In gardens it is often observedbrowning of conifers after winterSingle shoots turn brown, most often from the side from which the strongest winds blow, and sometimes whole plants dry out. Then we usually think that the conifers are simply frozen over. But the reason is slightly different and, importantly, it can be prevented! Seewhat to do to protect conifers from browning after winter : -)
Juniper browned after winter
Fig. depositphotos.com
Before I explain what to do, however, I would like to point out thatnot always browning conifers during the winter must mean something bad Some varieties of conifers, such as Thuja Brabant, Common Juniper 'Depressa Aurea' and Creeping Juniper 'Plumosa', naturally turn slightly brown in winter. Such their beauty, and in spring their color returns to normal.
But these are exceptions, andfor most conifers, browning during winter means something bad . However, the main cause of this phenomenon is not frost, at least not directly. The main culprit is the so-called physiological drought.
It is about a situation in whichevergreen conifers cannot take water from the soil, because the ground is frozenMeanwhile, green shoots of conifers are constantly undergoing life processes, water evaporates through the needles. There are also frosty, drying winds. This causes a water deficit and the conifers wither away.
The situation especially worsens at the end of winter(from mid-February to early March) when it gets warmer, the sun warms more, and the conifers come to life.Then their demand for water increases significantly, and they still cannot get it from the ground. This is especially hard for newly planted plants (e.g. last autumn), which are not well rooted yet and do not reach the lower soil layers. That is whybrowning of conifers intensifies at the end of winterSometimes it happens that the conifers looked good all winter, until they suddenly turned brown in early spring.
It is not always the case, however, that plants cannot get water from the frozen ground , and the reason is simply the lack of water in the soil. This may be the case during snowless winters. Under normal circumstances, the snow cover acts as an insulator preventing the evaporation of water from the soil, and additionally irrigates the ground during the thaw.Lack of snow and moisture from it can be a problemAn example is winter 2019/2020, which turned out to be quite warm and with almost no snowfall in many parts of the country. There was little rain either.This was conducive to the drying of the soil and, consequently, the drying of plants.
Warm February 2020. Despite light rain, the ground is dry!
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
This situation is presented in the photo above, taken in February 2020. As for February, it is a warm day with light rainfall and strong winds. Despite the rain,the soil gauge placed in the ground shows DRY, which means dryThere is some moisture in the air, but the ground is dry. This is a sign that the plants need to be watered.
Here, by the way, I recommend the electronic soil meter from the photo.He has saved my plants many times, not only during droughts.In addition to moisture, it also shows the pH of the soil, the strength of sunlight and the temperature of the substrate. The latter is useful when planting and sowing seeds. Well, seeds need a specific temperature of the substrate to germinate, and this is what the soil meter will show us.His indications showed me many timeshow much my feelings about the temperature and humidity of the earth can be wrong
Browning of conifers resulting from drying duringof winter can be seen in the photos recently shown on our forum. Smallthuje 'Golden Penne' planted in September, in the middle of winter they suddenly started to turn brownAs described by our user, it was mainly from the sunny side, and after opening the twigs inside, the plants were green. This is a typical symptom indicating a physiological drought -shoots turn brown on the sunny side or exposed to winds
Thuja turns brown on the outside but inside is green
Fig. MichałDe, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
How to prevent browning of conifers during winter?First of all, in autumn, before the first frosts come, they need to be watered intensively.So that they are hydrated as much as possible before winter. Then,during the thaw, when the earth thaws, let's take the opportunity to water the conifers again
But watering is not everything!As I wrote a moment ago, conifers are most prone to browning at the end of winter, because it starts to warm up, plants come to life, and the ground lacks water. We can thenhelp the conifers by preventing their needles from evaporating water !
This effect can be achieved by spraying with the Emulpar 940 EC oil preparation. Natural blackberry oil contained in this preparationgently covers the shoots of conifers and creates a coating that prevents water evaporation from the needlesThis will effectively protect the needles against browning of needles resulting from water shortage (confirmed by research carried out in 2014 in the Laboratory Ornamental Plants of the Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice).
It is also worth knowing that spraying with Emulpar 940 EC is primarily done tocombat pests wintering on conifersand other trees and shrubs in the garden (both ornamental and fruit).In the case of conifers, this way we fight the winter eggs of the pine spider mite, aphids - pine, spruce and thyme aphids, as well as spider mites wintering in galls formed on the shoots of conifers (characteristic sprouts resembling cones).
In this way, we will bake two birds with one stone -we will fight pests wintering on conifers and protect the conifers from browning after winterTherefore, spraying with Emulpar 940 EC, performed at the end of February, and then a second time in March , I consider itthe most importantconifer spraying that every gardener should do. The more so because it is an ecological treatment, using natural pineapple oil, which does not harm beneficial insects that do not yet appear on plants at that time.
Emulpar 940 EC for spraying conifers can be ordered in the shop of our guide. We guarantee an attractive price, efficient service and fast shipping. To see the offer, press the image below: -)
Rafał Okułowicz, MSc
See also:
