Juniper Goldkissen

Juniper Goldkissen, popularly called the "golden pillow", this instance looks great on garden plots, small parks and in courtyards. The original shape of the middle Goldkissen, the small size and pleasant color of the juniper makes this variety a favorite among landscape designers, and the reviews about the Goldkissen juniper among gardeners are extremely positive.

Juniper Goldkissen: variety description

Juniper Goldkissen: photo

The Goldkissen plant is not whimsical, even a beginner can cope with its planting, care and cultivation after studying the appropriate materials. The frost resistance of the variety is ideal for growing in a temperate climatic zone, it is in it that most of our huge country is located and having decorated your garden with such a plant, you can not worry that the plant will not withstand the cold weather.

Goldkissen is a medium-sized juniper, belongs to cypress and a subclass of conifers. The geography of cultivation is quite wide, the plant is grown in three zones: moderate (80%), subarctic and subtropical (10% each). Goldkissen is a generic term that includes several types of coniferous plants.

The Gildkissen variety is a hybrid bred by crossing Chinese (Juniperus chinensis) and Cossack (Juníperus sabína) junipers. The variety was obtained at the end of the nineteenth century by the German breeder Pfitzerian, when you hear the name "Pfetzerian juniper", keep in mind that this is the variety described in our article. Also, the name often indicates "average", this characterizes the dimensions of the plant, it was over the size of the bush that Pfitzer conducted the experiment for several years until he received the desired result.

The dimensions of an adult plant and resistance to cold temperatures are the main features of the Goldkissen variety, they are a fat plus when choosing a gardener.

Juniper Goldkissen average in height reaches only one meter, while by the age of 10 it stretches only up to 0.5 meters. In a year, the growth of the plant is 10 cm, and the diameter, together with the green mass, is 2-2.2 meters. Spreading bush, feathery branches densely located on the trunk at the basal rosette. The angle of inclination of the branches varies from 35 to 55 degrees, young shoots slightly look down, the lower branches almost lie on the ground. It is preferable to plant a juniper on the sunny side, although it also tolerates partial shade well, landing in windy areas is permissible. The lowest temperature that Goldkissen can tolerate is minus 25 degrees. Core root system. The soil for planting is preferable to light and weak acidity, not whimsical in terms of the fertility of the land, but frequent loosening is necessary in the care.

The color of the needles of the Goldkissen juniper is a pale green needle-like type. Fresh shoots are covered with sandy-golden scales throughout the area. When pruning branches, more of the needed needles become darker and coarser to the touch.

The Goldkissen juniper becomes the most attractive in terms of territory design in the last spring month and at the beginning of summer, the bush shimmers with yellow-green shades. Goldkissen's fruits are poisonous, it rarely bears fruit, but in combination with the colors of its needles and dull plum berries, it becomes even more beautiful.The toxicity of the juniper fruit is the response of one of the parents of the hybrid, namely the Cossack juniper, which is completely poisonous. The first berries on the Goldkissen juniper will decorate your bush 2 years after planting in a permanent place.

Medium Goldkissen Juniper in Landscaping

The compact size of the middle Goldkissen juniper is perfect for the formation of landscape design in small gardens, the design of park areas and adjoining plots. The Goldkissen juniper can be used both as a hedge and for strengthening and compaction of slopes. The juniper variety described in this article looks great on the "alpine slides" so beloved now, in plantings in several steps, it also looks great when planted separately.

Preparing to land at a permanent location

Before moving the seedling to the main planting site, prepare a plan, paying attention to the following points:

• The amount of light your plant will receive.
• The composition of the soil by trace elements and the location of groundwater
• Consider the size and volume of the root system.
• Consider neighboring plants, the convenience of caring for them together with juniper and possible pests and diseases.

With a well-prepared planting scheme, the root system of the middle Goldkissen juniper will adapt to a new place as calmly as possible, and over time, the growing lateral processes will receive enough space. Note that the roots of the variety are quite powerful rod-type and do not tolerate transplants from place to place.

The reasons for the transplant can be the following indicators:

• Incorrectly drawn up planting scheme, which is why the bushes become cramped during growth.
• Plants located nearby do not coexist well with this juniper variety.
• Redevelopment of a garden, landscape or flower bed design.

One of the advantages of Goldkissen is its frost resistance, but there is always a minus for plus, the plant almost does not tolerate drought. To avoid drying out the soil, give preference to herbaceous perennials as neighboring plants. The shrub fits perfectly into the "alpine hills" with their flowers and decoration with stones, the coniferous and pyramidal congeners of the juniper are also perfectly combined. Housewives on a note: the hedges from Goldkissen create such coziness that you want to drink coffee for hours in the gazebo next to it.

Planting and leaving

It is better for inexperienced gardeners not to experiment with independent reproduction, but to give preference to a mature young seedling purchased in an appropriate nursery with already prepared soil. The seedling is ready to move to a permanent planting site at the age of 3-4 years, it is at this point that the root system of a young plant becomes strong enough for transplantation and rooting. This is certainly not the only item in the process of planting and caring for the Goldkissen juniper.

Sapling and planting site

We already wrote above that Goldkissen is not picky in terms of sunlight, he will take root well both on the sunny side and in light partial shade. In the southern regions, under the scorching sun and frequent dry weather, coniferous shrubs can die, so when choosing a place, keep in mind that everything should be within reasonable limits. By placing the plant to the side, where the shadow is almost constant, Goldkissen becomes darker in color and the golden color disappears, the density of the branches thins. Despite the fact that the root system of the shrub is powerful and strong, with an excess of moisture, they begin to rot. As a result, we can safely say that the soil for the described variety is suitable for two types: light or heavy, but in the second version, drainage is required.

The moment that should not be missed is the dimensions of an adult bush, they must be included in the planting scheme.In addition to interfering with normal development, a tight fit will also be inconvenient for you to handle in nursing. Neighboring landings should also not interfere in any way.

The Goldkissen variety must be loosened after watering.

Landing basis

The planting period of the Goldkissen variety falls from mid-April to the first days of May, the second option is autumn planting in the first half of September. When planting a juniper, a little trick will help you, do it in the evening.

When digging a hole for planting and choosing its size, be guided by the earthen lump of the seedling. Plus, be sure to keep in mind that the bottom for transplanting a young plant is covered with a drainage layer of twenty centimeters. When transferring the juniper, the root collar should be flush with the ground level of the plot next to the planting. If the soil on the site is light, then drainage is not necessary, the bottom is covered with sand and fertilized. On average, the size of the hole is from 50 to 70 cm, in simple terms, the volume of the prepared hole exceeds the size of the earthen coma by 2-2.5 times. When planting a juniper for a hedge, the distance between the bushes is laid at one and a half or two meters. The cast shadow from the plants adjacent to the juniper is also taken into account.

The preparation of the pit begins 14 days before the planting of the juniper seedling. Fertilizers of the following content are poured in advance: peat, river sand, turf in a ratio of 2-1-1.

If the acidity of the prepared soil is higher than 5, then it is additionally treated with lime. Sandy loam and loamy soil are best suited for the Goldkissen variety. Wild varieties of juniper grow on almost any terrain, including rocky, but still more ornamental plants are more delicate, and therefore light nutritious soil is in the first place for them.

On the day the plant is transferred to a permanent place, the seedling is watered abundantly without removing it from the container. To help a young bush, it is better to adapt and transplant, gardeners add auxiliary preparations, such as Kornevina, to this watering. The prepared hole is moistened abundantly with water the day before planting. When carrying out the transfer of the seedling to a permanent place, the juniper is positioned, in the same way in relation to the sun, as in the pot before transplanting. A lump with a root system is closed with the same nutrient mixture of sand, peat and soil that was laid out on the bottom of the pit. The soil is compacted, and the whole process is performed in 2-3 repetitions. The last stage of transplantation consists in processing the perimeter of the root zone with sawdust or chips.

If you decide to move your Goldkissen to a new location, then preparation should begin one year before the transplant. In autumn, the juniper is dug around the perimeter to cut the roots. This action will prepare the root system for easy transfer and adaptation.

Top dressing and watering

The Goldkissen variety does not tolerate heat, you will not find this plant in a tropical climate, but in our southern latitudes it grows and develops. To avoid the death and drying out of the plant, it is necessary to carry out high-quality watering, irrigation is carried out both in the morning and in the evening. Pay special attention to seedlings in the first two seasons after transplanting to a permanent place.

Up to four years old, the root system of a young plant is weak. Therefore, the irrigation scheme, including the frequency and volume of water, is directly related to the development of roots. Most attention is paid to soil moisture in the first year after transfer to a permanent place. Further, it all depends on the climatic and weather conditions, the quality and characteristics of the soil and the region of planting.

Here are the norms for the irrigation of juniper middle Goldkissen:

• 5 liters twice a week for a bush diameter of half a meter.
• 10 liters 2 times a week per bush meter in diameter.
• 15 liters and 20 liters once a week for one and a half and two meters in diameter of the bush.

The above mentioned norms are an approximate calculation and it may vary.In a subtropical climate, in regions near the Leningrad region or the Moscow region, the entire Western part of Russia, in these territories, the soil retains moisture due to the natural natural conditions of the climate. Excess water damages almost all plants and juniper is no exception, excess moisture is a favorable breeding ground for fungal infections.

We have already indicated in our article that the Goldkissen variety takes root well even in non-fertile soils, but if you feed it, the plant will delight you. Compost is a universal form of fertilization; all coniferous hybrids respond well to such nutrition. This type of fertilizer is organic and consists of rotten leaves. All fertilization of Goldkissen juniper is carried out in relation to young bushes, adult plants that have formed a root system and green mass do not need replenishment.

Mulching and processing

Of all the care products in relation to Goldkissen Medium, the most important is loosening. It is necessary for both young seedlings and mature mature plants. In conifers, the root system is most susceptible to the development of microorganisms in it, it is thanks to this interaction of the two species that they have been growing on the planet for many millennia.

I carry out processing with sawdust (mulching), give preference to rotted sawdust from the same coniferous or bark. Thanks to mulching, the amount of weeds will be reduced, the soil will become loose and sufficiently moist.

Pruning

The juniper of the Goldkissen variety is medium in terms of pruning is not difficult, even a beginner can do all the manipulations. This type of care is performed not only from the aesthetic side of the formation of the crown of the bush, but also as a sanitary care. Pruning is done twice a year in spring and fall. Please note that if your juniper is planted as a hedge, then crown processing is performed as needed so that the appearance does not deteriorate.

Preparing for the cold

The Goldkissen variety tolerates the cold of our latitudes well, such an indicator of this culture greatly facilitates the autumn preparation of the bush for winter. It is important that young plants that have not reached the age of five years from the moment of transplantation to a permanent place are obligatory for shelter for the cold period of the year.

Frost protection options for an adult juniper vary depending on the climate in which it grows. In the climate of the Moscow region, where the height of the precipitation is quite high, I tie the bush around the perimeter with polyamide ropes or twine, giving the plant the shape of a triangle with an acute angle so that they do not get damaged by the severity of the snow. After tying, the bush is covered with an environmentally friendly material such as burlap.

In the southern regions of our country, in which winters are not so severe, the juniper is covered with spruce branches and the soil around the bush is mulched with a layer of up to fifteen centimeters from peat or sawdust.

Reproduction

In 80 percent, the Goldkissen juniper is propagated vegetatively. Cuttings are cut at the end of May and beginning of June. In the prepared soil mixture, the cuttings are strengthened with the appearance of the first shoots. The mixture includes: peat, sand and humus. The container with cuttings is covered with a thick dark film and the moisture content of the mixture is controlled. After the shoots have taken root, the film is removed and continues to grow in individual containers for four to five years, room conditions or greenhouse conditions are suitable for growth and development, they will be ideal in terms of temperature and humidity.

Experienced gardeners can get a Goldkissen sapling of cone-berry seeds, but the advantages of this method are questionable due to the time and labor costs.

The collected juniper fruits are dipped in wet sand for 30 days.For a month the container is in room temperature conditions, after which the box is transferred to a room with an air temperature of 15 degrees. The seed sand is preferably mixed with the soil from under the juniper bush. It contains the connection between fungi and root cells necessary for the development of a young seedling. The seeds are covered with sawdust and their moisture is monitored. Observing these conditions, you can see the seedlings next spring.

When choosing a container for growing, take containers of at least 12 cm so that the root system of the juniper can develop correctly.

Diseases and pests

When deciding on a permanent planting site for your plant, avoid the close location of fruit trees and berry bushes, such a neighborhood will not affect the best for both.

The main insects enemies of the Goldkissen juniper are as follows:

• Moth... Most of all damages the crown of the plant. The pest goes through the entire life cycle, from eggs to a butterfly, colonizing a juniper. The fight against moths is carried out mainly by chemical means, such as "confidor" or an eight percent solution of karbofos.
• Aphid... The main damage is inflicted on the entire non-green mass of juniper, also bypassing the roots of the plant. With small foci of defeat, you can fight with folk remedies, with large-scale only chemicals. ("Istra", "Calypso")
• Juniper sawfly destroys needles, using its internal tissues, shoots also suffer. To avoid being hit by this pest, loosen around the perimeter of a close circle; fufanon is perfect for destroying the insect.

Summarizing all the pests, we can safely say that it is necessary to deal with them immediately and without delay, and it is imperative to re-treat, taking into account all stages of insect development

Fruit trees are susceptible to fungal diseaseswhich they can tolerate with proper care, but these same diseases can kill junipers. Goldkissen, in turn, as a coniferous plant, is susceptible to "rust", which in turn can infect fruit trees. Pruning the plant and treating it with ten percent Bordeaux liquid will help you fight these diseases. In an emergency, the bush is transplanted to a new place, the swelling of the bark and the covering of the branches of the plant with mucus will serve as an indicator for implementation.

As a preventive measure, many gardeners use perennials, such as violets and nasturtiums. The aroma of these flowers is not pleasant to insect pests and due to this, the dominance of juniper parasites is reduced. In addition, perennials are perfectly combined visually with the Goldkissen juniper, so you and the landscape will decorate and protect the bush. For the shady side, take echinacea, and plant viburnum or jasmine next to the feathery Goldkissen.

Conclusion

In this article, we have summarized all the necessary information. Goldkissen is included in the lists of the most popular landscape plants. On the territory of our country, this "handsome" is only gaining its popularity in the direction of natural design and landscaping. It looks perfect in filling small areas, due to its compact size, shape and color, it is aesthetically compatible with most plants. And the simplicity of care does not leave indifferent both beginners and experienced gardeners, rest assured the average Goldkissen will find its place both in your garden and in your heart.