Juniper dies what to do. Juniper

Lush green juniper bushes look beautiful in any composition, but sometimes they can upset their owner. One of the common problems when growing conifers is the yellowing of the needles themselves, and most often it can be seen in the spring. In order to help your pets, you need to determine the reason why the junipers turned yellow after the winter, and then it will become clear what can be done to save them.

Turn yellow and may dry out as a result of such factors:

• sunburn;
• diseases;

Harmful Rays

As you know, the spring sun is already shining brightly enough and under its influence the conifers begin to actively wake up, starting the processes of photosynthesis. But at the same time, shrubs also need moisture, which the not fully warmed up earth cannot yet provide them with. As a result, the needles turn yellow and dry out, especially on the south side of the plants.

In order to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to shade the juniper at the beginning of spring with woven material, as well as warm the soil by spilling it with warm water.

Varieties that are characterized by a vertical shape should be tied up for the winter, and horizontally growing conifers should be periodically freed from snow cover. If this is not done, the shoots will become brittle under the weight of the snow, which will also cause the needles to dry out.

Yellowing of needles as a manifestation of the disease

Most diseases of conifers also provoke drying of the needles. So, it turns yellow in case of defeat by such diseases:

1. Rust. Yellow growths form on branches and needles, which gradually thicken and turn into wounds. Spores fall on bushes from affected deciduous garden species growing in the neighborhood (apple, pear, hawthorn). Treatment: removal of all diseased fragments, including those on neighboring crops, and treatment of healthy shoots with fungicides.
2. Drying of shoots with fungal infections. The needles turn yellow and crumble, and small spores are visible on the bark in spring. Treatment: similar to rust control.
3. Schutte. The disease completely "shows itself" in the summer: dark spots become visible on the needles, the needles turn yellow and die. Treatment: spraying with Skorom or Quadris, pruning of affected branches.
4. Cancer. With biotorella cancer, the bark on the branches cracks, turns yellow and dies, leading to yellowing of the needles and the complete death of the plant. Nectrium cancer also causes the death of the needles, and on the branches, in addition, reddish growths form. Treatment: in both cases, with a massive defeat, it is better to destroy the junipers. But if the disease is noticed in time, you can fight for them by cutting off the diseased branches and treating the bushes with Skorom or Vector.

All pruned parts of diseased junipers must be burned to prevent the spread of the disease.

Harmful insects

No less dangerous for the juniper are pests that suck juices from the plant, causing yellowing of the needles. Most shrubs get from insects such as:

• scab;
• mite;
• gall midges;
• sawfly;
• moths;
• mol.

If pests are found on the bushes, they must be treated with appropriate insecticides.

Video on how to save yellowed conifers in spring

Junipers are valued by gardeners for their unpretentiousness and the ability to maintain decorativeness all year round. When growing this shrub, usually there are no big problems, however, sometimes you have to deal with yellowing of the needles. We will find out why the juniper turns yellow and what to do with the problem.

Junipers are distinguished by their stable character and unpretentiousness. However, these hardened plants can also be affected by diseases, pests, and suffer from improper care. Most often, the first visual sign of a juniper disease is the yellowing of its needles.

There are many specific causes for this symptom:

Other reasons are also possible - we will consider all of them below.

Climate, weather

Juniper, although quite resistant to weather conditions, still sometimes suffers from some negative factors. Further, the most dangerous climatic and weather phenomena for the plant.

Air pollution

Some varieties of juniper show rare resistance to high levels of harmful substances in the air. Similar varieties are even recommended for planting on the streets of the city.

However, there are varieties for which gas content is not suitable. Junipers with a similar "gentle" constitution react negatively to a polluted atmosphere, including yellowing of the needles. If the gas content is strong, the plant may even shed its needles. Yellowing in this case occurs evenly throughout the shrub. Decorativeness suffers significantly.

What to do

Unfortunately, we cannot do anything with air. It is necessary to initially choose varieties that are resistant to gas contamination. If the type of plant planted is not the same, its decorative effect will be irretrievably lost.

Harmful precipitation

If the juniper is planted in an ecologically unfavorable region, yellowing of the needles from acid rain and other harmful precipitation is likely. Such precipitation with a high sulfur content is especially frequent in the north-west of our country. Inside the crown, the needles usually remain the same color.

What to do

There's nothing you can do, you'll have to deal with it.

This includes reasons related to improper care and maintenance.

Wrong choice of soil

It is important to plant the plant in soil with neutral acidity. Too acidic or too alkaline soil is not suitable for juniper. The optimal range is 5-5.5 pH.

What to do

If the soil does not match the plant variety, add lime for alkalization or another substance for acidification (for example, rotted sawdust).

Planting in late autumn

If you plant a juniper in anticipation of winter, it may not have time to take root normally before frost. In this case, changing the color of the needles to an ugly yellow color is almost inevitable.

What to do

To prevent yellowing of the needles due to freezing of the ground, it is necessary to plant the plant in the fall in advance, taking into account the climate of the area and the timing of the onset of cold weather. For the winter, the conifer must be well covered.

Too much fertilizer

Since the juniper does not grow too rapidly, it does not need a lot of nutrients. Usually the plant is quite enough of those minerals that are present in the soil. If you overfeed the shrub, it will change its color to yellow, the blue variety to green. Dwarf varieties grow to standard sizes, while losing all their charm.

What to do

You don't need to fertilize often. Feed the shrub only if the soil is very depleted.

lack of moisture

A lack of water can also affect the coloring of needles in yellow. Although the juniper does not need frequent watering, occasionally it is still necessary to moisten it. Otherwise, in a dry summer, the needles often dry.

What to do

It is necessary to establish a watering schedule and do not forget to take care of the conifer growing in the garden. The norm in summer is 30 liters per adult plant per watering. And so that the moisture does not evaporate so quickly, mulch the soil in the trunk circle.

Spraying will also help. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the summer time once a week.

Waterlogging

Juniper needles may suffer due to an excess of moisture in the soil. Both excessive watering and spring floods lead to waterlogging - if the shrub is planted in a lowland.

What to do

Watering should be responsibly, avoid waterlogging. When planting in the hole, a layer of drainage should be laid, and a place for rooting should be chosen on a small hill.

Pest infestation

Sometimes gardeners notice that the juniper has turned yellow due to damage by harmful insects. Sucking-type pests are especially dangerous for the plant: they suck juices from the tissues of the conifer, depriving it of moisture and nutrients. As a result, the needles die, turn yellow, fall off. Below is an overview of common insects.

Aphid

The pest loves young shoots, so it usually affects juniper in the spring, at the beginning of the growing season. Ants spread aphids, so an important preventive measure is the destruction of anthills on the site.

What to do

If a lesion occurs, spray the plant with soapy water at intervals of 7-10 days. With a strong infection, the most affected branches are best cut and burned.

Shchitovka

This insect has a hard, impenetrable shell that protects it from insecticides. To cope, thus, with a shield is quite difficult.

What to do

In order to prevent the trunk of the juniper in the spring, they are coated with glue from the bottom, thus preventing the pest from moving upward to the branches and leaves. If the defeat has already occurred, apply strong insecticidal preparations in several stages, and also collect visible insects by hand.

gall midges

Pests seem harmless to many gardeners, but in reality they are not. Both gall midge larvae and adults are dangerous. By the way, adult gall midges most of all resemble small mosquitoes. Insects secrete specific substances into the needles, leading to the appearance of ugly growths on the crown of the tree - galls.

What to do

It is imperative to fight gall midges if the beauty of juniper is important. Usually, measures are taken quite radically, completely cutting off branches affected by pests and burning them.

Diseases

Juniper needles can turn yellow and due to various kinds of diseases. Next, we will get acquainted with the most dangerous pathologies.

Schutte

This is not one disease, but several varieties at once. All Schutte diseases are fungal in nature and affect only conifers. The disease can lead not only to yellowing of the needles, but also in severe stages to its blackening and complete falling off. The risk group includes young and weak junipers, as well as those growing in damp soil.

What to do

When the disease is still in its initial stage, sanitization with drugs such as HOM, Quadris, Ridomir, etc. can help. Affected branches are cut and burned. If the shrub is severely affected, you will have to part with it, unfortunately.

Shutte disease is much more beneficial to prevent. For prevention, you can use the same drugs as for treatment, but in a weaker concentration. In addition, it is important to initially choose seedlings without any signs of infection, choose dry areas for planting, and properly care for them.

Alternariosis

This is also a fungus, and quite dangerous. The defeat of Alternariosis leads to the fact that the needles become brown with a black coating. In severe cases, the needles fall off, the branches are exposed. The risk of infection is especially high if the juniper is densely planted.

What to do

Branches already infected must be cut and destroyed away from the site. Then disinfection is carried out with a solution of copper sulphate. Sections are smeared with oil paint.

Fusarium

The disease leads to the needles tingling, drying out, falling off. The infection is transmitted through the soil.

What to do

It is necessary to disinfect the soil in which the juniper grows. Disinfection is carried out with Fitosporin, Gamair, Fundazol preparations. In case of severe damage, it is recommended to remove the upper part of the soil and replace it with a clean one.

Most often, Fusarium is transferred along with the purchased seedling. Therefore, when purchasing a new plant, be careful about choosing a nursery and do not make a purchase on the market.

Rust

The disease manifests itself as browning and yellowing of the needles, as well as in the form of ugly growths. Rust leads not only to the defeat of the needles, but shoots, in severe cases - the trunk.

What to do

Having found signs of rust, it is urgent to remove all affected parts. Then spraying is carried out with Fundazol, Folicur, Topaz, and other antifungal drugs.

If the juniper turned yellow after winter

Usually a change in the color of the needles in this case is associated with sunburn. The fact is that in early spring the sun shines brightly, and the snow has not yet melted. As a result, light is reflected from the snow and hits the needles, which cannot withstand such intense radiation.

In addition, it happens that during the winter the roots of the juniper partially freeze, which also negatively affects the condition of the needles. These two reasons lead to yellowing of the plant after winter.

What to do

To protect the plant from freezing in winter, it is recommended to plant frost-resistant varieties in regions with a cold climate.

In addition, mulching the trunk circle with sawdust or peat in the fall will help. Such a natural mulch will well protect the juniper roots from the cold.

If the shrub is young, it is better to cover it with agrofiber or burlap. In columnar varieties, it is recommended to bandage the crown before wintering so that it does not deform under the snow cap.

Why does the plant dry

If the bush began to dry, turned brown, there may be several reasons for this. Usually this happens if the agricultural technique of cultivation was systematically violated, the plant was struck by pests or an infectious disease. In this case, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the problem and urgently treat the plant. If measures are not taken in time, the death of the shrub is also likely.

The plant is inspected, all affected parts are identified, after which they must be removed and burned. This will stop the spread of the infection. Sections should be treated with fungicidal preparations, copper sulfate. It is known that the fungus is afraid of copper-containing products.

So, we learned what causes yellowing of juniper needles and how to deal with the problem. As you can see, there are quite a few reasons. Before starting treatment, accurately establish the correct one in your particular case. Only then will therapy be successful.

Evergreen junipers are a widely planted decorative coniferous culture, which has a lot of advantages, for which both amateur summer residents and professional landscape design specialists love it dearly. Unfortunately, unpretentiousness and resistance to diseases and pests are not among these advantages. They are prone to sunburn, winter desiccation, they are often spoiled by insects and infected with infections. And most often, yellowing needles are put as an external manifestation of trouble. Why do junipers turn yellow, how to accurately determine the cause, help them survive and regain their former decorative effect?

The biggest difficulty in this matter is that there are many reasons for the yellowing of juniper needles. These are various errors in care, and pests, and infectious diseases, and weather surprises - and in each case the situation is also far from unambiguous. But all this can be sorted out.

Varietal characteristics and environmental factors

One of the most common reasons for the loss of decorative conifers, and sometimes their death, is insufficient winter hardiness. The risk group primarily includes the following varieties: recumbent or leaning, Zeravshan, red and Turkestan. The Cossack, ordinary, scaly, hard, Siberian, Chinese, horizontal species survive the winter most steadfastly. If the winter is calm, without extreme “somersaults”, then these representatives of conifers, especially undersized ones, endure it without problems, wintering under the snow, like ordinary Christmas trees. But snowless frosts, thaws followed by sharp drops in temperatures and other natural surprises often lead to problems, the external manifestation of which is the loss of appearance.

Gas contamination

Junipers ambiguously tolerate gas pollution, smoke and other adverse environmental factors. Some species easily put up with them, others begin to wither, weakly resist infections and pests, shed their needles and branches.

The needles in this case begin to turn yellow from the very tips evenly throughout the bush. They can drag out a miserable existence on the site for a long time, but they can no longer return to their former decorativeness.

When planting coniferous seedlings near busy roads or industrial enterprises, it is necessary to take the choice of variety especially responsibly.

acid rain

The active use of brown coal by industry, which has a high sulfur content, leads to the so-called acid rain. They affect both juniper crowns and other tree species that are not resistant to sulfuric anhydride. The western regions of Russia suffer the most from acid rain. But, unfortunately, there are no measures to combat this factor.

Soil salt concentration

The optimum acidity of the soil is from 5 to 5.5 (pH). A mixture of sand with peat and a small addition of clay is perfect for planting.

Do not allow dogs and cats to visit junipers, which increase the concentration of soil salts with their urine! Coniferous shoots in this case acquire a rusty color.

Spring waterlogging of the soil

Occurs due to the rise of groundwater during spring floods. Seasonal temperature differences between soil and air are especially negative.

Errors of agricultural technology

They can consist not only in a lack of attention and care, but also in excessive care.

sunburn

The most common cause of yellowing of the needles is the burning of the crown in the bright spring sun against the background of the still frozen ground and half-dormant roots in it. Seasonal shading is necessary for sensitive junipers, especially if they grow in the open. Old tulle, loose burlap, mesh - any woven material will do. Unfortunately, for some particularly sensitive varieties (for example, Stricta), in regions with a sharply continental climate, neither winter nor spring shelter will help. It managed not to burn out this season, it will burn out next or, even worse, in a couple of years, and all the work invested in growing will be in vain.

The yellowing and fall of the needles, observed inside the crown in the first autumn months, is a normal process of its change and should not cause concern! In the spring, the plant will give a new growth.

Root shrinkage

It is categorically impossible to allow continuous drying of the root system. Until the roots have deepened to a sufficient depth, the soil must be mulched (can be overlaid with branches) and regularly moistened.

If the needles began to lose color, presumably for this reason, you need to increase watering, but not all at once, but gradually, so as not to plunge the plant into an additional shock. Unfortunately, only large roots can be “drinked”, thin roots in an overdried coma die off irrevocably.

late fall planting

If the planting was done in late autumn and the plant did not have time to take root properly in anticipation of frost and freezing of the soil, then in the spring there may be a loss of color of the needles. This is due to dehydration, since the roots in this case evaporate moisture from all plant tissues.

What to do in that case? In winter, a young seedling must be securely covered from frost, and in spring from the sun. Closer to spring, the snow in the trunk circle should be cleared to its edges and watered with warm water (about 60C) at least every other day. Do not be afraid that the water will turn out to be hot, the frozen ground will cool it down exactly as much as necessary.

Overfeeding

The annual growth of this crop is small, so it does not need fertilizers - a properly selected surrounding soil is enough. As a result, the needles may turn yellow (and in blue varieties change color to green), and dwarf varieties lose all their charm and grow to normal, unremarkable sizes from a decorative point of view.

For young plants or those that have suffered drying out of the roots, you can use the drug "Kornevin", which stimulates the growth of roots. It is not a fertilizer, but the recommended rate must be observed in order to avoid the opposite effect.

Video tips for restoring junipers after winter

Pests

They can be divided into two large groups.

Sucking pests

They harm by sucking the vital juices from the tissues, weakening the bush and depriving the needles of nutrition, which begins to turn yellow and die.

juniper aphid

Usually attacks young branches, causes them to bend, lose color and fall off the needles. To avoid a problem, try not to let the ants close, which are literally cultivated by these pests.

For the treatment of slightly damaged shoots, cold soapy water is used (the soil around must be covered with a film to prevent large amounts of soap from entering the soil). Repeat the procedure after 7-10 days. Heavily infected branches will have to be cut along with the aphid colonies that have settled on them.

Juniper scale insect

They have the appearance of rounded (females) and elongated (males) shields, 1-1.5 mm in size. Appear on cones and needles in early June. They suck out juices, destroy needles, and reduce annual growth. A measure of preventive control is a physical barrier to upward movement. To do this, in early spring we arm ourselves with caterpillar glue and apply it with a ring around the trunk at the root neck. You can use straw or fabric trapping belts. If the enemy has already passed this line, but the problem has not become global, a toothbrush or a dull knife is used to clean the trunks. In a neglected case, you will have to use insecticides.

gall midges

The wrecking consists in the release of specific growth substances deposited by them on the needles. As a result, diseased plant cells begin to rapidly divide and form galls, in which the larvae settle. Insecticides are used for control, and as a drastic measure, cutting branches affected by galls with their subsequent burning.

spruce spider mite

External signs - the crown is entangled in a rare and very thin cobweb, gradually it becomes first yellow, then dark brown and, finally, the needles crumble together. More often it affects young conifers planted on dry soils. During the season, up to 4-6 generations can be postponed and grown, so the situation by the end of summer can become catastrophic. In hot years, the insect is especially activated. As a preventive measure, maintain humidity by spraying the crown with cold water. For therapeutic spraying, colloidal sulfur or folk formulations and infusions, for example, garlic or dandelion, are used. On large areas or in advanced cases, it is necessary to use acaricidal agents.

needle-eating pests

These insects spoil the needles, eating away its internal tissues, which leads to its necrotic changes.

Sawfly

Outwardly, it looks like green caterpillars with a brown head and three dark stripes on the back. With a weak infestation, you need to dig up the trunk circle and manually collect and destroy the nests. However, if there is a noticeable yellowing of the needles, we are talking about a high degree of damage and infusions of plant insecticides will be required.

Also coniferous moths and pine moths are needle-eating. The methods of dealing with them are similar - pruning and treatment with insecticides. The branches on which the needles have already begun to turn yellow and fall off, most likely, can no longer be saved.

Diseases

Infectious fungal diseases are not only one of the most common causes of yellowing of needles, but also one of the most dangerous for its survival and restoration of decorative qualities.

Schutte

This is a whole series of fungal infections inherent exclusively in coniferous plants. The causative agents are varieties of ascomycete fungi. Their symptoms are somewhat similar, the first signs, upon very careful examination, can be seen towards the end, and sometimes at the beginning of summer. Last year's needles slightly change color, but do not crumble; by autumn, barely noticeable black dots appear on it, which gradually grow - these are the fruiting bodies of mycelium. The scale of the disaster appears in all its glory the following spring after the snow melts, when the bush is covered with gray-black cobweb mycelium.

real schütte

The name of the causative fungus is Lophodermium seditiosum. It affects young or weakened bushes in the bulk, often brought to the site from nurseries. The source of the further spread of the infection is fallen needles, on which apothecia grow - the fruiting bodies of mycelium, outwardly similar to black transverse lines. They are especially well preserved and grow in damp warm weather or with heavy dews.

Snow Shutte

It is mainly dangerous for pines, but in close proximity it also infects junipers. The disease got its name because especially rapid development occurs under the snow, showing in the spring a sad picture of brown shoots covered with a grayish film. This is a mycelium that is quickly transmitted from needle to needle. What did not die after the snow melted gradually dies off by summer. Especially contributes to this wet, protracted spring. The reddish color of the affected areas gradually acquires a gray, and then a black tint.

Brown Shutte

One of the most famous and common diseases of this crop, especially in nurseries, on young stock or on self-seeding. The causative agent is Herpotrichia nigra. The coniferous cover loses color, becomes brown-yellow, but keeps on the branches for a long time. The problem can be seen in the initial stage, at the end of summer or autumn, when rounded black dots-spores appear on the needles. But usually the defeat becomes apparent in the spring, when the bush is abundantly covered with mycelium.

Risk group - weakened heathers growing in shaded areas or on waterlogged soil.

What to do?

At the initial stage of any kind of shute, sanitization should be carried out. Recommended compositions - "Rkor", "Kvadris", "Ridomir Gold", "HOM", Bordeaux liquid. It is necessary to carefully collect, without digging, crumbled needles, cut off the affected branches. These same drugs are well suited for prevention. Severely affected shrubs are destroyed, followed by the burning of all plant residues.

Prevention is very important in relation to shute! It consists in careful selection of planting material, providing growing seedlings with sufficient space, taking into account future sizes, and timely preventive spraying.

Alternariosis

The carrier of the infection is the fungus Alternaria tenuis. In addition to repainting the needles brown, it is also characterized by the appearance of a black velvety coating on them. Gradually, the needles crumble, and the shoots dry out. It affects the entire above-ground part of the conifer, retains vitality in plant debris. The risk zone is dense plantings.

How to fight?

The affected branches are cut off, the places of the cuts are either disinfected with a 1% solution of copper sulphate or the HOM preparation (they are also used for preventive spraying), or smeared with oil paint on drying oil.

Important! If several plants are affected, one bush is first treated and its reaction is observed for a day. If no negative consequences occur, the rest of the conifers are sprayed.

Biotorell cancer

Even before the crown begins to “rust”, this fungal pathology is manifested by the appearance of brown spots on the bark with its gradual drying and cracking. In places of cracks, ulcerative lesions appear, malignant fruiting bodies are formed. Next comes yellowing and falling of the needles. The causative agent Biatorella difformis penetrates into plant tissues through cracks in the bark and other mechanical damage. If the plantings are thickened, the infection quickly spreads over the site.

How to fight?

During planned pruning, always treat branches with garden pitch so that mycelium spores do not fall on a fresh cut, this is one of the most vulnerable places of juniper.

Bark nectriosis

The disease begins to manifest itself by the appearance of red growths on the bark (subsequently darkening and drying out), which are the foci of sporulation of the fungus Nectria cucurbitula. Further, everything happens according to the same scenario as with biorell cancer. Too dense landings and in this case are a provoking factor. If the problem is noticed in time, the needles and the entire shrub can be saved.

How to fight?

Apply fungicides in several stages. For the first time, you can use sodium humate, the preparation "Caesar" or "Ridomila Gold MC". For re-treatment, which is advisable to carry out after two weeks, Quadris, Skor, Strobi or lignohumate will be suitable means.

Rust

Symptoms - orange growths, drying and falling needles, twigs. The most susceptible to rust are Cossack and Virginian junipers. The spores of the fungus are carried by the wind and rapidly infect other shrubs. They can be saved only at the very beginning of the disease by radical pruning of damaged shoots. The disease, unfortunately, is not treated and, if a vital part of the plant is affected, it dies. If the process has been stopped, the cut points must be covered with garden pitch or linseed oil paint, and the remaining aerial part should be treated with fungicides.

The most effective drugs: Vectra, Ridomil Gold MC, Tilt and Bayleton.

Rust-causing fungi have a complex two-host life cycle. To avoid infection, plant junipers farther from rosaceae (apple, pear or rarer hawthorn, shadberry, etc.) or arrange artificial barriers between them.

Shrinking branches

One of the most difficult to diagnose pathologies caused by pathogenic fungi of several varieties at once. At the beginning of the process, it is impossible to understand the cause and differentiate it with the inexperienced eye from the consequences of care errors. However, soon dark-colored fruiting bodies begin to form on the bark, following the yellowing and falling of the needles, the branches begin to fall.

What to do?

If the process has gone far, the plant can no longer be saved, all forces must be given to save the neighbors - the affected bushes are dug up and burned, and the soil is treated with disinfectants. Minor damage is stopped by pruning, followed by disinfection of the cuts and spraying the surviving bush with fungicides.

Always carefully collect the yellowed and fallen needles of diseased plants. They can become a source of secondary infection.

Fusarium

Tracheomycotic wilt, as this pathology is otherwise called, begins, unlike the cases described above, from the root system, causing it to darken. Infection occurs in the soil, affects the vessels of plant tissues, which disrupts the entire nutrient delivery system. First, the needles turn red, starting from the very top, then dry, visually the process moves from top to bottom.

What to do?

The soil under the diseased plant is disinfected with the preparations "Gamair", "Fitosporin-M". A solution of "Fundazol" is also well suited. If it is possible to replace part of the soil, this must be done.

Fusarium in the vast majority of cases is transferred to the site along with the seedling. Carefully choose the supplier, and if there is any doubt about the purity of the material, treat the earthen lump and the hole for planting with the Quadris, Fitosporin or Maxim compositions. But this does not give a 100% guarantee of getting rid of pathogens.

Gray rot

Places affected by anamorphic fungi look like they are covered with a layer of gray-brown dust, thin branches turn black and die. The reason usually lies in the lack of space, close proximity to thujas, also susceptible to this disease, waterlogging, waterlogging of the soil, low light.

What to do?

Dense plantings need to be thinned out. Remove diseased branches and burn, process cuts. Spray with infusion of pure flowers, Bordeaux liquid, abaga-peak.

It is important not only to know how to deal with the problem of yellowing needles, but also how to do it correctly.

• Almost all fungal and other pathogens of juniper develop resistance to the drugs used against them. Therefore, it is not advisable to use the same remedy, they must be alternated.
• Different problems require the use of different drugs. Fungal infections are controlled with fungicides, insects and their larvae are killed with insecticidal agents, and acaricides are used against mites and similar pests.
• The optimal interval between treatments is 2 weeks.
• The best time for spraying is morning or evening, the day should be warm and calm.
• Sections of branches affected by fungal pathogens must be treated with garden pitch, blue vitriol or oil-based paint with the obligatory presence of drying oil in the composition.
• There is no need to rush to remove branches slightly burnt in the sun, they can still recover and grow fresh needles.

Juniper problems, like any other, are best dealt with before they appear. Prevention should become an integral part of agrotechnical measures for the care of this ornamental crop. If we add to this a regular preventive examination, it will be possible to notice the first signs of a disease or pest attack in time and have time to save the plant. If everything has gone too far, it is better to donate a little in the name of saving other ornamental and fruit trees and horticultural crops.

Not everyone knows about what juniper diseases and their treatment are. But in order to achieve the desired result, and return the plant to an attractive appearance, it is necessary to learn to recognize diseases and take action at the first symptoms.

Common juniper diseases and their treatment

When growing coniferous plants in a summer cottage, you must be able to provide the necessary assistance when problems are detected.

Fusarium juniper

The causative agents of the disease are soil fungi that can cause root rot. When it enters the root system, the mycelium blocks the access of nutrients. If nothing is done, then in a short time the upper part of the shoots will begin to fade, turn yellow, and the needles will fall off.

Most of all, young twigs are affected by fusarium.

The infection persists for a long period of time. The main place of her stay is the soil and the affected stems.

Favorable environment for fusarium are:

• loamy soil;
• excess moisture;
• lack of light.

To get rid of this problem, it is necessary to carry out culling in a timely manner. Also, at the first symptoms of the disease, it is recommended to remove the affected plants along with the root system.

As a preventive measure, young plants are treated with Baktofit before planting. Also use a drug called Vitarox. When the first signs of the disease appear, the soil around the plant should be watered with Fitosporin solution. Plants are also treated with Fundazol.

Drying of shoots

The causative agents are some types of fungi. When they appear, the bark begins to dry out. Brown growths appear on its surface, the branches turn yellow, and the needles crumble. The infection that leads to this problem is stored in the affected bark, branches and unharvested shoot residues.

To prevent such a problem, it is necessary to use only high-quality planting material. It is also recommended to carry out the correct and timely pruning of shoots. In order to prevent the development of infection, all affected areas and sections should be treated with 1%, and a layer of oil paint should be applied on top.

In early spring and late autumn, juniper is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. If the disease is running, then the procedure is repeated.

juniper Alternariosis

A sign of the disease is brown needles and a pronounced dark coating on the shoots. If the disease is not treated with anything, then over time the branches will begin to fade. The reason for the appearance of alternariosis is the thickening of the plantings.

Alternariosis appears only on the lower branches.

The infection persists in the affected areas and unharvested leaves. Struggling with alternariosis in the same way as with withering shoots.

Shutte juniper

This disease has another name - brown gray mold. Its causative agents are fungi that begin to infect shoots at a temperature of +0.5 o C.

Schutte infects plants only under snow.

Symptoms of the disease are branches that have a brown or yellowish tint. The needles also change their color and stick together with a grayish web.

With a shutte, despite the fact that the needles acquire a reddish tint, they do not crumble. But thin twigs dry out pretty quickly. They are the first to be affected by this disease.

This problem is often caused by high soil moisture, as well as dense plantings. You can prevent development by timely pruning of dry shoots. It is also recommended to spray the plant with Bordeaux mixture twice a year.

juniper rust

This is the most common juniper disease. Mushrooms that lead to this problem germinate on needles, twigs, cones. Such growths have thickenings and a bright shade. Blisters and swells appear on the trunk or at the root neck. Because of them, the bark dries out, and shallow wounds form on the surface.

In early spring, when the snow has not yet melted, growths of a dark brown hue form. They are often referred to as telioja. After rain or heavy fog, they become soft and swell, covered with mucus on top. It is in them that spores are formed that are able to germinate and be carried by the wind.

If no action is taken, then the branches dry out rather quickly, the needles change their color to brown and crumble. The infection overwinters on the bark. It can also infect quince and apple trees. Fight rust by removing affected branches. Periodic spraying with Bordeaux mixture is also recommended.

Cortical necrosis

You can determine the disease by the presence of the so-called pads, which have a brick-red tint. Outgrowths grow up to 2 mm in width. After a few days, they begin to darken and dry out. Bark necrosis can also affect the root system. The roots are affected and dry out over time. Similar is observed with twigs and needles. The infection persists in diseased branches, plant debris. Fight necrosis as well as wilting branches.

Biotorell cancer

The causative agent of this disease is the fungus biatorella diformik.

Signs of the disease:

1. Drying of branches.
2. Cracking of the bark and the appearance of ulcers in the wood.
3. The wood turns brown and begins to rot.

Pathogenic microorganisms appear in places where the bark is cracked or mechanically damaged. The fungus develops in the tissues, after which the bark becomes brown and dries out after a while. Such lesions lead to the fact that the needles and twigs begin to turn yellow and dry out.

In order to prevent such a problem, it is necessary to follow all the rules and recommendations of agricultural technology. It is also recommended to use high-quality seedlings, because they carry a similar infection.

But, if, nevertheless, signs of the disease appear on the plant, it is necessary to remove the affected shoots as soon as possible. Spray all cuts and deformed areas with a weak solution of copper sulfate. Coat the treated branches and trunk with paint or drying oil. In the first month of spring and in October, it is recommended to carry out prophylaxis with a Bordeaux mixture. Instead of this drug, you can use Hom or Abiga-peak.

juniper pests

Natural disasters contribute to the appearance in the garden of a large number of various insects that damage plants.

Angled Moth

This is a butterfly that is distinguished by a purple-gray hue. Its wingspan is within 30 mm. On their outer edge there is a small notch. On the front wings there are three, and on the back two lines.

Caterpillars are up to 30 mm long. They are green with a brownish head. There are dark green stripes on the surface. Caterpillars grow up to 30 cm long. Brown pupa. Its length is about 11 mm. They overwinter in the soil or dry grass.

Both caterpillars and butterflies feed on needles and juniper twigs. It is not difficult to deal with the ugly-winged moth. To do this, annually in May, it is necessary to spray the plant with Fufanon, or Decis Profi. If the branches are badly damaged, then all dry shoots are cut and removed as far as possible from the place where the juniper grows.

Juniper scale insect

This is an insect that is small in size. The female is elongated. It reaches 2 mm in length, brown. The larvae appear in the first part of June.

The juniper scale insect feeds on needles and cones. It also affects pines, arborvitae and cypress.

In the case when the plant is badly damaged, the needles turn brown, and the branches begin to dry. If nothing is done, then the plant will dry out in a fairly short time. You can fight this pest with the help of actellik, fufanon.

With proper planting and care, juniper will always have a healthy appearance. But if, nevertheless, the plant begins to wither and lose its needles, then simple measures will help get rid of diseases.

Treatment of brown juniper needles - video

Juniper is a beautiful, but difficult plant to care for. Quite often, the needles, for no apparent reason, begin to dry and fall off. So, what to do if the junipers turn yellow? How to deal with it?

Junipers are considered an unpretentious decoration of garden and summer cottages. But in reality the opposite happens. The evergreen shrub brings the owner a lot of trouble. And the most basic is the yellowing of the needles. In this article, we will look at why junipers turn yellow and how to deal with it.

Juniper turned yellow: circumstances

There may be a couple of reasons for the yellowing of juniper.

Circumstance #1. Diseases

One of the most common diseases shute. It manifests itself in the form of a transformation of the color of the needles, their death and loss. The causative agent is a fungus that mainly affects weak plants growing in the shade or on overly wet soils. It is possible to identify the problem in June. Just at this time, elliptical or rounded black spores appear on the branches. If nothing is done, the needles get a yellow-brown hue.

Schutte is a common disease of conifers.

How to fight . Systematically and in time to remove the affected branches. Prophylactic treatment with fungicides will help prevent the appearance of the fungus. This should be done in spring and autumn. The following drugs have proven themselves well - Quadris, Skor, Strobi, Ridomil Gold, Tilt.

The second most common disease rust. Caused by basidiomycetes. It appears as yellow-orange growths on the branches. The peculiarity is contained in the fact that not only juniper is affected, but also neighboring plants - the pathogen needs two carriers to go through the cycle. First, the spores are carried by the wind to apple trees, pears, hawthorn or mountain ash. Reniform mounds and rust spots form on the pages, from which spores spill out, which later fall on the juniper. It is curious that yellow-orange growths are not immediately noticeable - approximately in the second year after the end of the lesion. The first alarm signals that cannot be ignored are thickenings and wounds on the branches of the juniper. According to observations, Cossack and Virginsky junipers are more prone to rust than other varieties.

How to fight . If rust has already appeared, then it is difficult to cure the disease. We need to eliminate the first owner. Damaged juniper branches are cut out. Pruning is done with a sterile pruner (treat it with alcohol), otherwise it is only possible to worsen the situation. Healthy branches are treated with fungicides. Microfertilizers with an immunomodulatory effect will help reduce the harmfulness of rust.

Shrinking branches- Another headache for gardeners and summer residents. It leads not only to the loss of decorativeness by the bush, but also quite often to death. Pathogens - a large group of fungi that begin work in the spring. The needles turn yellow and begin to fall off. Later, small black spores appear on the bark and on the branches. It was noted that junipers of Skyrocket, Blue Star and Blue Сarpet varieties are most susceptible to drying out.

Sick branches are carefully cut with secateurs.

How to fight . Sick branches and particles of bark are removed, the plant is carefully treated with fungicides. Cuts and wounds are disinfected with bronze vitriol. Preventive treatment is carried out in spring and autumn. From time to time - in the summer.

Nectrium and Biotorell cancer also leads to yellowing of the needles. Much more often, the mycelium is located on the bark and the spread of the disease is facilitated by mechanical damage to the outer clothing of the juniper. The disease progresses rapidly - the branches turn yellow, the bark cracks, longitudinal ulcers appear and the plant begins to die.

How to fight . If the affected area is huge, then it is unlikely that the juniper will be saved. Bad branches are removed, the plant is treated with Vectra, Bayleton, Skor, Tilt. For prevention purposes, every six months (in early spring and autumn) spray the bushes with solutions containing copper (Bordeaux mixture, Oxyhom, bronze vitriol, Fitosporin).

Experts recommend changing drugs - this significantly increases the effectiveness of the measures taken. Along with this, not only the plant is processed, but also the land. If the juniper could not be saved, then the earth is changed at this place, in extreme cases, they are disinfected.

With a massive defeat of the branches, it is better to remove the plant entirely from the site.

Careful selection of new planting material will help prevent an outbreak of disease. If the health of the bushes is in doubt, it is better not to take risks and treat them with drugs such as Maxim, Quadris, Fitosporin.

Increases the risk of infection dense plantings and heavy soils with poor air exchange. The optimal time for prevention is April and October.

Circumstance #2. Sucking pests

The aphid sucks the juice of the plant, which leads to its death.

From time to time on young junipers appears aphid. It delays the development of the plant, leads to twisting and yellowing of the branches. Control measures are to prevent the spread of ants, since they are the ones who graze aphids. Washing branches with soapy water helps. Remember to secure the ground near the juniper so that water does not seep to the roots. Washing is repeated a couple of times with an interval of 7-10 days. The harmfulness of aphids is reduced by pruning the shoots on which there are countless colonies.

Juniper scale insect no less scary. If the needles began to turn yellow and fall off in June, carefully inspect the shrub. Perhaps the circumstance is in rounded larvae, well sitting on needles. The shields are very small (up to 1.5 mm) - it is difficult to notice them. The scale insect sucks the juice out of the bark, as a result, the plant changes color and begins to dry out. If the pests appeared relatively recently, then carefully clean them with a knife. In more advanced cases, they are sprayed with insecticides (Aktara, Fufanon, Aktellik). Straw or burlap belts covered with caterpillar glue are put on the branches - this will prevent the spread of larvae.

spider mite envelops the juniper in a narrow cobweb, which is why it crumbles and becomes covered first with yellow, and later with brown spots. The tick is especially terrible in dry weather with a lack of liquid in the soil. During one growing season, the female tick gives up to 6 generations, in other words, the harm from the life of spider mites is significant. Attentive care and care for still weak bushes will help prevent the appearance of pests. In the summer, spray the branches with water from a spray bottle. If a web is found, prepare an infusion of dandelion, garlic or colloidal sulfur for spraying. In very neglected environments, acaricides are used.

Gall midges are not a harmless mosquito at all.

Sucking pests prefer young or weakened plants. That is why it is fundamentally important to systematically fertilize, loosen the earth and remove weeds. Great attention should be paid to the quality of planting material - take seedlings only from trusted suppliers. The soil at the landing site should be light, fertile with a low level of acidity.

Circumstance #3. needle-eating pests

In May, purple butterflies can appear over the junipers. If you ignore their fussy fluttering, then in July green caterpillars with a dark red head will settle on the branches. This is pine moths. known for their gluttony. In October, the caterpillars suddenly disappear, but one should not rejoice. They go underground or hide in the fallen needles in order to safely winter in the pupa stage, and later again take up the destruction of the juniper. Control measures include spraying bushes with enteric-contact insecticides and digging up the ground to kill pupae.

juniper sawfly can be identified by green larvae with a brown head and three black stripes on the body. They feed on shoots and needles, turning fluffy green juniper into a burnt broom. Systematically dig the ground, destroy the larvae and spray the plant with Karbofos.

The shoot moth loves to feast on young shoots on pine needles.

shoot moth eats away young shoots, which is why the juniper does not grow well, becomes pale and stunted. be directed to highlight that the bush is sprayed in this case not with simple insecticides, but with the addition of mineral oils.

Junipers turned yellow: what to do? This question worries many connoisseurs of evergreen shrubs. Is it possible to expand the effectiveness of ongoing health improvement activities? What do the experts recommend?

• to eliminate fungi, use fungicides, insects and their larvae - insecticides, ticks - acaricides;
• treat the bushes a couple of times until complete recovery with an interval of 2 weeks;
• spraying should not be carried out in windy weather;
• the optimal time for disinfection is the morning or evening of a warm day;
• in case of fungal diseases, cut branches are treated with bronze vitriol and smeared with oil paint on drying oil;
• The following cocktail proved to be excellent: Epin (1 ampoule) + Zircon (1 ampoule) + 5 liters of water. This mixture is abundantly sprayed with yellowed needles. Maybe a couple of times with an interval of a couple of days.

If the needles fall only on the inside of the crown and only in September, then, most likely, nothing terrible happens. This is a natural process of changing the coat, which lasts 2-3 years. At the end of the fall of the old needles under it, you will notice a new one - young and beautiful.

But if the needles fall out all over the crown, then perhaps the circumstance lies in the excessive gas content of the atmosphere. In addition, yellowing is possibly caused by acid rain. Unfortunately, this has been happening quite often lately.

In any case, don't expect instant results. The needles are restored for a long time. From time to time it takes 2-3 years.

Other circumstances of juniper yellowing

Yellowing of needles is promoted not only by fungi and pests. In order for the juniper to please the eye, it is fundamentally important to arm yourself with the knowledge of correct planting and cultivation.

One of the most common causes of yellowing of the needles is the drying out of the roots. When planting, put a couple of small stones on the bottom of the pit, cover them with earth (mix it with peat, sand and clay) and only later start planting juniper. Do not completely cover the root neck with earth. Do not plant shrubs in the open sun - juniper loves partial shade. Do not allow severe waterlogging and compaction of the soil. In spring and autumn, spray with growth bioregulators such as Zircon, Elin, Elin-extra.

Juniper loves neither dry land nor too wet.

Excessively moist soil can also cause the crown to dry out. The roots begin to rot and the needles turn yellow. Transplanting to dry soil, removing rotten ones and processing healthy roots with Kornevin will help. If the juniper grows in your house in a pot, then it is better to take a structured soil. Mix crushed pine bark (approximately 5% of the total volume), a uniform amount of large fraction river sand and cat litter (Barsik effect, Barsik standard, Zeolite). The pot must have huge drainage holes.

Many people know that even weak junipers need to be covered for the winter, but not everyone knows that, for example, it is forbidden to do this with lutrasil, agrotherm or spunbond. These materials not only let the sun's rays through, but also retain moisture, which leads to yellowing of the needles - to frost and sunburn. Young bushes are very sensitive to the spring sun. In March, they need to be covered with burlap. It is possible to cover the crown from above with it, and it is possible to pull it onto the frame, placing such a screen on the sunny side. Adult plants are not afraid of frost, but they can suffer from the spring sun, so it is also better to cover them.

Juniper needles turn yellow with an increase in alkali and acid in the soil. It is possible to check the level of their content by means of a test, which is sold in any specialized store. If you keep dogs, then keep them away from the trees. The urine of animals burns the needles and increases the content of alkali in the earth.

The best treatment is prevention. Take care of the juniper - shelter from the destructive spring sun, loosen the ground, prevent the roots from drying out or rotting, and inspect the shrub as often as possible for warning signs. If you do this invariably, then the plant will be healthy, respectively, will delight you with the beauty and amazing smell of pine needles.