Thuja is a coniferous evergreen plant belonging to the Cypress family. It was brought to Europe from North America in 1536. Among the many varieties of special love among gardeners, the thuja "Khozeri" was awarded - a dwarf bush with a spherical crown.
Description
This is a Polish variety that is smaller than other varieties, averaging 70-90 cm tall. Growth is very slow and does not exceed 5 cm per year.
Tuya western "hozeri" is a multi-stemmed shrub with straight, dense shoots forming a spherical crown. They are covered with dark green scale-like needles, which change every 3 years. This process is gradual, so updating the crown goes unnoticed. The length of each needle is from 2 to 4 mm. Its green color is fickle. From late autumn until spring, it acquires a golden brown or light green color.
Monoecious single flowers appear only at the top of the shoot. In their place, small (up to 1 cm long) ovoid bumps are formed.
Woodcontains brown, yellow and red fibers. Despite the fact that it is quite soft, its strength is very high. Such wood would make good furniture. But, unfortunately, thuja "hozeri" cannot be used on an industrial scale - how this shrub "quickly" grows is described above.
With age, the spherical shape of the plant changes to a more flattened one, and the brick-colored bark acquires a dark brown color and becomes covered with longitudinal cracks.
Place in the garden
Thuja is hardy and unpretentious. She can grow just about anywhere. However, under more suitable conditions, its decorative qualities will be much higher. It is better to choose well-lit, but slightly shaded places for planting, where there are no drafts and wind. Under the influence of direct sunlight, the thuja "hozeri" can dry out, and with a lack of light, lose its splendor and beautiful shade. It is important to make sure that neighboring plants do not obscure the shrub with their shadow before planting.
The most suitable soil will be peaty and clay, moderately nutritious sandy loam. When planting in heavy soil, a good drainage layer should be created. Its thickness should not be less than 15 cm. Groundwater close to the surface will not harm the plant.
Soil preparation
To improve the soil in the pit intended for planting, you need to add other components. For example, clay soil should be diluted with peat and sand added in equal amounts. For sandy, a mixture of peat and soddy soil is suitable. Loam and sand are added to peat soil.
Crushed stone is poured at the bottom of the landing pit, which will act as a drainage. Then the prepared soil is poured.
Planting arborvitae
The best time for this is autumn or spring. In the first case, the plant will grow rapidly after the snow melts. Any thuja nursery sells seedlings in containers containing a fertilizer complex. Such plants can be safely planted even in the middle of summer.
For planting in a pit filled with prepared soil, a hole is made, larger in size than the root system of the seedling: about 30 cm wider and 15 cm deeper. The plant is placed in the center, spreading the roots. The root neck should be 3 cm above ground level. Then the soil mixture is poured in, slightly pressing it down and compacting. In the near-stem circle, a small rim is made from the ground, which does not allow water to spread outside the root system during irrigation. The soil around the shrub immediately after planting is mulched using pine bark or chips. This will help to avoid drying out and overheating of the soil.
Irrigation
Thuya "hozeri" is a plant that evaporates a lot of moisture, so it responds very well to watering. In the first month after planting, the soil must not be allowed to dry out. It is necessary to water the thuja once a week, using a bucket of water per plant. In hot weather, this can be done more often. It is best to water the shrub in the morning or evening hours.
Very effective is such a procedure assprinkling. After it, the plant simply transforms: the needles acquire freshness, juiciness and fill the air with an amazing aroma.
Lack of moisture leads to the fact that the top of the crown begins to turn yellow, and too many cones are formed, which leads to the loss of the decorative appearance of the plant.
Feeding
They are extremely important for the normal development of the shrub. Thuja spherical "hozeri", receiving a sufficient amount of the necessary substances, has a lush beautiful crown and tolerates winter cold much better.
And in the first two years of feeding the plant is not required. In the future, it is enough to make them at the beginning of each season. As a fertilizer, you can use compost or cow humus, replacing the top layer of earth around the bush with it. From above you need to mulch with pine bark.
Complex phosphorus-potassium fertilizers designed specifically for coniferous plants are also suitable. The main thing when using them is to observe the dosage so as not to burn the roots.
Wintering and pruning
Thuya "hozeri" needs shelter from the snow. This plant is not afraid of frost, another is much more dangerous for it. Shrub shoots grow vertically, and the snow accumulated on them during the winter forms a thick ice cap that can break branches with its mass. In addition, a crown that is not protected from sunlight is at risk of burns.
Many gardeners make tying shrubs for the winter with ordinary nylon tights. They do not rot, and the smooth surface does not allow snowlinger and at the same time serves as a protective screen from the sun. The main thing is not to tighten too much so that the needles do not stick out. Ideal is a shelter with a hut. With the help of wooden slats, a tripod is constructed, which is covered with burlap or spunbond.
In the spring, dry and damaged shoots are pruned, which is repeated one more time during the season. Shorten the branches by a third.
Reproduction of thuja "hozeri"
This plant can be grown with both seeds and cuttings. In the first case, some varietal qualities are lost, so this method is rarely used. Seeds ripen in late autumn. They are left under the snow all winter. In spring, the seeds are sprinkled with earth, sawdust is added on top. The sprouts that appear then need care for a very long time, and only in the third year they become more hardy. They can be transplanted to a new place only at the age of 5 years.
Propagation by cuttings is much faster. A shoot about 15 cm long is cut in the spring with a heel with a sharp knife, soaked in potassium permanganate or a growth stimulator and placed in nutritious and moist soil at a slight angle, to a depth of 5 cm. By autumn, the cutting takes root. For the winter it is well covered, in the spring the young plant can already be transplanted.
However, the easiest way to grow a shrub is to buy a ready-made seedling. This is best done by visiting a professional thuja nursery. They offer only pure and disease-resistant varieties.
Use inlandscape design
Thuya "hozeri", which is described in the article, will look great on a small plot of land, and in a rocky garden. It fits into almost any composition of coniferous and deciduous shrubs. It can be grown even in containers, it is a decoration of balconies, loggias, terraces and front porches.
