Conifers after winteroften do not impress with their appearance. When we look at them closely, it turns out that the shoots have lost their lush green color, and some twigs have completely withered. In such situations, propercare of conifers in springis necessary, which will protect them from further damage and accelerate plant regeneration. Seehow to take care of conifers after winterso that they quickly regain their beautiful and he althy appearance!
Conifer care in spring
Conifers in winterare often exposed to very unfavorable conditions.As evergreen plants, they need water all the time to stay alive. Meanwhile, in winter, they cannot take water from the frozen soil, and their shoots are exposed to frosty, drying winds. This often leads to browning and withering of the branches of conifers in winter, not so much as a result of freezing, but just drying out. This is often seen in the spring, when the conifers have brown branches on the north-eastern side, from where the most frosty winds blow. In such plants, in spring we have to remove withered shoots and help the conifers regenerate so that they create new, strong and he althy growths. We must alsoprotect the conifers against diseases and pestsso that pathogens do not hinder the growth of plants.
Good to knowSome conifers, such as the very popular Brabant thuja, naturally lose their color during the winter. In such cases, we don't have to worry. Properly cared for, conifers will quickly regain their colors with the advent of spring and warming.
1. Ecological spraying of conifers in spring
Care of conifers in springis mainly associated with pruning twigs that have withered or frozen during the winter and fertilization that will stimulate plants to grow. There will be time for these treatments in April and May. However, earlier, in the early spring, it is worth carrying out ecologicalspraying of conifers against pests and browning of needles
These treatments are performed when the weather warms up, but the plants are still dormant. Usually in the first half of March. At this time, pests hibernating on the shoots of conifers begin to come to life and breathe intensively. Their further development and the start of feeding on plants can be prevented by spraying conifers with oil preparations , which stick to the bodies of pests, causing them to suffocate.
In this way, winter spider mite eggs (e.g. pine spider mite), winter aphid eggs - pine, spruce and thyme (and so on e.g.black dots visible on pine needles are the eggs of the pine honeysuckle), galls overwintering in galls, such as spruce-larch cane and fir cane (galls are characteristic sprouts on shoots, sometimes mistaken for cones) and pests from the group of scots, such as spruce bowl.
Pests observed on conifers after winter: (1) galls on spruce shoots with wintering protectors; (2) honeydew aphid eggs on pine needles, (3) thuja cup larvae on thuja shoots
So far, the most frequently recommendedoil preparation for controlling pests wintering on coniferswas Promanal 60 EC based on paraffin oil. Currently, specialists more and more often recommend a slightly better agent, Emulpar 940 EC, based on rice oil (natural vegetable oil obtained from camelina).
The use of Emulpar is supported by the fact that, in addition to the elimination of pests, this agent alsoprotects conifers against early spring and late winter browning It allows you to obtain high-quality conifers with increased resistance to fungal diseases. Thus, its action is twofold - against pests and diseases of conifers.Early spring spraying of conifers with Emulparemis the first step for our conifers to start the new growing season in good shape!
2. Pruning conifers in spring
A bit later we performspring pruning of conifersThe appropriate date for this procedure is April. It is worth remembering, however, that new growths after winter do not release conifers until May and only then will we be able to assess which shoots have frozen and died, and which have awakened to life. Therefore, sometimes we will not cut or finish conifers until May.
Performing the spring cutting of coniferscut out shoots damaged by frost, broken and dead, and prune the branches to form them. We shorten shoots that have grown excessively and cover other plants.
Thespring cutting of coniferous hedges is performed slightly differently . Here, cutting in early spring is to level the height, remove broken or protruding branches, and in young plants - to trim the tops to thicken the lower parts of the hedge.
3. Fertilizing conifers in spring
We also dospring fertilization of conifers in AprilWe can use one dose of multi-component slow-release fertilizer, which will gradually release nutrients for about 3 months or every month (in April , May and June) we sprinkle small doses of ordinary granulated fertilizer. We finish fertilization of conifers no later than the beginning of July so that at the end of summer we do not stimulate conifers to further growth (it would make their preparation for winter difficult).
When choosing fertilizer for conifers, remember that most coniferous plants prefer acidic soils. That is whyfor conifers it is worth using fertilizers intended specifically for this group of plants Many conifers do very well in light and relatively poor soils. That is why, for example, junipers and pines do not require intensive fertilization at all. All dwarf and slow-growing conifers also have low fertilization needs. Over-fertilized conifers freeze and fall ill more easily, and miniature varieties lose their character.
In order to avoid over-fertilization, I recommend applying a slow-acting fertilizer once in April, such as Substral Osmocote for conifers. It is enough to apply such fertilizer once in the spring. It will slowly dissolve over several months, evenly fertilizing the plant throughout the growing season.
People looking for a cheaper solution can choose a standard granular fertilizer enriched with micronutrients, such as fertilizer for conifers with Target micronutrients. However, such fertilizer must be sprinkled under the plants every 4 weeks in the period from March to July.
If our bane isloss of color and browning of needles , it is worth reaching for conifers fertilizer rich in magnesium and valuable microelements against browning of Target needles.
When we have done allspring care for conifers , the plants should soon start lush growth and regain their wonderful colors.All the above-mentioned fertilizers and preparations for the care of conifers are available in the store of our guide. We invite you to shop!
