plot.The key to good growth and development depends on the correctly selected seedling, planting and compliance with growing rules.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Before purchasing Meyeri juniper, you must carefully study the description, view photos and videos. You need to buy seedlings from trusted suppliers or a nursery. A correctly selected seedling should have:
- bark – evenly colored, free from cracks, damage and signs of disease;
- the root system should be well developed and entwine the earthen ball;
- needles are evenly colored.
It is better to purchase Meyeri juniper squamosus seedlings when they are 2 years old, as the young plant will take root faster in a new location.
Ephedra prefers a well-lit place. When planted in the shade, the shrub will lose its decorative effect: the color of the needles will fade, the bark will become uneven, and the crown will thin out. The shrub is unpretentious in terms of soil composition. But it grows best in fertile, well-drained soil with neutral acidity.
The plant can be planted in an open area, as it is not afraid of drafts and gusty winds.
To ensure that the young seedling quickly takes root in a new place, does not get sick in the future and develops well, the roots are treated with the drug “Kornevin” before planting.
Landing rules
Planting and caring for Meyeri juniper is simple. The main thing is to promptly follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
Meieri's scaly juniper is planted in the spring, after the air temperature warms up to + 6 °C. The seedling is planted according to a certain scheme:
- The planting hole is dug 2 times larger than the root system.
- If several plants are planted, the interval between holes should be at least 1.5 m.
- A 15 cm layer of drainage (sand, broken brick, pebbles, expanded clay) is laid at the bottom.
- The seedling is carefully removed from the container and placed in the center of the hole with a lump of earth.
- The seedling is sprinkled with nutritious soil, compacting each layer so as not to leave any air space.
- The earth is compacted, watered and mulched.
- During the first time after planting, juniper is hidden from direct sunlight.
In order for juniper scaly Meyeri to quickly take root and grow, it is necessary to carry out timely care. Caring for the plant does not require any special skills, so even an inexperienced gardener can grow it.
Watering and fertilizing
Juniper scaly Meieri is a drought-resistant plant, so in rainy summers it can be left without watering. In the hot, dry season, watering is carried out once a week. Also, the conifer will not refuse irrigation using the sprinkling method. This procedure will remove dust from the needles, increase air humidity and fill the air with a pleasant aroma.
If the seedling is planted in nutritious soil, then fertilizing begins after 2-3 years. An adult plant is fertilized in spring and autumn. Spring feeding is necessary for good growth; nitrogen fertilizers are used for this. In the fall, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is applied. It will help the juniper to better cope with winter frosts.
Bird droppings and fresh manure should not be used as fertilizing, as they cause burns to the root system, which will lead to the death of the plant.
Mulching and loosening
After watering, carefully loosen and weed the weeds. The tree trunk circle is mulched. Peat, hay, dry leaves or pine needles can be used as mulch. Mulch will make the gardener’s work much easier: it will retain moisture and stop growth. weed and will become an additional organic fertilizer.
How to prune Meieri juniper
Juniper Meieri tolerates crown formation well. This is done in early spring, before the sap flows, using a sharp, sterile instrument.
In the spring, they also carry out sanitary pruning, getting rid of unwintered, broken and diseased shoots. After pruning, juniper scaly Meieri must be treated with fungicides.
Shelter for the winter of juniper scaly Meieri
Juniper scaly Meieri is a frost-resistant conifer, so it does not need protection from the cold. Since an adult plant has flexible, curved shoots, so that they do not bend under the weight of snow, they are tied together.
In order for a weakened young plant to survive the winter safely, it needs to be covered for the first 2-3 years. For this use:
- snow - throw a snowdrift onto the connected structure and make sure that it does not freeze and cannot harm the plant;
- spruce branches - pine branches perfectly allow moisture and air to pass through and at the same time protect young shrubs from strong winds and spring sun rays;
- non-woven material - a part of the plant is covered with agrofibre, leaving space for fresh air to enter.
In regions with a harsh climate and little snowy winters, young Meyeri juniper is dug up, transplanted into a container and brought into a cool room.
Propagation of juniper Meyeri Compacta
Juniper scaly Meieri can be propagated in several ways:
- cuttings;
- seeds;
- bends.
The best time for cuttings is considered to be spring, after formative pruning. To do this, cuttings 10-15 cm long are cut from the pruned branches. For better root formation, the seedlings are kept for several hours in a solution of “Kornevin” or “Epin”. Then the planting material is buried at an acute angle into the fertilized soil by 1.5 cm. For quick rooting, a microgreenhouse is made, where the temperature will be kept within + 20 °C. After 3 months, the cuttings will take root, and after 12 months they will be ready to be transplanted to a permanent location.
Seed propagation is a difficult, painstaking task, so it is better for a novice gardener not to undertake this propagation method.
The use of offsets is the easiest method of propagating juniper scaly Meieri. A healthy, lower, young branch is placed in a trench and covered with earth, leaving the top above the soil surface. The soil is shed and mulched. After 6 months, the shoot will take root and can be separated from the mother plant.
Diseases and pests of juniper scaly Meieri Compacta
Juniper scaly Meieri is resistant to many diseases. But when grown in regions with an unstable climate, exceptions are possible. Also, young, fragile plants are often exposed to various diseases and attacks by insect pests.
Fusarium – a fungal disease that often progresses with excess moisture and insufficient lighting.In the initial stage, the disease affects the root system. Without treatment, the fungus rises to the crown, the needles turn yellow, dry out and fall off.
Drying of shoots - when the disease occurs, the wood begins to dry out, growths form on it, the shoots turn yellow, and the needles fall off. The fungus overwinters under the bark and if autumn treatment is not carried out, the disease will begin to progress with renewed vigor in early spring.
Alternaria blight – the fungus affects only the lower branches. A sign of the disease is the brown color of the needles and a pronounced black coating on the bark. Without treatment, the branches will begin to dry out. The cause of the disease is considered to be dense planting.
Fungicides will help get rid of diseases.
Spider mite – the needles are covered with a thin web, over time it dries out and falls off.
Shchitovka – the pest attacks fruits and needles. The plant stops growing and developing, the needles dry out and fall off. Without treatment, juniper drops all its needles, thereby losing its decorative appearance.
Such drugs as Iskra, Aktara, Kodifor and Fufanon will help you cope with pests.
Conclusion
Juniper Meyeri is a beautiful, durable, coniferous plant that, with minimal care, will decorate your garden plot. Thanks to its sky-gray color, the shrub looks great in rock gardens, rose gardens, among perennial flowers, in rocky and coniferous gardens.
