Thuja undersized planting and care in the open field

Ephedra are very popular for decoration, both in the city part and in private estates, decorating the territory throughout the year. Among the variety of coniferous representatives of thuja, planting and care in the open field for which they do not require large labor costs, is the biggest favorite of landscape designers and summer residents.

Common plant varieties

The genus of evergreen shrubs, and sometimes trees, belonging to the Cypress family, includes 5 species:

• thuja western;
• thuja Korean;
• thuja folded;
• Japanese thuja;
• thuja sichuan.

The most common variety that can be found in parks, near the entrances to administrative buildings and in private territories is thuja western, characterized by slow growth rates, resistance to frost and winds.

Of the numerous and varied varieties of evergreen long-liver, the following stand out:

1. "Smaragd" is a low-growing cone-shaped bush, not exceeding 2 m, with weak branching. The branches grow vertically, being at a considerable distance from each other.
2. "Brabant" is a cone-shaped variety with a significant height of 15-21 m, at which the diameter of the widest section of the crown can reach 4 m.
3. "Danica" is a spherical dwarf thuja with a peeling bark of a reddish color. With the onset of winter, the green scales of the needles are set off with a light brownish tone.
4. "Woodward" is a low-growing form of a spherical conifer, distinguished by its insignificant maximum dimensions - height - 2.5 m, width - 5 m.

Landing in open ground

Despite the unpretentiousness of the thuja, the evergreen beauty needs a competent approach already at the planting stage, on which the success of the further cultivation of the plant largely depends.

How to choose the right seedlings?

Planting material should be purchased in nurseries or specialized points of sale, focusing on the purpose of the purchase: adult specimens are immediately purchased to decorate the site, and if there is time, then you can opt for young plants, which also take root well. When choosing a seedling, it is examined for the presence of spots, lesions by diseases and pests.

Important! High-quality planting material should have elastic shoots with well-kept needles and a moist rhizome.

Soil preparation and site

The site for thuja is selected with little shading: direct sun access leads to drying of the shoots, which negatively affects wintering, and an excess of shade harms the decorative qualities of the ephedra, which is expressed in growth retardation, loss of intense color and splendor. A high level of groundwater is not afraid of thuja, however, in combination with heavy soils, stagnation of water can be observed, which is not permissible when growing a crop. In this case, a drainage layer of 15 cm from crushed brick is placed on the bottom of the hole. The culture is undemanding to the composition of the soil, while preferring a loose and fertile soil, consisting of fertile soil, peat and sand in equal parts.

How and when to plant?

The timing of planting seedlings is extended: the procedure is carried out from spring to autumn. The optimal time is the second half of spring, when the planted bushes are able to quickly adapt to the new environment and take root. Planting thuja in the fall has certain risks due to the uncertainty that the plant will have enough time to take root in the chosen place before the onset of cold weather.

Landing is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Planting holes are dug at a certain distance, depending on the characteristics of the variety and the purpose, of such a size that the plants are freely placed in them along with the soil clod.
2. At the bottom of the hole, a drainage layer is organized, which is sprinkled with a small amount of soil with wood ash and organic matter in the form of compost.
3. The seedling is lowered into the hole so that the root collar is flush with the earth's surface.
4. Thuja is covered with a substrate of earth, sand, peat.
5. The soil around the trunk is compacted and watered well.

Advice! With an open rhizome, the ephedra is planted in the spring for successful rooting. Plants from containers with soil mixture are planted throughout the growing season.

Thuja: outdoor care

Competent care of thuja provides for the implementation of a set of measures designed for the full growth of the bush.

Watering, loosening and mulching

Ephedra responds well to watering, especially sprinkling. Only the planted seedling must be watered every week with a volume of water of 10-50 liters, depending on its size. In the case of sprinkling, not only the earth is moistened, but dust is also removed from the crown, thereby providing the plant with free access to air and accelerating all physiological processes. After irrigation, the soil in the near-trunk circle is loosened to a depth of 10 cm so as not to damage the surface roots. Mulching is carried out using peat, compost or pine bark to protect the roots of the plant from overheating or hypothermia.

Carefully! The mulch should not cover the trunk or the lower shoots that may begin to rot underneath.

Top dressing

Additional feeding of the ephedra is carried out by the spring application of complex mineral fertilizers with a rate of 50-60 g / m2. If fertilizers were applied during planting, then the first feeding is organized only in the third year of growth.

Crown formation

Pruning stimulates branching of shoots: the more often it is carried out, the greater the density and splendor of the crown. The timing of pruning is not strictly regulated, however, according to experts, the procedure is best done in early spring before the buds open. Single plantings need a sanitary and thinning haircut.

Formative pruning is required when using thuja as a "green" fence or in group plantings, while:

1. The formation of the crown is carried out after the thuja reaches the desired size and age of three years.
2. Typically, the plant is pruned twice - in spring and early fall.
3. When pruning, it is cut into more than ⅓ part of the shoot, so as not to weaken the plant.

How to transplant correctly?

If it becomes necessary to transfer an ephedra, which easily tolerates a transplant, from one place to another, it is worth considering the age of the bush:

• If the specimen is small, then the soil at a distance of half a meter from the trunk is pierced with a shovel, after which the plant is removed with an earthen clod and transported on a wheelbarrow so as not to destroy the clod.
• Large specimens are stitched a year before moving, so that they have time to grow young roots in a limited area - during this time the soil will bond well, and the procedure will be practically stress-free for the culture.

Preparing for winter

From the middle of autumn, watering and feeding is stopped so that the thuja begins to prepare for a state of rest. Young plants, before reaching the age of five, need a shelter of spruce branches, in front of which the plant is huddled, and the near-stem zone is mulched with a thick layer of peat.

Important! Adult specimens do not need to be covered, but mulching, which protects the root from freezing, is required at any age.

Disease and pest control

Shoots and needles of a crop are often affected by fungal diseases such as fusarium, shute, cytosporosis. Bordeaux liquid or antifungal fungicides are used as measures to combat the beginning of spring. Three-time treatment is carried out with an interval of half a month. Of the pests on the thuja, false shields and aphids are noted, which often cause yellowing and dumping of needles. For protection, a single treatment with an insecticide is carried out in early spring and after the arrival of summer, double spraying with a two-week time interval.

Reproduction of thuja

Since the varietal characteristics are not preserved with the generative method of reproduction, vegetative methods of breeding thuja are most often used - cuttings and division of the bush.

Cuttings

To propagate a plant in this way:

1. In June, cuttings in the form of lignified three-year shoots 30 cm long or semi-lignified parts of the current season of 15 cm are separated from the mother plant with a heel.
2. The separation sites are treated with a rooting stimulant.
3. The cuttings are placed in a light and loose substrate, previously disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate, to a depth of 3 cm.
4. Landings are covered with plastic wrap.
5. After the formation of roots and hardening of the cuttings, the film is removed, and new plants with a cold snap are covered with dry foliage or sawdust.

Dividing the bush

The procedure is advisable to apply to bush undersized forms. For successful reproduction by this method, it is enough to carry out work as during transplantation, but only with a small nuance: the rhizome with an earthen lump is divided into several parts.

Thuja in landscape design

A variety of forms allows lovers of conifers to implement various ideas for the design of parks, squares and summer cottages:

• Tall varieties are used to form hedges;
• Low-growing representatives are excellent for borders that delimit recreation areas.
• Spherical forms of thuja are often found when decorating alpine slides.
• Group plantings of thuja with needles of different colors contrast perfectly in parks and squares.
• Thuyas are used to decorate patios for air purification.

With minimal maintenance, this elegant evergreen tree will grace your garden for years to come.

There is no way to do in a summer cottage without such a popular tree today as thuja.It is no secret that a plant friendly to people has an unthinkable number of advantages: it pleases the eye with cheerful greenery, recalling the eternal summer, and the smell, filled with essential oils, and its decorative look attracts (it is not for nothing that it is often used in landscape design). For keen amateur gardeners, the long-lived thuja is the pride of generations. To grow and then donate this magnificent evergreen shrub to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren, you need to know a few basic things about planting and caring for thuja in spring. All the features of growing this rather unpretentious "tree of life" are discussed in this article.

Types and varieties of thuja

There are several varieties of thuja, but the most famous are the following types:

• western (the most famous variety is Smaragd, also common are Brabant, Danica, Teddy);
• eastern.

Important! Western thuja is considered more undemanding to care for. Therefore, as a rule, in our country and especially in the Central lane (Moscow region), this particular variety is grown. However, it is excellent for planting in Siberia and the Urals.

In the form of thuja there are:

• dwarf;
• columnar (pyramidal, conical);
• spherical.

As for the use of varieties of thuja in landscape design, then:

Video: popular varieties of thuja for the garden

How to choose a good thuja seedling

Thuja seedlings are most often sold with a closed root system. In this case, the seedling can either already grow in a pot (container), or be wrapped in burlap along with an earthen lump. The first option is always preferable.

Advice! It is better to buy a younger seedling, up to about 3-4 years old. It will grow much faster than a 5-6 year old. A younger tree planted in open ground will instantly catch up and overtake a taller ephedra.

When examining a thuja seedling, you should pay attention to the following points:

• It is advisable to choose those seedlings that have a symmetrical shape.
• If the seedling is lush, then most likely its root system is good, which means it will quickly take root and grow.
• The color of the needles is usually light or dark green, with the exception of certain varieties that have a yellow or even slightly golden color of the needles. If the color of the seedling is brown, then most likely it lacks nutrients.
• If you notice strongly protruding plant roots from the drainage holes in the pot (they should stick out slightly - this is even good), then this can only mean one thing: this ephedra has not been sold for too long. You should not buy and save such a tree.
• Naturally, the trunk of the seedling should not show any damage to the bark or signs of disease.
• You can check if the thuja is alive as follows: squeeze the needles in your hand, hold it a little and release it. If she instantly recovers and straightens up, then everything is in order with the tree.
• Another way to check the root system: take the tree by the top and lift it up. If it suddenly slips out of the pot, then most likely, the roots of the plant did not take root in an earthen coma, or the manufacturer cut them off during transplanting the seedling.
• The next tip is a little unexpected: if you notice that weeds are growing in the pot, then this is a good sign, because this means that the thuja has already wintered in this container for at least one season, and such a plant is very strong, it has adapted to our winter conditions ... And this is just a great option to buy.
• If you are allowed to get a seedling along with a clod of earth from the pot, then you should carefully consider the color of its roots. If they are white with a pinkish tint, everything is fine, but if you notice that they are brown and soft to the touch, then, unfortunately, this ephedra was poured, and the process of root rotting began.

Video: tips for choosing and buying a thuja seedling

Thuja planting technology in open ground

When to plant or planting dates

The most optimal time for planting a thuja isearly spring, even before the sap flow begins. As for the exact dates, you can do spring planting immediately after the ground warms up a little, that is, already in March-April, depending on the weather conditions in your region. This is due to the fact that it is at this time that the active phase of growth of both the coniferous shoots and its roots begins. And it is at this moment that the plant will best tolerate planting. Moreover, the root ball is likely to be slightly frozen and will remain intact when planted. Plus, the plant will have plenty of time before winter to take root and grow strong roots.

You can also plant thuja summerbut it is more difficult. This ephedra is very sensitive to drying out of the roots (however, all conifers are like that), so the summer planting should be done as quickly as possible, and for this you should prepare well in advance and take everything you need.

Air temperature during landing thuja should not, if possible, be higher than 20 degrees. It is ideal to plant thuja in the morning in the summer, then the temperature is lower and the humidity is at a fairly high level.

main feature autumn planting thuja is that the ephedra has not yet developed a sufficiently powerful root system. This means that the soil in the near-trunk circle will surely sag, that is, in winter it can tilt strongly, especially during snowfall and in strong winds. So don't forget to secure the tree after planting, for example by tying it to a support.

Video: features of planting thuja in spring, summer and autumn

Place in the garden

If you can choose the most optimal place for growing thuja in your garden, then in the future you will not have to diligently care for it and deal with yellowing or shedding.

The optimal place for planting thuja - sunny area near the fence (from the grid). Thus, with a strong desire, you can grow a whole hedge. Moreover, in such a place the plant will be protected from drafts; winter dry winds affect it especially badly. In addition, having planted a tree in a slightly shaded place, the plant will receive enough sunlight for good development, and you can prevent its shoots from burning in the sun. Of course, you can plant thuja in the shade, but in such conditions it will not be able to please you with its splendor, and its needles will most likely thin out.

By the way! If you still want to grow a thuja hedge, then they should be planted at a distance of 50-60 centimeters from each other. Moreover, to obtain denser landings, it is better to plant them in 2 rows in a checkerboard pattern, while the distance in the aisles should be about 100 centimeters. So the plants will not interfere with each other and will be able to develop normally.

Naturally, you should not plant thuja where groundwater is located closer than 1 meter from the earth's surface. This ephedra loves moisture very much, but does not tolerate stagnant water.

You should not choose places next to large trees with a spreading root system, in which case the thuja simply cannot grow normally, since larger trees will suppress it and take all nutrients from the soil.

Landing pit

The size of the planting pit should correspond to the size of the thuja root system and vary depending on the composition of the soil. As a rule, the diameter of the adult crown of a plant is about 1 meter, so the diameter and depth of planting should be about 80-100 centimeters. If you have light soil, then a hole can be dug 80 by 80 centimeters in size. If the soil is heavy, then 1 by 1 meter is better.

Note! Even if your seedling is small, the hole should still be large, because one must proceed from the average size of an adult plant.

The main guarantee of healthy development, rapid rooting and well-being of thuja is not only a correctly chosen planting site and a planting hole dug out for all recommendations. It also needs to be completed with a suitable potting soil.

Priming you can cook it yourself or use a ready-made option by buying land for conifers (conifers) in a specialized garden store.

If you could not find a suitable ready-made soil, or it seemed to you that it would be cheaper to make it from individual components, then you can use the following recipes for self-preparing soil for planting thuja (for heavier soil, it is better to use recipes with sand content):

• 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of peat.
• 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of humus, 1 part of peat.
• 2 parts of sod land (or leaf), 1 part of peat, 1 part of sand and 50-100 grams of superphosphate or nitroammophos.
• 2 parts of leafy land, 2 parts of sand, 1 part of peat, 3 parts of high-quality humus.
• 3 parts of sod land, 2 parts of excellent humus and 1 part of sand.

Mix everything well and preferably (for early rooting) add another 50-60 grams (2-3 handfuls) of superphosphate or nitroammophoska to the soil mixture. Moreover, it is especially important to mix the mineral fertilizer well with the soil so that it does not burn the roots of the young plant.

If in your summer cottage the ground is heavy and clayey (or the groundwater is too close), then in addition to digging the largest possible hole, it is very important to lay a good drainage... The required thickness of the drainage layer is about 15-25 centimeters, depending on the degree of lightness of the soil (even 10 centimeters for a very light one). You can use gravel, expanded clay, crushed stone or broken brick as drainage.

Video: secrets of growing and planting thuja

Step-by-step landing instructions

Note! Before you start planting thuja in open ground, prepare everything you need in advance (2 buckets or watering cans of water, a shovel) so as not to waste time later, because everything needs to be done quickly... You should remove the thuja from the pot only after you make a hole and a slide from the soil mixture, and also try on how it stands in it. This requirement is explained by the fact that the root system of the ephedra dries very quickly, literally in 10-15 minutes, and this cannot be allowed.

Step-by-step instructions for planting thuja in open ground:

1. Choose the best place on the site.
2. Prepare, in other words, dig the required planting hole and lay the drainage.
3. Prepare a soil mixture according to one of the recipes or purchase ready-made soil for conifers.
4. 30 minutes before planting, it is recommended to spill the pot with the plant with a rooting stimulator (preferably Kornevin or Heteroauxin, although you can use Epin or Zircon). Such a procedure will help in the future to more conveniently and accurately get an earthen ball with a seedling.
5. Throw so much soil into the hole so that when you put an earthen clod with a seedling, it will be in such a position that its root collar is 3-4 centimeters above ground level. The soil will subsequently subside, and as a result, the root collar of the plant will be at ground level. Remember that if you deeply deepen the root collar or, conversely, raise it above the ground, the plant will dry out and die.
6. Place the seedling on a mound in the planting hole. In order to easily remove it from the pot, put it on its side and gently tap the pot with a shovel. Then pull the seedling out by the lower part of the trunk, put it on top in the planting pit.
7. Fill the hole with the remaining soil mixture by half and tamp well.
8. Then you need to fill the planting hole with a bucket of water for better soil shrinkage.
9. As soon as the water is absorbed, it is necessary to fill the planting hole to the top, tamp it again, make a hole for watering and pour out another bucket of water.
10. The final touch is to mulch the hole for better moisture retention in the soil by 4-6 centimeters. You can use peat, compost, shredded bark, or wood chips as mulch.By the way, mulch will protect the ephedra not only from drying out, but also from overheating and freezing in winter.

It's important to know! Thuja, especially young thuja, loses a lot of life-giving moisture, therefore, after planting, it is recommended to shade it with an awning made of a camouflage net or a spunbond frame. Just make sure that it does not fit snugly against the plant, otherwise it may simply mate. Moreover, if you plant thuja in the fall, then it is advisable to leave the shelter for shading until spring so that the ephedra does not get burned in the last month of winter.

Video: how to plant thuja correctly

Thuja care after planting in open ground

The main care for thuja in the open field is watering, although feeding should not be neglected. Do not forget that this ephedra should also be periodically trimmed and covered for the winter.

Watering thuja should be carried out systematically, especially in the first month after planting. The average plant's need for watering is about 2-3 buckets per week. When you water the newly planted thuja, the soil will settle, so you should fill it up.

Advice! Thuja will be very grateful to you if you water it by sprinkling during hot periods, especially in dry summer weather. This will not only saturate its shoots with nutritious moisture, but also cleanse the ephedra of dust and dirt. Moreover, it is better to do this either early in the morning, or in the evening, when the sun goes down.

Periodically, especially after watering, the soil in the thuja trunk circle is requiredloosen (to a depth of 5-10 centimeters) and weed from weeds, so that they do not take moisture and other nutrients from the young ephedra.

Important! If you feel sorry for the water for the thuja, then it will begin to turn yellow and crumble (thin out).

The first top dressing thuja should be performed six months after planting. That is, if you plant thuja in the fall, then you should feed it this spring. For spring and early summer dressings, it is good to use urea or ammonium nitrate (just by embedding fertilizers in the soil), as well as the complex preparation "Kemira Universal". You can also use special fertilizers for conifers for feeding.

An important component in the care of thuja is its pruning... As a rule, sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring, and shaping also in the fall.

By the way! Read more about preparing thuja for winter, trimming it and covering it up, you can by this link.

On the leaves of the thuja, you can often find this disease, like "rust". To prevent its appearance, you should use copper or iron sulfate. It should be processed in early spring or even autumn, both the inner part of the crown and the outer one. Moreover, the treatment of thuja in autumn with iron sulfate will increase its resistance to spring burns, which often occur due to snow.

Video: caring for thuja in the garden

Even a novice summer resident can effortlessly grow a beauty full of vitality on his site. You only need to direct all your energy in the right direction, taking into account all the tips and recommendations outlined in this article.

Video: Tuya Smaragd - planting, feeding and reproduction

Thuja is a beautiful evergreen plant from the cypress family. A thuja bush or tree will be an excellent decoration of the site and will delight the owners for many years, because some species of this plant can live up to 100-150 years.

Thuja is native to the southern regions, so the best time for planting is spring, but planting thuja in autumn is also possible, although survival rate in this case is significantly reduced. Compliance with some rules will provide the plant with the opportunity to survive the winter. In the future, you will not have to take care of any specific care, since it is absolutely undemanding to growing conditions and does not need specific care. Droughts, frosts, shade, soil composition, unfavorable neighborhood - all this will not become an obstacle to the growth of thuja.

Planting thuja

First of all, before planting, it is important to study the information on how to plant a thuja. First you need to decide on the place where it will grow. Of course, thuja is not demanding, it can grow in almost any conditions. But if you provide it with a favorable foundation, the result will not be long in coming.

Seedling selection and planting conditions

Correctly selected planting material significantly increases the chances of its survival and active growth. This is especially important when planting a thuja in the fall.

Tui in containers

When choosing a thuja seedling in a store, you need to pay special attention to several points:

• the root system of the plant is completely covered with the substrate;
• it is better to give preference to seedlings whose roots are wrapped in burlap or are in a container;
• the roots of the plant should not be visible in the drainage holes of the pot;
• the general condition of the tree should be good. Signs of the disease, damaged bark, yellow needles - all this indicates the low quality of the planting material.

Thuja seedlings prepared for sale

Knowing how to plant thuja correctly, you can ensure almost complete survival of seedlings, their active growth and high decorativeness.

1. Thuja prefers bright places and a lot of sun. However, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will not be beneficial, as they can cause dehydration, as a result of which the winter hardiness of the plant will suffer. A well-lit place, sheltered from the sun at noon, is ideal. With excessive shading, thuja can lose its splendor and decorative effect.

2. It is advisable to protect the thuja from cold winds or drafts, as it does not tolerate their effects poorly. When choosing a landing site, you need to make sure that it will be reliably protected from the wind.

3. The quality of the soil for planting thuja is not of fundamental importance, but fertile soils, of course, are preferable. It is possible to enrich not too fertile, heavy soil by adding sand, sod land, peat. After that, the soil will better absorb and distribute the moisture that thuja needs. With a lack of water, its needles turn yellow and begin to crumble.

Another point to pay attention to when choosing a landing site is the possible neighbors of the thuja. It gets along well with many deciduous or coniferous shrubs and flowers (conifers, acacia, spirea, hydrangeas, etc.). But peonies and asters will become bad neighbors for thuja, so it is better to plant them away from each other.

If you plan to plant several specimens of thuja, it is important to observe the required distance between them so that young trees do not interfere with each other's growth. The optimal distance depends, first of all, on the type of thuja, the shape of the crown and the purpose of use. If thuja are planted as a hedge, it is enough to leave only 0.5 m between the plants. In other cases, the distance can reach 3-5 meters.

Thuja hedge

Planting thuja

The best time to plant a thuja

The optimal time for planting is late spring. However, there are no strict rules limiting the time when you can plant thuja. This can also be done in summer and autumn, observing the rules of agricultural technology.

Plants of the cypress family mainly grow in the southern regions and are quite thermophilic. That is why spring planting is recommended for them, since during the warm summer, the thuja seedlings will have time to get stronger, gain strength and confidently survive the cold winter.

When planting in spring, the plant is regularly fed, about once every 2-3 weeks and provides abundant watering 1-2 times a week and daily spraying.

Autumn planting - features and rules

Autumn planting of thuja

When choosing when to plant thuja in the fall, it is necessary to focus on the peculiarities of the local climate. It is important to be in time before the onset of frost, so September or early October is considered the ideal time. The deadline for the southern regions is the first days of November, but in this case, the chances of survival are reduced even more.If these deadlines are met, the plant will have time to adapt to new conditions.

The basic rules for the autumn planting of thuja are similar to the general conditions with some clarifications. After the seedlings are purchased, the planting site is selected, all that remains is to plant the tree. The planting process goes through the following stages:

Planting pit preparation

1. Preparation of the planting hole The size of the hole should be at least twice as large as the root ball of the plant. Ideally, its diameter should be three times the root ball of the seedling, and its depth should be twice. As a rule, the diameter of the planting hole is about 1 meter.

2. At the bottom, a drainage layer must be arranged, for this you can use various materials (crushed stone, expanded clay, etc.). The thickness of the drainage layer should be at least 15 cm. This will protect the roots of the thuja from decay, especially if there is a likelihood of a close occurrence of groundwater.

3. Black soil, peat, coarse river sand or rotted compost are spread on the drainage layer. This will enrich the soil and improve its structure.

Add fertilizers

4. In the spring, fertilizers are immediately added to the planting pit, but during the autumn planting of thuja, fertilizers are not applied, the first feeding is carried out only next spring. It is better to use special fertilizers for conifers. In this case, the roots of a thuja seedling can be treated with root formation stimulants (root, heteroauxin), and the crown can be sprayed with antistress drugs.

5. Then a thuja seedling is lowered into the pit. It is important to ensure that the root collar is strictly at ground level. If it is deepened or raised too high above the ground, the plant may die. Determining where the root collar is located is not difficult. This is the place where the roots go into the trunk. Usually, it is in this place that you can notice a smooth change in the color of the bark.

We plant and mulch

6. Immediately after planting, the plant must be watered abundantly and mulched, since the thuja has a superficial root system. To protect it from drying out, various mulching materials are used - peat, bark, pine nut shells, spruce branches or simply fallen needles, etc. A good layer of mulch will also serve as additional protection of thuja roots from winter frosts, and after decay - a source of nutrients for the plant.

7. Thuja seedling needs regular watering and sprinkling, which will remove dust and dirt from the needles. If the weather is too hot, a similar procedure should be carried out twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Also, the tree is regularly fed to help it grow stronger, settle down and recover from stress.

Watering thuja

It is better to plant in the evening so that the bright daytime sun does not scorch the needles of the tree. If planting was carried out in the morning, it is better to cover the plant for the day with a piece of burlap or craft paper.

Thuya is very fond of spraying the crown, this not only provides her with the necessary level of moisture, but also washes away dust and dirt, to the presence of which the plant is very sensitive. After each procedure, the thuja needles straighten and freshen up before our eyes. For autumn planting, sprinkling is sufficient once a day, and a week after planting, reduce their number to two per week. At the onset of the first frost, spraying of the thuja is stopped.

In autumn, the needles of a young thuja can begin to turn yellow and fall off. If there are no reasons for this, you should not worry, since this is a normal phenomenon for plants of this species.

Preparation for wintering

Shelter for the winter

In order for a thuja seedling to winter safely and to please in spring with active growth, it is necessary to carefully prepare it for winter frosts. To do this, at the onset of the first frost, watering the plant is stopped, since it begins a dormant period.

Thuja is considered a frost-resistant plant, but young plants (up to 5 years old) need shelter for the winter. As a covering material, you can use spruce branches, and in the first winter - burlap.It will protect the young tree from sunburn and severe frost. A synthetic or polymer coating will not be able to provide heat protection to the thuya, therefore it is better to cover the crown with a woven material. In early spring, the shelter for the thuja can be replaced with a non-woven material that will protect the plant from the bright sun.

The soil around the trunk for the whole winter must be mulched with peat or the same spruce branches. The mulch will protect the root system from cold and dehydration.

In the event that snowy winters are characteristic of the region, the crown is tied with twine, raising the branches to the trunk so that the abundance of snow does not damage them.

Planting a thuja is not particularly difficult even for novice gardeners. An unpretentious plant, with timely planting and minimal maintenance, quickly takes root and retains its decorative effect for many years. The abundance of species and varieties allows you to choose the right plant for any purpose - from landscaping a garden to creating a hedge.

Video

Thuja has long gained popularity among gardeners.

It is used to create various landscape designs, as a hedge (with the help of a haircut, the plant can be given any look).

It is durable, very unpretentious (it can grow on different soils, in urban conditions).

In addition to its decorative function, thuja sanitizes the air, releasing phytoncides.

Variety and species diversity allows thuja to be grown even in northern and middle latitudes.

Thuja: growing. The choice of planting material

It is recommended to purchase a thuja taking into account the following criteria:

1. The appearance of the plant - the branches should be elastic, and the needles should be bright, shiny, lively. If it is dull and crumbles when touched, then the plant has died;

2. The earthen lump must be preserved - bare plant roots are unacceptable;

3. If possible, you should examine the root system. It should be healthy and not dried out: the ends of the roots are white or yellowish in color, elastic (if you scratch them, juice is released);

4. It is also necessary to take into account the indicators of the thuja variety: the color of the needles, the splendor of the crown, frost resistance.

Types and varieties of thuja

In natural conditions, there are 5 main types of thuja: Japanese, Korean, folded, eastern, western. The most popular of them is western thuja. It is a pyramidal tree, reaching a height of 15-20 m, with a crown of 3-5 m in diameter. Due to its frost resistance, it is suitable for growing in all regions of our country. Many varieties of this species have been bred, having different shapes, needles color, height. The most famous are:

• Brabant - a frost-resistant, fast-growing variety. The diameter of the crown is 1.5 m. The color of the needles is green in summer, brown in winter.

• Emerald - is a tree reaching a height of 4-4.5 meters. The shape of the crown is conical. It grows slowly, dark green needles practically do not fade in winter. It tolerates a haircut well.

• Columna - a fast-growing variety in the form of a tree with a dense narrow crown. Possesses high winter hardiness, prefers semi-shady areas.

• Wagneri - a variety with gray needles, which acquire a copper tint in winter. Prefers fertile soils in open areas. Possesses increased frost resistance.

• Globoza - a slow-growing variety with a spherical crown (it reaches a height of 1 m by the 10th year of vegetation), winter-hardy and drought-resistant.

• Danica - a low-growing shrub with a rounded dense crown up to 0.6 m high. It grows slowly (the growth reaches only 5 cm per year). The needles are light green in color. The variety is shade-tolerant, drought-resistant and frost-hardy. Propagated only by cuttings. Ideal for landscaping small areas.

• Golden Globe - the variety has golden-green needles, grows slowly, is used in single compositions, rockeries, rock gardens and low borders.

Thuja: growing. Sowing and planting (timing, shelter, temperature, soil, etc.)

For growing thuja, both a sunny place and partial shade are suitable.If you plant this coniferous plant in the shade, then its crown will thin out and lose its decorative effect. Although thuja is moisture-loving, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, if groundwater occurs on a site close to the surface, then drainage must be carried out on it before planting.

Thuja can grow on different soils, but it is still better to plant it on moisture-permeable fertile soils. On heavy clay soils, it is susceptible to root rot. Therefore, such areas must first be enriched with humus or compost, sand and peat must be added to improve aeration. Acidic soils are made alkaline by adding wood ash or lime.

Planting thuja

• Dig a hole 70-80 cm deep and 90-100 cm in diameter;

• Drainage from crushed stone, expanded clay is poured at the bottom of the pit;

• Pour prepared soil onto the drainage, add complex fertilizers and 2 glasses of ash;

• The seedling is placed in the pit so that the root collar is at ground level;

• The distance between plants depends on the size of the variety. If thuja are planted in a group, then the interval between them ranges from 1 to 5 m, and when creating a single-row hedge, it is one meter.

Growing thuja from seeds

The process of growing thuja from seeds is quite long in time: 3-5 years will pass from sowing to planting seedlings in a permanent place. In addition, plants from seeds do not retain varietal characteristics. However, if you need to get a lot of strong seedlings at minimal cost, adapted to the climatic conditions of your region, then this method is perfect.

Like all conifers, thuja seeds are unpredictable in their germination. They can lie in the ground for more than six months before shoots appear.

Seed cones are harvested in the fruiting year. They are laid out in a warm room in one layer, after a couple of days they will open and then small reddish seeds easily spill out of them. Suitable for planting healthy seeds that have undergone natural or artificial stratification (exposure to cold).

In the first case, they are sown in open ground after harvesting in late autumn. In the spring, seedlings will appear, similar to the seedlings of dill. The first branches of seedlings will grow only after 6 months. To prevent seedlings from getting lost among the weeds, they can be sown in boxes dug into the ground. In the third year, the plants dive. Young thuja can be planted in a permanent place in the fifth year of the growing season.

In the second case, the seeds are sown in a bowl with wet sand, covered with glass or foil, placed in a cool room or refrigerator on a shelf with a temperature of + 5 ° C for 2-3 months. Periodically, crops should be ventilated and condensate removed. After stratification, the seeds are sown in February in boxes. The substrate is made from turf, peat, sand, taken in equal proportions. For disinfection, it is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. After sowing, the soil is moistened. Seeds germinate at a temperature of + 20 ° C and above. As soon as the shoots appear, the boxes with the seedlings are transferred to a cooler place with good lighting. Twice a month the plants are fed with complex mineral fertilizers for conifers. Seedlings dive in the second year in spring. In summer, pots with them are taken out into the garden in partial shade. For the winter, they are brought into a greenhouse or into a house. In the third spring, the grown thuja are transferred to larger pots. When the plants reach 50 cm in length (4-5 years of vegetation), they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Sowing thuja seeds

Growing thuja from cuttings

With this method of reproduction, plants retain their varietal characteristics. Some varieties of thuja can only be grown by cuttings (for example, the Danica variety).

Thuja cuttings are carried out in April. For cuttings, healthy strong twigs of a young plant (2-3 years) are chosen. If there are no such specimens, then semi-lignified branches of an adult thuja are used. Cuttings should be torn off with a "heel" - a piece of bark.

Thuja cuttings with "heel"

The lower end of the cutting is 1/3 cleaned of needles, soaked for a day in a root formation stimulator and planted in a garden bed in a greenhouse, deepening by 2-3 cm.The substrate for planting is made from a mixture of equal proportions of leaf (sod) earth, sand and peat, which must first be spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. Saplings need diffused light and high humidity (about 70%). Therefore, cuttings planted in pots should be covered with jars. After planting, the plants must be sprayed and ventilated so that decay does not begin. The emergence of new shoots means that the rooting has been successful. In autumn (September), young plants are planted in a permanent place. They need shelter for the winter. For this, spruce branches, sawdust, dry leaves are used.

Thuja: growing. Care, feeding

Care for growing thuja consists in watering, feeding, cutting and preparing for the winter period.

The irrigation regime of the thuja depends on the weather conditions. Thuja is very sensitive to soil moisture content. With a moisture deficit, its needles grow dull and acquire a yellow-brown color. This is especially true after summer pruning. The minimum amount of watering per plant is 10 liters. In hot weather, watered every 3-4 days. Better to do this in the morning or evening. Sprinkling has a good effect on the appearance of the plant. Daily spraying washes away the dust from the needles, which begins to exude its phytoncidal odor.

In the spring, compost or mineral fertilizers are applied for conifers. If top dressing was applied during planting, then fertilize next time after 2 years.

Thuja trunk circles are mulched with sawdust, compost, crushed bark or nutshells. Mulch will retain moisture in summer, protect the roots from overheating and freezing in winter.

They start pruning in the third year of the thuja growing season. The main pruning is carried out starting in April. At the same time, dry and diseased branches are removed, the selected crown shape is formed. When cutting a hedge, shoots are cut off no more than one third of the length.

Preparing thuja for winter. In central and northern Russia, young thuja (even frost-resistant varieties) need shelter for the first few years. The trunk circles are covered with dry foliage, and the plants themselves are covered with spunbond or a thick greenhouse film. On adult plants, branches are pulled together with twine to the trunk to avoid breaking off when snow accumulates on them.

Shelter thuja for the winter

The main pests and ways to control them

Thuvaya aphid - insects that live in colonies and feed on plant sap. Damaged needles turn yellow and crumble. To destroy aphids, insecticides are used (for example, Fufanon).

Spider mite spreads quickly in dry warm weather. You can notice it on the branches covered with cobwebs. The needles are covered with yellow spots and crumble. In case of severe damage, acaricides are used. The tick does not like high humidity, therefore, to prevent thuja, it is necessary to spray it with water more often.

Speckled moth - a small butterfly, the larvae of which gnaw through the passages in the needles. Shoots first turn brown and then die off. To control pests, the affected thuja are treated twice with pyrethroids with an interval of 8 days.

Thuya false shield - small light yellow insects. Affected plants wither, the needles partially dry out. In the period from May (until the buds dissolve) and until mid-June, thuja are sprayed with karbofos, actellik or actara.

Click Beetles (Wireworms) - polyphagous pests. The larvae feed on small roots and humus, and as they grow, they move on to thick roots. As a result, thuja stops developing, the needles dry out and crumble. Most often, clickers settle in moist areas with acidic soils. To prevent the spread of these beetles in the fall, it is necessary to dig up the soil, because adults (adult insects) hibernate shallow in the ground. Low-lying areas should be drained and alkalized.In case of massive damage by wireworms, thuja and surrounding vegetation are sprayed with drugs such as Fufanon, Actellik, Decis. To destroy the larvae, chemical agents with diazonin (Kapkan, Bazudin) are introduced into the soil.

Bark beetles - small beetles that gnaw through passages and lay eggs in the bark of a tree. The affected tree dies quickly. There is no universal remedy for bark beetle protection. It is recommended to spray the plants with insecticides at intervals of two weeks. The damaged branches are cut and burned.

Schütte and rust - diseases caused by various pathogenic fungi, in which the needles darken and fall off. Mostly young thuja are ill. Affected branches should be cut and burned to prevent the spread of fungal spores. For prevention, all conifers on the site are sprayed with Hom (40 g per bucket of water), Topsin-M (15 g per bucket of water) or Bordeaux liquid. Trunk circles are spilled 2 times per season with a foundationol solution.

Root rot - one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of thuja. As a result of the destruction of young roots, the shoots become pale yellow, turn brown over time, the plant dies. Diseased specimens must be destroyed, and the ground under neighboring plants must be shed with a fungicide solution (for example, Fitosporin).

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