Lifespan of Juniper Shrubs
Tom Greene
maybe a stupid question. I have several Juniper shrubs that I planted
around my house about 15 years ago. They've gotten rather large and are
beginning to lose foilage. I'm considering digging them up and replacing.
the spread has reached abou 5-6' each plant. Is there a lifespan for
Junipers or what can I do to prevent foilage loss?
I've used typical time release plant foods as directed to no avail. No
parasites visible.
Thomas E. Greene, Architect
Brian
Mr. Greene,
Your juniper problem is probably not due to old age. There are
native Juniperus species in California, for example, thought to be
older than Christ.
Likewise, junipers need almost no fertilizer. If this were the
source of your problem, it would be more likely they were
over-fertilzed.
There are a few insects that can trouble for junipers. They can
lose individual branches by "shading themselves out." They can be
pruned incorrectly; heading back an established juniper to the
interior part of a branch from which no needles are growing usually
kills that branch. A recent excavation project might have hurt some
roots. And, the most common problem in my experience, junipers can be
easily over-watered, especially in heavy soil.
There's little likelyhood anyone can correctly guess the cause of
your problem without seeing the plants. (While maintaining junipers
is not the most arcane part of good gardening, I hope you're beginning
to understand it's not stupid to fail to understand what the problem
is.) As an architect, you may have connections with local nurseries,
plantsmen and landscape architects or designers. Call in someone's
chip. Ask for a site consultation.
Further, if you anticipate having other plant questions, at home or
in your practice, you must, must, must get a copy of the Sunset
National Garden Book or the Sunset Western Gardening Guide. The
latter is the bible of plants here in California. No respectable west
coast gardener doesn't own the book.
B. Racette California gardener
Pam
Tom Greene wrote:
How do you mean "losing foliage"? Inside the plant? At the base? Or are some
of the individual branch sprays dying back? All indicate something different,
but the first two are most likely associated with low light levels and heavy
overgrowth further shading out the light. Thinning may help. The last is
somewhat harder to pinpoint. I am assuming from your description that these
are either Pfitzer or Savin junipers (Juniperus x pfitzeriana or Juniperus
sabina) - both are affected by twig blights. These are fungal problems
manifested by die-back of entire branches, starting from the outside and
working its way in (Phomopsis and Katabina) or by die off of interior foliage
from the bottom up (Cercospora). All of these tend to be encouraged by high
moisture levels, poor drainage, insufficient sunlight and/or unnecessary
fertilizing.
As indicated previously, junipers tend to be rather long-lived and loss of
foliage is not a natural occurence. This link may help:
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/plantdisease/g858.htm
Brian also provided some excellent suggestions for assistance in diagnosing
the problem, although I may not be nearly as adamant as he about acquiring the
Sunset book. While it is a helpful guide for western gardeners, it is pretty
inadequate for proper disease/pest diagnosis and remedies.
pam - gardengal
Tom Greene
Reading the response from Pam reminded me that I did forget to mention the
particular species. I believe they are "pfitzer" or horizontalis (?) I
believe their common name is "yellow tip Juniper" ( bought from Lowe's)
I live in Middle Tennessee. This past summer, as in the past, was rather
hot and dry.
I did use some time release fertilizer - one of the top name brands for this
type of plant.
Watering - once every two weeks or so using a soaker-type hose - one of
those porous types with many fine holes. Watering until the ground was
saturated. Clay to clay-loam soil. I've spread some leave mulch over the
ground under the plantings.
North and West exposures. Yes, some degree of shading by trees or the house
itself though not complete.
Hmmmm. I'm beginning to think that perhaps I've been one of those tend to
over water and over fertilize. I've compared these with other Junipers in
my area and see a difference.
I'll cut back on the watering and the fertilizer and see if they survive. I
sure hate thoughts of digging them up and starting over.
Thanks again for the help.
Tom Greene
Frustrated Gardener
Frustrated Architect
"Brian" <brac...@oco.net> wrote in message
news:7780e6dc.02112...@posting.google.com...
Tom Greene
I include my answer Brian who also responded to my question.
"Thanks Brian for your response!
Reading the response from Pam reminded me that I did forget to mention the
particular species. I believe they are "pfitzer" or horizontalis (?) I
believe their common name is "yellow tip Juniper" ( bought from Lowe's)
I live in Middle Tennessee. This past summer, as in the past, was rather
hot and dry.
I did use some time release fertilizer - one of the top name brands for this
type of plant.
Watering - once every two weeks or so using a soaker-type hose - one of
those porous types with many fine holes. Watering until the ground was
saturated. Clay to clay-loam soil. I've spread some leave mulch over the
ground under the plantings.
North and West exposures. Yes, some degree of shading by trees or the house
itself though not complete.
Hmmmm. I'm beginning to think that perhaps I've been one of those tend to
over water and over fertilize. I've compared these with other Junipers in
my area and see a difference.
I'll cut back on the watering and the fertilizer and see if they survive. I
sure hate thoughts of digging them up and starting over."
Pam I have one very outdated book on gardening published several years by
Reader's Digest.
Other research by me has been one of first-hand research and
experimentation, that is go to the nearest "garden shop" - see plant - like
plant - visualize how plant might look in planting arrangement - study tag
for "growing guide" - buy plant - buy soil amendments such as peat moss,
vermiculite, humus,etc. Dig hole remove & discard some native soil and mix
remainder with aforementioned amendments. Plant specimen. Tamp well, water
well. Place tag on plant and hope that it grows.
If it dies, dig up, discard and begin procedure above again.
This procedure continues until satisfaction is achieved by surviving plant
arrangement.
I will try to get a copy of the book you and Brian mentioned.
Thanks again for the help.
Tom Greene
Frustrated Gardener
Frustrated Architect
Frustrated Human in General ( not necessarily in this order)
"Pam" <grdn...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3DE1773D...@attbi.com...
Oliver
Pam
gardening world! Your approach is pretty much SOP, but you can fine tune it a
bit. As a design professional, I am sure you understand the advantage of having
the big picture, a master plan. Consider having a landscape design professional
work with you. In addition to assisting you to develop a landscaping master
plan, a trained landscape designer with adequate horticultural skills will be
able to suggest plants in a pleasing combination that will do best in your area
and for your soil and sun/shade conditions. This can eliminate much of the trial
and error you have experienced.
Soil is the most significant element in your landscape and very often tends to
be overlooked. Well prepared, amended soil with adequate organic matter and
proper drainage can go a very long way in ensuring the long term health and
viability of your plants. Combine that with some specific tips on care of your
particular plantings and you should lose a lot of that frustration!
Living in Tennessee, the Sunset Western Garden book is not going to provide you
with the information you need - it is tailored for west coast gardeners. There
are supposed to be regional editions which will be more locale specific and more
appropriate for your conditions. I also have the Readers Digest book - it is not
that outdated and contains a pretty good overview of helpful information. The
Internet is a wonderful resource - typing in the botanical name in a good search
engine (I use Google) will generate scores of helpful articles on growth, care
and cultural requirements of individual plants.
Reading your response, my first thoughts are that you may have overwatered these
shrubs. Junipers which have been established in the landscape for 15 years
should be able to withstand drought conditions relatively easily and require
minimal supplemental irrigation - maybe only once a month in extremely dry, hot
weather. Combine frequent watering with a heavy clay soil and you have the
recipe for complications. And I would consider not fertilizing - junipers (as
well as a surprisingly large number of other plants) do not require very fertile
soil and heavy applications of nutrients. They actually thrive on very lean
conditions and start to fail if pampered.
As long as you have ruled out disease problems, start ignoring the junipers :-)
They should thank you for it by perking back up. Good luck.
pam - gardengal
horticulturist and landscape designer, but also a frustrated gardener - we all
are!
Tom Greene
Will do. I certainly appreciate all the helpful responses here. One thing
I've never claimed to be as a Design Professional is a Landscape Architect.
The only local "landscaping specialist" (read non-registered) led me astray
on several plantings in my home scheme with some bad results. With no local
professional at hand I was induced to try my own hand by trial and error and
research. You know, one learns by doing. Mistakes and all.
Again many thanks. I'll hold back watering, etc., over the winter months
and see what happens.
Tom Greene
Frustrated Gardener
Frustrated Architect
Frustrated Human in General ( not necessarily in this order)
"Pam" <grdn...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3DE236F6...@attbi.com...
David J. Bockman
robust than the true species, nevertheless under good growing conditions
they should last, well... longer than you. :oP
"Tom Greene" <tpi...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:uu32f3i...@corp.supernews.com...