Content
Juniperus Hibernika is a varietal crop whose historical homeland is Ireland. Since the middle of the 18th century, the variety of the Cypress family has spread in Europe; thanks to its frost resistance, the shrub has been grown for a long time and successfully in Russia. The main use of the variety is landscaping recreation areas and landscape design.
Description of juniper Hibernica
The perennial crop is a variety of common juniper, which is represented by tall and ground-cover varieties with a varied crown shape. The height of an adult Hibernica juniper reaches 4 m; among representatives of the species, the shrub is considered to be tall. The crown of the plant has a regular columnar shape. The branches are pressed against the trunk, so the volume of the shrub is only 1.2 m. Juniper forms a spamb, thanks to this property it is possible to give the plant all kinds of shapes and heights.
Over many years of cultivation in cold climates, Hibernika juniper has fully adapted to the weather conditions of the Central and European parts of Russia. A plant of this variety can be found in city squares and more northern regions.
Hibernik's drought resistance is average; in conditions of low humidity, the lower part loses its decorative appearance, the needles change color to brown and dry out. When grown in open areas, periodic watering is required. Feels comfortable on moist soils with periodic shading.
The Hibernica variety is a frost-resistant variety. Tolerates temperatures down to -30 well 0C. After freezing of annual shoots, it completely restores the crown during the season, which is also a feature of the species. Most varieties and hybrids do not recover after winter.
The perennial plant retains its beauty for a long time. Juniper can grow in one place for more than 100 years. The plant is unpretentious in care; due to its insignificant annual growth, it does not require constant crown formation.
External description of the juniper Hibernica, shown in the photo:
- The shape of the bush is narrow pyramidal, regular, compact. The branches are medium-sized, dark gray with a brown tint, tightly pressed to the main trunk. They are formed low to the ground, at an acute angle. The bark is uneven and scaly. The growth of young shoots begins from the middle of the bush; annual olive-colored branches are thin, growing straight upward.
- The needles are triangular, short, soft, light green with an ashen tint, the plant is evergreen, not deciduous, by autumn the needles turn a rich dark green color. The ends of the needles are pointed and non-thorny.It grows densely, without gaps.
- The root system is powerful, deepened up to 5 m into the ground.
- The berries of the common juniper Hibernica are medium in size, light green in the initial stage of ripening, then dark brown (closer to black).
Juniper Hibernika in landscape design
The main peak of the distribution of juniper Hibernica in Russia occurred in the middle of the last century. The crop was planted everywhere in recreation areas and formed the foreground of the administrative territory. Sanatoriums and holiday homes without juniper alleys lost their flavor.
A regular-shaped standard shrub is now used for urban landscaping; Hibernika juniper, shaped like a hedge, is planted in the sanitary zone of parks and in public places. The decorative columnar shrub is grown as a single element and planted in a row to create an alley. The design uses:
- in composition with low-growing conifers;
- as a tapeworm in the center of a flower bed;
- along the front entrance and on the sides of the building;
- to mark the rear perimeter of the rockery;
- on the sides of the alpine hill.
Common juniper Hibernica goes well with Nana Aurea, an unusual yellow conifer.
In landscape design, the combination of different forms looks interesting - the vertically growing juniper of the common Hibernicus and the horizontally creeping Variegata.
The crown of the plant is dense and lends itself well to pruning, so Hibernica juniper is planted in the center of the lawn and given all sorts of shapes.On a personal plot, the formation of a hedge is used, thus dividing the zones of the territory. The photo shows the common juniper Hibernika as an element of the design solution.
Planting and caring for juniper Hibernica
Common juniper Hibernika grows in any soil. The root is deep, so the composition of the soil does not matter for it. The tree grows for 10 years before it matures. Young juniper needs a fertile composition with good drainage, non-acidic, maybe slightly alkaline; the plant is indifferent to salt licks.
Juniper's drought resistance is average; if located in an area open to ultraviolet radiation, periodic sprinkling will be required. When the air is dry, the lower part of the bush dries out, and the crop loses its decorative effect. The partial shade behind the wall of the building and the crowns of tall trees is ideal for planting juniper. The crop will not grow in absolute shade or on waterlogged soil.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
The requirements for a purchased or independently grown seedling are as follows:
- the seedling must be two years old;
- with a strong healthy root system, without dry fragments;
- light green bark without mechanical damage;
- mandatory presence of needles.
Before planting, the root system is disinfected in a manganese solution, then placed for 25 minutes in a growth stimulator, “Etamon” is suitable.
The site and planting hole are prepared 2 weeks before placing the seedling. The area is dug up, and coarse river sand is added for better drainage. If the soil is acidic, it is neutralized with products containing alkali.Lighten the soil with peat, humus or compost. The planting hole is dug in accordance with the size of the root; at least 15 cm should remain to the edge of the recess. The depth is calculated according to the scheme: the length of the root to the neck plus 20 cm for the drainage layer, on average 65–70 cm.
Landing rules
Work begins with preparing the soil; it consists of peat, humus, leaves, sand and soil from the planting site (in equal proportions). If the soil is acidic, add 150 g of dolomite flour per 10 kg of mixture. If the acid-base indicator is normal, the mixture is left without additives. Landing algorithm:
- Gravel (20 cm) is poured onto the bottom.
- The prepared mixture is divided into two parts.
- Some of it is poured into a hole and a small cylindrical mound is made in the center.
- The seedling is placed vertically on a hill in the center.
- Distribute the roots, sort out the weaves.
- The rest of the soil is poured out gradually, carefully compacted each time so as not to damage the root or leave voids.
After planting is completed, the plant is watered and the root circle is mulched.
If the Hibernica juniper is distributed in one line, as a mass planting, the distance between the bushes is 1–1.2 m.
Watering and fertilizing
Watering is required, but for a young plant, wet soil can be disastrous. Juniper responds much better to daily sprinkling. Irrigation is carried out before sunrise. Young seedlings are watered at the root for two months with a small volume of water. There is no need to feed the plant; up to 2 years of growth, the seedling needs only the nutrient mixture added during planting.After this growing season, the root system deepens; there is no point in fertilizing.
Mulching and loosening
Immediately after planting the Hibernica juniper, the soil is mulched near the root with straw, sawdust or chopped bark. The composition of mulch for crops is not important; its main function is to maintain soil moisture. In autumn the layer is increased.
Loosening is recommended for young seedlings; it enriches the roots with oxygen and removes weeds. The frequency of weeding depends on growth weed. For an adult tree, the soil is not loosened, but mulched; the layer retains moisture well, and weeds do not grow under the thick crown. For an adult juniper, the development of weeds at the roots is not dangerous; weeding is purely cosmetic.
Trimming and shaping
In the spring, the Hibernika juniper is sanitized and dry and frozen shoots are cut off. If the plant has overwintered safely, there is no damage to the crown, and no pruning is carried out.
The bush is formed in accordance with the design decision. The standard plant can be grown to any height and the dense crown can be given the desired shape. Shearing is carried out in early spring or late autumn, when the sap flow of the crop is slow.
Preparing for winter
Preparatory work:
- An adult plant is given moisture-recharging irrigation.
- Increase the layer of mulch.
- Juniper branches are fragile and can break under the weight of snow; they are wound to the trunk in a spiral.
For young seedlings, in addition to mulch, branches are pressed to the trunk and wrapped with insulation. The top is covered with spruce branches and covered with snow in winter. These procedures are carried out on junipers up to four years of age.
How fast does Hibernica juniper grow?
The growth rate of juniper Hibernica is insignificant. A plant up to 10 years old grows no more than 25 cm per year.When the end point in height of the crop is reached, growth continues in volume - 5–10 cm. The crown does not increase more than 1.5 m.
Propagation of common juniper Hibernica
Common juniper Hibernika is propagated generatively and vegetatively.
Juniper seeds are rarely grown; the crop grows slowly, and generative cultivation is unprofitable. For the Hibernica variety, the cutting method is more suitable. The material is taken from annual shoots in the spring. You can propagate the shrub by layering if you can bend the lower branch and fix it to the ground; it must be taken into account that juniper has a fragile wood structure.
Diseases and pests
According to reviews from gardeners, the Hibernica juniper practically does not get sick. If there are no fruit trees nearby, there is no threat of bacterial and fungal infection. The situation with garden pests is more complicated. Parasitic on juniper Hibernica:
- Juniper sawfly - eliminated with Karbofos.
- Shchitovka – treated with appropriate insecticides.
- Aphid – branches with the main accumulation of pests are cut off and removed from the site, the plant is treated with contact biological agents.
Make sure that there are no anthills on the site; this is the main reason for the appearance of aphids on the Hibernika juniper.
Conclusion
Juniper Hibernica is a columnar-shaped perennial shrub that is a variety of common juniper. The variety is frost-resistant, does not require constant care, grows slowly, so there is no need for constant crown formation. It is used for decorating private areas and landscaping urban recreation areas.
