Content
- 1 Description of juniper medium Old Gold
- 2 Winter hardiness zone of juniper Old Gold
- 3 Juniper medium Old Gold in landscape design
- 4 Planting and caring for Chinese juniper Old Gold
- 5 Propagation of juniper pfitzeriana Old Gold
- 6 Diseases and pests of juniper media Old Gold
- 7 Conclusion
- 8 Reviews of juniper medium Old Gold
Old Gold juniper is used in garden design as one of the best varieties of coniferous shrubs with golden foliage. The bush is unpretentious in care, winter-hardy, and retains high decorative qualities throughout the year. The plant is undemanding to soil quality and the environment, therefore suitable for planting in urban landscapes.
Description of juniper medium Old Gold
Medium juniper (juniperus pfitzeriana Old Gold) is a coniferous evergreen plant with a greater growth in width than in height. One of the most beautiful varieties of juniper with golden needles. The variety was obtained in Holland in the middle of the last century.
The long-growing shrub adds about 5-7 cm in height and 15-20 cm in diameter every year. By the age of 10 years, the height of the Old Gold juniper is 50 cm and the width is 1 m.Subsequently, the bush grows only in diameter, the maximum size of which can reach 3 m. Thus, in adulthood, the bush forms a symmetrical, flat and dense crown of bright color.
When grown in sunny areas, the needles acquire a golden hue, turning into a bronze color in cold weather. The needles are distinguished by their grace and retain a pleasant shade throughout the year.
When growing juniper, it is necessary to take into account that parts of the plant are poisonous; children or animals should not be allowed to pick them.
Winter hardiness zone of juniper Old Gold
The winter hardiness zone of juniper pfitzeriana Old Gold is 4. This means that the crop is able to tolerate winter temperatures in the range of -29... -34°C. The 4th frost resistance zone includes most of Central Russia.
Juniper medium Old Gold in landscape design
In landscape design they are used in single and group plantings on lawns and in compositions with other plants. In container culture they are used to decorate balconies and loggias, in open ground - borders and flower beds.
Low-growing junipers are used to decorate the lower rows of coniferous corners with the participation of other evergreen crops, for example, pines and thujas, and other varieties of junipers. When planting a young plant in open ground, one should take into account the growth of the crown diameter of the Old Gold juniper by 2.5-3 m.
Old Gold juniper is used in joint plantings with hydrangeas and heather. Bulb crops are planted in the rows of the juniper alley:
- tulips;
- hyacinths;
- gladioli;
- decorative bow.
Planting and caring for Chinese juniper Old Gold
Juniper Old Gold is planted in open, sunny areas. When growing in the shade, shrubs become shapeless, with a loose crown and lose their decorative qualities. Junipers are planted in places where melt and rain water do not linger.
The crop is unpretentious in terms of soil, but soils with weak or neutral acidity are preferred for planting. You can prepare light and loose, well-drained soil yourself and fill the planting hole with it. The soil mixture for planting is prepared from 2 parts peat and 1 part each turf soil and sand. You can also add forest juniper litter to the substrate.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Young plants with a closed root system are watered before planting to make it easier to remove the earthen ball. The root system is sprayed with growth stimulants. For a single planting, prepare a hole several times larger than the earthen ball. For group plantings, dig a trench.
A drainage layer of about 20 cm is poured onto the bottom of the planting hole. Sand, small stones or broken bricks are used as drainage.
Landing rules
Seedlings can be transplanted at any warm time, choosing a cloudy day. The plant is placed in the planting hole without deepening so that the root collar is 5-10 cm above the soil level.
After filling the planting hole, the soil is lightly pressed and an earthen roller is made around the tree trunk. This way, when watering, the water will not spread. After planting, pour a bucket of water into the root zone. In the next week, the juniper is also regularly watered. For better survival, the bush is shaded at first.
When transplanting a seedling from a place of temporary germination, it is necessary to observe the cardinal directions in which it grew before.
Watering and fertilizing
Old Gold juniper is drought-resistant, so it is watered several times during the dry season. For irrigation, use about 30 liters of water per plant. The shrub does not tolerate dry air well, so it must be sprayed once a week, in the evening.
The crop needs fertilizing infrequently; it is enough to apply 40 g per 1 sq. m in mid-spring. m nitroammofoski or "Kemiry-universal", in the ratio of 20 g of the drug per 10 liters of water. Granular fertilizer is scattered around the tree trunk, covered with a small layer of soil and watered. Organic fertilizers are not used for fertilizing. Manure or bird droppings cause burns to the root system.
Mulching and loosening
Surface loosening is necessary for young junipers; it is carried out together with weeding and after watering. Mulching the soil helps protect the roots from overheating and has a decorative function. Tree bark and wood chips, stones, and nut shells are used for mulch. The protective layer is poured 5-7 cm high.
Trimming and shaping
The plant does not require regular pruning. But the shrub lends itself well to formative pruning, which is carried out 1-2 times a year.Formative pruning becomes especially necessary when growing Old Gold juniper in containers. In spring, remove broken shoots.
When pruning shoots, it is necessary to use protective equipment so that the juice or resin of the plant does not get on the mucous membrane. Because parts of the plant contain toxic compounds.
Preparing for winter
The frost resistance of Old Gold juniper allows it to be left for the winter without shelter. But young, small-sized Old Gold juniper is recommended to be protected. To do this, the tree trunk circle is insulated with a thick layer of sawdust or peat. When there is little snow cover, the crown is covered with spunbond. In order to protect the uncovered crown from sunburn in early spring, plants are shaded with screens.
In the spring, snow from the Old Gold juniper must be swept away so that when it melts, it does not break the shoots and create moisture stagnation. After the snow melts, the old mulch is removed from under the bush and new mulch is added.
Wintering juniper Old Gold in an apartment
The description of coastal juniper Old Gold states that it can be grown in container culture. To prevent the root system in the containers from freezing in the winter, the plants are brought indoors. But in winter it is necessary for the plant to be at rest, so the temperature should not be high. A warm loggia is well suited for wintering. During bright sunshine, it is necessary to have the possibility of shading so that the plant does not overheat.
Propagation of juniper pfitzeriana Old Gold
Decorative forms of juniper are propagated by cuttings. Planting material is taken only from adult 8-10 year old bushes.In early spring, cuttings about 10 cm long are cut, the lower part of which should have lignification. The bottom of the cutting 5 cm is freed from needles and soaked in growth stimulants.
Further rooting occurs in planting containers filled in equal parts with a mixture of sand and peat. It takes about a month for the root system to develop. After this, the seedling is transferred to open ground, where it is left for the winter, covered with spruce branches. So, the plant is grown for several years, and then it is transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
Diseases and pests of juniper media Old Gold
Juniper (juniperus media Old Gold) is disease resistant and is rarely attacked by pests. But after wintering, weak plants may suffer from desiccation and sunburn, and become infected.
Rust infection in juniper most often occurs when growing near pome fruit trees - plants that are intermediate hosts of fungal formations. The affected areas are cut out and burned. To prevent other fungal diseases, spring preventive spraying is carried out with fungicides or preparations containing copper.
When anthills are close together, aphids appear on the juniper. Insects especially harm young shoots, inhibiting their development. Aphids are washed off from infested areas with water or soap solution, covering the roots from liquid soap. The procedure is carried out until the parasites completely disappear.
Spider mites appear on the bush during the dry period. A cobweb appears at the site of the lesion, the needles turn brown and then fall off.To prevent the appearance of insects, juniper must be periodically sprayed to increase air humidity. For large areas of infection, acaricides are used.
Conclusion
Juniper Old Gold is used for year-round landscaping. The unpretentiousness of the culture allows it to be used for decorative purposes even by novice gardeners. A small annual growth allows you to grow Old Gold juniper at home, as well as in container culture outdoors.
