How to properly plant thuja in open ground and care for it. Basic rules for caring for thujas in spring How to feed young thujas in spring

Thujas are evergreen coniferous trees, so beloved by owners of cottages and private houses. Some of their varieties are often used to create hedges that hide homes from prying eyes and protect them from the wind. By providing quality care for these plants, you can be confident in the density of their crown. Fertilizers play an important role in the growth and development of an evergreen pet.

Why do you need feeding?

Absolutely any plant for full development requires a balanced diet. Thuja is no exception here.

Unfortunately, soil cannot maintain its fertility indefinitely. With each season, the concentration of macro- and micronutrients in it invariably decreases - some are washed away along with groundwater, and the other is absorbed by the root system of plants. As a result, it turns out that trees and shrubs do not receive the nutrients they need in sufficient quantities, begin to wither and may even die.

It is easy to recognize a deficiency of certain elements. With a lack of magnesium, the crown of the thuja turns yellow; yellowing begins with a deficiency of potassium; and with a lack of iron in the soil, the needles on some branches become whitish. The reduced presence of nitrogen in the soil leads to signs of chlorosis, that is, discoloration of the conifer; in addition, the growth of new shoots during the growing season is sharply reduced. If the young needles at the ends of the branches turn brownish-purple, this means that your green pet needs to be fed with phosphorus.

Timely feeding allows thujas to grow quickly, remain thick, maintain a rich shade and produce new shoots.

Typically, thujas are fed in three cases:

when planting in poor soil in order to saturate it with micronutrients;
to improve the general level of the agricultural background;
after planting thuja in the spring or during an autumn transplant.

The right time

Thuja must be fed after replanting - usually this happens in spring or autumn. For a coniferous tree, you need to choose a sunny place or an area with slight partial shade. Despite the fact that thuja is considered a rather unpretentious plant, nevertheless They need to be planted in well-drained and as fertile soil as possible. It will be very good if the soil is pre-fertilized with leaf, turf or humus substrate. In addition, a little additional sand is introduced into the ground to improve soil permeability and improve root nutrition.

Just before landing Wood ash should be poured into the bottom of the pit - about 3 kg, as well as 500 g of nitroammophosphate or superphosphate.

It is allowed to fertilize thuja with manure, but only rotted manure, but it is better to use compost.

Immediately after landing the ground must be watered with Epin's solution, for this, 1 ampoule is diluted in 1 liter of water, after which the soil is mulched with crushed pine bark - this retains all the necessary moisture in the summer, and in winter it protects the seedling from freezing.

If you plant thuja in poor soil, then you can additionally fertilize after 10-14 days. In this case, fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium are usually used. In the first year, there is no need to feed the young thuja any more, otherwise the fragile tree may simply die.

If plants show signs of disease, then you can spot feeding in summer, but with the onset of September, fertilizers are not applied - this will prevent the thuja from preparing for the cold season and, in the end, will only do harm.

The only exception will be mandatory application of complex fertilizers during autumn planting– usually special preparations for conifers, complex formulations and biostimulants for growth are suitable for this.

Important: all of the above applies to thujas grown in open areas of the ground. If the tree grows in a pot or container, it needs feeding every 14-20 days from spring until early October.

If the soil in which the thuja grows is too poor, then some gardeners use a little trick - they carry out relatively safe fertilizing by simply adding soil. As a rule, compost and bone meal in combination with peat are used for this. This technique allows you to saturate the soil around the tree with nutrients - they are very easily absorbed by the thuja and at the same time do not stimulate the increased formation of new shoots at the very end of the growing season.

If necessary, often resort to liming of saline soil.

To do this, before planting, gypsum is added to the ground, and then the soil is plowed. If the soil is podzolic, then additional quicklime is added to it - as a rule, this is done in early September.

Fertilizer selection

Fertilizers for thuja should be selected taking into account such important factors as the general condition of the plant, its age and soil characteristics. Saturation with nutritional components can be:

low – less than 1% humus;
low supply - from 2 to 3% humus;
medium-income - from 3 to 4% humus;
elevated – 5% humus and above.

To feed their green pets, they usually resort to several types of fertilizers.

Complex mixtures for conifers. They promote high growth and provide a beautiful appearance of the crown. Experts recommend using such mixtures for feeding thujas, since these plants often tolerate all other nutrient mixtures and ready-made preparations very poorly.
Organic. To saturate the soil with useful substances, gardeners often use peat, all kinds of composts, and manure. As an alternative, so-called green manures or “green fertilizers” are used - they are optimal for improving the level of agricultural background, do not cause plant growth after the end of the growing season, and therefore do not harm young and adult thujas.
Potassium. All kinds of potassium salts and potassium chloride have proven themselves to be excellent for feeding all types of coniferous shrubs and trees, including thujas. A lack of potassium in the soil often leads to the fact that trees begin to weaken and completely lose their attractive appearance, and over time, the apical shoots begin to die off. This is a widespread and affordable type of fertilizer, which is usually used to optimize the agricultural background.
Nitrogen. These fertilizers are applied before transplanting in situations where the seedlings are weakened or stunted. Nitrogen promotes the accelerated growth of thuja, so for plants in open ground it can only be used in the spring, but for potted plants, nitrogenous preparations will be ideal winter supplements.
Microfertilizers. Such compositions are used for spot feeding with boron, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, as well as zinc and other useful microelements, if the land was not treated with all the necessary micronutrients before planting. Typically, such treatment is carried out in the second year of the plant’s life.
Bacterial preparations. They are used exclusively in soils with low humus.

How to fertilize correctly?

Thujas require proper feeding, especially at a young age. The fact is that these plants are able to extract all the necessary nutrients from the ground only in adulthood - after their root system is completely formed. But even then, your green pets need to be fed from time to time throughout their lives - otherwise they will wither away from the gradual depletion of the soil. True, this will have to be done less often than during the active growth stage.

The first feeding of thuja is done during planting; no other fertilizers are applied this year. The second feeding should be carried out only next spring - in March or April. At this moment, thuja needs a wide variety of useful substances:

nitrogen;
magnesium;
phosphorus;
calcium;
potassium;
iron.

Typically, spring fertilization is carried out using ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, urea, as well as long-acting potassium and magnesium mineral complexes. It will be very useful during this period bone flour, which is considered a good source of calcium.

If conifers have endured winter frosts and suffered from snow and wind, then it is necessary to apply root stimulants– the drugs Agrecol and Kornevin perform best.

In spring, fertilizing is carried out by applying the composition at the root. To do this, compost or bone meal is added to the tree trunk circle in an even layer approximately 3-5 cm thick, and then carefully loosened and mixed with the top layer of the substrate so as not to damage the roots.

Using granular formulations fertilizers are distributed around the tree in such a way as not to approach the thuja trunk closer than 15-20 cm, but at the same time not to go beyond the boundaries of the crown projection.

Using water-soluble compounds, for example, superphosphate or ammonium nitrate, they must be diluted in water in full accordance with the instructions on the package.

In summer, fertilizing is carried out only in a situation where the soil is too poor and yellowing of the leaves occurs. In this case, vermicomposts are used, as well as specialized complexes that simultaneously nourish the soil and protect the tree from fungal spores. Experts recommend using the compositions Fitosporin-K and Fitosporin-M (the latter letters mean potassium and magnesium, respectively).

Usually the drug is produced in the form of a powder or paste. In the first case, take about 5 g of the composition per bucket of water, and in the second - 3 tsp. Treatment of thuja with Fitosporin is carried out 2 times at intervals of one month.

Evergreens are generally unpretentious to grow, but still require compliance with the simplest rules of agricultural technology. Caring for thujas in spring is the most important, since at this time the tree is most vulnerable to environmental conditions. Knowing the main nuances, you can protect the plant from many troubles and achieve good needle growth.

When to open thujas after winter

Although bright green bushes and trees harmonize beautifully with the snow-white cover, experienced gardeners It is recommended to cover all thujas for the winter. For this purpose, non-woven, light- and breathable material is used. If it so happens that with the onset of cold weather the plants are left without shelter, it is necessary to provide them with additional protection in February. At this time, daylight hours increase, despite the low temperature, the sun warms up.

Under the burning rays of spring, the needles wake up, while the root system is still sleeping. As a result, active evaporation of moisture occurs. The roots do not compensate for the lost moisture and, as a result, the shoots dry out and turn yellow. It is no longer possible to restore damaged branches. Therefore, you should not ignore the shelter; it helps preserve the decorative appearance of the tree.

It is advisable to open thujas after winter after awakening the root system. The snow, or at least the bulk of it, should come off the ground. The most suitable period is the time of swelling of the first buds on deciduous trees and bushes. But before this, it is advisable to periodically open the plants in cloudy weather so that they adapt to the light.

Features of soil care

The condition of the soil for thuja is no less important than protecting the needles from burns. Evergreens love moderately moist, fertilized, loose soil. Stagnation of water is detrimental to them, so even when planting, you need to take care to add sufficient drainage to the pit.

Growing thuja involves the following work with the soil:

weed removal;

loosening;

mulching.

There must be soil clean of weeds. The roots of other plants take away some of the nutrients. In addition, they can be carriers of diseases and attract pests. It is advisable to periodically loosen the soil to improve its breathability and moisture absorption. But do this carefully, without going deeper than 10 cm, since the root system is superficial.

To simplify your work, and at the same time create favorable conditions for growth, you can mulch the tree trunk circle. Compost, humus or crushed pine bark can be used as a covering material. Mulch stops the growth of weeds, retains moisture, improves the vital activity of soil microorganisms, enriching the composition of the soil.

Watering and sprinkling thuja

A common misconception among gardeners is that evergreens need to be watered only when the weather gets hot. In fact, already in April, and in warm regions and in March, under the influence of sunlight, moisture begins to actively evaporate. The soil quickly uses up reserves from melted snow, so it is necessary to replenish them.

To prevent the needles from drying out, in warm weather it is advisable to water the thuja once a week. In hot weather, watering should be increased to 2 times a week. A small tree about 3-5 years old requires 1 bucket of water. You can pour 2-3 buckets under adult plants. In extreme heat, the volume of water is doubled.

Spring care involves weekly sprinkling. This is especially important in the first warm month, when scaly needles evaporate moisture very actively. Spraying the crown helps open the pores, which intensifies the pine aroma. The plant begins to breathe and, accordingly, grows faster. Room water temperature is the most acceptable for sprinkling. The best time to spray is early in the morning or evening, when there is no sun.

Therapeutic pruning of thuja

All damaged branches require immediate removal. You should not leave yellowed shoots in the hope of their restoration. The burned needle is dead. The same applies to blackened areas. They are struck by a fungal infection that can spread throughout the tree. That's why you need to immediately trim them and treat them with an antifungal drug, for example, "Hom".

It is important to carefully examine the entire plant. If it is large, it is worth spreading the branches and looking into the middle. In the depths, dead needles also turn yellow. You definitely need to remove it. Otherwise, the damaged areas may dry out, disrupting the shape of the crown and triggering the development of diseases.

The best period for therapeutic pruning is April. But if time is lost, you shouldn’t wait until next year. If the needles have turned yellow or blackened, they are removed at any season. In spring and summer, crown thinning can be done. This is done to improve air circulation, which prevents the development of diseases.

When pruning, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

Carry out manipulations only in dry weather. You should not do this immediately after rain or in the rain, as the appearance of the thuja will be slightly distorted.

First remove dry and diseased branches, and then begin thinning. It is important not to overdo it so as not to spoil the crown.

To form a more magnificent tree, trim only the top, without touching the side branches.

It is not necessary to thin out thujas growing in the shade. Usually they do not have a thick crown.

For adult plants it is recommended to carry out preventative pruning annually. Young seedlings up to 3 years old can be left alone if their needles are in perfect condition. If large branches were removed during the pruning process, the cut areas should be treated with garden varnish or a special paste. “Zhivitsa” and “Robin Green” are best suited, since they contain pine resin, which compensates for the thuja’s lack of its own.

Decorative haircut of thuja

A shaping haircut is done in 2 cases:

I don’t like the natural density of the crown;

I'm not happy with the shape of the tree.

Depending on the pruning is carried out 2 times a year or every few years . If the annual growth is more than 20 cm, you need to adjust the length of the shoots in spring and summer. With a growth rate of 10-15 cm, a single haircut is sufficient. Dwarf plants that grow very slowly are practically not touched at all. They naturally take on a beautiful shape. All that is required of the gardener is to shorten the branches that have escaped from the main mass.

It is important to know not only how to trim thuja correctly, but also when to do it. Removing branches before buds break stops the growing season. This can be useful when removing old branches and thinning the crown. If growing green mass is important, it is better to trim the thuja after it has finished flowering.

Hedge trimming

The easiest way to trim hedges is to trim them. Since the trees should fit tightly to each other, the side branches should not be touched. It is enough to trim the tops to the same height. In this case, at least 2/3 of the original height should remain. Next year all that remains is to trim the overgrown top.

Topiary haircut of thuja

Nowadays it is fashionable to give thujas various shapes. A master can create any sculpture with just garden shears. Beginners without practice can form geometric shapes: cones, pyramids, balls, cubes. When choosing a form, it is advisable to focus on the natural habit.

The spiral shape of the crown is very popular. It requires painstaking work, but is still not as difficult as it might seem at first. The spiral looks best on tall plants. Suitable varieties are Brabant and Smaragd. To create a figure you need to do the following:

tie a rope or ribbon to the top, and then wrap it in a spiral along the entire length of the thuja, adjusting the desired width of the turns;

Use garden shears to make a light outline along the resulting marking;

carry out a deeper cut so that the difference in the branches is smooth but well defined;

remove the rope from the tree.

Another way to create a spiral is to grow thuja in a wire frame. As soon as the shoots of the young tree begin to peek out from the frame, they are cut along the contour. Then the frame is removed. It is important not to overdo the pruning and create bare shoots. The needles will no longer grow on them, and as a result, unsightly bald patches will appear.

Fertilizing in spring and summer

Caring for evergreens is easy. Strong trees and shrubs do not need various growth stimulants. Therefore, some gardeners reduce caring for thuja to timely watering and sprinkling. Feeding is more needed for young plants that intensively grow green mass.

Fertilizers are applied immediately upon planting. They have a positive effect on strengthening the root system and the adaptation of a tree or shrub in open ground, especially if the seedling previously grew in a container. Then you can not fertilize the young thuja for 2 years. Good nutrition is quite enough for this time.

Fertilizing can be done in early spring, as soon as the snow melts and the ground thaws. It will launch active growth of the plant and improve its attractiveness. What to feed thujas in spring? Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for this purpose. It is best to choose complex preparations intended for coniferous crops. It is allowed to use ammonium nitrate in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water.

The Finnish Fertika fertilizer shows good results. It is suitable for fertilizing in summer. For medium-sized thujas, only 40 g of product is enough. The Zircon solution has also proven itself. It enhances the ability to absorb nutrients and moisture, protects against ultraviolet radiation, and helps to survive stress after a transplant or haircut.

It is recommended to water the bush well before applying fertilizer. And only then add fertilizing. Afterwards it is recommended to mulch the tree trunk circle. This will improve the absorption of microelements and prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture. At the dacha, it is not always possible to apply fertilizing in a timely manner. In this case, you can use slow-release fertilizers. It is enough to embed them in the soil, and then water the thuja from time to time.

It must be remembered that an excess of fertilizers is more dangerous than their absence. Therefore, you should not get carried away with fertilizing. On average, they are applied once every 10-14 days. Each product has a different concentration, so it is important to follow the instructions. If it is necessary to stop the growth of thuja, it is enough to reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizers.

Protecting thujas from pests

Like any other thuja plants, they are susceptible to pests. Thuja aphids, moths, fungi, and false scale insects pose a particular danger to them. Timely treatment is the prevention of possible diseases. It is best to do it in the spring. If time is lost, then at the beginning of summer, but not later, since pests intensify their activity already in June.

"Karbofos";

"Fundazol";

"Cypermethrin."

Even sick thujas recover quickly with proper care. But it is still advisable not to neglect preventive measures or at least start treatment at the initial stage of the disease.

Caring for young thujas

Beginning gardeners often wonder: when to plant thuja – spring or autumn. Both options are possible. But spring is preferable, because over the summer the coniferous plant has time to adapt, grow its root system and, as a result, be more prepared to face the winter. For this reason, the survival rate of spring plantings is better than that of autumn ones.

Starting from the age of 3, caring for thujas is no different from caring for adult shrubs. But if you grow plants from seeds or cuttings, young plantings need to be given even more attention. The main measures are treatment with strengthening and stimulating drugs. In the first year of life, they help to grow the root system and take root. And on the second, they increase resistance to diseases.

The drug "Epin" showed good results. They need to be sprayed in calm weather when there is no sun. You can repeat the procedure once every 10 days throughout spring and summer. It is also recommended to feed the plants with phosphorus and potassium once every 3 weeks.

If the initial distance between the seedlings is small, you can transplant them to a permanent place in the spring. It is also worth replanting if the root collar is too deep. It is enough to lift the tree a little and strengthen it. To get a lush thuja in the shortest possible time, in spring all young shoots need to be pinched 1-2 cm. This activates the growth of side branches. This method is good for creating dense crowns and hedges.

Preparing for winter

You need to start preparing for cold weather in August. At this time, fertilizing stops. It is better not to stimulate the growth of young shoots, since they will not have time to get stronger and will most likely freeze. In the fall, before insulating the tree, it is necessary to water it abundantly.

To prevent the evergreen plant from freezing in winter, it is advisable to carry out the following actions:

Cover the tree trunk circle with tree bark or dry leaves. Layer height is about 10 cm.

Tie the branches of seedlings under 3 years of age around the trunk with a rope and wrap them in breathable non-woven material. This will protect against freezing and prevent the shoots from breaking under the weight of the snow.

If possible, also tie the branches of mature trees with rope to avoid deformation under the weight of snow.

Such protection will preserve the decorative properties of the thuja and prevent the development of diseases. Having properly prepared for wintering, the gardener greatly simplifies the spring care of coniferous plants.

Caring for and planting thujas is not particularly difficult. Even a novice gardener can grow an evergreen tree on a plot of land. But you still need to work hard in the spring. This is the most important period for the plant, when nutrients are laid down and protection from pests is carried out. Properly processed thujas do not turn yellow, do not get sick, and quickly grow green mass. And timely pruning gives the bush a well-groomed appearance.

Summer residents love to decorate their plots with unpretentious evergreen shrubs and trees, which always look elegant. Planting and caring for them is not burdensome, and thujas live in open ground for a long time. It’s not for nothing that they are called “royal trees.” Thujas are frost-resistant and exude a pleasant aroma. The scales covering their branches, soft to the touch, produce useful phytoncides.

Suitable site

In open ground, thuja will be comfortable in areas with light shading. Direct sunlight is harmful to wood. In spring and summer, it will wither and dry under them and, having weakened, will not survive the winter well. If you plant a thuja in dense shade, its decorative properties will suffer. Its development will slow down, the leaves will become pale, and they will grow less frequently, depriving the branches of their splendor.

Thuja does not like drafts and strong winds, so you need to choose a place for it that is reliably protected from them. The proximity of groundwater will only benefit the tree. The crop grows on any soil:

peaty;
sandy loam;
clayey;
swampy.

The main condition for it is sufficient humidity. But stagnation of water at the roots of a tree can destroy it. If the soil at the dacha is heavy and damp, a thick (15-20 cm) layer of drainage is poured onto the bottom of the planting hole. It is better to use large stones for it. In swampy areas, trenches are dug for drainage pipes.

The most beautiful plants grow in loose, fertile soil, consisting of three main components:

turf land;
peat;
sand.

On nutrient-poor loams and sandy loam soil, special attention will have to be paid to fertilizing when caring for thuja.

Selection of seedlings

Nurseries and specialty stores offer a large selection of thuja seedlings of different varieties, differing in age and size. You can purchase a small tree and place it in your dacha after growing it. There will be no difficulties with this. Planting young trees is preferable: they take root faster. If you want to decorate the area right away, it is better to choose an already large, developed plant.

When buying a seedling, you need to carefully examine it, paying special attention to 2 conditions:

how moist the soil in the container is;
how firmly the scales adhere to the shoots.

The branches of a high-quality seedling are strong, elastic, without suspicious spots or signs of damage by pests or diseases. The needles do not fall off from them. Having brought the plant home, it needs to be planted and watered as quickly as possible.

If the root system of the thuja is open, it is placed in the ground in the spring, otherwise it will not take root. Trees growing in containers can also be planted in summer.

Landing rules

You can plant thuja from spring to autumn. But trees take root best on the site in April-May. They get sick less, adapt to new conditions faster and begin to grow earlier. Autumn planting of thujas is associated with significant risk. There is no confidence that the tree will have time to take root well on the site before the cold weather

Thuja planting holes need deep and wide – usually about 80-100 cm. Their exact dimensions are determined by the volume of the tree’s root system. It should fit freely into the hole along with the soil lump. Usually the width of the hole is made 40 cm, and the depth 30 cm more. Loose soil filled with fertilizers is poured into the bottom of the pit. Wood ash, humus, and compost work well. This planting will make caring for the thuja easier: the plant will need to feed only 2-3 years after it.

If the roots of the tree are dry, they are briefly dipped in a container of water. Having placed the seedling in a hole, sprinkle it with a mixture of earth, peat and sand, taken in equal quantities. If its roots have been exposed, they are spread over an earthen mound. When planting a thuja with a closed root system, it is carefully removed from the container along with the substrate, placed in a hole and covered with soil. The soil around the seedling is lightly compacted and watered well (1-2 buckets of water). When planted correctly, the root collar of the thuja is at soil level. The soil in the tree trunk circle is mulched. Good for this:

peat;
compost;
crushed pine bark.

That's right, the mulch only covers the soil. It should not be on the lower branches of the plant or near its trunk, otherwise they will dry out.

The arrangement of thujas in the country depends on the selected varieties. Tall trees are planted at intervals of 4-5 m. At least 1 m of free space is left between short trees. Arborvitae are placed at the same distance in the garden so that they form a hedge or a shady alley. The height of the tree does not matter here.

Watering and fertilizing

Caring for thuja will not take much time. It consists of the following manipulations:

glaze;
fertilizing;
loosening the soil;
trimmings.

Thuja is a moisture-loving crop. In spring, it is usually watered once a week, depending on weather conditions. It is correct to apply 10 liters of water to each young tree. If it rains frequently, you can do without additional moisture. In summer, the frequency of watering in open ground is increased, every 3-4 days, and in hot weather - every 2-3 days. At this time, water is spent 1.5-2 times more.

Both seedlings and mature trees need moisture equally. As the thuja grows, the volume of liquid added is increased. It is advisable to alternate watering with crown irrigation. Then the branches of the thuja will be elastic, and the color of the leaves will be bright and juicy. When “bathing”, the dust is washed off from them, and the thuja becomes prettier, acquiring a fresher appearance. Irrigation can be carried out 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening.

The appearance of the thuja will tell you about the lack of moisture. If its top has turned yellow, it's time to take action.

The first feeding is carried out immediately after planting the thuja on a permanent site. A solution of a growth stimulator is used for it. The components it contains will help the tree take root faster and increase its immunity. An adult tree needs potassium and phosphorus in spring. At this time, compositions rich in them are applied twice, taking a 10-15-day break between feedings.

Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for thujas. To feed them, you can use special preparations intended for coniferous plants (Fertika and others), or regular compost. They are applied only twice per season (in spring and summer), embedded in the soil in the area of the trunk circle by loosening. In summer, you can water the plantings with a fertilizer solution.

Mulching and pruning

Caring for thuja also involves regularly removing weeds, loosening and mulching the soil under the plants. Any organic material can be scattered under them:

sawdust;
straw;
compost;
crushed nut shells.

They will stop the growth of weeds and retain moisture in the soil, improving the condition of the tree. Mulch can also serve a decorative function if you use colored sawdust for it.

To make the tree look impressive, its crown is shaped. Only plants that have taken root well in the area and that have been planted for at least 2 years are subject to shearing. The first pruning serves more of a sanitary function. The thuja is removed from dry, damaged, diseased and weakened branches and how thick the crown is determined. The more often you trim, the more magnificent the tree will be.

The main pruning is done in the spring, in April, choosing dry weather for it. During the season, if necessary, it is supplemented with corrective haircuts. When pruning, the length of the branches is shortened by no more than a third. In order for the thuja in the garden to be healthy and beautiful, air must circulate freely between its branches. To do this, it is recommended to get rid of all shoots of annual growth. With the help of pruning, the thuja can be turned into a ball, cube, column, spiral, steps, the figure of an animal or a fairy-tale hero - it all depends on the imagination and experience of the gardener.

Preparing for winter

When choosing the variety of thuja that is best to plant on the site, it is worth taking into account the climate of the area. Frost-resistant varieties of the crop have been developed for areas with harsh winters. But even they are being prepared for the onset of cold weather. In autumn, thujas are watered generously with a solution of preparations that stimulate root growth. They stop feeding them with nitrogen compounds in mid-August. Sanitary pruning is carried out, removing yellowed, broken, diseased branches.

Young trees and seedlings need insulation. They are covered with a cocoon made of plastic film or a special material that allows the sun's rays to pass through. In stores you can find ready-made covers for wintering thujas in the open ground. The roots of the tree will also need protection. The soil in the tree trunk circle is covered with a thick (5-7 cm) layer of fallen leaves. In the spring, when the snow has melted and the top layer of soil has warmed up a little, the shelter is removed.

If the crown of the tree is spreading, its branches need to be carefully tied together with a wide ribbon. Otherwise, they may break under the weight of accumulated snow. It is better to tie young trees to a reliable support so that their trunks do not break from gusts of wind. It is advisable to cover them with straw bales. They will protect the thuja trunk from frost. You can hill up the plants high, mulch the soil with peat chips and cover them with spruce branches.

At the end of winter and early spring, seedlings often suffer from sunburn: in the bright sun, the needles heat up, and the root system of the tree is still dormant, not providing the branches with moisture. Therefore, in the first year it is recommended to cover the thuja with thin burlap, but not too tightly, otherwise the trunk may freeze during the thaw. There are special preparations to protect plants from sunburn. When sprayed onto the needles, they cover it with a thin film that prevents moisture evaporation. In spring, rain and irrigation will wash away the protective coating. After winter, the tree bark may become cracked. They are lubricated with garden varnish. It will tighten the bark, and the wounds will heal faster.

Transfer

Arborvitae can be replanted from March to November. If the procedure is performed correctly, they tolerate it well. Having prepared the planting hole in advance, they begin to remove the tree. A circle with a diameter of 1 m is drawn around it. The thuja trunk should be in its center.

Armed with a sharp spatula, they pierce the circle along its entire length. Then the soil is carefully lifted. You can't do it without helpers. The thuja removed from the ground is loaded onto a cart and transported to a new location.

The elegant beauty of the thuja and the ease of its cultivation make it a favorite of gardeners and landscape designers. This evergreen tree is appropriate everywhere: in the country, in the front garden, in the park. It also has beneficial properties. If you stay near thujas for 30 minutes or more, your thoughts and feelings will come into order and nervous tension will disappear. They also have a beneficial effect on the air, saturating it with oxygen, purifying and killing harmful microorganisms.

You can experiment endlessly with planting thujas. They are equally effective as part of hedges and when placed alone, and are often used to design paths. Their crown can be given any shape, turning the dacha into a fabulous corner.

Thuja is an evergreen plant used for landscaping garden plots. It is suitable for creating beautiful hedges and alleys. They give off a very pleasant aroma.

Extending its life and creating real garden masterpieces depend on how to care for the thuja in the country.

Description

This is a plant not found in Russian climatic conditions. Its homeland is America and East Asia. But the tree has taken root quite well in our environment. Some of its varieties are grown even in the north of Russia.

Interesting. The word "thuja" means "incense" or "sacrifice." This is associated with the pleasant aroma that spreads when some types of plants are burned.

The plant belongs to the Cypress family. It is evergreen, the needles consist of scales overlapping each other. At home, it almost always grows to a height of 20 m, but in Russia it rarely reaches 11 meters in height.

There are such types of thuja:

Thuja occidentalis (“Smaragd”) is the most common species in gardening. It has a large number of varieties.
Japanese thuja grows in mountainous areas. Its difference is its beautiful needles with different colors. On a summer cottage it can reach a height of up to 18 m. In large cities it takes root with difficulty.
Korean thuja has a wide, spreading crown and soft needles.
Folded thuja is very sensitive to cold. The plant is very tall and can reach a height of 60 m. It has a pleasant aroma.
Oriental thuja has medicinal properties. Its branches resemble the shape of a fan. The plant does not tolerate frost well.

Plant care

Caring for thuja in spring and summer is not particularly difficult. If you follow all the recommendations, the plant will not get sick and will tolerate unfavorable climatic conditions. Its condition depends on how to care for the thuja.

Landing

These trees produce seeds. They have cones, each of which contains seeds. They ripen by autumn and at this time are already suitable for reproduction. A seedling grows from a seed. It has been growing for 5 years. During this time, the plant adapts to harsh winters. Seeds can also be grown at home in a pot.

Choose a sunny place for planting. The soil must be nutritious. Seeds are best planted in spring. The depth at which the seeds should be located is no more than 5 cm. The place where this coniferous tree is sown should be sprinkled with a small layer of sawdust from pine needles.

Young shoots will grow from these seeds. They should be protected from direct sunlight. When weeding, you need to be very careful because the young shoots are very tender.

Note! Seedlings may die in direct sunlight, so planting sites should be shaded.

The soil under these plants needs to be loosened and constantly moistened. The shoots need to be fed with slurry and manure. To prepare it, manure should be diluted in water (50 g of manure per 1 liter of water).

Reproduction by shoots

Thuja can reproduce using shoots. To do this, you need to prepare cuttings from shoots that are 2, or even better, 3 years old. An annual shoot can also be planted, but it must have a piece of old wood. The cuttings are treated with a special preparation - heteroauxin.

For better rooting of cuttings, you need to use turf soil and peat. Cuttings are planted to a depth of no more than 2.5 cm. It is best to care for them in a greenhouse (in these conditions they can be protected from direct sunlight).

Watering

Gardeners are interested in how often to water thujas. For plants planted in the warm season, watering the thuja is required once a week (if the weather is not hot). If the air is very dry and hot, watering becomes more frequent up to 2 times a week. Under each bush you need to add at least a bucket of water.

During the first month of life, the plant needs to be rained. With this type of watering, the pores open and the tree begins to breathe. The trees need to be irrigated once a week. Its further growth depends on how to water the thuja.

Starting around August, watering does not stop. It is needed for the plant to gain moisture for a good winter.

Important! Excessive watering is no less humid - the plant does not like it and can develop fungal pathology. Its resistance to fungal diseases depends on how often you water the thuja after planting in the summer.

Top dressing

Gardening enthusiasts are interested in what to feed thuja in the summer.

When feeding, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:

Fertilizing is done only in spring and summer; at other times it is not advisable to do this.
It is recommended to use the Zircon solution, which has a beneficial effect on the growth processes of the root system and the absorption of useful components by the tree.
In spring, it is recommended to spray trees with Iron Chelate. It prevents the development of chlorosis.
When growth intensity decreases, Megafol and Vermiculite are used.

Loosening, mulching

It is necessary to loosen the soil near this plant to a depth of at least 10 cm. This is due to the location of the plant’s root system.

Haircut and trimming

Methods of caring for thuja in summer involve mulching. It is carried out using peat. Its layer should not exceed 7 cm.

Haircut and trimming

In order for the tree to develop properly and have a beautiful crown, it needs to be pruned. Most species acquire one form of crown or another as they grow. By trimming you can give it the desired look. Sanitary pruning is required if yellow, damaged branches appear.

The frequency of pruning depends on the intensity of growth (it does not exceed 35 cm per year, in some varieties it reaches 10 cm per year). The timing of crown formation is regulated as follows:

When the buds open - approximately 10 days after the average temperature outside has reached 10 degrees.
During flowering, shoots are pruned in the northwestern region - at the end of May or early June, in the middle zone - in mid-May, in the south - in April.

Important! If you prune the thuja before it begins to bloom, you can stop its growing season.

Care during flowering

When the thuja grows, it is very important to protect it from direct sunlight. The plant should also be protected from pests. There are fungicides for this.

If the plant has been damaged by sunlight, it is advisable to use the Epin solution.

Plant care in autumn

Thuja requires careful care in the autumn. After September the tree needs to be trimmed and insulated. Dead branches should be removed.

The plant can be pruned in warm weather at temperatures not lower than 4ºC. Pruning is not carried out immediately before frost - the branches need time to recover, and frost can damage them. Insulation for the winter is carried out in this order:

The roots are insulated with straw, compost, manure, peat (layer up to 30 cm).
The crown of a young tree should be covered with a five-liter bottle.
The crown of an adult tree should be wrapped in a layer of thick paper.
The bark must be protected from sunburn using shields.

Diseases and pests

Pests of thuja are:

moth moth, leading to the death of the tops of shoots;
false scale insect (affects young shoots);
click beetle (damages the root system).

To control pests, pyrethroids, karbofos, and actellik are used. Spray with solutions of these drugs.

Thuja can be affected by:

late blight, which destroys the root of the plant, causing it to wither and the trunk to become soft;
browning of shoots (some scales turn yellow);
Fusarium

The development of these diseases can be prevented with the help of fungicides. To combat fusarium, foundationazole is used.

Thuja is a plant that requires proper care and attention. Proper pruning of the plant allows you to form a beautiful decorative crown and make the garden unique.

Thuja is a plant that is actively used in organizing attractive landscape design. To make it look beautiful, the gardener needs to know when to protect it from the cold, how to care for it, and whether to fertilize it.

When to open thuja?

Thuja, although it is a coniferous plant, can suffer from frost and sub-zero temperatures at a young age, so it is recommended to cover it with synthetic material. After winter, already in early spring, the air temperature outside becomes less critical, so even from a young plant you can already remove the shelter. It is recommended to keep an adult plant until it is left in the spring, since even in February in some regions of the country the sun outside becomes quite active, its root system sleeps because the earth has not warmed up enough, but the moisture from the needles evaporates. As a result, the plant loses a large amount of moisture and may dry out. Damaged shoots will be impossible to restore, so it is better to cover the thuja with impermeable material.

At the dacha, the tree is opened after the root system has awakened. In the first spring months, it is already able to provide the trunk and branches with the necessary beneficial minerals consumed from the soil and moisture. You can focus on the deciduous plants in the area; if the buds on their branches begin to swell, it’s time to remove the cover. Before this, for several weeks in a row, when the sun is hidden behind the clouds, it is better to open the thuja for several hours so that it can adapt to the sun. This is necessary because the tree has been without light at all for a long time. Its needles may have lost color, but this is not a problem, the shade will be restored.

Transfer to another place

One of the advantages of thuja is that it can easily adapt to the proposed conditions, therefore it will take root well in a new place if the gardener replants it in April according to the existing rules. Decorative thuja is popular due to its attractiveness and longevity. It is highly appreciated by landscape designers in the process of creating alleys and hedges. Young bushes can be planted in open ground in mid-spring, when there is no risk of frost and the ground has already warmed up sufficiently. Planting is also done in early autumn; before the first snow, the thuja has time to take down young roots. Some gardeners additionally try to root the first lower branches.

When replanting, the place where you plan to move the plant is of particular importance. Thuja does not like shade because it is a light-loving tree. If the sun's rays affect its needles throughout the day, the needles may begin to turn yellow and then dry out. The ideal place for replanting would be an area where the sun's rays fall on the plant in the morning, and at noon the branches are in the shade. Thuja does not tolerate drafts, so it should be planted behind taller trees or a building.

As for the quality of the soil, this does not really matter. The main thing is that groundwater is not close to the surface, otherwise it will be necessary to organize high-quality drainage. The root system of thuja is superficial, it is very similar to mushroom mycelium. As humidity increases, it begins to rot. To organize drainage, you can use a special soil mixture. To create it, turf soil, sand and peat are used.

Before replanting the thuja, you will need to prepare it so that it can handle the change of position less painfully. Young bushes are always easier to transport, since their root system is not yet so extensive. The soil around will need to be pierced with a sharp shovel, marking the boundary that determines the size of the root ball. Then the thuja must be slightly pryed and removed from the ground along with the soil. You cannot destroy an existing lump. By this time, the landing pit should already be prepared. The plant is immersed in it up to the root collar and sprinkled with soil, after which the thuja is watered abundantly.

Preparing large trees follows the same principle, only it is more hassle. The soil is bayoneted 10 months before the planned transplant. This is necessary so that the plant can form new roots inside the cut area. The landing process is as follows:

first prepare a hole in the new area, the width of which should be 40 centimeters wider and 30 centimeters deeper than the root ball; if you plan to transplant several plants at the same time, then the minimum distance between them is 1 meter, the maximum is 5 meters; Thuja can grow well alone;
Before installing the tree, pre-prepared drainage soil is poured into the planting hole;
The thuja is placed strictly vertically and sprinkled with earth, after which the soil around is lightly compacted and watered.

The trunk should be hilled high, and after watering, the soil around it should be sprinkled with mulch. Such actions allow you to prepare the plant for wintering. The mulch layer should not fall on the lower branches and trunk, since interaction with the plant can lead to damping off of its bark. In regions with heavy snowfall, the branches are tied with twine, otherwise heavy rainfall may break them.

How to care for the soil?

The soil also requires proper care, although the plant is not too picky about the type and quality. The first thing a beginning plant grower should know is that the soil should be kept moderately moist, well fertilized and loosened from time to time. The better you care for the soil around the thuja, the more beautiful it will be. Be sure to weed the weeds. Once a month, the soil around will need to be slightly loosened, but you shouldn’t bury the shovel deep, as it can damage the root system. Loosening helps oxygen penetrate the soil better, moisture is absorbed faster and penetrates deeper. You can go no more than 10 centimeters into the ground.

Weeds cause many problems. They take nutrients from the soil, are often carriers of diseases, and act as a gathering place for numerous pests. In the southern regions of the country, it is recommended to mulch the soil surface around the plant. This layer retains moisture better, so the thuja does not suffer from a lack of water. The following coating materials are used:

humus;
sawdust;
compost;
coniferous bark.

Important! Weeds do not grow under mulch. As a pleasant addition, it enriches the soil with minerals and trace elements.

Features of watering

Most experienced plant growers agree that it is better to water with warm water. The statement that watering is required only when it gets hot is erroneous. In some regions of Russia, it becomes warm already in March, under the influence of the active sun, moisture begins to evaporate from the surface of small needles, so thuja requires water. While it is not too hot, you need to water the plant once a week, but if the soil dries out faster, then three times is possible. If the tree is from 3 to 5 years old, then a bucket of water is enough for it, for older plants - from 2 to 3 buckets. In summer, the volume of liquid added should be doubled.

Sprinkling has an especially good effect on the development of young thuja in summer. It allows you not only to replenish moisture, but also to wash away dust from the surface of the needles. It’s hard not to notice how the aroma of pine needles intensifies from the tree. The plant begins to grow faster. Spraying should be done early in the morning or after sunset. This can be explained very simply - in combination with active sunlight, small drops turn into lenses that cause irreparable damage to the thuja in the form of burns.

Rules for pruning and decorative haircuts

Pruning can be both preventive and decorative. In each individual case, thuja is cut differently. Shoots that begin to turn yellow or dry out must be removed immediately so that they do not draw on the nutrients consumed from the soil by the root system. They won't recover. The same applies to those areas of pine needles that have turned black. This change in color indicates the presence of a fungal infection.

Before you start trimming the thuja, the plant must be carefully examined. The branches are moved apart and an inspection is made inside, where the branches also die and require pruning. Regardless of the type of pruning performed, the best time is April. The crown is thinned out in summer and spring, but shoots damaged by fungal infections can be removed at any time before they cause the death of the entire tree. Preventive pruning is essential as it helps improve air circulation inside. It is known that one of the reasons for the appearance of rot is a too dense crown, in which the shoots are not blown, so destructive humidity remains.

Experienced plant growers advise adhering to the following rules:

cut off damaged shoots only in dry weather; do not do this after rain or before precipitation; if you ignore the advice, the crown may change its shape to an unattractive one;
Sick and dry branches are removed first, only after that the thuja is examined and thinned out; there is no need to remove many shoots, otherwise the crown will become bald;
if you want to make the tree lush, then do not touch the side sections, only cut off the top;
plants growing in the shade do not have a dense crown, so there is no need for thinning.

Preventative pruning is required for mature plants every year. Saplings that are under three years old should not be touched. The cut areas must be treated with paste, which can be purchased at a specialized store or with a garden varnish. The products “Zhivitsa” and Robin Green have proven themselves to be quite good. They contain pine resin, which protects damaged areas from infection.

Decorative

It is produced in the following cases:

not satisfied with the crown density;
I don't like the shape.

Pruning can be done once or twice a year, it all depends on the type of thuja planted on the site. Some varieties increase their crown by 20 centimeters per year. In this case, remove excess shoots in summer and spring. A one-time pruning is done when the crown grows by a maximum of 15 centimeters over the same period. There are dwarf thujas, they are not touched at all, since the thuja already has a neat, even shape. The gardener may only be required to trim shoots that stray too far from the crown.

Experienced gardeners know that the timing of pruning is as important as the quality of pruning. If you remove shoots before buds form, the growing season will slow down. This should be used when old, diseased shoots are removed. If the main goal is to increase green mass, then pruning is done after the thuja has faded.

Hedge

Trimming a plant when it is part of a hedge is as easy as shelling pears. All trees stand close to each other, branches are removed only from two sides, and the side ones are not touched. Each thuja is cut from the top so that they are all the same height. You cannot remove more than 2/3 of the original size of the tree.

Topiary

This is one of the most difficult types of pruning, but such trees as part of decorative landscape design are becoming increasingly popular. The master gives the thuja various shapes; with the help of special scissors he can create any shape. Those who do not have practice and the necessary knowledge are advised to start with simple geometric shapes. The spiral shape of the crown is especially popular, but to create it the craftsman has to expend a lot of effort. The best varieties for creating decor are “Barbant” and “Smaragd”.

What and how to feed?

In spring, you can treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate. They allow you to protect the thuja from the invasion of insects, for example, aphids. The treatment should be carried out on a dry day; after applying the composition, it is advisable that there is no rain, otherwise there will be no effect. When planting a seedling, fertilizer can be applied to the hole at the root. If such manipulations have taken place, then there is no need to fertilize the plant throughout the year. After fertilizing is applied every year, it is advisable to use complex mineral fertilizer.