Garden

[Lilysmom]

Jazz,

Here is a photo of a hill we planted about nine years ago.  The idea was to fill it predominantly with evergreens so it would be a low maintenance garden.  As you can see, the evergreens love their location.  What started out as small plants have become large.  Our blue carpet juniper is now growing into the pathway.  Eventually it will cover the path and grow into the lawn if I leave it.

Is it safe to prune this back each year?  Will that eventually kill it?  If I can trim it, when should I do it? Any other comments?

TIA.  LM

PS, I hope this is not sideways!  Looks right side up to me.

[Lilysmom]

Would appreciate comments from all on this.  I would hate to lose this shrub.  It is one of my favorites and is such a great weed blocker ... Part of the reason I love it❤️!  LM

[JustJazzmom]

Your photo is upside down to me. But I still 'get it'.

You can prune back the juniper that is growing into the sidewalk areas. Trim back to the green and not the woody stem. If you prune to the woody stem-- it doesn't make more stems to cover that woody stem. Its a narrow leafed (needled) evergreen and they don't have that ability the way the large leafed evergreens do-- like azaleas or rhodies. You can do the pruning now-- don't wait longer (like mid fall or September) as you don't want tender new growth to grow and be destroyed by winter cold.

You can fertilize yearly in spring time with a granular plant food fertilizer.

[Lilysmom]

Thanks Jazz, I really appreciate the info.  So glad I can cut this back without harming the shrub😊!  LM

[Lilysmom]

@JustJazzmom, I pruned the juniper this morning.  Much better.  Now I need to weed there😀!  LM

[Lilysmom]

@JustJazzmom, in the photo above you see the juniper above the blue carpet I just pruned?  Directly below it is a nesting spruce.  Any advice for pruning this juniper back?  It is touching the nesting spruce now, nine years after planting.  LM

[JustJazzmom]

@Lilysmom

I had to turn my lap top upside down to see the photo in the right dimension. I think with that juniper you can prune back or tip it back lightly also. Junipers like spruces and other needled evergreens can be tipped back or pruned as long as you don't prune to bare wood.

[Lilysmom]

Thanks Jazz.  My garden guru go to❤️!  LM

[Lilysmom]

@JustJazzmom, I did some more pruning of the junipers in a couple of beds.  Looks better for the effort but about an hour later I had red spots and welts all over my left arm and leg😩!

I was using my left arm to reach into the plant and my right to prune.

I am allergic to Benadryl so that was out.  A quick Epsom salt bath and an anti itch cortisone cream solved the problem.  All but gone today. Guess I will be waiting for cooler weather so I can wear long sleeves and pants next time!  LM

[JustJazzmom]

@Lilysmom

Many people including myself develop a contact dermatitis when coming in contact with certain junipers. If I ever had to prune them, which I did when I had larger versions of junipers, I used rose gloves-- these go up to my elbows to protect my lower arms.

Womenswork.com has some great rose gloves.