Evergreen thujas of different heights and shapes have long been actively used in landscape design. Thanks to the dense crown, the needles that persist throughout the year and sufficient unpretentiousness, the thuja hedge is one of the most popular uses of the plant.
What varieties of thuja are best for hedges
Planting evergreen shrubs along the border of the site will protect the territory not only from access by prying eyes and indiscreet views, but also from gusts of wind, dust, polluted air from the road and even noise. On the site itself, thuja will help to delimit functional zones, undersized varieties will become the basis for borders. A perennial plant is universal, the main thing is to choose the right varieties and arrange planting.
Which thuja is best for hedges? The number of varieties of this evergreen plant today is in the tens. Climatic conditions in Russia are varied. If in the southern regions gardeners can only focus on the decorative properties of the thuja, then in the middle lane and to the north it is important to remember the frost resistance of the future hedge. Most often, for a living fence, the choice falls on two varieties: Brabant and.
Thuja Brabant hedge
One of the most winter-hardy varieties is (T. occidentalis Brabant) with a crown in the form of a wide column with a diameter of about one and a half and a height of up to 5 meters. Like all related plants, the variety beloved by landscapers perfectly tolerates being under the sun and in a transparent shade. In addition, the shrub is undemanding to the composition of the soil, easily tolerates a haircut and can do without maintenance for a long time.
For hedges, thuja Brabant is an excellent choice. However, do not forget about the characteristic features of the plant. Thuja needles do not remain green all year round. In winter, it acquires a brownish-brown hue, but does not crumble, maintaining the opacity of the hedge. In spring, the early-growing shrub may suffer from desiccation and sunburn.
In the spring, after shearing, the crown is actively restored. Usually coniferous crops used in landscape design do not give a large annual increase. However, there are exceptions. Variety Brabant is a fast-growing thuja for hedges, which during the growing season increases in height to 35 and in width by 15 cm.
If large shrubs lack nutrition or moisture, the thuja gradually loses its color brightness. One of the signs of nutritional deficiency is the appearance of numerous light brown bumps.
A thuja hedge of this variety is a solid wall that perfectly tolerates a haircut and retains a given shape. When planting evergreen shrubs, future growth is taken into account. Between seedlings in the trench make an interval of 50 to 70 cm.
Maintenance pruning is carried out twice a year. In early spring, before the awakening of the growth points, the thuja is cut for the first time, then the procedure is repeated in August. Usually, thuja is chosen for planting at the age of 3-4 years. If you do not hesitate with pruning and treat it carefully, you can grow a living 2-meter wall no more than half a meter thick.
A hedge from thuja Smaragd
Tui of different varieties differ not only in appearance. Variety Smaragd (T. occidentalis Smaragd) is no less popular than Brabant. This is the same large plant, up to 4–5 meters high, but with a conical crown and needles that never lose their green hue.
A feature rare for arborvitae makes the variety in demand not only as a tool for hedges. Magnificent shrub rarely exposed to winter withering:
- grows very slowly;
- does not require frequent haircuts;
- looks great as part of a living wall, and solo.
The lower part of the Smaragd thuja has a high density, rich green color and, with minimal pruning, keeps a flat surface. Due to the natural conical shape of the crown, the upper part of the hedge retains its natural shape. This feature is very handy when it comes to the fence on the border of the site. The jagged edge is more difficult to overcome for both humans and animals.
Before planting thujas for a hedge, they dig a trench about 50–60 cm wide and deep. The density of the green fence depends on the interval between the bushes. The average landing gap is half a meter.
It is good if the thuja seedlings have a closed root system. In this case, they easily take root, and hedges from them can be planted not only in spring.
For a thuja hedge, sufficient nutrition and regular watering are important. The drought makes the needles turn pale, the already slow growth stops, the young shoots dry out. Plants do not tolerate stagnant moisture and the proximity of groundwater. Therefore, in the risk area in the planting trench, it is useful to make a drainage layer about 20 cm thick.
Tui varieties for hedges
The choice is not limited to the plants described above. An equally impressive wall of greenery can be created by planting Columna thuja along the border of the site. A perennial plant up to 7 meters high with a dense cylindrical crown up to 130 cm in diameter. Like Smaragd, the shrub does not change the color of the needles, but it has a high growth rate and increases in size by 20 cm per year.
Thuja Holmstrup, up to three meters high, has a unique crown, which from the side seems curly or corrugated. A dense column with a diameter of about a meter tolerates winter cold well, is unpretentious and does not change color throughout the year. To the question of a beginner: “Which thuja is better for hedges?”, You can safely point to this variety. A plant with a small annual increase costs a haircut once every two years.
The Canadian thuja of the Sunkist variety has a height of 3 to 5 meters. The crown in the form of a wide cone with a diameter of 1–2 meters stands out due to the beautiful color of golden needles, which becomes brownish-bronze in winter.
What varieties of thuja are best for hedges of low height? The choice of plants for creating borders is quite large. Particularly popular are species with a naturally compact crown, more winter-hardy than tall plants, and do not need frequent labor-intensive pruning. An example is thuja Danica no more than 60 cm in height.
Video about planting a hedge from thuja western
Thuja dwarf is an evergreen coniferous plant that belongs to the cypress family. These shrubs have long been in great demand among gardeners, as they have a dense crown, which is of great importance in terms of decorative decoration of home gardens, parks or gardens.
This variety of coniferous plants is famous not only for its appearance, but also for its ability to influence human health, because a short calm walk along the alley lined with thujas helps to calm the nerves. Landscape designers consider thuja to be one of the basic plants for creating a wide variety of decorative compositions in the garden.
Advantages
Why do many people prefer dwarf varieties:
- First of all, thuja is a coniferous plant, which means that it is able to delight the eyes of people with its lush green needles throughout the year;
- By nature, thujas are able to purify the air well. They enrich the environment with oxygen, thanks to which this plant is planted on the territory of hospitals, along alleys and parks where people constantly walk;
- Low-growing varieties are excellent for creating hedges, which create a good decorative effect, while reducing the permeability of street noise;
- The plant is unpretentious in terms of caring for it;
- Dwarf conifers quite simply tolerate temperature changes;
- By planting thujas on your site, you can create a lot of interesting decorative options.
The most common varieties
This thuja is an undersized variety, has an unusual ball shape, with a diameter of not more than one meter. Small fluffy balls fit very well into the design of the garden plot, especially if you combine them with other types of plants;
Shrub of low stature with a beautiful branched crown, which looks very good in the composition of an alpine hill. A feature of this variety is its ability to change colors depending on the season. In summer, the crown of the thuja Little Champion stands out for its light brown needles, and during the winter cold season it becomes bronze in color;
Spherical thuja, diameter about 50 centimeters. It grows very slowly, and reaches its maximum size only 10 years after planting. Perfectly combined with stones;
Low thuja, which has a spherical crown with yellow-green needles in the form of small scales. This variety looks very good in rock gardens (miniature garden). The growth rate is very slow (it grows up to 50-60 centimeters in height only 10 years after planting);
Experts who are engaged in breeding and growing ornamental varieties of thuja are advised to plant dwarf varieties in areas with poor soil. This must be done so that they do not tend to grow up, and do not lose their usual shape.
Choosing the right plant
To achieve the best possible decorative effect, you need to be very careful when choosing a dwarf arborvitae that will grow in the garden. To begin with, experts advise taking into account all the features of the area, and the parameters of the site on which the shrub will be planted (soil and sunlight).
When choosing a variety of dwarf thuja, you need to consider the following nuances:
- Tolerance to shady places;
- Resistance to severe frosts;
- Demanding in terms of care;
Before buying a dwarf thuja, you need to pay attention to its appearance. After all, if you buy a plant with defects, in the future it will often get sick and will not be able to fulfill its main task - a decorative decoration of the site.
What to look for when buying a shrub:
- Exposed root system - the integrity of the earthen clod on the root system, protects the shoots from the negative effects of low or high temperatures, as well as many other external factors. In addition, attention should be paid to the degree of development of the same root system. If the roots are chopped off, then the plant is most likely not to take root at all;
- Roots and trunk a visual assessment of the state of the seedling also consists in assessing its dryness. If the upper layers of the dwarf thuja peel off and peel off, then most likely such a shrub will die;
- Crown - a careful examination of the crown and trunk will help to timely determine the presence of any deviations in the seedling (the presence of diseases or pests). It is immediately clear that buying an unhealthy seedling is not the best idea, because there is no guarantee that it will successfully take root;
Planting an undersized variety
There are no restrictions on the season for planting dwarf thuja, but according to experts, the best period for planting thuja is autumn or early spring. If you follow this advice, the shrub will grow stronger and more resistant to environmental influences.
During the planting of the thuja, the root neck should be flush with the soil, it should not be immersed too deeply, but it is also undesirable to raise it above the soil, this can result in plant disease.
If there are areas with stagnant water in the garden (rainfall or melted snow), then to prevent root rotting, it is necessary to create a kind of drainage (a layer of gravel or broken brick is poured out at the bottom of the planting pit, about 20 centimeters high). To create a high-quality avenue of thuja, the planting distance of thuja should be 1-2 meters.
In the case of planting dwarf thujas as a hedge in one row, a distance of about 1 meter must be observed (but more accurate measurements should be made taking into account the final size of the shrub).
Growing conditions
- A positive feature of the dwarf thuja is its ability to take root on any soil: it can be sand, clay, and even turf;
- Low-growing shrubs feel better in soil with a fairly good layer of humus, and a slightly acidic reaction;
- Good growth rates, low shrubs show in a sunny or semi-shady place. It is better not to plant them in the shade, as the needles will thin out and the thuja will lose its magnificent shape and greenery;
- The location of the thuja should be chosen in the place where the sun will not shine all day. The shrub does not like drought very much;
- Thuja has a positive attitude towards wet soil. But do not plant them in areas with abundant accumulation of groundwater. In addition, thuja tolerates drought quite well, and during a long dry period it is enough for her to carry out 2-3 waterings per week in the form of sprinkling so that the needles do not lose their decorative beauty;
- Tui dwarf varieties can be planted both in open ground and in a pot.
shrub care
To the main ways of caring for dwarf thuja, timely and well-organized watering is considered. Within 1 month after landing in the ground, thuja should be watered at least once a week, adding about 10 liters of water. If the weather is dry outside, the number of waterings increases to two.
Maintaining a normal level of soil moisture is one of the main conditions that provides a luxurious and lush crown for arborvitae. During the first three years after planting, it is necessary to regularly loosen the ground near the trunk, but not too deep (no more than 10 centimeters) so as not to damage the root system, which is located almost on the surface.
For mulching dwarf thujas, it is better to use peat or sawdust (a layer of about 6-7 centimeters). To prevent damage to the crown in winter, when heavy snowfalls can occur, low shrubs must be tied.
When spring warming comes, young thujas are best placed in the shade to reduce the effect of sunlight in order to avoid burns on the needles.
For pruning an adult shrub, it is advised to use a sharp pruner. No more than 1/3 of the plant is subject to pruning.
Diseases and possible pests
Thuja quite rarely suffers from various diseases, unlike other types of plants, but in some cases unexpected yellowing of the needles may occur. This symptom can have several causes:
- Violation of the rules of planting - insufficient or excessive immersion of the root system into the soil;
- Burns from frequent exposure to sunlight;
- The defeat of the needles by a fungal disease.
A similar symptom does not necessarily mean a disease. Some varieties of thuja are able to change the color of their crown depending on the season. For example, with the onset of the first winter frosts, the needles may turn yellow, but with the advent of spring it turns green again.
The use of dwarf thuja in rock gardens
rock garden- This is an artificially created landscape composition that recreates in miniature a decorative section of a mountainous area, that is, the place in which coniferous plants occupy not the last place.
For the full creation of a miniature rock garden, it is precisely small varieties of decorative thujas that differ from their relatives in their compactness and slow pace of development.
Family: cypress (Cupressaceae).
Homeland: North America, East Asia.
Form: coniferous trees and shrubs.
Description
Tui - symmetrical conical evergreen trees, with a dense crown. Thuja needles are dense, lying crosswise, scaly (there are also thuja with soft needles). All types of thuja are distinguished by a characteristic aromatic smell. Tui flowers and cones are invisible (or not formed at all). All types of thujas tolerate shearing well, therefore they are used in and in topiary art.
(T. occidentalis). Conical tree of medium size, up to 15-20 m high and 3-5 m wide. The branches of the western thuja are raised up. Thuja western grows slowly. Flowers greenish-yellow, inconspicuous. Thuja cones are reddish-brown. The needles of the western thuja are dark green, lighter below; due to cold weather, thuja becomes brownish in winter, and turns green in spring. Thuja western is sensitive to soil compaction; grows on any fertile substrates. The root system of the western thuja is superficial, branched, raises road surfaces. Thuja western prefers the sun or partial shade, thins in dense shade. In addition, thuja occidentalis prefers moist, cool areas and is sensitive to high temperatures and drought. Thuja western winter-hardy, wind-resistant.
, or gigantic (T. plicata, gigantea, lobbii). Conical tree up to 15 m tall and 3-5 m wide, fast growing (up to 30 cm per year). The needles of the thuja are folded or giant, shiny, dark green, with white spots below, very fragrant. The root system is dense, superficial, branched. The thuja folded, as well as the western thuja, is winter-hardy, wind-resistant, does not tolerate high temperatures, and prefers humid areas.
Thuja Korean (T. koraiensis). Quite a rare plant. Korean thuja is a wide shrub up to 9 m high. The bark is thin, red-brown, scaly. The needles of the Korean thuja are green on top and white below. A very decorative type of thuja. In addition, the Korean thuja is winter-hardy.
Thuja Japanese , or thuja Standish (T. standishii, japonica). Tall tree up to 18 m tall. The bark of the Japanese thuja or Standish is reddish-brown, thin, leaves in paper-like stripes. The leaves of the Japanese thuja, or Standish, are green, and with white spots below. The smell of the needles of this type of arborvitae is sharp, similar to the smell of spruce resin.
Growing conditions
Tui are quite shade-tolerant, but in dense shade they thin out. Thuja grows well on any fertile, drained soils. When grown on poor soils, the branches of plants become faded, the needles thin out, and the arborvitae begin to bear fruit abundantly, which is not always very decorative. Tui are sensitive to high temperatures and droughts. There is a high probability of thuja sunburn in early spring. Thuja is planted at least at a distance of 0.5 m. Some thuja are planted at a distance of up to 3 or even 5 meters.
Application
Tui tolerate shearing well, so their use in landscaping is very wide. Tui are often planted along fences, or at the entrance to the house. from thuja is very decorative. Thuja is also used to create topiary forms. Thuja pyramidal and thuja columnar will become a good vertical accent in. Thuja dwarf can be used in rocky gardens. Thuja can be used in group and solitary plantings. Thuja in the garden will always take its rightful place. Nevertheless, do not overload the summer cottage with thujas: nevertheless, these are plants that are alien to the flora of central Russia, they stand out strongly from other plants, a large number of them will make the site gloomy.
Care
Thuja haircut in a hedge is moderate, it should not weaken the plant (no more than 1/3 of the shoot). thuja is carried out in the second or third year after planting, the tips of the top shoots are cut off from the plant, causing tillering. In the third year, the top shoots are trimmed at the thuja and begin to form the sides, cutting off the branches that protrude beyond the given dimensions. Regular shaping thuja cutting (thuja shaping) begins when the plant reaches the desired height. Thuja can be trimmed several times a year. It is recommended to water the thuja in the first month after planting, as well as during dry periods (2 times a week, at least 15 liters per plant). 2 years after planting the thuja, mineral fertilizers can be applied (in the spring). Tui are loosened shallowly (8-10 cm). For thuja, mulching (with peat or wood chips) with a layer of about 7 cm is also useful. Young thuja needs shelter in the first winter after planting. Adult thuja does not need shelter in winter. Tui transplantation is carried out in the spring.
reproduction
Tui reproduction is carried out seeds and vegetatively. Tui seeds ripen in autumn in the year of flowering. Spring planting of thuja is done with stratified seeds. Reproduction of thuja seeds gives good material, but does not always guarantee compliance with the variety. Only some varieties of thuja repeat maternal characteristics, the rest form hybrids and forms similar to natural ones. Therefore, garden forms of thuja are propagated vegetatively.
Vegetative reproduction Tui is possible in three ways: division, horizontal and. Division is used when propagating multi-stemmed compact varieties. First, thuja (preferably a young specimen) is spudded to form additional roots, then, after the formation of roots, the plants are dug up and divided into independent specimens. If you spud thuja in the spring, then additional roots will appear by autumn, if in the summer - then in late spring - early summer the next year.
Reproduction by horizontal layering does not guarantee the preservation of the shape of the crown. Often, lopsided plants are obtained from rooted branches, and only with constant care and formation in the future they acquire a normal shape. The essence of the method is as follows: the branch of the mother plant is bent to the ground and lightly sprinkled with earth. Rooting takes place throughout the year.
cuttings suitable for all types of thuja, although their rooting speed is different. The optimal time for grafting thuja is spring before (or at the beginning) the awakening of the kidneys. During summer cuttings (after hardening of young growths), the cuttings may not have time to form roots and freeze in winter.
Thuja seedlings and thuja seeds can be purchased at garden centers or ordered online.
Diseases and pests
Possible pests of thuja are bark beetle, spider mite, thuja and cypress aphid, scale insect. If the thuja turns yellow, then this may be the result of improper planting (strong deepening or exposure of the root collar), sunburn, or damage to the thuja by fungal diseases. Keep in mind that the thuja change the color of the needles with the onset of cold weather, and in the spring they turn green again, so if the thuja turns yellow, this is not necessarily a sign of thuja disease.
Popular varieties
The most popular varieties of thuja western
‘Aureospicata’, ‘Aurescens’. Small to medium trees, sometimes bushy; the crown is wide-conical. The needles of these varieties of thuja are golden yellow. ‘Aurea Nana’ is a dwarf form (up to 0.6 m tall). The needles are yellow-green, later - light green, brownish-yellow in winter.
‘Bodmeri’. Shrub up to 2.5 m tall with thick, fancy branches. The needles are dense, almost pressed, dark green. Thuja ‘Bodmeri’ looks especially good in group plantings.
‘Brabant’. One of the most popular varieties of western thuja; conical, dense tree of medium size, 15-20 m high, up to 4 m wide. Western thuja ‘Brabant’ does not change color in winter, remains green throughout the year. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown, exfoliating. Thuja ‘Brabant’ grows rapidly (up to 30 cm per year).
‘Columna’. Slender columnar large shrub or small tree. Thuja western 'Columna' grows slowly. The height of the variety is up to 10 m, the width is 1-1.5 m. Thuja ‘Columna’ retains its columnar shape. The needles are dark green, almost do not change color in winter.
‘Cristata’(Comb). Slender graceful tree up to 5 m tall with a rounded crown and short branches. The needles are gray-green.
‘Danica’. Rounded, dwarf shrub (0.4-0.6 m tall and up to 1 m wide). Thuja ‘Danica’ is a slow-growing variety of western thuja. The needles are dense, soft, green, slightly bronze in winter. The bark is reddish or grayish brown.
‘Ellegantissima’. Graceful tree up to 5 m tall with a wide-conical, dense crown. The needles are bright, shiny. The ends of the shoots are whitish. Suitable for group and solitary plantings on the lawn.
‘Europa Gold’. A compact, conical shrub that grows slowly. Height - 2-4 m, width - 1-1.5 m. Young shoots are golden yellow. The needles are orange when blooming, retaining color in winter.
‘Fastigiata’(Equal high). Tree up to 15 m tall with a columnar crown. It looks like a cypress. The branches are numerous, the needles are light or dark green. Fast growing variety. Planted in group or solitary plantings near houses.
‘Filiformis’(filamentous). Small shrub up to 1.5 m tall. The crown is dense, rounded. Shoots are long, hanging down. The needles are green, in winter - brown. This variety of thuja is planted in group plantings on the lawn, as well as in containers.
‘Globosa’. (Thuja spherical). Dwarf shrub up to 1.2 m tall and 1 m wide with a rounded crown. The needles are shiny, green, brown in winter. Thuja ‘Globosa’ is used in group and solitary plantings in rock gardens, in containers, for greening roofs. Thuja spherical low ‘Globosa Nana’ grows up to 30 cm. In winter, the needles become gray. More than other varieties need watering and shading. Thuja spherical low is suitable for rocky gardens, for the foreground of mixed flower beds.
‘Golden Globe’. Shrub rounded with yellow needles.
‘Holmstrup’. Shrub up to 4 m tall and 1.5 m wide. Young trees have a columnar shape, old ones - narrowly conical, dense. The needles are green, do not change color. Slow growing variety.
‘Holmstrup’. Shrub up to 4 m high and up to 1 m wide with a conical crown shape. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown. This variety of thuja is undemanding to soil conditions, tolerates both dry soil and waterlogging, but fresh, fertile substrates will be the best for it. ‘Holmstrup Yellow’ is a variety with yellow needles.
'Little Gem'. Dwarf shrub up to 2 m wide with a flat-rounded crown. Rising branches. The needles are dark green and brown in winter. Suitable for rock gardens and hedges.
'Little Champion'. Dwarf form (up to 0.5 m), growing rapidly. The branches are straight, loose. The needles are green, in winter - brownish.
‘Smaragd’. One of the most popular and widespread varieties of thuja. Thuja ‘Smaragd’ reaches 2 m in height; squat form. Young trees of thuja ‘Smaragd’ have a slender, conical shape and grow slowly. Old trees are wide-conical. Thuja ‘Smaragd’ is growing fast. Thuja western ‘Smaragd’ reaches 5, sometimes 7 m in height and 1-2 m in width. The needles are green, retains color in winter. Reproduction of thuja - cuttings.
'Sunkist'. Large, dense, conical shrub. Thuja ‘Sunkist’ grows slowly. Height - 5-7 m, width - 2-3 (5) m. The needles of young trees are golden yellow, old trees are lemon yellow, and bronze in winter.
'Tiny Tim'. Rounded, dwarf shrub up to 1 m high, 1.5 m wide. The needles are green, bronze in winter. The shape is not as dense as that of the thuja variety ‘Danica’ and is somewhat larger.
‘Variegata’. A spectacular variety of thuja western with variegated needles (with yellow-white spots on a green background); the crown is dense, densely leafy.
‘Woodwardii’. Dwarf thuja with a spherical crown. The height of the variety is up to 2.5 m, the width is up to 5 m. The needles are dark green, do not change color. This western thuja variety is suitable for rocky gardens and lawn plantings.
Varieties of thuja folded or giant
I can not imagine my garden without conifers! Evergreen beauties are distinguished by excellent health and unpretentiousness, retain their decorative effect in winter and summer, create a feeling of stability and peace. The obvious advantages and diversity of species and varieties of coniferous plants have led to the creation of a whole collection, the main part of which are western arborvitae.
My passion for conifers began precisely with thuja, when at the end of the nineties several fast-growing varieties were planted on a spacious plot (“Brabant”, “Vervaeneana”, “Malonyana”, “Spiralis”, “Smaragd”, “Golden Globe”). Over time, the thuja old-timers turned into stately and powerful trees, which, due to their conciseness, go well with garden architectural structures and give the site a unique look. Based on many years of observations, I can safely say that the western thuja is the most hardy and easy-to-care type of coniferous plants. Currently, this belief, combined with the wide possibilities of using thuja in landscape design, encourages me to buy all new varieties without hesitation. Now the tui collection is my pride, and I will be happy to tell you about it.
Cones, ellipses and columns for large areas and beyond
Western thuja varieties with a vertical crown shape are deservedly popular, as they easily fit into any composition of coniferous and decorative deciduous crops, and also serve as an ideal backdrop for flowering shrubs and perennials. In addition, vertical thujas make an excellent hedge, and some varieties, due to their large size, can decorate unsightly corners in the garden or become a screen for a recreation area. Large conical thuja "Brabant" and "Spiralis" are champions in growth rate, their annual growth is more than forty centimeters, and the height of an adult plant is over fifteen meters.
Next to the green giants, yellow medium-sized cone-shaped varieties of western thuja look great: “Yellow Ribbon”, “Jantar”, “Sunkist”, which stand out with bright yellow growths in summer, as well as “Europe Gold”, which retains the golden yellow color of needles in winter.
My favorites are arborvitae with a narrow-conical and columnar crown shape: “Columna”, “Holmstrup”, “Malonyana”, “Pyramidalis Compacta”, “White Smaragd”. The variety "Smaragd" is a real masterpiece, because its dense, slender crown is similar to the southern cypress and retains an emerald green bright color in winter.
Many tall, densely crowned varieties have a fairly narrow base diameter and can be planted in a small area. From the group of vertical varieties, arborvitae with an ovoid and wide-round shape deserve special attention: juicy green “Green Egg”, comb gray-green “Cristata”, fluffy and wide dark green “Woodwardii”.
When talking about large thujas, one cannot do without mentioning the widespread golden-yellow variety “Golden Globe”, growing which I learned one very important lesson. Acquired fifteen years ago, a small seedling was placed in the foreground of the mixborder. The reason for choosing a place was the description of the variety given in the book of a famous author, where it was indicated that the "Golden Globe" grows up to a meter. However, in a few years, the thuja showed an unexpected growth rate and literally crushed the junipers planted behind it. Now it is a two-meter ball, and in order to make room for it, I had to move a concrete path and remove the unfortunate plants shaded by thuja. In order to avoid such a mistake, it should be remembered that the descriptions usually give the size of a coniferous plant at the age of ten. Based on this, the annual growth can be calculated. In the absence of information about the dimensions of the variety in the adult state, you can observe the plant for a couple of years and, with unplanned agility, adjust the size with annual pruning.
Balls, pyramids, pillows and mini obelisks
For compact varieties of western thuja, you can always find a place in the garden. Undersized thujas look great in rockeries, they are used as a structural element of an alpine slide, you can dilute a flower bed of flowering perennials with them or create low borders. In my area, globular dwarf varieties are mostly planted in the foreground of mixborders. Low-growing rounded green coniferous arborvitae "Hoseri", "Little Champion", "Globosa Nana", "Little Giant", "Danica" are planted next to yellow and bluish varieties of medium and horizontal juniper. Compact spherical and elliptical varieties with yellow needles (“Aurea Nana”, “Danica Aurea”, “Mirjam” and others) grow in sunny places and are included in a retinue of magnificent tree-like peonies. Low-growing wide-conical arborvitae “Miky”, “Holmball”, “Golden Anne”, as well as “Little Gem”, “Tiny Tim”, “Mr. Bowling Ball” are located among low varieties of Weymouth and mountain pines. In this combination, thujas with a dense crown emphasize the natural beauty of pines, and ground cover abundantly flowering perennials (varieties of awl-shaped phlox, obrieta, helianthemum, grass carnations, etc.) act as a colorful addition.
A few years ago, I managed to get two rare varieties of western thuja with a very narrow crown. The graceful “Degroot's Spire” with juicy green needles and the darker “Zmatlik” with scaly needles and spiral branches look like mini-obelisks that can be “installed” even in a very limited area. It should be borne in mind that the expressive vertical shape of these two varieties requires a thoughtful arrangement in a large composition, because among the balls and pillows, slender narrow cones can look like protruding tails. rocky junipers of a similar shape (“Skyrocket”, “Moonglow”, etc.).
An unusual variety of thuja is the highlight of any composition
Among the wide variety of western thuja varieties, there are several very original varieties that stand out for their rare color, intricate crown shape or unusual needle structure. The most wonderful, in my opinion, is “Filiformis”, because thanks to the slightly branching, thread-like hanging shoots, it looks more like an algae than an ordinary thuja. By the way, there is a very similar variety of thuja folded “Whipcord”, which is desirable to be planted in protected places and covered for the winter.
Tui varieties with scaly and needle-shaped needles look very impressive, for example, the bright cone-shaped “Rheingold” or the bushy “Ohlendorffii” with small twigs and a fluffy crown. It is impossible not to mention the lovely dwarf “Teddy” and the pretty light green “Anniek” with a dense ovoid crown. Both varieties require high humidity, and due to their compact size they can be placed in a mini-garden. Thuja "Golden Tuffet" also has needle-shaped needles and a pillow shape with a flat top, uncharacteristic of any variety of thuja. Young growths of this variety are colored orange-brown, which gives the plant an original look.
Each variety of thuja has a certain color of needles, which changes throughout the year and, if we talk about color, I would like to highlight the three most noticeable and original varieties. This is, firstly, the canary-yellow cone-shaped thuja “Jantar” - the brightest of my collection. Secondly, the thuja “Stolwijk”, unsurpassed in the number of shades, whose openwork crown is decorated with yellow-white tips of the shoots. And thirdly, thuja with a rounded crown "Selena", the needles of which have a rare whitish-green color.
Choosing a place for planting and planting material
I honestly admit that at the dawn of my passion for conifers, I had very modest ideas about the features of growing these crops. The place for placing the first seedlings was chosen on the western side of the house, where it was necessary to “cultivate” the huge sand “cake” left after the construction. In the future, it was necessary to block off the recreation area, and I planted a group of large-sized varieties on the north side of the buildings. As a result, it turned out that direct sunlight falls on my thujas in winter only at the end of the day, so they never burn.
It is known that for all their undeniable merits, thuja, like some other conifers, have one unfortunate feature - they can suffer from early spring sunburn. You can protect plants by installing a frame and covering with a special mesh with small cells or lutrasil (17 g per sq. M). Sun screens can be built, but these methods are only suitable for compact varieties that do not exceed two meters in height. The easiest way is to choose a place for thuja where the sun does not fall in the middle of the day in winter, and other coniferous plants, trees and shrubs can serve as protection.
When deciding on the placement of thuja in the garden, it should be remembered that in full shade these plants grow weakly, and varieties with yellow needles lose color and look dull. Thuja western is a very unpretentious plant and can grow on any soil, as long as there is no prolonged stagnation of water. In addition, when choosing a place for planting large varieties, it is important to consider that the thuja has a dense and powerful root system, which is located close to the surface of the earth.
Throughout the season, a wide range of conifers is available for gardeners, but the largest selection of western thuja varieties is offered from March to early June. Of course, it is preferable to purchase seedlings with a closed root system, which can be planted in open ground from early spring to late autumn. When buying in February, young seedlings must be kept at rest at a temperature of 0 +2 degrees (refrigerator, glazed balcony, unheated, but frost-free room). In early spring, before the start of the growing season, thujas have a winter color of needles characteristic of each variety, and the shape of the crown of a young seedling may differ from the photo of the variety presented in the catalog in the adult state. For example, spherical varieties at a young age usually have a fan-shaped crown flattened laterally.
Despite the fact that arborvitae are very hardy plants, they, like most conifers, do not tolerate drying out of the root system. Therefore, when choosing planting material, it is necessary to carefully examine the plant. For a good quality thuja seedling, it is quite natural if there is a small amount of dead, dry, beige-sand-colored branches inside or at the base of the crown. It is acceptable when traces of mechanical damage are visible at the ends of the branches or some tips of the shoots are propped up - these are the consequences of transportation or too dense display of goods. A living thuja has elastic and flexible twigs, and there should not be dark brown spots on the needles. I advise you to especially carefully inspect varieties with needle needles, because. they are the most vulnerable to adverse factors. It is advisable to sprinkle and spill all purchased seedlings with a solution of "Zircon", and when overexposure and transportation to the site, you should not keep the thuja in tied plastic bags, it is better to use boxes or wrap the seedlings in paper.
Planting and caring for western thuja
Before planting, I take the seedling out of the container and soak it in a solution of Kornevin or any root formation stimulator for an hour. I dig a landing hole twice the size of the root coma of the thuja; I separately prepare a soil mixture of garden soil, compost and sand (2: 1: 1). Next, it is desirable to gently stretch the root ball and straighten the roots of the plant. To do this, to confess, is very scary, but necessary for the normal further development of the root system. After that, I pour prepared soil into the bottom of the pit, drive in a metal peg (for vertical varieties) and plant the plant at such a level that the root neck is two centimeters above ground level. I spill the seedling well, holding it so that it does not drag out, and then I tie the thuja to the peg with a synthetic rope. When planting in hot weather, it is better to shade the thuja, and mulch the ground around the seedling and prevent it from drying out. I usually plant annual thuja seedlings separately in a school so as not to deprive a single “baby” of attention, and for the winter I establish a common shelter over the whole company. In the first year, you can do without fertilizers and use only root stimulants; monitor watering and, of course, cover the plants.
I feed adult large thujas in early May with specialized fertilizer for conifers "Florovit", but in order not to waste time planting fertilizer and not injuring the roots, I simply scatter the granules at the rate of 30 g per square meter and immediately mulch the trunk circle with mowed grass (5- 10 cm). If dry and hot weather sets in in summer, then I water abundantly and spend sprinkling. During the first five years of growth on the site, I additionally feed all thujas at the end of August with autumn fertilizer for conifers, combining this with mulching with pine bark or litter.
The main insect pests that can attack my favorite plants are thuja aphid and thuja false shield. For prevention, I spray plantings at the end of April and at the beginning of July with a Fufanon solution. Judging by the fact that I have never seen pests on thujas, my work is not in vain, but it was not immediately possible to find justice for the main enemy of my beauties. An adult thuja is an apartment building where birds nest in the penthouse, and mice occupy the basement. From a good life in comfortable conditions, rodents damage the bark on thuja trunks, so I have to tie boles with spruce branches for the winter and lay out “treats” for illegal settlers.
Most varieties of thuja are able to independently maintain a clear and neat crown shape. But when, over time, the plants grow and begin to interfere with each other, it's time to take on the garden shears. I cut thuja in June, in cloudy, but not rainy weather, when there is no strong wind. It is advisable to cut only the non-lignified green part of the shoots, and it is permissible to remove up to 20-30% of the crown. If desired, it is possible to give thujas a cylindrical, cuboid or bizarre spiral shape in a few years.
Of all the agrotechnical measures, I consider the preparation of thujas for winter to be the most important. At the end of October, I arrange a “big purge”: with the help of a broom, I rid the center of the crown of dead branches. If this is not done, then in places where the skeletal branches fork, the bark can support, and even mice can settle in the thickness of dry needles in winter. If the weather is dry in autumn, it is imperative to carry out water-charging irrigation, and after watering, young plants should be additionally mulched with compost. In order to prevent sleet or freezing rain from deforming the crown or breaking branches, it is better to spend a little time and tie up the thuja. Without waiting for the soil to freeze, I stick wooden or metal sticks, the height of which is equal to the height of each thuja. I lightly tighten the vertical varieties with a strong synthetic rope and tie them to the supports; thuja with a spherical crown I “gird” with a garter ribbon and fasten it to sticks stuck around the perimeter of the plant. To get to the tops of adult thujas, I use a large garden stepladder and fix the upper branches with wire.
In early spring, when there is an opportunity to visit the site, it is advisable to carefully remove the snow from the thuja crown. This is done so that the snow that settles during the thaw does not tear out the branches at the base of the plant. In general, the sooner the roots “earn” the thuja, the better, and this applies to all conifers. To speed up the thawing of the soil, when warming, it is possible to shed the soil under the plants abundantly, and then cover the near-stem circle with pine bark or cover it with mats made of pressed coconut fiber. This event in April can be combined with the application of spring fertilizer for conifers, and when the average daily temperature exceeds +5 +8 degrees, then it's time to carry out preventive spraying of thuja with a solution of a copper-containing preparation (“Abiga-Peak”, “HOM”). In the spring, you should not rush and release conifers from garters, because lately sleet in May is not uncommon. If you find broken branches after winter, then the wound formed on the trunk must be cleaned with a sharp knife, treated with a solution of “HOMA” (half a teaspoon per 200 ml of water), allowed to dry, and then covered with garden pitch or a similar agent. If the thuja received a sunburn, then it is necessary to carry out the following resuscitation measures: abundant watering, spraying the crown with a solution of "Zircon" (in mid-April), applying special fertilizer to the soil from browning needles or magnesium sulfate. But it is better to cut off the branches affected by the burn when they dry up and it will be clear what to remove. For a speedy recovery in May and early summer, spraying with a solution of growth stimulants "Epin" or "HB-101" is carried out (every 10-14 days). During the summer, you can choose a more suitable place for the thuja and transplant the plant in early September. Due to the dense fibrous root system of thuja, even in adulthood they tolerate transplanting well, the main thing is to maintain soil moisture and mulch the near-stem circle for the winter so that the earth does not freeze for as long as possible.
When a hobby turns into collecting and the garden is filled with bright colors of flowering shrubs and perennials from early spring, an unexpected effect may appear - a lack of green. This is where the pleasant greenery of conifers comes in handy. Unpretentious thujas are not only able to emphasize the beauty of flowering plants, but they themselves surprise with a variety of shades. And to describe the special mood that is created due to the presence of thuja in the garden, you can use the verses of the Indo-Persian poet of the 13th century. Amir Khosrov Dehlavi:
“Green color caresses at noon with a shadow.
He gives peace to the soul and vision.
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Thuya Thya is a coniferous plant from the cypress family. There are five species of trees or shrubs in the genus, but in Russia, in ornamental gardening, the most popular type of Thuja western Thuja occidentalis, it comes from North America, came to Europe in 1536.
Description of thuja western
This is a slowly growing tree, reaching a height of 15-20 m, although taller specimens are also found in nature, but this is already a rarity. The crown of the western thuja is pyramidal or ovoid, in the original species it is rather spreading. The root system is compact.
The bark at a young age is brick-brown, smooth, with time it becomes gray-brown, in a tree with more than a decade of history, the bark on the trunk is in deep longitudinal cracks, fibrous.
The needles of the thuja are scaly, green and very small, 2-4 mm long, covering the branches like scales. The life of the foliage is a maximum of 2-3 years, then it falls off, but not one at a time, but in small branches, the crown is renewed gradually and imperceptibly. By winter, the needles discolor to yellowish-green or brown. The concept of "evergreen" for thuja is relative, if spruce or pine does not change the shade of needles at all in winter, then most varieties of western thuja color the garden in yellow, brownish or light green colors.
The flowers are not decorative - monoecious, apical, solitary. Cones are also small, about 1 cm long, ovoid. Each cone contains two yellow winged seeds.
The saw cut wood has a reddish hue, often interspersed with brown, yellow and red veins. The wood is soft and durable, does not contain resin, does not rot and could be an excellent furniture material, but has not found wide application - this is prevented by too slow mass growth and fibrous bark.
Peculiarities
Thuja is very popular not only in private gardens, but is also widely used for urban landscaping, as the plant is extremely unpretentious to the ecology of the city: it tolerates gas, dust and smoke well. It takes root easily after transplantation, lends itself well to pruning and shearing, some varieties do not require shape correction at all - they grow by themselves in a pyramid, ball or cone. In addition, the western thuja and its varieties are winter-hardy (frost-hardiness zones from 2b to 8b, this is about minus 36 ° C in winter without shelter).
Varieties and varieties of thuja western
The western thuja has several decorative forms:
- weeping
- columnar (pyramidal)
- hemisphere
- spherical
According to the color of the foliage (needles) of the variety:
- variegated (several color variations)
- with green leaves
By height:
- full-grown from 5 m and more
- semi-dwarf from 3 to 5 m
- dwarf - mature trees up to 3 m
- miniature - less than 3 m tall
In terms of frost resistance: there are varieties that freely tolerate winters in central Russia, there are varieties that require mandatory shelter.
Here are some cold hardy ones:
- Danica (Danica) - a miniature variety up to 60 cm or slightly higher in height, spherical in shape, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- Globosa (Globosa) - a spherical miniature thuja, adult no more than 2 m, grows very slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- Golden Globe (Golden Globe) - semi-dwarf spherical, slow growth rate, very frost-resistant - climate zone 2b.
- Wagneri (Wagneri) - narrow-conical shape, semi-dwarf (up to 3.5 m), fast-growing, winter hardiness - 4 climatic zone.
- Woodwardy (‘Woodwardii) - semi-dwarf wide-round form, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 4 climatic zone.
- Hoseri (Hoseri) - spherical, fast-growing, up to 2 meters high, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- Brabant (Brabant) - conical, fast-growing, the variety is similar to Smaragd, but the growth rate is 2-3 times higher, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- Sunkist (Sunkist) - conical thuja of semi-dwarf growth, grows slowly, very frost-resistant - climatic zone 2b.
- Tiny Tim (Tiny Tim) - a miniature variety of thuja, no more than 1 m high, spherical in shape, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- Holmstrup (Holmstrup) - conical semi-dwarf variety, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
- (Smaragd) - a slow-growing columnar variety, 3-5 m high - frost resistance is average - if all the above named varieties can be grown in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals, then Smaragd freezes at temperatures below minus 25-26.
When choosing a variety, consider not only its size, shape and frost resistance, but also its general unpretentiousness. Some do not tolerate shading, even light penumbra, others do not tolerate long-term thaws in winter (with sudden temperature changes), as this provokes early sap flow. Some varieties practically do not need pruning, others need to be systematically pruned. There are varieties that are extremely sensitive to compaction of the soil surface, do not grow on pure loam, and require annual loosening and mulching.
Thuja western - a place in the garden
Varieties of western thuja are quite diverse not only in appearance, but also in needs. Among them there are varieties that are tolerant to the amount of sun, but most prefer to grow in full sun, if possible.
In shady places, the crown is loose, sometimes one-sided (if there is serious shading on one side).
In places where there is no sun, it is better to refuse to grow thuja - they will not only slow down their growth, but also increase the risk of various fungal infections.
If you have a close location of groundwater (1-1.5 m), it is permissible to plant conifers only on an artificial elevation - an artificial hill at least half a meter high.
Planting thuja western
Planting is carried out in prepared pits, on a site freed from perennial weeds - for digging, select all the rhizomes of nettle, thistle and other weeds.
The root system of the western thuja depends on the variety - in miniatures it is much less than in full-grown or semi-dwarfs. For example, in a thuja, 3-5 m tall, the roots extend to a depth of about a meter, in two meter ones - 50-60 cm.
To plant a thuja variety that will grow more than 3 m in 10-15 years, you need to prepare a hole measuring a meter by a meter wide and deep if the soil in your area is not adequate in structure. The landing pit provides a supply of food for the first few years.
preparing the ground
Thuja prefers soils - medium loams, moderately nutritious, not too moisture-intensive and not dry, slightly acidic.
If the soil: heavy clay, light sandy, pure peat - it requires mandatory improvement. Therefore, you need to mix the earth dug out of the pit with other components:
- if the soil is clayey, replace half of the excavated earth with equal parts of peat and sand
- if the soil is sandy, replace half of the excavated land with equal parts of peat and loam (soddy soil)
- if the soil is peat, replace half of the excavated land with equal parts of loam (turf land) and sand
At the bottom of the pit, we fill the drainage from crushed stone with a layer of 10-15 cm, then we fill up the mixed soil. To plant the acquired plant in a prepared and filled hole, we make a hole 30–40 cm wider and 10–15 cm deeper than the root system of the plant (i.e., we make a hole in the filled hole).
Acidity and liming
You need to know that nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, as well as most of the minor elements (iron, magnesium, sulfur and copper) are most easily absorbed on soils with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0.
For thuja, the optimal acidity is from 6.8 to 7.2, although they tolerate both more acidic and alkaline, which is what planting material suppliers use, stating that thuja grow on any type of soil. This is not so, sooner or later stunting, browning of the needles, sometimes drying out of the branches or the entire plant becomes noticeable.
If the acidity of the soil in your area is below pH 6.5, they should be neutralized to the desired pH with lime or dolomite flour. Read about how to do this - soil deoxidation.
How to plant
Water the plant before removing it from the transport pot. Place the thuja taken out of the container in the center of the pit, spread the roots evenly. Then lift the tree so that the root collar is slightly higher (2-3 cm) than the ground level.
Fill in the prepared soil and gently compact the soil, pressing down with your hands, just do not compress it at the very trunk. The tree will settle a little with the ground, and the root collar will be flush with the horizon. You can not deepen it - this will lead to decay.
Now around the tree you need to make a "saucer" for watering - a side of the earth in the near-trunk circle, 5-6 cm high, so that when watering, the water does not spread far beyond the root system. If the conifer is planted on a slope, the "saucer" must be made higher.
It is better to immediately mulch the soil around the thuja with pine bark, a sliver, and straw will do for the first time (not the best option - it allows weeds to pass through and quickly decomposes).
Mulching does not allow water to spread, protects the roots from overheating in hot weather, and retains moisture in the soil for several days longer. Considering that thuja do not tolerate overdrying, mulching is a necessary measure. But at the root neck (10-12 cm in diameter), the minimum layer is to cover the ground by no more than 1 cm, or not cover at all, so that the trunk does not rot and rot if the weather is too wet.
At what distance to plant thuja
The recommendations for planting that you may be given when buying planting material are very contradictory. First of all, you need to decide on the question of whether you plant in a permanent place or allow the possibility of a transplant.
In general, thujas tolerate a transplant well, especially if the root system is preserved as much as possible, and the time is suitable for such an operation. But sometimes after a few years it will be technically impossible to transplant trees to a new place. Therefore, plan your garden design in advance.
The distance between plants should take into account the final size of the variety and the possibility of crown correction by pruning. For example, in some varieties of columnar thuja, the diameter at the base of the trunk can be almost 2 m, in others - narrowly columnar no more than a meter. Tui grow slowly, the average growth in height per year is 10-30 cm, about 5-10 cm in diameter. But you need to imagine the garden in perspective, how it will look in 10-15 years, because it will be almost impossible to transplant a full-grown tree.
If you are planning a hedge, say, from the Brabant variety, which has a crown diameter of an adult plant of about 1.5 m, with a frequency of planting in a row: every 50-70 cm (there is such a recommendation), you will have to thin them out after a few years, removing them after one. Such large thujas need to be planted at a distance of 80-100 cm.
In addition, you need to consider whether you want to preserve the natural shape of the planted variety - so that the cone (pyramid) is clearly visible or not - with a dense planting, the hedge forms a dense green wall, it is impossible to single out individual specimens with an eye.
Another factor is the possibility of curly pruning, there should be enough space around a tree or shrub to freely care for it - tying, cutting, treating diseases and pests.
Western thuja care
Beauty requires effort - they begin with regular watering, especially the first month after planting - overdrying is unacceptable.
Thuja grows well only on fertile and moist soil. Plants growing in a flowerpot or container do not tolerate overdrying at all. Tracking the loss of moisture in conifers is more difficult than in deciduous ones - in those, the leaves hang down like rags, and in conifers, they turn yellow and dry. Therefore, watering in open ground should be regular, when there is no rain, approximately once a week.
It is believed that thujas very well accept irrigation by sprinkling, water washes away dust from the crown and increases air humidity, but thujas love moist air and in nature grow along the banks and slopes of rivers and reservoirs.
However, during sprinkling, you need to make sure that water not only falls on the crown, but also wets the root layer under the trees. If there are signs of a fungal infection on the thuja, try to exclude sprinkling during treatment, and carry out regular watering from a watering can.
There are varieties that do not tolerate both drying out and low air humidity, for example, Globoza nana (miniature spherical), these are best planted near a garden pond, fountain, stream.
Improvement of the soil and top dressing
After planting, the thuja has enough nutrients for several years, as a rule, feeding is not needed for the first two years.
In the future, it is possible to improve the structure of the soil and the fertile soil layer by adding a 7-10 cm layer of compost under the trees, rake the top layer of the earth and replace it with humus, and mulch it with chopped pine bark on top.
Some varieties, such as Columna, are sensitive to compaction of the soil surface, the roots do not have enough oxygen, the plants wither, so annual loosening and renewal of mulch is a must.
If there is no cow or horse humus, you can replace it with leaf humus.
As top dressing, it is desirable to use mainly phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, better complex with a set of other minerals, designed specifically for coniferous plants. Usually two top dressings per season at the beginning and end of summer are enough.
Do not forget that the application of mineral fertilizers lowers the pH, and excessive dosages can burn the roots, which is manifested in the browning of the needles, usually not immediately, but within a month.
crown inspection
Western thuja is an evergreen plant, but the renewal of leaves and twigs occurs regularly, as a rule, “leaf fall” occurs in the fall, and since the crown of many varieties is very dense, the process can go unnoticed by us.
Therefore, do not forget to look inside the crown, push the branches apart and choose yellow needles; sometimes it accumulates between the branches near the trunk, gathering into “tangles”.
pruning
Usually, thujas lend themselves perfectly to pruning, do not get sick, but only become thicker after cutting.
If a variety has a columnar shape, this does not mean that the plant will grow branches with a strict pyramidal geometry, some varieties, such as Smaragd, have a clear outline of the shape, others, such as Brabant, grow shaggy and need constant pruning to form a well-groomed appearance.
In young plants, only acquired in the nursery, it is often necessary to reduce the number of leading branches, otherwise the plant grows in two or three trunks (double-topped) and all decorativeness is lost. If possible, choose specimens of columnar thuja with one leader trunk in advance. If there are several, leave one, carefully cut the second. The crown will grow over the season.
Pruning of the tips of the shoots should be carried out in the spring, with the opening of the buds and until mid-summer, some varieties, especially fast-growing, spherical or ovoid, need to be cut twice a season, others, slow-growing less often - once in the spring, then the crown overgrows a little over the summer, and the plants look more natural. Branches can be shortened by 1/3 of the length maximum, or less if necessary.
Thuja shelter for the winter
Almost all varieties of western thuja need protection from snow and ice. Their branches grow vertically upwards, the snow accumulated and frozen into an ice cap presses on them and breaks them out. Therefore, it is necessary to tie the trunks so that the snow flies off without stopping.
The strapping must be carried out with soft material - nylon tights are simply ideal for this role - they do not rot and stretch. You can not tie the crown too tightly, like Christmas trees before falling into the body, otherwise the needles inside will rot.
Small specimens, no more than 1.5 m tall, are best protected not with a harness, but with a hut. Make a tripod out of wooden slats and wrap with burlap or white lutrasil.
It is important to consider the tendency of some varieties to sunburn. There are varieties that are very resistant - the same Smaragd, occasionally the tops can burn, and there are varieties that require shelter for the most dangerous period - from late February to April in the form of burlap or a protective screen.
Sometimes thujas do not burn in the sun for only one reason - they are heavily covered with snow, this applies mainly to young plants and undersized spherical ones, but if the winter is not snowy, they are at risk of sunburn, so be guided by the weather and precipitation.
Reproduction of thuja western
Thuja can be propagated by seeds and vegetatively: cuttings and layering.
Far from all varieties reproduce by seeds, and this is rarely practiced due to the possible loss of varietal qualities, in addition, often non-viable seeds are formed in thuja that do not germinate. Some varietals, like Danica, are propagated exclusively by cuttings. Others, for example, Vareana, Malonyan - during reproduction give a high preservation of varietal characteristics (80-85%).
Tui seeds ripen by the end of October, by November, they cannot be stored, they quickly lose their germination capacity - immediately send them to stratification for 2-3 months in a cold place (+ 2-4C) and sow.
Propagation of cuttings is quite easy if you cut branches for rooting in winter. The optimal time is November, not early autumn, but late, if the autumn is long, you can cut it in December, before frost.
The cuttings take root in the warmth of 22-24C, in a room greenhouse, i.e. with high soil moisture.
Alternatively, you can use a zip package - i.e. a transparent plastic bag with a zipper - it is convenient to hang it on the window - you can attach it to the glass or frame with tape or on a clothespin.
Thuja cutting rooting technique
We prepare the soil: 1 part of leafy soil (leaf humus) and 1 part of coarse river sand, or vermiculite and sand in equal parts. For one cutting, you need about half a glass - a glass of substrate. We mix the components and be sure to sterilize in the microwave or oven. We fall asleep in a bag and pour a little boiled water. The soil for germination should not be too damp, only slightly moist.
We cut the stalk about 15 cm long, preferably with a heel, but do not tear it off (the bark lifts up), but cut it with a sharp knife. At the cutting, you need to remove the lower branches and place it in a bag in the soil.
Close the package tightly and hang it in a bright place - for winter - this is the south window, if the windows are too dark - next to the lamp. It is desirable that the total daylight hours be 12-14 hours.
Due to the fact that the package is closed, nothing needs to be watered and sprayed. Roots are formed within a month. Do not remove the cutting from the bag, observe: while the needles are green - everything is in order, wait until the root (it is dark) is visible through the bag, you can take it out and plant it in a pot in a substrate consisting of 2-3 parts of leaf humus, 1 part of a large river sand.
A pot with a planted thuja should be placed in a transparent bag, sprayed with boiled water and tied. After 2-3 days, open the bag for an increasing time - gradually accustom to lower air humidity.