Brown blue star juniper - Ask Extension
I have 2 bud spruce star juniper. One of them turned brown, still have 10% of us green leaves. I planted them 2021. One of them have been brown since ...
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Brown blue star juniper #823988
Asked March 30, 2023, 4:42 PM EDT
I have 2 bud spruce star juniper. One of them turned brown, still have 10% of us green leaves. I planted them 2021. One of them have been brown since last spring. Can I save it or should I just get rid of it?
Kankakee County Illinois
Expert Response
Hello Betty,
I think you will probably need to replace the juniper that is mostly brown. It is hard to be sure of anything from just photos, but it may have contracted a root rot disease or perhaps a type of twig blight. Below is a link to a resource that describes some common juniper diseases, if you are interested in comparing the symptoms/photos for those diseases with your recollection of the progressive death of your juniper plant.
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/juniper-diseases-insect-pests/
Many diseases, particularly root rots, are favored by having overly moist and/or poorly drained soils. If you were frequently watering these plants, you can probably cut back a bit on that with the surviving juniper as well as any new junipers you may purchase. Water them well following the initial transplant, but then let the soil get somewhat dry before watering again. The exact timing of this will depend on the weather and how well drained your soil is. If you did not water the junipers much at all, and the soil is just poorly drained where they are planted, consider digging a hole 2-3 times larger/deeper than you need for the new transplant. Then, mix sand in with the soil in approximately a 1:1 ratio, and use that sandy soil to fill in below and around the new transplant. This will allow the area directly around the roots of the young plants to drain better and not stay as water-logged. This should help with controlling proliferation of and infection by soil borne pathogens.
https://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/plant/354
Talon Becker
Illinois Extension
I think you will probably need to replace the juniper that is mostly brown. It is hard to be sure of anything from just photos, but it may have contracted a root rot disease or perhaps a type of twig blight. Below is a link to a resource that describes some common juniper diseases, if you are interested in comparing the symptoms/photos for those diseases with your recollection of the progressive death of your juniper plant.
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/juniper-diseases-insect-pests/
Many diseases, particularly root rots, are favored by having overly moist and/or poorly drained soils. If you were frequently watering these plants, you can probably cut back a bit on that with the surviving juniper as well as any new junipers you may purchase. Water them well following the initial transplant, but then let the soil get somewhat dry before watering again. The exact timing of this will depend on the weather and how well drained your soil is. If you did not water the junipers much at all, and the soil is just poorly drained where they are planted, consider digging a hole 2-3 times larger/deeper than you need for the new transplant. Then, mix sand in with the soil in approximately a 1:1 ratio, and use that sandy soil to fill in below and around the new transplant. This will allow the area directly around the roots of the young plants to drain better and not stay as water-logged. This should help with controlling proliferation of and infection by soil borne pathogens.
https://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/plant/354
Talon Becker
Illinois Extension
