Bar Harbor Juniper

After back filling and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost give the Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs a good deep watering. This is not to be rushed. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5 a three gallon pot would be 15 and so on. Check the plant daily for the first week or so and then every other day there after. Water using the counting method for the first few weeks. Gator bag Jr. can be used to help aid in this process and also provide plants with a good soaking due to the slow release of the water into the root-zone of the plant. Soaker Hoses can also be used to water when planting a long hedge.

Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubsare one of the easiest to grow and one of the most underused ornamental available today. In order for Bar Harbor Juniper to give their maximum performance, certain fertilization requirements must be met. Despite their fast growth patterns, Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs are considered to be light feeders. Although many well established Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs perform wonderfully in the garden without being fertilized, they will do even better with a regular fertilization program. Apply an early spring fertilizer with a product such as Espoma Tree-tone or Plant-tone at the recommended rate this will give the plant a boost of nitrogen that will be needed for healthy abundant foliage. Follow this up with a early summer application of Espoma Holly-Tone, this will provide the necessary nutrients and raise the acid level in the soil which junipers favor. Espoma products are easy to use, just sprinkle around the base of the plant and water it in. Be careful with products such as miracle-grow as these products can burn newly planted plants when not used at the recommended rates. Slow-release fertilizer can help prevent rapid sucker growth that is vulnerable to diseases and insects. In choosing the basic type of fertilizer for your Bar Harbor Juniper needs, it is important to determine what you need your juniper to do. If your plants are well established, and you are not concerned about more growth, choose a fertilizer that has a smaller first number, and a larger second and third number. For example, a 4-8-8 fertilizer with minor elements included would be a good choice for a well established juniper. If your juniper are younger plants, and you want them to concentrate their energies on growing for a few years, you may wish to choose a fertilizer that has a higher first number such as 12-4-8 or 10-10-10. Be sure that these fertilizers have minor elements as well. No matter what fertilizer you choose, “Always Read the Label”. Do not apply more fertilizer than is recommended on the label.

We highly recommend that you mulch your Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Its better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs.

In general gardening terms, pruning is probably the most misunderstood gardening chore, and certainly, the chore that is most likely neglected. When we specifically look at pruning with regards to Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs, this misunderstanding and negligence can be magnified. Pruning has been described as a “combination of art and science.” Pruning a specific plant to look a specific way, involves art in creating a unique definition for a specific plant, and it involves science in understanding the physical growing habits of the plant to be pruned. They can be planted to create a low hedge or used in the border as specimens or en masse to create a wave of color. Being dense evergreen shrubs they can even be employed to disguise ugly areas, such as dustbin or bicycle storage. And they can be extremely effective grown in pots, perhaps alongside some flowering heathers, placed in a prominent position when they come into flower in the winter, to brighten up the front of a house or patio. The most important reason for pruning Bar Harbor Juniper Shrubs is to improve the overall health of the plant. Many times, Bar Harbor Juniper that have not been pruned in a few years will develop dead or degenerative twigs. Removing the dead and dying limbs will minimize the possibility of diseases such as “dieback” and will also allow the plant to re-concentrate its energies. In many instances, Bar Harbor Juniper that have been neglected for a number of years will become infested with insects such as scale. Severely pruning such infested Bar Harbor Juniper will not only re-invigorate the plant, but will also reduce insect problems and minimize corrective treatments necessary to eliminate such problems. Another reason for pruning Bar Harbor Juniper is to re-define the plant’s definition within the landscape. Many times, a plant may outgrow its intended size in the landscape, and must be pruned to re-define its purpose. Pruning should always be associated with re-invigorating a plant by allowing it to focus its energies on producing more vigorous branches, foliage, and flowers.