Column juniper turns brown

These can be causes:

• Frost damage
• Lack of light
• Fungal attack
• Juniper Moth
• Root damage
• lime

Frost damage

The evergreen shrubs have to maintain their metabolism in winter. When the ground is frozen and the roots cannot absorb water, drought stress occurs. The consequences are visible in the next spring, when the shoots have already died. Water the plants on frost-free days.

Lack of light

Container plants often get brown shoots when they are in a dark corner on the balcony. While the pots can simply be relocated, solving the light problem is more difficult with ingrown specimens. Old trees can no longer tolerate transplanting. If the bushes are overshadowed by nearby trees, only pruning these trees will help.

Fungal attack

While shoots take years to turn brown when infected by rust fungi, they dry up within a short time due to an infection with the Phomopsis juniperivora fungus. In this disease, also known as shoot death, the needles do not fall off. Affected areas should be removed and disposed of quickly.

Juniper Moth

The larvae of this butterfly burrow into the shoots and eat the pulp from the inside. A clear sign of the infestation are small boreholes in the brown shoots, in which the larvae pupate and overwinter until the next spring. The pest is combated during the flight time between May and July. Spray the entire wood with a pyrethrum preparation.

Root damage

Brown shoots can appear if voles or beetle larvae have damaged the roots. To spot the pests, you need to dig a small hole and check the roots for signs of eating or rotten spots. Plant protection sticks from drugstores or garden centers help against beetle larvae. Voles are made by odorous plants like Imperial Crown, Cruciferous Milkweed or quenched garlic.

lime

If your old columnar juniper suddenly turns brown, an excessive amount of lime in the soil may be the cause. Avoid using lime-based fertilizers. When liming lawns, keep a distance of five meters from the juniper.