How to Repot Juniper in the Winter

Water the juniper well at least three days before transplanting. This allows the plant plenty of time to gather nutrients and keeps stress to a minimum while acclimating to the new pot.

Prune any dead or dying stems or leaves. Remove any part of the juniper that is diseased. If the plant is infested with pests, wash it off with a solution of 2 cups of water and 1 tbsp. of dish soap. Do not use a pesticide that may affect the roots when they are exposed during the transplant.

Fill the new pot with potting soil and make a well in the center of the soil. If possible, use the same type of planting medium in which the juniper is growing before transplantation. Create a small mound in the middle of the well.

Remove the juniper from the old pot and shake off any loose dirt. Trim the root system to remove any damaged roots or those roots that are knotted or twisted. A plant must have a root system that spreads out so that more of the root surface is exposed for gathering nutrients from the soil.

Spread the roots out and set the juniper into the new pot. Set the root base onto the mound of soil in the well. This reduces the risk of an air pocket under the root ball that may create a breeding area for disease or mold.

Cover the root system up to the soil line on the trunk of the juniper. Water the soil and avoid getting water on the leaves of the plant. Conifers do not like water on the leaves as this can lead to mold growth.

Set the newly transplanted juniper in a sunny window for the next few weeks. Continue to water and care for the plant as usual. Do not feed the plant until the spring when it normally emerges from dormancy. Once the weather is warm, place the juniper where you desire.