
- due to the inability to shed foliage, conifers do not need additional autumn feeding to form a new crown;
- due to the inability to produce a crop, they do not need to receive material for the process of fruit formation;
- thanks to the needles, such plants get the necessary amount of nitrogen from the air.
Should I Feed my container conifers?
Should i feed my Container Conifers? & if so is Granule food ok for the Job? Jacque, as a general rule conifers do not need feeding, but when growing them in containers it will do no harm to give them a boost especially if the roots are becoming a bit restricted.
Should I fertilize my conifers?
If fertilization or soil pH adjustment is recommended, focus on addressing the principle issue and avoid applying fertilizer elements, especially P and N, if they are not deficient. This will help to keep your conifers looking healthy and protect the environment. Text by Dr. Bert Cregg.
What nutrients do conifers need to grow?
Conifers, like all plants, require 16 elements for normal growth and development. Plants obtain three of these elements; carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, from air and water. These three are not considered when discussing nutrients which must be obtained from the soil.
Do you need to feed Jacque conifers?
Answers. Jacque, as a general rule conifers do not need feeding, but when growing them in containers it will do no harm to give them a boost especially if the roots are becoming a bit restricted.

What do you feed conifers UK?
Feeding. Most conifers will thrive without additional feeding. However, for optimum performance, you can apply a general-purpose granular fertiliser in late winter at the rate recommended on the packet. Conifers in containers need liquid feeding from early spring until late summer.
What do conifers need growing?
Growing and Caring for Conifers: Watering and Staking For the first few years in the ground, water when the soil is dry to the touch 1 to 2 inches below the surface. After 3 to 5 years, little to any supplemental water is necessary provided you live in a climate that receives natural rain during the growing season.
Is bone meal good for conifers?
Strong plant growth,including conifers, should start naturally very shortly as the soil temperature warms up. If you are still intent on feeding them I would suggest a top dressing them with a well balanced organic fertiliser such as "fish, blood & bonemeal" which is traditionally used when planting trees.
Do coniferous trees need a lot of water?
Conifers need an inch of water each week that it does not rain for the first year after planting. Do not wait for the trees to show signs of drought, because by that time conifers are dying.
What is the best fertilizer for conifers?
Conifers are not heavy feeders and need only an annual application of a general, complete garden fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 16-8-8, or a top dressing of well-rotted manure. It is best to fertilize in the early spring before the plants break dormancy, or in late fall before the soil freezes.
Can you revive a brown conifer?
The main thing to remember is that most conifers will not grow back from old wood. So if you prune them now, you could cut back too far and the plant will never recover. If you really want to give nature a helping hand, you could consider applying a general purpose fertiliser.
Why are my conifers going brown?
Conifers only grow green on the outside as these are the youngest needles. If you rummage around in the inner foliage of a conifer you'll find that those needles which don't get to see the light – older needles – quickly lose their colour and turn brown, many of which then fall from the tree.
Why are my conifers going yellow?
Pines drop needles every year, foliage set in previous seasons. It can be quite alarming at first glance with the middle of the plant going yellow to brown before the needles are jettisoned altogether. The sole purpose for a leaf is to harvest sunlight to convert it to food through a process called photosynthesis.
How do you take care of a conifer tree?
0:584:01How to Repot and Care for your Conifers with Paul at Bents Garden ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn winter it's pretty more free and easy. Even though they're evergreens they will be putting outMoreIn winter it's pretty more free and easy. Even though they're evergreens they will be putting out quite a bit of growth in winter. Just to reduce. Rate. So just bear that in mind when you transplant
Can a brown evergreen come back?
Whether needled or broadleafed, both evergreen trees and shrubs can look sickly and brown in spring, especially after a particularly cold or dry winter. Though there may be some branch loss, most brown evergreens do come back as spring progresses.
How long can conifers go without water?
Deep roots allow cone-bearing trees — or 'conifers' — to survive for up to five years of droughts by tapping into groundwater, computer models revealed.
Is it possible to overwater a pine tree?
Overwatering your pine can kill it as quickly as allowing it to go thirsty. Too much of anything is bad, even when it comes to watering your trees, which is why it's important to know if your pine tree (Pinus spp.) is overwatered. Roots need oxygen to survive, but overwatering your pine tree will drown it.
What are the pests that attack conifers?
Pests such as whitespotted sawyer, Bark beetles and the Douglas-fir tussock moth are insects that aggressively attacks conifers, leaving some for dead and deforming a reasonably large percentage.
How far apart should I plant conifer cuttings?
If you decide to propagate, take semi ripe cuttings from a healthy conifer at reasonable distance of 10-15 cm from a step to a leaf joint. Late winter is the best period to harvest cuttings. After that, you dip the cuttings in a hormonal treatment before putting in a planting medium.
Do conifers need soil?
Conifers do not require much from the soil and can thrive even in poor soil but it wouldn’t hurt to help them grow healthily by providing the right nutrients to the soil. All plants need soil nutrients in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium . Conifers may benefit from water soluble 10-10-10 or 16-8-8 garden fertiliser.
What is a conifer?
Conifers are woody plants, which means that they have stems and trunks of wood, which are covered with bark. They have woody stems even if they are ground covers or tiny miniatures that grow a fraction of an inch a year. Most of us think of trees when we hear ‘woody plants’ but there are thousands of shrubs, groundcovers and vines that are included in the category. Growing and caring for conifers and other woody plants is generally the same.
What is the best conifer for shady areas?
Some species naturally grow in the understory of large canopy trees. These do quite well in places of low light. Chamaecyparis, Taxus and Tsuga are the best conifer species for shady locations. Remember to consider growth rate when placing your conifer; fast growing selections will need space to expand.
How long does it take for a golden conifer to burn?
Some of the golden cultivars will burn in full sun until established, which can take 2-3 summers. A few never burn in full sun. Check the plant description to be sure, or better yet, consult with other conifer lovers in your area. Conifers with white variegation tolerate very little to any direct sun.
What is the problem with B&B conifers?
B&B conifers have an unique set of issues: The soil is often clay, and the clay ball often buries the root flare. There is often much more root trauma involved with digging and preparing these trees, which means more transplant shock and a greater need for supplemental irrigation. Adventitious roots grow into the soil above the flare.
Where is the flare on a conifer?
It’s critical for a conifer’s root flare (the point at which the roots begin to “flare out” from the trunk) to be visible at the soil surface. Many woody plants are buried far too deeply. The plant must be ‘excavated’ so that the flare is visible.
Do conifers like direct sun?
Conifers with white varie gation tolerate very little to any direct sun. However, in deep shade, the variegation will often be suppressed. Bright light but never direct sun is the “sweet spot” here. Some species naturally grow in the understory of large canopy trees. These do quite well in places of low light.
Do you need fertilizer to transplant a root ball?
Fertilizers and transplant tonics are not necessary and can do more harm that good. They promote excessive top growth before roots develop.
How to check the depth of a conifer?
6) Check the depth of your conifer in the planting hole. The top of the roots should be at ground level when the rootball is placed in the planting hole. You can check the right depth by looking for a change in colour of the stem of your conifer too.
How to prevent pine trees from rocking in the wind?
Newly planted stand-alone conifers, such as pine trees, should be secured with a tree stake to prevent them from rocking in the wind. Wind rock can tear the roots and create a gap around the base of the trunk that can fill with water and encourage rot. Install a stake at a 45 degree angle to avoid damaging the rootball.
Can you cut dead conifer trees?
Any dead or diseased conifer branches should be removed immediately, regardless of the time of year. Do not cut into old wood as it will not regenerate. The only exceptions to this are yew and, less reliably, Thuja, which can be pruned hard and will still re-grow.
Can you put burlap in a conifer hole?
Root balled conifers may be wrapped in treated or plastic "burlap" that's often green. Whilst it's fine to keep these coverings on until this point, they do not decompose and should be removed before you start backfilling your hole with soil. Untreated burlap can be buried if you wish.
How to tell if fertilizer is needed?
Quick facts. Foliage color, lack of flowering or overall vigor can be signs of when fertilizer is needed. If growth rate and needle color are normal for a particular variety, fertilization is not necessary. It is not unusual for newly transplanted evergreens to exhibit slow growth until they're re-established.
What is included in fertilizer package?
Fertilizer packages will include an analysis of the percentage of various nutrients and minerals that are included in the bag. A “complete” fertilizer — one that supplies the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) — is often recommended.
How much nitrogen is in a bag of fertilizer?
It's easy to figure out how much actual nitrogen is in a bag of fertilizer, because the numbers in the fertilizer analysis are actual percentages, by weight. Example 1: A 40 pound bag of 10-8-6 is 10 percent nitrogen.
Do evergreens need fertilizer?
In many landscapes, evergreens also benefit from fertilizer you apply to the lawn. Evergreens add year-round interest to landscapes. Like all landscape plants, evergreens require nutrients to grow well. While evergreens generally require less fertility than deciduous trees and get some nutrients from soil, at some point you might need ...
Can evergreens survive winter?
This can help evergreens tolerate winter and emerge health ier in the spring. Water dry plants before fertilizing. Never fertilize drought-stressed plants as fertilizer can burn stressed tree roots or push the plant to put on new growth when it does not have the energy.
