Pine Tree– pine trees are native to the UK and are also frequently used as Christmas trees. They grow up to 25m and have spiralling green needles, with cones that grow 5cm long. They take 20 to 50 years to grow to full maturity and are evergreen, producing their iconic pinecones in the autumn. Dig your planting hole wider than your conifers container. This helps ensure the surrounding soil is broken up, allowing your conifers roots to spread outwards. And it’s usually one of the same handful of problems that interfere with their ability to do so. Why Your Conifer Is Turning Brown Dig a hole that is 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball and the same depth as the height of the ball (a wide and shallow hole). There are two schools of thought in terms of planting trees and shrubs: one school states that you amend the soil with organic matter and the other says that the tree will have the best chance of survival if you leave the soil alone. The idea behind the second theory is that the plant will be forced to adjust into the native surroundings without supplemental help. As you are moving the plant from one environment (the soil in the container or root ball) into a new one, why not give it a boost by adding at least some compost or equivalent? Fertilisers and plant food are commonly used to improve plant growth both indoors and outdoors. There are products that are designed to be used around the garden, while others target indoor plants. Even if your soil is already healthy, fertilisers and plant food can still help you to achieve bigger and larger displays of blooms. Plus, if you’re growing edible crops, they can help to boost their yield.

For proper growth, plant conifers in a well-drained, slightly acidic and organic-rich soil. Creation of raised beds can solve the problem of bad drainage. If you have problem with soil type, you should consider blending in a mixture of half ericaceous and half normal multi-purpose compost with the soil. Taxus baccata plants ( yew hedging), with their highly ornate, red fleshy cones, are one of the very few conifer varieties that will re-grow from old wood, making them suitable for hard pruning. Thuja Golden Globe should also not be dismissed as a slower and lower-growing golden variety which is excellent for delineating different parts of the garden. Be careful with planting distances as many conifers have a tendency to drop their lower branches if planted too close together, which makes them ineffective as a windbreak as the wind gets funnelled beneath the plants near ground level. Trees provide many environmental benefits due to their foliage. (I.e., rainwater absorption, pollution filter, wildlife cover, wind barrier, noise reduction, etc.). When deciduous trees drop their leaves in the fall, many ecological perks remain dormant until spring. Fertilizing: During the first couple of years of growth, you can feed your conifer a granual fertiliser, but it isn’t necessary. Brown needles are standard in wind-scorched conifers. To protect your conifers, place them in a sheltered spot. This will stop them from getting pummelled by strong winds.

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If you plan on planting your conifer in a pot or trough there are several further considerations to make: Prune your conifer tree’s small branches using your hands, and cut away the tips of outer branches and dead, old branches gently. But make sure you do this at the right time of year! More on that next. The ideal time to plant all conifers is late Oct and early November or March. However, anytime between autumn and early spring, whenever your soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen is also a great choice. Conifers should be trimmed using hedge shears in spring or during a cooler period in early summer. In fact, pruning during dark and rainy weather is best because trimmers work more effectively on wet foliage due to the benefit of water lubrication and it means your foliage won't get scorched. Do not trim in the summer during times of plant stress, such as prolonged drought or hot, dry spells. Most conifers have little or no capacity to re-grow from old wood once it has been pruned into (with the notable exception of yew plants), so over-enthusiastic hedge trimming is discouraged as it often results in bare patches. Instead, trim little and often in April, June and early August, being careful to ensure you do not cut into brown, woody, older stems. Most of the species produced in this way are pines although a number of Piceas, Abies and several other types are available in smaller numbers.

And give them access to some sunlight! Conifers will do well in full sun or partial shade, but they may begin to look sorry for themselves if you place them in full shade. If you're planting in a light soil, lightly firm the ground at the base of your planting hole to avoid your plant sinking deeper in the planting hole than you wanted it to later on. Garden conifers offer a varied palette of colors, textures, and forms. They will be outstanding additions for decades. With careful consideration of their mature height and spread when placed in your garden. Make your plant selection based on the following factors: Ask in your local garden centre if you need advice on the specific compost mix for the conifer(s) you’re looking to grow.Conifers that are sitting in overly-salty soil can turn brown. Although you can’t remove the salt from the road, there are some things you can do to prevent the adverse effects of salt: These finely fronded hedges are adept at soaking up toxins from the air, especially traffic emissions due to the hedges being down at exhaust level. Research has proven that they're far more effective than trees at removing particulates from the air in the immediate vicinity as a result. Subsequently, this type of hedging has seen a resurgence in popularity for planting schemes in towns and cities. Hedging rather than walling or fencing also offers a more natural aesthetic and brings colour to built-up areas, also benefiting people's health and wellbeing. Fir Tree– you might associate fir trees with Christmas, but they stay beautifully green all year round. Also known as the Nordmann fir, fir trees can grow up to an impressive 30m tall within 20 – 50 years. They are rather low maintenance and make a great shade-giving tree once they reach maturity. As the ratio of roots to soil changes, it gets exponentially harder for the conifer to get the nutrients it requires. And conifers use the natural resources in the ground to fuel their growth. The nutrients aren’t readily available in pots unless you’re frequently fertilising!

Fir, Cedar, Cryptomeria, Spruce, and Pines are all whorl-branched conifers. The new branch growth occurs in spring and comes from the buds at the tips of the branches. Their natural shape requires little pruning but consider the following before making your first pruning cut.If you’re wanting to plant your very own tree, there are a few things you should keep in mind. The video above is really simple and easy to follow, but if you’re looking for written instructions, keep reading. Your conifer needs watering when the weather is hot. This may seem obvious (all plants need water!), but it’s easy to forget to water your conifer, thinking that rain will have this covered already.