Spring is a time when nature awakens to life. It is also a time for intensive gardening work. Check how to help conifers regain their shine after the difficult winter months for plants
Without a doubt, the winter months are hard on many plants, both wild and garden grown. The cold season doesn’t spare conifers either, which is very apparent in their case. If you take a closer look, you will see that the shoots have lost their color and some branches may have even withered completely. This is because in winter they cannot get water from the frozen soil and they are exposed to cold winds, which further dry them out. These conditions are not conducive to the health of the plant. Fortunately, there are ways to care for conifers in the spring to help them regain their luster and support their continued healthy growth. Learn about them and apply in your garden!
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The first thing you should do is spray your conifers with pest control. You can do this quite early in the spring. It’s the first step towards the health of your plants and you should make this task a priority. Uninvited guests on our conifers include the fir borer, aphid eggs and the thujak beetle. Experts point out that oil preparations, which cause suffocation of pests, are very effective in the fight against pests on conifers. In case of insects the speed of our reaction is important, so be sure to get down to it before the start of the calendar spring. The sooner, the better. The first half of March seems to be a great time for this type of treatment and that is when it is most sensible to start acting.
If you’ve already sprayed your conifers with pest control products, it’s time to think about pruning – probably the most popular maintenance procedure! April and May are the perfect months to get started. Start by gathering the right tools. Good quality pruners and shears will be your best bet for your garden. Slightly more expensive tools are an investment for years to come, so consider this. As for the actual technique of pruning conifers in spring: Start by cutting back shoots that have been damaged by frost, broken or simply dead. Once you’ve gotten rid of such branches, it’s time to get busy shaping the shape of our conifer! Shorten any overgrown stems and give the plant the right look
This is something that some people forget to do, and unfortunately their plants pay for it with their health. It is important to know that the resilience of conifers depends greatly on proper fertilization. Pay attention primarily to the composition of the fertilizer, but also to the frequency of fertilization. There are two options: You can either go for a compound fertiliser which has a slower action and will release its nutrients over several months or you can decide to give the plant a granular fertiliser every month. When it comes to choosing a specific preparation, experts remind us that conifers like acidic soil and advise us to reach for fertilizers specifically designed for this group of plants. Although fertilization is very important, you should not overdo it. Pines and junipers, for example, do not like too much fertilizing. Do everything sensitively based on regular observation of your plants. Their condition will tell you the course of action.
Without a doubt, proper plant care is a must. Although spring is a difficult time for conifers exhausted by winter, with the help of a skilled gardener they can recover quite quickly and enjoy a great look all season long. Take care of your plants so that they grow healthy, spared from pests!
