If you are wondering how to grow thuja, then first you should learn a little more about it. These are conical symmetrical evergreens with a very dense crown. There are arborvitae with soft needles, but usually it is dense, scaly. All species are united by their characteristic aromatic smell. Cones and flowers are invisible. Thuja is a tree that tolerates a haircut well. That is why it is used in topiary art and hedges. Thuja also looks great at their summer cottage. She is very popular.
Now directly on how to grow thuja. It is not difficult to choose a place for growing, since it is quite shade-tolerant. But in dense shade it quickly thins out. The soil is better to choose fertile, drained. Poor lands lead to the fact that the branches of the plant become faded, the needles quickly thin out, the tree begins to bear fruit abundantly, which is considered not very decorative. Tui are very sensitive to severe droughts and high temperatures. There is a high probability of sunburn in them in early spring. Landing is carried out at a distance of half a meter. Some species are planted in increments of 3-5 meters.
As already mentioned, thuja tolerates a haircut, so they are widely used in landscapingvarious territories. They are often planted at the entrance to the house or along the fences. A very decorative hedge. Tui columnar and pyramidal in rockeries will be a wonderful vertical accent. Dwarf thuja is used in rocky gardens. You can use these plants in solitary and group plantings.
In the hedge, the thuja is cut moderately, it should in no case weaken the plant (no more than 1/3 of the shoot). Usually pruning is carried out in the second or third year after planting. To induce tillering, cut off the tips of only the top shoots. In the 3rd year, only the top shoots are trimmed and the sides are formed. To do this, cut branches that protrude far beyond the required dimensions.
Shaping regular thuja trimming starts when the plants reach the desired height. You can trim them several times a year. Watering is recommended only in the first month after planting, as well as in very dry periods (15 l / plant, 2 times a week). Tui are loosened shallowly (up to 10 cm). Mulching with wood chips or sand is useful, with a layer of about 7 cm. Mineral fertilizers can be applied in the spring (2 years after planting). Young thuja needs shelter in the first winter.
Before you grow thuja, you need to learn about its reproduction. It is produced vegetatively and by seeds. The latter ripen in the year of flowering in autumn. Spring planting is carried out with stratified seeds. This is a good way, but it does not always guarantee a match.varieties. Only a few of them repeat the main maternal characteristics, mainly forms and hybrids are formed that are similar to natural ones. Therefore, garden forms of thuja are propagated vegetatively. This is possible by division, cuttings and horizontal layering.
Like most plants, thuja is affected by all sorts of pests, such as bark beetle, scale insect, cypress and thuja aphid, spider mite.
Knowing how to grow thuja, you can start practicing! And everything will work out, the main thing is to have a desire and follow the advice.
