For several years in ornamental gardening there has been a steady demand for undemanding and diverse conifers. New types of zoned thuja regularly appear in nurseries, able to grow in the cool and humid conditions of the Moscow Region and withstand severe frosts. When to plant them, how suitable they are for winter freezing temperatures, are there any significant differences in the care of such seedlings? Later in the article.
Best season to plant
As years of experience show, thuja western is least affected by weather stressestherefore it is planted in the middle lane of the European part of Russia, to which the Moscow region belongs. Landing tips do not specify its features for this region, but they are worth remembering.
At first glance, the closed root system of a seedling from a store or nursery gives a lot of time for manipulation with it, which is limited only in late autumn and winter, as the ground freezes by this time.
Did you know? Eucalyptus has the highest growth rate of conifers: an annual growth of 4-5 m in the first decade of life leads to a 100-meter height by a century.
In the spring, nurseries offer a large amount of planting material. Saplings spend very little time in containers, there were no movements, their needles are more elastic and soft, which indicates their health and strength. Hothouse and trees imported from abroad are not used to the open area, so it will take more time to adapt to normally winter.
But you need to focus on the weather and do not forget about the mandatory shading of a fragile plant from the bright sun, characteristic of the area. April - early May is considered the optimal time for the transfer of thuja to open ground. The plant will take root and have time to grow stronger in the harsh winter.
Spring
Spring in the Moscow region is often delayed, and planting according to general recommendations in March is not always permissible. Frosts may return, and then the seedling will die. Wait until the soil warms up, and the air temperature does not exceed + 15 ° C, only then feel free to proceed with planting. Early spring is also suitable, if March turned out to be without severe frosts and a northerly wind - it remains about a month before the start of sap flow, the landing ball will freeze slightly and maintain integrity.
In this case, the thuja will move on to actively building up shoots and roots, already being in the ground. Active spring vegetation from the second half of April increases the chances of survival of the conifer. For rooting and growing strong roots before winter, the plant will have a good supply of time.
Important! Darkened needles indicate preparation for winter and a protective reaction of thuja to lower temperatures.
Among gardeners, there is an opinion that the climate of the southern regions is more conducive to autumn planting, and cold regions such as Siberia, the Urals, the Leningrad region and Moscow suburbs - to spring, so do not rush to early planting, it is better to wait until mid or late April to plant a thuja. But do not put it off until the fall - for the middle lane this may turn out to be futile.
Fall
Residents of the Moscow Region, having only general information on the survival rate of the variety and the timing of its planting, are trying to root cuttings or plants with bare roots in the fall. Rooting is small, in this region it will be only 10%. Small sprouts can only survive if you do this in the last weeks of August. Older plants during the September planting will save a voluminous lump of land around the roots.
A feature that prevents the planting of thuja during this period is the lack of a powerful root system in the plant. The soil in the near-stem circle is still loose, it takes time for the final subsidence. The roots have nothing to cling to in winter, snowfall and strong wind are bent and will break the trunk.
To avoid such problems that arise in the autumn in this region, it is necessary to observe a number of rules:
- Be sure to secure the sapling with the closed root system by tying it to the support.
- Immediately after seeding, pour the roots of a biostimulator “Kornevin”, “Heteroauxin” in a proportion of 5 g per 5 l of water.
- Treat the crown once a day for the first week, then twice a week until the first frost with drugs that reduce stress (Megafol, Fitosporin, Epin).
- Plant in September exclusively in the morning or evening hours before the frosts that occur in this area as early as October. Late planting will kill an unrooted seedling.
- If the weather is hot, shade the plant with a non-woven material that will allow free air circulation and prevent heat-up. Avoid synthetic coatings - the plant will burn. Remove the shelter after the appearance of young needles. If the branches are yellowed, do not worry - the autumn period and stress from planting can cause a similar phenomenon in the conifer.
- To protect the root system from the cold, cover the near-trunk space with needles, leaves with foliage or compost - rotting processes will create a temperature above 0 ° C, retain moisture, enrich the soil. A shell of pine nuts and bark as a mulch will rid the trunk of insects and hide shallow roots in heat. Regularly clean the fragile branches of seedlings from snow. Pour it under the trunk - the roots will not freeze and will be protected from drying out by a large layer of snow cover.
Video: Thuja landing
Prepare a weak plant during autumn planting more thoroughly for wintering, but to guarantee a successful result, it is worth moving this procedure to spring. Thuja is able to winter in a container on the balcony or in the greenhouse.
Summer
In summer, the planting of the conifer is permissible, but due to the increased risk of drying out of the roots, it is performed quickly. Residents of the Moscow region must comply with special recommendations for gentle care, so that this procedure is successful, and the seedling will gladden in the future:
- Choose a plant with a closed root system and volumetric lump in a container, pot, bag.
- Leave the seedling purchased for 2-3 days in the shade, do not rush to immediately transfer to the ground.
- Plant thuja in early June or late August, morning or evening, air temperature should not exceed + 20 ° С. Avoid heat and heat.
- High humidity will provide a high percentage of survival. Choose a cloudy, rainy day to plant.
- Water well the young bush immediately. Next, ensure regular plentiful watering above the normal norm - up to 30 liters of water under one plant 0.5–1 m high through September inclusive.
- After planting for 14 days, daily apply with watering a solution of "Kornevin."
- Morning or evening spraying of thuja will help relieve stress with stimulants "Zircon", "HB-101", "Epin-Extra".
- The first 2-3 weeks you will need a protective paper or plywood screen for shading the bush.
- Moisture evaporates faster in the summer, which threatens the immediate death of the seedling with its lack. The trunk mulch layer should be at least 7–10 cm. Sawdust, coconut fiber, mowed grass or straw protect the roots from overheating and evaporation.
What type and grade is better to choose
A wide range of shops and nurseries is seductive and entices the buyer with an unusual shape of the crown, colors of needles, promises of no problems in caring for the tree. However, the colorful needles quickly crumble, and the bush dies, despite the buyer fulfilling growing tips. This means that the variety was not adapted to the conditions of the middle lane.
Important! When purchasing a seedling with a closed root system, gently pull the trunk. A specimen grown in a pot sits firmly, and is not inserted by an unscrupulous seller before selling!
To increase the viability of thuja in your climatic conditions, be guided in choosing the following rules:
- Seedlings can only be purchased from a local producer, they are zoned, that is, adapted for wintering in harsh conditions. Do not chase the cheapness of goods in natural markets, check its origin;
- choose strong seedlings with a crown color characteristic of the variety, elastic and lively needles that do not crumble;
- give preference to unpretentious classics - only frost-resistant folded, heather-shaped and western arborvitae will survive from the whole variety. They will calmly endure the prolonged negative temperature characteristic of the middle band. Summer short-term droughts and shade are not afraid of them;
- choosing from hundreds of species is difficult, determine in advance the preferred shape, height and growth rate, and the circle of searches will narrow.
Popular varieties of pyramidal and conical shapes that have worked well in central Russia include:
- medium conical Smaragd;
- fast-growing Brabant;
- high columnar Column;
- undersized heather-shaped Ellwanger golden;
- spherical with the transition to the pyramidal Reinhold;
- low-ericoid ovoid with transition to a cone;
- miniature kan-kan;
- large conical Sunkist;
- motley Zebrina.
The experience of growing spherical thuja in the suburbs has replenished many collections of decorative gardening with interesting and persistent specimens.
Among them:
- Dwarf Danica;
- stunted teddy;
- low Globose;
- slowly growing Europe Gold;
- miniature hosery.
Thuja landing
The purpose of planting and the belonging of a thuja to a certain species forces us to vary the distance between the seedlings and nearby objects. High grades such as Brabant will require a distance of 3-5 m. When planting along park alleys, a standard of 4 m is adhered to. In the group of undersized thuja and when planting a hedge, seedlings should be removed by 1 m from each other. It is necessary to deviate by the same amount from the site boundary.
When creating a green barrier, it is better to follow the planting pattern in one row if its function is decorative or the number of seedlings is not enough for a denser planting. It is necessary to plant such a row, observing 1.5–2 m between the trunks, otherwise the sun will not fall to the trees, and they will wither. To increase the density of the barrier, add the function of protection from prying eyes will allow landing in a checkerboard pattern in 2-3 rows.
The row spacing should be at least 0.5-0.6 m, between bushes - 1.5 m. Tall species will require double the distance. If the purpose of tree planting is zoning, the tree is planted at the border of the allocated zone with a margin of 0.3 m diameter. The use of thuja in a single landing as a tapeworm involves landing in the center of the site.Did you know? Dashboards are made from rare Moroccan red-brown thuja wood in Rolls-Royces, Mercedes and BMW.
Seat selection
The durability of the thuja is not so high as to plant it in any corner of the garden near Moscow.
Important! The more uniformly the sun's rays enter the thuja, the more symmetrically its crown will form.
When choosing a place for her, remember that:
- clay soils are too heavy for arborvitae, avoid using them or make ready-made store soil for conifers at the planting site;
- in the lowlands, the soil is constantly waterlogged, the plant can rot;
- decorative characteristics will deteriorate when constantly in full shadow. From this the crown thins, the splendor and shade of the needles of some varieties are lost;
- open sunshine should be avoided. A constant lack of water during prolonged hot weather will dry the roots, the tree will get burns and die. For a young seedling, light shading with protection from wind and drafts will be preferable;
- groundwater (less than 2 m) close to the soil will facilitate maintenance by reducing the need for frequent watering. If the distance is less, flooding and death of the plant are inevitable;
- when landing it is necessary to maintain the distance between the trunks. The root system of closely planted plants is in contact, so a more powerful tree will begin to inhibit the weak, taking away food. Remove the landing site from adult trunks at 3 m;
- Keep away from buildings equal to the maximum height of an adult tree. If it falls due to hurricanes that do not bypass this region, even the crown will be able to cause serious harm to the buildings;
- Do not plant close to the fence. The minimum distance should be 1 m to the boundaries of the site. Calculate the necessary interval during landing based on the future size of a particular type of adult thuja;
- it is easier to care for the seedling where there is free access to the planting site.
Digging and pit processing
In the suburbs, humid peat soils prevail, they are permeable, and therefore are well suited for the growth of this tree. Transshipment without damage to the roots with proper preparation of the planting pit will improve the survival rate of the conifer.
Important! The earthen lump should not be open for more than 15 minutes, so that the roots do not dry out, hurry up with planting the thuja after removing it from the container!
For this:
- Dig a hole with a diameter and depth of 15–20 cm greater than the size of an earthen coma. For seedlings exceeding 1 m in height, increase the size of the pit to 0.8 * 0.8 * 1. The larger the lump from the seedling container with the closed root system, the more the pit will be required for it - the roots with the lump should be located freely in it.
- Mandatory drainage from pebbles, granite, broken slate, expanded clay or brick chips, the minimum layer of which will be 15–20 cm. The higher the groundwater level, the thicker the drainage pillow should be. If water is close, raise the landing site.
- Mix half of the dug up soil with the garden or use a special mixture for conifers, ½ mixture back into the pit, add 2 buckets of compost. Stir again and ram tightly.
- In the remaining part of the earth, add organic fertilizer (0.25 g of wood ash or 1 tbsp. L. Superphosphate for each m³). You can use a mineral complex of fertilizers, for example, Osmokot according to the instructions.
Planting a seedling
The quality of planting material should be high, because survival depends on this. A closed root system is preferable due to the convenience of subsequent planting, such seedlings can be purchased at garden centers, specialized points of sale and nurseries. Choose thuja in pots where the root system of the plant is completely hidden by the earth, the trunk is symmetrical, the crown is lush and elastic. After the purchase, give her time to adapt, let her stand in the shade for a day or two.
Important! When buying, specify the age of the seedling: three-four-year-olds will take root better and grow faster.
Choose a sunny morning without heat and plant taking into account the following recommendations:
- Before planting, immerse the thuja sprout with an open root system on the root neck for 5 hours in a solution of Kornevin (5 g per 5 l of water) or sodium humate (1 tbsp. Per 10 l of water). If the plant is in a pot, spill the solution abundantly 1 hour before planting.
- Place the container horizontally. Gently tapping the sides of the container with the plant, carefully remove it to maintain the integrity of the coma. Place the thawed tree vertically in the pit, spreading the protruding roots. In this case, the root neck should be flush with the ground.
- Fill the plant with fertilized soil, tamp well and pour water (at least 20 liters) even in the event of rain to eliminate the gaping voids of the soil among the roots.
- Fence the planting site with a plastic border tape, this way you will protect the seedling from accidental damage.
- Tamp the ground again at the trunk circle and fill it with mulch. Hay, bark, mowed grass, scorched needles and foliage are suitable.
Plant care
The agricultural technology of unpretentious arborvitae does not cause difficulties even for beginners in gardening. But the first time after planting in spring or summer, the plant needs care and attention.
Important! Do not use opaque material to shelter seedlings, so as not to disrupt the photosynthesis process that occurs in evergreens all year round.
In order for the evergreen conifer to retain its beauty, follow simple rules:
- The first two months, water the plant abundantly and regularly, at least once a week and 3 buckets of water under the bush. In heat and drought, double the volume and frequency of watering.
- The soil can settle after planting; it needs to be added to restore the previous level.
- In hot weather, shade the seedling with an awning, net, burlap, lutrasil or other non-woven material. Make sure that the shelter does not come into contact with the needles.
- During rooting, provide the crown with water and nutrition, as the roots will not be able to cope with this for the first time. Regular spraying of the crown with a growth stimulator and evening sprinkling twice a week will benefit the young thuja.
- Maintain a mulch layer height of 7-10 cm, then the roots will not overheat, and the earth will not lose moisture. After watering or rain shallow, up to 5 cm, loosen the earth around the tree.
- Do not allow weeds to sprout; weeding should be carried out regularly.
- Abundant fertilizing during planting will provide the tree with food for 2-3 years, after which in spring it is necessary to take care of a new portion of fertilizer for conifers. Calculate the dosage according to the instructions, do not exceed it. When planting in the spring, autumn dressing is prohibited - overfeeding causes violent growth, loss of shape and death of young growth in the cold.
- Before the first wintering, cover a small-sized seedling with a cut-off plastic 5-liter bottle, hide the older ones under agrofiber to protect from the weather and cold.
How fast is thuja growing
When selling cuttings, arborvitae surely assure that the acquired variety is notable for its growth rate and in a few years will reach a tremendous height. However, in the climatic conditions of central Russia, even the fastest growing species of western arborvitae cannot overcome the growth rate of 20 cm per year, to the disappointment of the new owner.
Did you know? In the Swiss health-improving children's sanatoriums and tuberculosis hospitals, the presence of thuja is a prerequisite!
Adult Brabant, for example, in natural conditions and regions with a climate warmer than Moscow, really grows to 20 m, but in the suburbs its height usually does not exceed 4-6 m. Despite this, it is very popular and remains the best view for the relatively quick creation of hedges in this climate.
This species is able to grow in different soils, resistant to frost, rarely affected by pests. To correctly assess varietal variability, which depends on soil characteristics and temperature conditions, to get an idea of the validity of the dimensions of an adult tree, it is better to take the time for a personal visit to regional nurseries.
Did you know? Adult hedge thuja — excellent silencer and dust collector.
You can use growth retardation to benefit the site: To create interesting compositions, grow low-growing varieties, they better preserve the natural form or design transformation and do not interfere with the rest of the inhabitants of the garden.
Consider additional adverse factors that can affect the height of the tree, turning it into a bush:
- heavy soils greatly slow down the growth of thuja, loose, well-drained, fertile - they accelerate it;
- in conifers, crown growth is inhibited or stopped when the root system is activated, seeking to catch up with the already developed habit;
- abundant watering of the trunk and irrigation of needles with a spray gun or its sprinkling from a watering can is capable of accelerating the development of the crown;
- drying of the soil will lead to a halt in growth; do not allow this even in the autumn period;
- spend frequent formative pruning, this stimulates the appearance of a new growth;
- pay attention to a sufficient amount of light, accelerating growth in spring and summer;
- the result of excess sun in winter and spring will be burns of branches and the lack of growth on injured branches, use special covers to protect the arborvitae.
Thuja remains the most beautiful landscape solution with ideal qualities for growing in areas of the Moscow region. Well-groomed alley, green massif, fantasy figure - for any incarnation, it is easy to choose among all the variety that species that can withstand the climate of this region without losing attractiveness. Having spent quite a bit of time for leaving, in a few years you will receive a stately tree that adorns the garden all year round.