Thuja western Woodwardy is a representative of coniferous plants, characterized by a rich spherical crown, small size and original decorative appearance.
This dwarf variety is very popular in home gardens and hedges.
Woodwardy - decorative thuja
Evergreen and relatively shade-tolerant shrub often planted as undergrowth against tall trees, forming a landscape as close to natural as possible. The original thuja Woodwardy, the description of which is of sincere interest to gardeners and designers, looks in compositions of shrubs and trees of various sizes with contrasting foliage. Also, a compact shrub can perfectly coexist with evergreen dwarf plants on an alpine hill or in a heather garden, often used in mixborders and as a single plant on lawns. Woodwardy is a thuja that has proven itself as a container tree for landscaping balconies, roofs andterraces.
Description of a coniferous plant
Externally, Woodwardy is a thuja, characterized by dense shoots and green needles of different saturation of tones (from light to dark). In the 10th year of growth, the crown in size reaches 0.5 meters in width and height; becomes ovoid over time and grows up to 2.5 meters.
Originally, in the dense crown of the plant, its fruits look - brown small bumps.
Reproduction
Thuja western Woodwardy reproduces, the description of which causes a sincere desire to acquire such a plant on your site, vegetatively: cuttings, division and horizontal layering.
From seeds, a plant is grown extremely rarely, if there is no need to preserve the decorative properties inherent in the plant. Indeed, with the seed method of planting, parental characteristics practically do not repeat.
When propagated by cuttings, the best period for which is autumn, the plant retains the characteristics of the variety. At the end of June or July, it is required to select lignified (about 40 cm long) two- or three-year-old shoots and cut them so that the base is with a “heel” (a small piece of an old tree). The cuttings need to be treated with a growth stimulator and planted in the ground or sand to a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm, cover with a jar and shade.
Thuya Woodwardy: planting and care
Planting a plant on a permanent place of growth is carried out in the spring, in a previously prepared pit. Its bottom must be covereda drainage layer, on top of which a composition of peat, river sand and soddy soil is placed. In areas with heavy soils, it is recommended to use a thick drainage layer (about 20 cm), which can be used as a broken brick. Thuja western Woodwardy prefers fertile land, so it is recommended to enrich the planting mixture with compost, and light sandy soil with clay. The location for such an ornamental plant is preferably with an abundance of sun, although the shrub will tolerate partial shade. When planting several plants at once, the distance between them should be at least 50 cm. The root neck cannot be buried, it should be located at soil level.
After planting, watering is required to be done once a week, at the rate of a bucket of water per bush. In the dry period, it is recommended to increase the supply up to 2 times a week, 15-20 liters of water for each plant. And so that the water does not evaporate, after determining the near-stem circle for a permanent place of growth, it is advisable to mulch with straw, peat or mowed grass, with a layer of about 7 centimeters. This will help retain moisture in the soil for as long as possible and protect against the growth of weeds. In addition, with each watering, the mulch will give the available organic matter to the roots of the shrub. Also in the evenings or early in the morning, it is desirable to carry out sprinkling, during which dust is washed off the crown of the bush and an incredibly refreshing aroma of pine needles spreads. After watering, the soil must be loosened to a depth of 10 cm and mulched.
In the care of thuja westernWoodwardy, planting and caring for which is not particularly difficult, is absolutely not capricious. It is important to provide the plant with watering in a timely manner, which is the key to a lush crown of the plant, and to carry out organic and mineral fertilizing.
Protective measures
Woodwardy is a thuja that, along with other evergreens, can suffer from sunlight in the first couple of years after planting. Therefore, to protect valuable shrubs, it is recommended to cover it with burlap. In winter, a young plant also needs protection, which can be provided with the same covering material. In adult plants in winter, you need to shake off the snow from the branches or tie them up so that the shrub does not lose its decorative shape.
With the advent of spring, it is required to remove dead shoots. When forming hedges, a moderate haircut is recommended, with the removal of no more than a third of the shoot. You can trim the plant up to 3 times per season.
Diseases affecting thuja Woodwardy
Like any plant, thuja can be subject to diseases, for the presence of which it must be frequently examined. Indeed, unlike deciduous plants, it is much more difficult to determine them on thuja:
- stem rot can be identified by changing the color of the needles;
- root rot is revealed by the gray color of the needles, the softness of the lower part of the trunk and the drying out of the bush as a whole;
- brown mold is determined by the mycelium on dead needles. It appears on young plants after the snow melts and looks like a cobweb coating of black and graycolors.
To avoid the appearance of fungal diseases, thuja should be treated with a solution of "Fundazol" several times a year.
In spring, yellowing of needles can be observed, due to two reasons: bright spring sun and lack of moisture. In the first case, the plant should be shaded, in the second, the snow should be removed from the bush and the soil should be well watered with warm water.
Pests
The plant is not insured against attack by pests. Spider mites, aphids, thuja false scales are sucking parasites that cause yellowing of the crown and its drying. For example, thuja false shield during mass reproduction causes great harm to the plant. Its larvae wait out the winter under the bark of young shoots. And the aphid lives in whole colonies on the underside of the shoots, is characterized by a gray-brown color, it mercilessly damages the thuja, reducing its decorative effect.
The brown color of the leaves and the dying off of the tops of the shoots is the result of the activity of the parsley moth and leafworm. The root system and the trunk of the shrub are harmed by the thuja beetle, scale insect and false shield. To control pests in early May, it is recommended to treat the plant with such preparations as Aktellik, Karbofos, Fufanon and others. Repeat spraying can be applied as needed.
