Juniper Gray Oul

It is not for nothing that evergreen coniferous shrubs enjoy the sympathy of garden owners and landscape designers. Unpretentious juniper bushes stand out for their persistent character and feel great even in adverse environmental conditions. Many varieties of juniper can successfully withstand both severe frosts and prolonged droughts. The species diversity of these representatives of the Cypress family allows you to choose a variety that is suitable in size and color, based on the area of ​​the site and the design wishes of its owner. In the conditions of the northern regions with their harsh winters, winter-hardy varieties, for example, the Virginian juniper Gray Oul, are especially popular. How to grow it and how to properly care for juniper bushes of this variety will be discussed in this article.

Virginia juniper Gray Oul: plant description

Virginia Juniper Gray Oul

Juniperus virginiana Gray Owl belongs to the sprawling varieties of these coniferous shrubs. The diameter of the crown of an adult Gray Oul bush can reach 5 m.

This variety cannot boast of a fast growth rate. Its shoots elongate very slowly, the annual growth is about 15 cm. The height of adult juniper bushes of the Gray Oul variety averages 3 m.

The crown of the shrub has a smoky blue color and resembles a funnel in shape. The needles on it are rather soft, not prickly.

The variety "Gray Oul" is endowed with all the qualities necessary for successful growth in the conditions of the northern regions of Russia. To his merits include the following characteristics:

• high resistance to severe frosts and drought;
• the ability to survive in conditions of gas and dustiness of the air, which makes it possible to grow the Gray Oul juniper in an urban environment and near highways;
• early ripening of fruits;
• the ability to reproduce in various ways - by seed, cuttings, the formation of layers;
• undemanding care;
• long-term preservation of the shape of the crown after cosmetic trimming.

TO weaknesses varieties "Gray Oul" can be attributed to the slow growth rate of its shoots, as well as a low percentage of survival rate of bushes after transplantation. It is undesirable to transplant adult plants to new places. This causes them a lot of stress, from which juniper bushes may not recover.

How Juniper Virginia Gray Oul is used by landscape designers

Juniper Gray Oul: photo of the variety

Grade "Gray Oul" deservedly enjoys recognition among landscape designers around the world. The reason for this is its ability to maintain the shape of the crown for a long time after pruning, as well as a pleasant color scheme.

The color of the juniper needles changes depending on the season. In summer, the crowns of the Gray Oul bushes delight the eye with light blue shades of needles. In autumn, gray specks of fruit appear on a bluish background. And in winter, it's time to admire the beauty of the lilac shoots.

The winter hardiness of this variety makes it suitable for growing practically throughout the entire territory of Russia. With the help of sprawling juniper bushes, you can create various garden compositions - group plantings, single accents, a background for other plants.

Instructions for growing juniper Gray Oul

Due to its unpretentious nature, juniper Virginia "Gray Oul" successfully takes root in rather harsh climatic conditions, on any soil, regardless of the degree of illumination of the site.

Meanwhile, this coniferous shrub can fully show its decorative qualities, being planted taking into account its preferences.

Adhering to agrotechnical guidelines for planting Gray Oul juniper seedlings and caring for mature bushes will help you grow lush juniper bushes in your garden without any problems.

Preparation for planting seedlings in open ground

The quality of the planting material directly affects the success of the entire process of growing juniper bushes. Seedlings should be purchased only from trusted manufacturers or sellers.

Before buying, you need to inspect young bushes. Shoots should not be damaged or show signs of disease, and there should be no wounds or rotten processes on the roots. The root system must be sufficiently formed - otherwise, the chances that the plant will take root in a new place are significantly reduced.

The needles of a healthy seedling usually have a rich color and do not crumble. The youngest of the already formed seedlings should be chosen. After all, the younger the bush, the faster it adapts to new conditions for itself.

Seedlings can be sold both in containers with soil, there and with open roots. You should know that in the first case, planting in open ground can be carried out throughout the season, and in the second - in spring or autumn.

As a rule, seedlings with a closed root system take root without problems after transplanting. The soil in the area set aside for juniper planting must also be prepared in advance.

Adult juniper bushes do not tolerate the transplanting procedure well, so it is better to immediately choose a place where they will grow throughout their life. On average, a juniper can thrive in the same location for half a century.

It should be borne in mind that the root system will grow as the shrub develops. Therefore, the site for planting it should be quite spacious. In order for the Gray Oul juniper to show its decorative qualities in all its glory, it is best to plant it in sunny areas, because in the shade its needles fade, and the crown loses its attractive appearance.

Stagnant moisture is extremely undesirable for Virginia juniper, therefore it is recommended to avoid areas with a high groundwater level relative to the earth's surface. Otherwise, there is a high probability of decay of the root system of the juniper and its subsequent death.

You should also take care of soil drainage. Juniper "Gray Oul" prefers sandy loam and loamy soils, but will take root on clay soil. To do this, it is necessary to facilitate it by introducing peat or river sand.

The procedure for planting juniper seedlings in open ground

After completing the preparatory procedures, you can start planting juniper seedlings in open ground. This must be done carefully so as not to destroy the earthen lump around the root system of a young plant.

The diameter of the planting hole should be twice the diameter of the coma. At the bottom of the recess, a drainage layer about 15 cm thick should be placed, consisting of expanded clay, pebbles, brick fragments. Next, a nutritious soil mixture is poured, prepared from soil and complex mineral dressings.

The seedling is placed on top of these layers so that its root collar is at the level of the soil surface. Then you should fill the hole in layers, simultaneously tamping each of them so that an air cushion does not form.

The topsoil should also be compacted and thoroughly moistened. Having made the decision to place several juniper saplings of the "Gray Oul" variety on one site at once, it is necessary to do this, keeping an interval of at least 3 m between the planting pits.

Otherwise, the overgrown shrub roots will be cramped.They will fight for space, nutrients and water. The most common mistakes that are dangerous to the health of young juniper bushes are:

• damage to the clod of earth formed around the root system of the seedling. It is fraught with a slowdown in the rate of its growth and development. In addition, the chance of successful adaptation to a new place decreases;
• too small a planting pit will not allow the roots of the seedling to quickly take root after transplanting and grow;
• placing the root collar of the bush below ground level will also lead to delays in its development and further death.

Care for juniper virgin "Gray Oul" consists of infrequent watering, fertilization, loosening and weeding of the soil, as well as pruning and forming the crown.

Irrigation and fertilization mode

Drought is not terrible for the juniper bushes of the "Gray Oul" variety, therefore it is recommended to water them no more than 2-3 times during the season, only in the hottest periods. Water consumption for 1 adult bush is about 2 buckets. It will not be superfluous to carry out the crown sprinkling procedure every week.

This should be done in the evening, after sunset. Top dressing is recommended to be applied twice during the season - in spring and autumn.

Spring feeding should contain a large percentage of nitrogen and other substances that will help the plant wake up and start active growth of shoots. For this purpose, you can use nitroammofosku.

Autumn fertilizers are intended to form the supply of nutrients needed by juniper bushes for successful wintering. Therefore, in the fall, the introduction of dressings with a high content of potassium and phosphorus is indicated.

To avoid burns to the root system, fertilization should be combined with the irrigation procedure.

Soil care in the area with juniper

It is important to regularly saturate the soil in the area with juniper bushes with oxygen. Therefore, it is necessary to loosen it after each watering. Otherwise, its upper layers will be compacted to form a hard crust that does not allow air to pass through, which will negatively affect the state of the root system and the entire bush as a whole.

Mulching will save moisture in the soil. In addition, this procedure will reduce the number of weeding, prevent overheating and freezing of the roots, and also act as an organic fertilizer. You can form a layer of mulch from sawdust, peat, pine needles.

Juniper crown care procedures

The juniper crown of Virginia "Gray Oul" often acquires an attractive appearance even without the intervention of a gardener. However, you can improve its decorative qualities by cutting.

It should be carried out carefully, avoiding excessive shortening of the shoots. Since, due to their slow growth, the juniper bush will take a long time to recover. In the case of Gray Owl, annual sanitary pruning is indicated to remove weak and damaged shoots.

Gardeners inexperienced in growing juniper are advised to use the services of specialists so as not to harm the appearance and health of the shrub.

Preparing juniper bushes for wintering

Due to its winter hardiness, the Virginia juniper "Gray Oul" does not feel the need for shelter for the winter period. Frost protection is needed only for seedlings planted in open ground in the current season.

Preparation of young bushes for the winter period consists in abundant autumn watering and the introduction of potassium-phosphorus dressings. The soil around the bushes should be covered with spruce branches, and the crowns should be wrapped with non-woven material.

Juniper Gray Oul: breeding methods

There are 3 ways of reproduction of Virginia juniper "Gray Oul": seed, cuttings and layering.

Seed method reproduction is only possible for breeders, since it requires significant labor and time costs.Therefore, for amateur gardeners, two other methods are suitable that will give quick results.

Procedure cuttings includes the following steps:

• Young, but lignified shoots cut in August are suitable as cuttings.
• Cutting cuttings is best in cloudy but dry weather. This should be done with a sharp sterilized garden tool.
• It is recommended to soak the cuttings in solutions that stimulate the development of the root system. For this purpose, "Kornevin" or "Epin" are suitable.
• Cuttings treated in this way are placed in containers with a nutrient substrate, watered and removed to a warm room. The root formation process takes place faster at temperatures from 16 to 20 degrees.
• As soon as the leaves appear, the room temperature should be increased to 26 degrees.
• Watering and spraying of future juniper seedlings is required weekly to maintain the moisture level necessary for them.
• A transplant to a permanent place can be carried out only a year after the roots of a young juniper bush have formed.

Reproduction of juniper layering is even simpler and involves the following actions:

• The soil around the juniper bush should be thoroughly loosened and fertilized.
• You need to choose one of the lower shoots close to the ground. Remove the needles from it and fix it in a small recess dug in the ground.
• Then the shoot is sprinkled with earth and watered abundantly. After that, the soil surface is mulched with sawdust, peat or pine needles.
• In the next season, in the spring, the shoot that has already taken root can be separated from the parent bush and transplanted into a pre-prepared planting hole.

Prevention of diseases of the juniper "Gray Oul" and its damage by pests

Juniper Virginia "Gray Oul" is resistant to most diseases affecting conifers. However, non-compliance with agrotechnical recommendations can lead to the development of fungal infections, for example, Alternaria.

A sign of infection of juniper bushes with spores of a pathogenic fungus is a black bloom on the needles. Gradually, the needles crumble, the shoots begin to dry. If such symptoms appear, the diseased plant should be treated immediately with fungicidal preparations containing copper.

It is much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it later, therefore it is necessary to carry out preventive procedures in a timely manner:

• loosening the soil and weeding weeds prevent the formation of an environment favorable for the development of pathogens;
• removal of weakened shoots marked with traces of infection during the process of sanitary pruning will prevent the development of infection;
• all plant residues must not only be removed from the territory of juniper plantings, but also burned;
• at the first symptoms of a fungal infection, the juniper should be treated with a biological product such as "Fitosporin".

Finally

Juniper Virginia "Gray Oul" has valuable qualities that make it suitable for growing even in adverse conditions. Due to its winter hardiness, resistance to drought and air pollution, undemanding care, this evergreen shrub has always enjoyed the sympathy of gardeners and landscape designers.

The decorative qualities of the "Gray Oul" juniper bushes make it possible to successfully use it for landscaping garden plots and city parks, for the formation of green spaces along highways.

Following the necessary agrotechnical recommendations will allow you to plant and grow a juniper of the "Gray Oul" variety in your garden without any problems.