Tuje is one of the most popular conifers in Poland. They are very popular not only for aesthetic reasons and a large selection of species, but most of all they are more and more often used as hedges in gardens. Thujas primarily provide shade, and its rapid growth and the possibility of any shape forming, as well as all-year-round green color create a beautiful whole. Learn how to care for the thuja, what to plant and prune how much, and what to fertilize the thuja so that it grows quickly.
Thuja - varieties
Thuja are decorative conifers for the garden, serving as a year-round decoration. They come in the form of shrubs or branchy trees. We can distinguish trees of various shapes, e.g. spherical, conical, egg-shaped and column-shaped thujas. There are many types of thuja. The most common varieties of thuja are the variegated colors of the pine needles ranging from light green to dark green, as well as blue and yellow varieties. The most famous species of thuja are yellow thuja, blue thuja or round thuja. Some trees are characterized by a color change depending on the season. Other lesser-known varieties are more popular with conifer lovers. They are the Korean Thuja and the Japanese Thuja. When you are wondering what thuja to choose for a hedge, you do not have to worry about the wrong choice. Fast-growing thujas are the best. The most frequently chosen varieties are thuja emerald, brabant and also the giant thuja. The qualities of these trees allow for the creation of beautiful and effective fences.
How to care for thuja
Thuja are quite easy to grow and don't have high requirements. They will grow best in a sunny position and in partial shade. It is best if they are sheltered from the wind. Each variety should grow in all types of soil, but fertile and well-drained soil will work best. Most species are frost-resistant and evergreen, so they can be planted even in pots on balconies and terraces. Watering the thuja, especially the newly planted ones, is very important. Insufficient hydration can cause browning of the twigs and the tree will be more susceptible to diseases. Thuja should be watered abundantly once a week. It is also important not to pour water over the twigs. Thuja does not like other plants in its vicinity, so it is important to weed the soil around the thuja regularly. Before winter, preferably around October, the tree should be properly watered. It is also worth covering the ground around with bark, which will allow moisture to remain in the ground longer and prevent excessive spread of grass and weeds.Other nurturing treatments that are worth doing while growing thuja are pruning and fertilizing.
When to plant thuja?
Thuja do not have high demands on the position. They are best planted in fertile soil that will retain some moisture. It will grow best in sunny or semi-shaded places. Thujas are a drought-sensitive species. It is worth planting them in the appropriate months to support the quick adoption of the trees. The ideal time to plant a thuja is spring. The optimal month is May. The days are then warm enough to prevent the thuja from freezing and it is early enough to be well established. You can, of course, plant thuja in summer, but then you should take care of its proper watering, and in autumn, but not later than October, so that the tree does not freeze and the roots have time to catch on.
How to plant thuja ?
In order for the thuja to catch on in a new place, it is worth taking care of a few important things. If we plant store-bought trees with a ready-made, dug-out root ball, it is worth checking whether the roots with the soil block are secured and sufficiently moist.Inadequate moistening of the seedling may cause the roots to dry out, and thus the tree will not take hold. When we dig up the seedling from the previous place in the garden, it is worth digging the tree out of the ground with a sharp spade with as much root volume as possible. In the new target site, a hole should be dug, larger than the root ball of the seedling, which should be filled with fertile soil mixed with compost. Place the tree in the hole, cover it up and water it generously. It is worth maintaining the moisture of the substrate for a longer time, because then we have a greater probability of thuja catching. How densely to plant thymes? If we want to create a hedge from trees using columnar or conical trees, we plant 3-4 trees per meter. In the case of faster-growing varieties, the distance should be 60 to 90 cm.
When to prune thuja?
Thujas are plants that are not afraid of pruning. So there is no fear that we will cut too many branches, because they regenerate quite quickly and new green twigs grow back.The thujas should be trimmed even 2-3 times throughout the season. The first cut should take place before the growing season, i.e. at the turn of March and April. The next treatment is around June, when new shoots begin to darken. The last cut should be made in August, but not too late as it is important that the cut shoots become lignified. When it comes to young plants, the first cut should be made when a height of more than 1.5 meters is reached.
How to form thuja?
Before trimming the thuja, it is worthwhile to think about what we really expect from their appearance. Thuja planted with a hedge in mind should only be trimmed from the top to make them as dense as possible on the sides. Single specimens can be shaped like a sphere, cone or other geometric figures that will match the other elements of the garden. We should not be afraid of pruning the thuja and its formation, as it has such a rapid growth that an inappropriate cut will be masked quite quickly with new twigs.
