Proper care of conifers in the garden has a huge impact on the he althy growth and beautiful appearance of these plants. Neglected conifers often get sick, grow poorly and lose needles. Therefore, it is worth finding out what conifers need - what should watering conifers, fertilizing conifers and cutting conifers look like. See how to perform these care treatments so that the conifers are beautiful and he althy.
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Proper care of conifers contributes to a nice appearance of plants
Watering conifers
Most conifers require a medium-moist soil. Too moist a substrate will encourage root rot.Watering conifersshould be done regularly, preferably in the evenings. The frequency depends on the requirements of the cultivated species and weather conditions.
Proper soil moisture helps to maintain the mulching of the soil with bark, which also reduces the growth of weeds and improves aesthetics. Pine bark is most often used for mulching conifers. Remember to water the conifers abundantly in the fall, before frost, especially those planted in light and sandy soils. The frozen soil does not absorb water and the plant will be at risk of winter drying, because evergreen conifers need water all year round.
Fertilizing conifers
We start fertilizing conifersin spring and continue until July. Subsequent supply of fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers, increases the risk of freezing in cold weather.We can choose from multi-component mineral fertilizers, such as Azofoska, Fructus or Polifoska, as well as ready-made fertilizer mixtures specially adapted to the needs of conifers. Fertilize coniferous trees and shrubs in 3 or 4 doses at intervals of approximately one month. Another way is to use slow-release fertilizers, which we use once in a dose of about 10 g for young plants and about 20 g for older plants. Cover these fertilizers with a thin layer of soil or bark - they will gradually release and feed the plant throughout the growing season.
Cutting conifers
Conifers also need pruning. The first termfor cutting conifersis spring. In spring, we cut out shoots damaged by frost, deformed and torn by snow. Also prune branches that have grown excessively and cover other plants.
Slightly different is donecutting conifersgrowing in a hedge. In the case of coniferous hedges, cutting in early spring consists of leveling the height, removing broken or protruding branches, and in young hedges - trimming the tops to thicken the lower parts of the shrubs.The next formingcutting of conifersis performed in the summer period.
Remember to always use well-sharpened and clean cutting tools forcare of conifers . will prevent plant damage and the spread of tool-borne diseases. For cutting conifers growing in a hedge, it is best to use a special hedge trimmer, and single ones can be trimmed with a pruner.
Conifer care in winter
Coniferous trees and shrubs also require some care in the winter.Caring for conifers in winterconsists mainly in removing heavy snow from their branches. After heavy snowfall, conifers, especially young ones, easily bend under its weight. In some cases, branches may even break off. It is therefore important to brush off excess snow from the plants. Some older pyramidal and columnar shrubs open up under the weight of snow, losing their decorative shape.In these cases, apart from removing snow from the branches, it is also advisable to tie the bent branches to the guide. Thanks to this, the conifers will look much better after the winter.
