Preparing conifers for winter: how to cover thuja. Shelter conifers for the winter How to shelter conifers for the winter

It is traditionally believed that conifers do not need any special preparation for frost, they are the main decoration winter garden, beautiful and durable. In many ways, this is true - for adults, and other coniferous plants growing in the garden for more than a year, as a rule, even the harsh Russian winters do not care. However, even for them it is worth spending some preparations during the autumn period. And young seedlings of conifers often die without surviving the first winter in a new place.

Let's try to avoid this.

Oddly enough, most often conifers die in winter not at all from frost - but from sunburn and drought. In the case of a rapid warming of the air in spring (or during winter thaws), the needles begin to work actively, evaporating moisture. At the same time, the roots that are still in the frozen ground cannot yet replenish the moisture reserve. The plant is starting to dry out. To avoid this, in autumn, before the onset of cold weather (October-November, when the ground has not yet frozen), conifers carry out abundant moisture-charging irrigation. You need at least two buckets of water per plant, depending on its age and size, and how dry or rainy the fall is. It is also recommended to protect young plants from the sunny side with a screen or wrap them with covering material. At the same time, the use of plastic film is unacceptable - it will cause fungal diseases during thaws.

The least frost-resistant are usually dwarf cultivars of conifers. Some of them can easily winter under snow cover.

Coniferous plants that are especially resistant to frosty winters are Canadian hemlock, western thuja, juniper varieties, black pine, Weymouth pine, and Serbian spruce.

Coniferous plants subjected to regular shearing endure the winter much worse than free-growing plants, they are more vulnerable. In regions with severe winters, it is desirable to completely cover such conifers for the winter. Plants placed in pots and containers can be transferred to a bright room with an air temperature of about plus five degrees Celsius.

In winter, for conifers, there is a threat of branch breaks. Direct danger in this sense is snow. It is advisable to sweep or shake it off in a timely manner, do not waiting for breaks. Vertically growing conifers (thuja western "Smaragd" and "Columna", vertical varieties of junipers, Canadian hemlock) are best not even tied too tightly with twine. At the same time, it is impossible to compress the branches too tightly so that the needles do not warm up inside the crown.

Newly planted young plants before winter can be weakened by fungal diseases and insect pests. Therefore, at the end of summer or autumn, it is imperative to treat the plants with specialized preparations designed to combat diseases and pests of conifers. It is advisable to periodically inspect young plants and start dealing with emerging problems in a timely manner.

All feeding of conifers with nitrogen-containing fertilizers is stopped even before the beginning of August. This is necessary so that the growth of young shoots gradually stops, and the shoots begin to ripen. Fertilize with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

By the way, the branches of some coniferous plants turn yellow in winter (this is green pseudo-hemlock, some varieties of common juniper). You should not be afraid of this - in the spring they will return to their usual form.

Autumn is the time when in the dachas and household plots you need to think about the coming winter and how to keep the plants from freezing. Having coniferous plants on the site is prestigious, luxurious and beautiful. They grow for a long time and I really don’t want the only winter to spoil the appearance of the beauties. This is especially true for young seedlings-conifers.

If the conifer grows in a container and is not too voluminous in size, then the most fast way protection from frost - bring it into the room. However, this is not always possible. Therefore, the ephedra in the container is covered for the winter with spruce branches. The branches are laid around the container using the "hut" method. If possible, place bags stuffed with straw or sawdust under them. Since in winter the winds can be strong and even stormy, it is better to sprinkle spruce branches with additional earth.

When, then winter shelter measures are slightly different from the previous version. First, the trunk circle of the conifer is insulated with a layer of sawdust, straw, peat or coniferous needles. Next, wrap the barrel with spunbond non-woven material that is resistant to weather changes or burlap. Tie it down so the wind doesn't blow it away. Polyethylene films for sheltering coniferous plants for the winter are not suitable, they enter the tree into a state of blockage. It is advisable to install screens (screens) to protect against wind and spring sun.

If the coniferous plant is sprawling, then in winter the branches can break from snowfall, therefore, to shelter for the winter, the branches are tied and another equally important device is built - a canopy or screen from the wind. If for some reason it was not possible to make a canopy, then after each heavy snowfall, try to appear on the site to shake off the snow from the branches. If, after a snowy winter, the branches are still broken, then the small ones are removed, and the large ones are pulled together. Cedar, pine and cypress are especially affected by this.
Tall conifers (juniper or thuja) are quite difficult to cover for the winter, but it is quite possible to tie the branches.

Adult cedars, yew, fir, spruce and pine, whose age exceeds 4-5 years, it is not necessary to cover for the winter, only young seedlings.

In the spring, when the sun begins to appear, coniferous plants often get sunburn. You can determine this by yellowing needles. This is a very serious damage, so it is better not to remove any shelters until the end of April, in particular, this applies to awnings, screens and windings. It is better to do this in cloudy weather. BUT in autumn, before frosts, you need to water and mulch abundantly so that the conifers most painlessly endured the temperature difference.

After winter, if the coniferous plant has lost its color, then shade it and lightly spray the branches. warm water, and when the air temperature outside is stable + 10 ° C, treat with a biostimulator "" or "Zircon".

Coniferous plants planted this year do not have time to develop powerful rhizomes during the season and get stronger to survive in harsh conditions. winter conditions. Young plantings need protection created different ways using factory or homemade designs.

The optimal time for sheltering plants is dry weather, established with the arrival of stable cold weather. Protective materials are recommended to be placed on frames that ensure the integrity of the branches and the optimal ventilation mode.

We get ready-made shelters.

Purchased designs are ready-made kits that are easy to install and do not require additional devices. Among the many options, you can always choose shelters that are suitable in shape and size.

The frames of these products are made of polymer or metal tubes, bamboo rods or fine mesh. As a protective material, non-woven fabrics are used that allow air to pass through and maintain a dry atmosphere inside the shelter, for example, Snapbond or Agrospan.

We cover the homemade frame with purchased material.
Another way to organize a winter shelter is to separately purchase the right amount of nonwoven material, which saves about half the cost. In this case, the base for fixing the canvas is built with their own hands from thick wire. Homemade arcs are installed crosswise over the plant.

The synthetic fabric is stretched over the frame and pinned with wire pins.

We use wooden supports and burlap

To make a simple frame, you will need four pegs twice the height of the sheltered coniferous plant. The ends of the wooden slats are knocked down with a carnation and the racks resembling compasses are put in place. It is better to stick stakes into the ground in advance, without waiting for it to freeze.

With the onset of stable night frosts, the wooden base is covered with burlap, fixing the fabric with pins or stones bent from wire.

We collect spruce branches

Spruce branches serve as an excellent winter shelter, additionally saving plants from rodents. The air layer created under the thorny branches is well ventilated and is less subject to temperature changes. Lapnik is harvested exclusively from healthy trees; infected needles cannot be used and diseases can not be transferred to young seedlings.

Long spruce or pine paws are great for shelter - they are folded over the plant in the form of a hut, tied on top with twine. But the short shoots remaining after the formative pruning of adult trees also come into play. First, wire arcs are installed on top of the bush. Then the frame is covered with cut branches.

The result is an ideal shelter that saves a coniferous plant from an ice crust in winter.

Another advantage of spruce branches is that it does not rot and does not contribute to the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.

We protect the root system.
The near-stem circles of coniferous seedlings are mulched with some kind of organic matter, pouring the material in a loose layer at least 5 cm thick. A mixture of earth and leaves is well suited to cover the roots. Left in the spring under a bush, it rots and serves as an additional top dressing.

Coniferous plants remaining in containers are dug into the ground for the winter or arrange a blanket of sawdust around them.

The ground part of the seedlings is protected by any of the available methods.

Each of the considered structures begins to be aired when the spring rays of the sun melt the snow around it. First, the north side is slightly opened, and after the soil has thawed, the protective material is completely removed.
Winter shelter of young coniferous plants is one of the means that increase the winter hardiness of plantings. Do not take it as the only method that guarantees a successful wintering. An experienced gardener is always thoughtful about the preparation of plants, paying attention to planting, watering and top dressing.

There is an opinion that coniferous trees- plants are unpretentious, and therefore they tolerate even the harsh Russian winters well. However, they also need good care, protection against diseases and proper processing in the autumn. Then coniferous plants will delight their owners for many years with their beauty and the enchanting smell of resin.

Preparing for winter

It is necessary to prepare conifers for the cold season in advance. In autumn, they are well shed (up to 9 buckets for each plant), young trees are mulched with tree bark, and fertilizers are applied. Some gardeners prefer to feed the conifers in the fall with rotted compost (cover the plants with a layer of 5 cm or more), others use special purchased fertilizers.

Trimmed conifers shelter for the winter. Do this after abundant watering and top dressing. In the cold season, it will not be possible for plants to receive adequate nutrition, and therefore they must make the necessary supply from the fall. The main thing is to observe the dosages and not to "overfeed" coniferous trees.

Note. If you apply too much fertilizer in the fall, the plant will begin to grow intensively and will not be able to prepare for the winter. The result can be deplorable - the conifer will freeze.

These trees are in great need of magnesium. It is this element that is responsible for the integrity of the needles. With a magnesium deficiency, the needles turn brown, dry out and crumble. This is most pronounced during the dry season. To compensate for the lack of this microelement, it is better to use liquid mineral complexes specially designed for coniferous trees.

Work time

Preparation for winter begins from the very beginning of autumn. Ephedra are treated against diseases and pests, if necessary, mulched, shed, and weeds are removed. If we talk about top dressing, then it is usually applied twice: in May (during the period active growth and development) and in August-September.

If you are late with autumn fertilization, then young conifers will simply have a nutritional deficiency. After all, they will spend a lot of energy on rooting. It is more difficult for hungry trees to survive in winter, the probability of their death is high.

If you plan to use liquid formulations, then you should strictly follow the instructions. A highly concentrated solution will destroy the root system. For top dressing, dig a shallow circular groove. This is where the nutrients are added.

If granular fertilizer is used, do not leave it on the surface. It should be embedded in the soil. In parallel with fertilizer, dolomite flour is often applied, which not only deoxidizes the soil, but also supplies it with a number of trace elements.

Fertilizers and top dressings

Coniferous trees need good nutrition, but not all fertilizers are equally useful for them.

Feed selection rules

• Fertilizer for conifers should contain a minimum of nitrogen.
• Magnesium in the composition of top dressing should be in an easily digestible form.
• A large number of trace elements will only benefit plants.

When choosing a nutrient preparation, it is necessary to be guided by the above rules, because an incorrectly selected fertilizer will only cause harm. Gardeners advise it is better to skip feeding than to destroy the plant with wrong actions.

It is enough to feed conifers twice a year: in spring and autumn. The second top dressing is designed to prepare the plants for the period of cold weather, to assist in the maturation of growth over the past year.

It is especially important to apply fertilizers for young conifers, the root system of which is not yet strong enough and is not able to extract food from the soil on its own.

organic

Ephedra should not be overfed with organic matter for the winter. Young plants have an excess nutrients may cause burns. In addition, autumn overfeeding will disrupt the process of preparing plants for a dormant period.

Compost

Rotted plant residues are a traditional type of fertilizer for conifers. It is this fertilizer that serves as an excellent imitation of native forest soil. It is to the introduction of compost that plants are so responsive.

They are fed as follows: the top layer of soil under the tree is well loosened, then sprinkled with a layer of compost (8-12 cm is enough). Fertilizer should not be left on the surface, because it is slightly embedded in the soil. This will make it easier for plants to absorb nutrients.

If there is no compost heap on the site, you can purchase ready-made fertilizers based on compost.

Some gardeners instead use a solution of vermicompost or ordinary herbal infusion(People call it green manure). Also, conifers will like coffee pomace fertilizer.

All top dressing is usually accompanied by watering (for one conifer - from 140 liters). Fir and arborvitae are especially fond of water. In addition, it is recommended to carry out the so-called sprinkling of coniferous trees in the fall, designed to eliminate pollution from their ground part.

Note. Not all conifers are suitable for autumn composting. In some cases, this is best done in the spring.

Biohumus

This organic fertilizer is convenient to use, effective, and most importantly - helps to strengthen the immunity of conifers.

In addition to the main macronutrients, biohumus contains at least 10 microelements and vitamins that will benefit the conifers.

mineral

When choosing suitable mineral complexes, one should not forget that they should contain little nitrogen, but a lot of magnesium and other trace elements. A lot of nitrogen is not needed either in autumn or in spring. This element contributes to the intensive growth of shoots, which is unacceptable for slowly growing conifers. If the branches grow quickly, by winter they simply do not have time to get stronger and mature, and therefore inevitably die.

For the same reason, fresh manure is not placed under the conifers, even in a diluted form. Excess nitrogen should not be either in mineral complexes or in organic matter.

Many gardeners are convinced that conifers do not need organics at all, since they perceive ready-made mineral complexes much better. However, any mineral fertilizer should be applied diluted to make it easier for the root system of plants to absorb nutrients and vitamins.

Do not forget about the periodic liming of the soil around the conifers. For this, a dolomite is used. It, in addition to the main task, supplies the soil with magnesium and calcium, and in an easy-to-digest form.

Foliar processing

It is usually carried out in order to protect conifers from pests and for external feeding with useful compounds.

To destroy harmful insects, as well as their larvae, insecticides are usually used. If the plant is overcome by ticks, then take acaricides. In order to eliminate the fungus - fungicides. This is the general name of a group of drugs designed to solve a specific problem.

When processing conifers, you should strictly follow the instructions. Otherwise, following the destruction of pests or diseases, the tree itself will die.

Important! Do not experiment with mixing different drugs. This will not benefit the conifers.

Processing is prohibited on hot days. Best time for this - late evening or early morning without dew and wind.

In the autumn, you need to have time to do several of these treatments. After all, the killed pests probably managed to lay eggs, diseases (especially fungal ones) are spores.

When using any pesticides on your site, you should take care of own security(protect eyes and skin covering), and strictly follow the dilution scheme indicated on the package.

Foliar top dressing

Coniferous trees are very fond of external treatment with nutrient compounds. It is produced by spraying with special devices.

If you use the root method of fertilizing, the plants will be able to absorb only 20% of useful elements, with the foliar method this percentage increases to 80.

You can not do without foliar top dressing in cases with coniferous hedges on the site. Usually they are planted quite densely, and therefore lack food. Foliar top dressing can solve this problem. Their autumn application leads to the accumulation of nutrients and favors a successful wintering.

Note. Nutrients, falling on the needles, begin to act already 4 hours after application.

Features for plants

All conifers need their own autumn processing: some will not survive the winter without abundant watering, the second - without top dressing, and the third - without shelter. Indeed, for all the similarities of care, there are significant differences.

For pine

Before the first frost, the root system of newly planted trees is covered with a layer of peat (8-9 cm). In this case, peat plays the role of mulch, which will protect against frost and relieve moisture loss. In some regions, young pines are also covered with spruce branches to avoid frostbite of the crown. He will save the plants from sunburn at the very beginning of spring.

It is generally accepted that an adult conifer does not need feeding at all. In the forest, it is humus from fallen leaves, and in plots - rotted compost. When embedding it in the ground along the trunk circle, it should be borne in mind that the rhizomes of the pine are located close to the surface - they can be easily damaged.

Mineral fertilizers for pine are used once a year, like organic fertilizers. They are usually distributed across different periods: if compost is added in autumn, then mineral complex set aside for spring. Or vice versa. There is no fundamental difference here. However, some gardeners are categorical on this issue, preferring to make mineral fertilizers exclusively in spring. Usually they are not even bred, but simply scattered around the tree and watered abundantly.

For spruce

Spruce also needs preparation for winter. But, in addition to peat, tree trunk circles can be covered with non-woven fabric or craft paper.

Mature plants do not need to be fed, if not external signs fasting. After all, they practically do not grow up to 6 years, and therefore consume little nutrients. Special growth stimulants are suitable for them, as well as complex formulations, which are advised to be used no more than 1-2 times a year.

Strawberries at home all year round!

Due to their characteristics, coniferous trees are loved by many summer residents. Due to the fact that these plants remain green all year round, the garden looks elegant in any season, and the variety of crown shapes allows you to create original landscape compositions on the site.

Caring for coniferous plants is not difficult; only rare, single varieties need special care. Therefore, sheltering conifers for the winter should be performed only in some cases. How to arrange conifers on the site and how to insulate conifers for the winter, you will learn on this page.

Even conifers alone in the garden are already a guarantee of the beauty of the site. The very appearance of these plants, their leaves-needles and crown shapes provide a special, "universal" image, combined with any shape and line, any colors and various styles.

However, the most valuable conifers in garden design is that they are easy care plants and add beauty to the site in any season of the year. They make the garden all-season. Not every plant can boast a combination of all these qualities at once. The design of a garden with coniferous plants looks especially original, because all conifers are different, among them there are stunningly spectacular specimens. Most conifers can be safely planted in your garden, and with minimal care, they will delight you all year round.

It is necessary to arrange coniferous plants in such a way as to emphasize the planning lines of the site.

You need to place them in places where the appearance and shape of your conifers will emphasize the shape of the relief, the shape of structures and structures on the landscape, the configuration of paths and other landscape objects.

It is good to place them at the entrance to the house and to the site.

Look at the photo: conifers in the garden will look good next to stairs and retaining walls.

You can place them at the forks and bends of the paths and along the perimeter of the site.

Just like trees and shrubs, they will be beautiful next to gazebos and next to recreation areas.

A great place for conifers - on lawns as "soloists" and in garden modules.

The design solution is the location within the "coniferous gardens".

A good place for conifers is in the "dark" corners of the site (with a lack of lighting or "inconvenient" for development).

One conifer can be placed in the center of the front area of ​​the site, from the side of the entrance to the house. A path (path) should be organized to this place. It will be an ephedra "for the New Year."

Ephedra are especially good as hedges.

Coniferous crown shape (pine, larch, spruce, etc.)

Below is a table that describes the crown shapes of conifers, including spruce crown shape, larch crown shape, pine crown shape, juniper, yew, microbiota and cypress.

Table "Crown shape of coniferous plants":

When choosing conifers for your garden, first of all, you need to pay attention to the appearance, height, crown shape, type and shade of needles. What kind of crown have various conifers, you can see in the table.

Care of coniferous plants: top dressing, watering, pruning

Feeding coniferous plants. Be sure to feed the first time in early spring, on melted snow, with a special fertilizer for coniferous plants. If your site has poor soil, you can repeat this procedure in June.

Watering coniferous plants. During the season, you can not water, usually coniferous plants have enough rain. However, if there is a strong heat and drought in the summer, water it 2-3 times.

Pruning of coniferous plants. It is necessary to cut off with a strong thickening, if this is reflected in appearance plants. You need to trim if you want to shape your conifers specifically, for a "designer" purpose. Can be pruned to induce branching to make your conifers more "fluffy".

Preparing conifers for winter: how to cover conifers

No conifers are afraid of frost. But some of them, especially the "varietal" conifers, are afraid of the strong sun and the withering wind. They do not freeze, but dry up, “burn out”. After that, they recover for a long time, and in some cases die completely. Preparing conifers for winter is easier than preparing deciduous trees or shrubs. Before covering conifers for the winter, sew ordinary spunbond or lutrasil covers in the form of bags with ties at the bottom. Sew covers, having previously measured the height and width of the plants. But you can’t just put on covers: under the weight of snow, the tops of the conifers can bend or even break on the covers. Therefore, first, until the ground is frozen, drive in a high bar next to each plant (just above the plant itself), and only then can you put on a cover. The beam will prevent the cover from touching the top of the tree.

For low spherical conifers, you need to use cucumber arcs placed crosswise above the conifer.

How to prepare and insulate conifers for the winter

Before preparing conifers for winter, sew covers for arborvitae, cypresses, all types of junipers, for Konika spruce and all miniature conifers. Ordinary and, pines, larches do not need shelter, but only 3 years after planting. So all newly planted conifers, regardless of species, will have to be covered for 3 years. Remove all shelters when the snow completely melts. But everything happens during the winter. Shelter can be blown away by the wind. The shelter may be too thin for a particular place (sunny), a sunny place and a small amount of land under the conifer may coincide, for example, it is planted in a garden module. One way or another, but the conifer can burn. If about 80-100 percent of the crown is burnt (it is yellow-orange), then no coniferous plant is restored. It will need to be replaced. If about 50-80 percent of the crown is burnt, juniper and spruce "konika" will not recover, it will recover in a year, black pine - in 2 years. If less than 50 percent of the crown is burned, the juniper will recover in a year, the Konika spruce will partially recover in 2 years, the pine and thuja will recover by autumn.

Features of the life of conifers in the garden

In rare cases, conifers may “not take root”, you may not have fulfilled any of the four requirements given below:

1. Conifers depend on the cardinal points. This must be taken into account when buying and landing. When buying in a nursery, pay attention to how the conifer grows, where it has a north side. Tie a ribbon in there. This also applies to plants in containers. They are unlikely to be constantly turned, especially large specimens. When you brought the conifer to your garden, orient it correctly, turn the seedling around the cardinal points. When planting, you need to position the plant so that the north side of the seedling (the side with the ribbon) coincides with the north direction on your site.

2. One of the features of the life of coniferous plants in the garden is that their roots love oxygen. Therefore, when planting, the earth needs to be dug up 2-3 times in order to saturate it with oxygen.

3. Autumn is not suitable for planting conifers.

4. Conifers are afraid of such a natural phenomenon as “ice rain”. So hiding in any case will not hurt.