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Planting Old Gold Junipers

16 years ago

Hi,

I want to plant five Old Gold Junipers (2 gallon) on this small hillside, near the road. The soil is somewhat sandy, but I think this should be OK. I have other large old golds (6' wide). They seem to be quite content with sandy soil.

I bought the shrubs at the big box store. The folks there don't know much about the plants. The instructions on the shrubs say to combine planting mix and soil to fill the hole.

Do I need to mix in manure? Or just much them a bit?

Thanks in advance

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{{gwi:248887}}

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Comments (3)

Dibbit
16 years ago
Don't add to the soil, just backfill with the soil you dug out of the hole. Since it is on a slope, plant so that the top edge is not too deeply buried, and so that you can make a lip along the bottom edge to hold water, i.e.; make a terrace, in effect, and plant on the terrace. Since it IS on a hill, I will alter my first thought, which was to spread the compost/manure on the soil surface, and suggest that you mix it in the top couple of inches, so it doesn't wash downhill, and it can slowly mix into the soil and get down to the roots as they can use it.

If you can get mulch to stay on the hill, it would be good - maybe straw, not shaken out very much? Do NOT use pine bark as it would wash downhill in the first good rain.

I may be wrong, having no experience with these cultivars, but I think the color will be best in the more sun, so maybe don't plant too much under the trees? If I am wrong, then ignore me....
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
drag hose out there ...

dig hole.. twice as big as pot...

remove from pot... untangle or sever circling roots ...

insert in hole.. backfill halfway ... fill hole with water...

when water gone... stomp down wet soil ... add the rest of the soil.. leaving a little moat.. water deeply again ....

mulch area... leaving moat...

water again when your finger to 2nd knuckle indicates it is hot or dry ... maybe in a month ...

no fert.. no amendments.. no nothing but water.. for 2 years ... free range thereafter ...

all else... is hokum ... is that really a word .. lol

bigoboxstore just wants you to spend another 20 bucks on foo foo stuff that isnt needed ..

all trees love sand.. and need nothing but water ... and some mulch

ken the sand farmer.. lol ...
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tom_nwnj
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks folks.

Yes, the mulching, but I hadn't thought of straw. That's probably the way to go.

OK, I will water them also. But it's not a garden hose. I'll put a large plastic garbage can in the truck, fill it up, and drive it out there. Bucket brigade style.

Yup, the old golds out back get really gold in the summer. They are in full sun, southern exposure.

What I really like about these junipers is that the deer never touch them. And they chew on almost everything.

{{gwi:248888}}

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