pruning creeping juniper

Pruning dead branches beneath the canopy of the creeping juniper will increase air circulation beneath the plant. Gently move the new growth on top of the plant to access dead branches beneath the foliage. Use sharp pruning sheers to snip the small twigs and branches that have no foliage.

How do you prune a creeping juniper?

Junipers (Juniperus)

To correct the shape, prune before new growth starts in the spring; lightly prune side branches to reduce their size and to bring the plant back into scale.
Prune spreading and creeping junipers by selectively cutting back to vigorous, lateral side branches.

When should junipers be pruned?

The best time to prune junipers is late winter and early spring just before growth begins. However, because junipers are usually very vigorous, they can be pruned almost any time.

Can junipers be cut back?

Junipers are hardy shrubs that can take severe pruning, but it is possible to kill them by pruning them back too far. ... They can be pruned at any time, but do heavy pruning in winter or early spring before growth starts. If the juniper is severely overgrown, it may be preferable to replace it.

How do you care for a creeping juniper?

Creeping Juniper Care

Light. Although juniper shrubs do not have any specific light requirement, they do grow well in full sun. ...
Water. Juniper bushes are drought tolerant, making them an ideal ground cover in hotter climates. ...
Soil. ...
Fertilizer. ...
Propagation. ...
Pruning. ...
Growing Problems. ...
Pests.

What can I substitute for juniper bushes?

Once the junipers are removed, what should you replace them with? Herbaceous plants, such as lawn, annual and perennial flowers and bulbs, that are kept green during fire season via irrigation. Deciduous shrubs, preferably less than two feet in height and under irrigation.

Why are my creeping junipers dying?

Though it is known as being quite hardy, the creeping juniper can begin to brown for a variety of reasons, including improper watering, poor soil conditions and pests. Blight can be a serious problem for creeping juniper and cannot only brown but can eventually kill the shrub.

How do you shape a juniper?

Thin out creeping junipers by removing center branches.

Use a pair of pruners or loppers to cut 30% of the central limbs out of the tree, opting for the most mature branches. Cut these branches into the dead zone to prevent them from growing back.

How do you get rid of overgrown junipers?

Use a Chainsaw to Cut the Bush Down

Cut the bush down to ground level using a chain saw or ax. This helps kill the bush and facilitates its removal. Wait at least a few days before removing the roots; if cutting down the bush kills the plant and the roots, the dry roots are easier to extract from the soil.

How long do juniper trees live?

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.

How do you care for junipers?

Water young shrubs well and mulch with pine needles or bark mulch to keep the soil evenly moist and weeds at bay. Fertilize in spring with a layer of compost and an organic plant food for evergreens. Prune junipers in spring after a spurt of new growth to shape the plant and remove dead, broken or diseased branches.

What can you do with juniper branches?

Juniper berries and roots can be used to make brown and purple dyes. The Blackfoot used juniper branches to floor their sweat lodges and to floor the Sun Dance lodge. Some proud Native American horse owners would bathe their horses in water in which juniper root had been soaked.

Can you trim a blue point juniper?

"Blue Point" is listed as growing to 7 to 8 feet but does indeed grow larger as you have discovered. Junipers can certainly be pruned, but unfortunately there is no way to discourage new growth by pruning. They are vigorous plants! Cutting the leader will encourage additional leaders to form.

Why is my juniper ground cover Brown?

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) are needle-leaved evergreens that are used in many landscapes. ... Insufficient and excessive watering as well as dog urine can cause the juniper's needles to turn brown and drop, but two diseases and two pests can also cause these symptoms. When left untreated, they can kill a juniper.

What is the lowest growing juniper?

Low-Growing Junipers

"Wilton" (Juniperus horizontalis "Wilton") grows only 6 inches high and spreads out 6 to 8 feet. "Wilton" has silver-blue foliage and grows well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10.

How fast does Juniper spread?

Creeping Juniper Characteristics

Most will spread about 8 feet. Some extend to 10 feet or more. If they are in a container or on a ledge, they will continue growing and “cascade” over the side. Creeping junipers usually expand their width by 1 to 2 feet each year.

How deep are the roots of a juniper tree?

The root system of a Juniper tree might grow 2 to 3 feet deep but the majority of the feeder roots responsible for absorbing nutrients are in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil.

Do junipers attract bugs?

Don't avoid planting juniper (Juniperus spp.) because you noticed bees or flies on a neighbor's tree or shrub. The annoying insects aren't attracted to the evergreen itself, but to the sticky sweet honeydew excreted by even smaller pests that feed commonly on junipers.

How do you kill a juniper?

Ashe junipers of any size can be killed by cutting at or slightly above the soil surface with an ax, chain saw, or hand-pruning shears. Redberry juniper seedlings and saplings can also be killed if cut at the soil surface, as long as the “bud zone” (a swollen “bulb” on the basal stem) is still above the soil surface.

How do you know when a juniper is dying?

If the branches are flexible and full of sap, they're still alive. 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.

What is the best fertilizer for junipers?

Incorporate fertilizer into the soil or spread it around the plant, but avoid directly placing fertilizer into the planting hole. Established junipers will benefit from a complete fertilizer such as 16-4-8 or 12-4-8 applied at a rate of 1/2 lb. per 100 square feet in early spring and again in late summer.

How do you save a dying juniper bush?

Try to keep the foliage dry when watering or water early in the day so foliage dries quickly. Prune out the blighted parts as they appear and sterilize your pruners between cuts and, most importantly, between plants.