Thuja room care at home. Thuja home

Decor elements 20.06.2020
Decor elements

Many are accustomed to seeing thuja as an element of landscape design of a garden or yard. In fact, this amazing tree looks great in the house, on the balcony or loggia, on the veranda. Growing thuja at home is not so difficult, the main thing is to follow all the rules for care.

General information

Thuja is also commonly called the "tree of life", the green beauty belongs to the cypress family. It includes 6 species, but only two species can be kept indoors:

  • Eastern. It looks like a shrub. The needles are rich green.
  • Western. A small tree in the shape of a cone. The needles are dark green, sometimes there is a yellow tint. Quite popular, but very long growing.

Thuja room

You will not find needles on a tree, the branches are covered with scaly leaves that overlap each other. In the autumn, the thuja begins to bloom, after which small cones form.

Where to place the thuja in the house, what temperature does it need

A pot with a plant should not be exposed to the sun, the rays can burn the needles. On the windowsill of the sunny side, the thuja will also not be comfortable, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and crumble. The optimal place for the plant is partial shade, diffused daylight.

You can put a pot of thuja in a flower stand and place it near the window. Another option for protection from direct sunlight is window glass. In this case, the thuja will grow beautiful and green.

In the warm period, thuja can be put on a balcony or loggia. Also, the pot can be taken out into the garden, but set it in the shade.

The air temperature that suits the plant is 18-25 degrees. In winter, the pot is recommended to be set aside from heating objects. The temperature in winter should not fall below 15 degrees Celsius. If the balcony is glazed, the thuja will be comfortable on it.

We water the thuja, what should be the humidity of the air

Thuja can be attributed to those plants that tolerate drought without problems. Therefore, it does not need frequent watering. On hot and dry days, the plant should be watered several times a week. Overwatering will not bring any benefit. But it is also impossible to bring the earthen coma to complete drying.

For irrigation use warm water, previously settled. It is forbidden to take from the tap.

During the growing season, and for a newly planted tree, watering changes somewhat. It is carried out regularly, avoiding drying out. So that there is no stagnation of water, good drainage is established during transplantation.

The optimum air humidity for thuja is 40-60%. If the room is too stuffy, or heating objects are working, the plant should be sprayed with warm water. Do it as needed.

Top dressing and soil for thuja

The choice of soil for thuja depends on its age. For the young, a mixture is prepared, which includes:

  • Coniferous land - 2 parts.
  • Leaf land - 4 parts.
  • Coarse-grained sand - 1 part.

For an adult plant, the following mixture is acceptable:

  • Sod land - 2 parts.
  • Peat - 2 parts.
  • Sand - 1 part.

Top dressing is carried out regularly, the entire warm period. For the winter, the plant does not need to be fertilized. In summer, thuja needs potassium, and in spring - nitrogen. An adult tree can add a little phosphorus. Top dressing should be carried out no more than 2 times in 30 days. You can use purchased fertilizers for plants with needles, but use half as much.

We transplant

Thuja should be planted in a deep pot, but not too wide. This is because the root system of the plant is long. It is mandatory to put drainage at the bottom of the slide. To do this, use a broken brick or tile.

Thuja is transplanted carefully, without disturbing the earthen clod, transshipping. A young plant should be replanted every year, an adult - once every few years.

We propagate

At home, thuja is propagated using:

  • Cherenkov.
  • seed.

Seeds for propagation are not used so often. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the seedlings will be successful. Propagating by seeds is hard work and a long way.

Step-by-step instructions for propagation by seeds:

  • In an adult and healthy plant, the cones are carefully cut off.
  • Put them in a warm place (and cold).
  • After a while, the cones will open and you can extract the seeds.
  • Seeds are wrapped in a cloth, which is pre-wetted with water. They stay like this for 24 hours. The fabric should be moistened as it dries.
  • Take a small pot, fill it with soil and water it. Then the seed is placed.
  • It is not necessary to deepen the seeds, it is enough to sprinkle with earth and cover with wet sawdust.
  • The first shoots can be observed after 1-1.5 months.

When growing thuja seeds, the characteristics of the variety (for example, the color of the needles) may be lost.

Seeds that are ripe in autumn can germinate by spring. For this, stratification is carried out. That is, the seeds are mixed with moistened sand and for about 90 days they should be in a room with a low temperature (3-5 degrees). As an option, put the seed box in the refrigerator or take it to an unglazed balcony. After that, the seeds are sown in the soil, while the temperature should be about 20-23 degrees. After 2 months, sprouts will appear.

When the seeds have germinated, you should create favorable conditions and proper care for growth:

  • Moderate soil moisture.
  • Diffused lighting.

Grown seedlings can be transplanted into a pot to a permanent place, they do it very carefully so as not to damage the delicate root system. The thuja will be completely formed in 3 years, or even 5 years.

Thuja is easier to propagate by cuttings than seeds. Step-by-step instructions for propagation by cuttings:

  • The stalk is carefully separated from the adult thuja. Do this with a sharp knife or secateurs.
  • The optimal size of the handle is 10-12 centimeters.
  • The resulting stalk is deepened into the soil by 2-3 centimeters.
  • A pot with cuttings should be kept in a warm house (apartment).
  • Frequent ventilation is required.
  • The shoot does not need watering, you can replace it with spraying.
  • When the roots appear, the plant can be taken out into the street, and proceed to transplant.

In order for rooting to occur faster, sections are recommended to be treated with a growth accelerator.

Interesting to know! Some flower growers recommend not to cut, namely to tear off the cutting. Pieces of mature wood are torn off, which in the future contributes to rapid rooting.

Care in winter and summer

You need to take care of the thuja regardless of the time of the year. At the same time, care is different at different times. In the warm season, the plant feels great on the balcony. During the growing season, frequent watering is required. On hot days, thuja should be sprayed in the morning and evening. The water is taken warm.

Winter is the dormant time of the plant, special care is not required. The temperature should fluctuate 6-12 degrees. If the balcony and loggia are glazed, the thuja can be kept there. At a higher temperature, the thuja will dry out, and watering will not help it. Watering the green beauty is rarely necessary, and only with warm water.

In the spring, the plant is transplanted. Landing at home should be done carefully. Any damage to the root system can lead to the death of the plant. It is impossible to drop the root neck strongly - this will also destroy the thuja. After planting, thorough watering is necessary.

Pests and diseases

Diseases and pests in thuja grown at home can only appear as a result of improper care. One of the most common problems is the yellowness of the leaves, there are several reasons for this:

  • Planting rules are violated, the root neck is exposed, or too deep into the soil.
  • Falling direct sunlight.

Found in domestic thuja and fungal diseases:

  • Fusarium.
  • Cytospore.

When infected, the needles and shoots are damaged. For the treatment of thuja, specialized preparations are used. Procedures begin to be carried out in the spring, and do not stop until the tree recovers.

With the onset of a dormant period, thuja can change color - this is a natural process, and there is no need to look for diseases.

There are also known pests that pose a danger to the thuja at home (in the apartment):

  • bark beetle Holes appear in the bark of the tree.
  • Shchitovka. It harms the bark and cones, damaging them.
  • Aphid. The first signs of defeat - the needles turn yellow.

You can control pests with insecticides.

Important! The sooner you detect a problem, the easier and faster it will be dealt with. Provide the plant with proper care, and diseases and pests will not be terrible.

What is the benefit

Thuja is not just a beautiful green plant, but also useful. It is recommended to grow it in the house, on the balcony, veranda for people who have problems with the respiratory tract. Thuja secretes essential oils, which are very useful. They contribute:

  • Air purification from dust.
  • Air purification from viruses.
  • Calming the nervous system.

When there is thuja in the house, depression, stress and insomnia are not terrible. The smell of pine needles soothes and pacifies. It's nice to sit on the balcony after a hard day's work and enjoy the magical aroma.

Thuja extract is used for the manufacture of cosmetics, medicines. Thuja is actively used in folk medicine.

Healing qualities of thuja:

  • It has a tonic effect.
  • Used as an expectorant.
  • Included in the diuretic and anticancer drugs.
  • It has hemostatic and antimicrobial properties.

Thuja needles are harvested for the preparation of tinctures and decoctions. They help fight

  • With acne.
  • papillomas and warts.
  • Pigmentation.
  • Cold diseases.
  • cystitis.

Thuja is part of drugs for the treatment of cervical erosion.

You can talk about the benefits of thuja for a long time. Therefore, when planting it at home, you must understand that not just a plant grows in a pot, but a kind of doctor.

Provide proper care for Tuya, and she will definitely thank you.

Experienced gardeners have long been using not only beautiful, but also useful plants and shrubs for planting in their summer cottage. Thus, thuja gained popularity - an evergreen perennial plant that releases phytoncides into the atmosphere with antimicrobial properties.

Planting and caring for thuja in the open field for experienced gardeners is not difficult. That is why thuja can also be planted at home, where care features may differ slightly.

Types and varieties of thuja

There are a huge number of species and varieties of the presented plant. Here are the main 5 types, which include:

  • Chinese;
  • Korean;
  • Japanese;
  • west;
  • folded.

Each of the species includes up to several dozen varieties, but only the most unpretentious representatives are suitable for growing in garden plots.

Here are the following:

Thuja spherical

- it was due to the shape of the crown that it received its portion of popularity in growing in summer cottages.

One of the most popular varieties with a spherical crown is Danike.

They prefer to plant it near the arbors or try to dilute the created woody composition. This variety reaches a height of

What makes it attractive in appearance and easy to care for.

Tuya Brabant

- a cone-shaped variety of a plant that can grow 40 cm in height in a year and increase in size up to 15 cm in diameter. This variety, when grown in summer cottages in Russia, can reach a height of all

Therefore, it is used less often. Such bushes can be found in the garden plots of elite residences, where the thuja plays the role of a hedge.

Tuya Smaragd

- the same conical shape of the crown attracts most gardeners. An adult bush in diameter reaches

The crown is quite dense, so it can also be used as a hedge. The presented variety pleases with its longevity - the shrub can grow up to 150 years.

Each type and variety of thuja Deserves attention. They must be studied due to the need or desire to plant a particular variety in a garden plot. Such actions are necessary for the normal and full growth of the plant.

Which is better: juniper or thuja? Video:

Reproduction methods and growing features

The shrub is grown at home, and only then planted in open ground in the garden.

You can use a simple and easier way - to purchase a ready-made seedling, which is to be planted immediately after purchase. But self-growing is much more interesting.

So, you can grow thuja from a seed or from a selected cutting. Both methods are considered in detail.

Growing a seedling from seeds

If you are new to the subject of gardening, then the question is, how to grow thuja from seeds, should be considered in more detail. The seeds of the presented plant can be purchased at a specialized store or obtained independently.

The thuja has stiffened cones, from which seeds are extracted from September to December.

Cones are placed in a ventilated place under diffused light. After a while, they open up, and you can safely remove the seeds.

1. The first method of planting seeds involves the use of an ordinary flower pot and soil mixed with peat and humus.

Pre-seeds are aged for a day in a damp cloth. It is not necessary to plant the seeds deep, just sprinkle with earth or sawdust on top.

As necessary, the planted seeds are watered (with the drying of the soil) and kept under diffused light. Sprouts should be planted with warming up the soil in the garden plot in the spring.

2. The second method of planting seeds gives a germination rate of about 90%. Here, in September, you should remove the seeds from the cones and put them in a bag that needs to be stored in a cool place until it snows.

As soon as the snow completely covers the earthen surface, the seeds are buried in snowdrifts and kept there until spring. In the spring, it is already possible to plant the saved thuja seeds also shallowly into the soil of the garden plot at a distance of 10 cm. It is important to water the bed abundantly.

In this way, sprouts grow for 3 years, caring for them properly - removing weeds and regularly watering as the soil dries. On the fourth spring, you can plant the sprouts in a permanent place.

From the above, it becomes clear that such cultivation takes a lot of time.

Therefore, gardeners resort to the second method of self-growing a seedling using cuttings.

Growing a seedling from a branch

How to grow thuja from a branch if there is no presented plant in your garden plot?

In April, when the buds ripen on the branches of plants, visit a fruit nursery or go to visit your neighbors, whose garden is decorated with this unique and interesting shrub. Ask to cut a lignified cutting about 40 cm in size.

Then you will need to do the following:


Similar propagation of thuja cuttings can be carried out at home. Branches are planted in a container with soil and covered with a greenhouse - this action will lead to faster growth.

Just do not forget about the appropriate daily airing, watering and spraying until the cuttings are completely rooted.

How to propagate and grow thuja, video:

Proper planting and care of thuja in the open field

Planting thuja depends on the size of self-grown seedlings. If an acquired plant is planted, then this is done according to the following principles:

  1. A place for the further growth of thuja should favorably affect the growth of the plant - it is a sunny place, protected from the winds. You should not choose a place on the site that is constantly exposed to direct sunlight - the plant will begin to wither. Also, you can not plant a shrub in the shade - it will begin to thin out.
  2. The dimensions of the dug pit for planting depend only on the existing root system. The diameter of the landing pit can be up to a meter.
  3. A layer of stones is laid at the bottom of the hole as a drainage - the presented plant does not tolerate stagnant water.
  4. A layer of soil is laid on top of the stones, where turf, peat and sand are mixed in equal amounts.
  5. Now you should install the seedling so that the root collar is located at the level of the soil.
  6. "Fix" the seedling with the remaining soil or soddy soil.
  7. After planting, seedlings can be watered with a moderate amount of water.

When planting, the distance between seedlings should be observed. Depending on the variety, it can reach from 2 to 5 m. Consider the possible diameter of the shrub variety used.

This is especially necessary if it is intended thuja hedge. In this case, the calculation of the distance takes place without taking into account the free space between the future grown bushes.

As for the care of thuja in the open field, difficulties are not foreseen here. It is important to regularly water the shrub, which is done as the soil dries. Periodically, the soil can be hilled, and it is also necessary to constantly remove the weed.

Top dressing of the plant is carried out in early spring, when snow covers the surface of the soil. At this time, nitrogen fertilizers are used.

Such procedures are carried out until mid-summer no more than 2 times a month. Next, you should resort to the use of potash fertilizers, the feeding of which is extended until late autumn.

At 2-3 years of life, thuja shrubs may require pruning, the whole principle of which is to give an attractive and correct crown for this shrub.

As a rule, in the early years, pruning is only preventive. The full formation of the bush is carried out already in adult specimens.

How to plant a thuja, video:

Thuja: home care

In the absence of your own garden plot, you can grow a small miniature tree at home. Thuja in a pot today it does not seem strange, but quite an adequate solution for those flower growers who want to have a coniferous plant in their house.

There are no additional aspects in care. It is only important to carry out timely watering and provide the plant with fertile and nutritious soil.

For planting the presented plant at home, choose the eastern thuja and the flat-headed variety. Planting a plant for self-growing in a pot is carried out according to the same principle as described above.

The exception is the absence of a transplant point to a permanent place - after planting a seed or cutting in a pot with soil, the plant remains in place until fully ripe. A small volume of capacity will not allow the shrub to grow as high and wide as possible.

Principle, how to care for thuja at home, concluded in the following order:

  1. Planting a plant in a pot requires good drainage at the bottom of the pot. You can use the usual pallet, which will also help eliminate excess moisture.
  2. The soil can be enriched with useful microelements by mixing four parts of sod land with two parts of coniferous. Only a part of the sand is added to the mixture - as a result, soil suitable for planting seeds or cuttings will be obtained.
  3. The pot must be placed on the north or west window - this will provide diffused light suitable for normal growth for the shrub.
  4. For optimal cultivation, an already adult tree is provided with a temperature of 10-15 ° C. In the summer, it is necessary to take the pot with the plant to the balcony so that it receives its portion of air procedures.
  5. Watering is carried out as needed as soon as the soil dries out. It is important to prevent excessive moisture or drying of the soil, all this will lead to the death of the plant.
  6. Thuja can calmly endure any vagaries of indoor air humidity. However, excessive "drying of the air" should not be allowed. It is better to maintain a moderate climate in relation to indoor air humidity. In summer, in the heat, the plant should be sprayed.
  7. For the normal formation of the bush, the plant is pruned.

When growing thuja, one should not forget about timely feeding with special universal fertilizers, which are carried out in spring and during summer for favorable and rapid growth.

From August to September, you can start propagation by cuttings.

Self-shaping bonsai

Surprisingly, some flower growers give the bushy thuja the shape of a bonsai tree. This is not easy to do. It is not enough just to pinch and cut the plant.

To form a bonsai, it is necessary to give the shrub an appropriate shape, exposing its branches to a forced change in the direction of growth, slightly breaking them at the same time. The bent branch is fixed in a new direction and all branches are cut off.

After some time, the shrub will begin to form into a bonsai tree, where crown formation should be monitored by constantly pruning.

Pay attention to this material - Barberry: planting and care, useful properties.

Diseases and pests

Proper care of the presented plant allows you to achieve an attractive green shrub.

If you make any mistakes, the thuja branches can thin out, and the rich green color will change to pale gray.

But this is not the worst thing that can happen to a plant. A fungal infection or an invasion of harmful insects looks much more dangerous, the fight against which can take a long time. The most common and dangerous thuja diseases include:

You will be interested in this article - Blackcurrant: planting and care in the open field.


Proper cultivation of a coniferous plant at home or in the open field will bring great pleasure to flower growers and gardeners.

Such plants should be "kept" nearby, since thuja needles have excellent beneficial properties.

Thuja needles can be used to treat wounds, as a hemostatic agent, and also for colds.

Thuja is known as the tree of life. In addition, it is sometimes called northern cypress due to the similarity of the two plants. It is not pretentious to the conditions of the external environment, but it has excellent decorative properties.

And although this plant is more intended for outdoor cultivation, it can be cultivated at home. Many flower growers put thuja on a balcony or loggia: there it looks like a real decoration.

plant description

When the plant becomes an adult, its needles are more like leafy scales. Thuja exudes an incomparable aroma due to the essential oils that it contains. The advantage of this coniferous plant is that it is able to perfectly heal and purify the air of the room in which it is located for a long time.

In Russia, 3 types of ornamental thuja plants are known:

  • Western;
  • Eastern;
  • Giant.

The first two species are found in our homeland quite often, and the third is less common. Exotic species of thuja are cultivated only in botanical gardens.

Tui care

Watering

Thuja care begins with abundant watering. It is on this that the splendor and beauty of the needles depend. Watering should be regular. It is desirable that the soil is not dry for a long time. Although this is not fatal for the thuja, it will affect its decorative features.

Conditions of detention

The plant tolerates dry air in the apartment and heat well. It is also resistant to both direct sunlight and shade. The temperature range for thuja is very wide, because it can endure even 30-degree frost. At the same time, the plant feels good in room conditions. The only thing that is not recommended is to change the temperature drastically. Caring for thuja completely eliminates drafts and strong winds.

In order for the thuja to develop well at home, feed it from time to time with mineral and natural organic fertilizers. In the spring - nitrogen top dressing, and in the summer in June - potash. If you suspect that the thuja does not grow on too rich soil, add phosphate fertilizers to your care.

As for the crown of the plant, you can shape it to your liking: the thuja tolerates pruning without any problems. Be sure to remove dead branches.

reproduction

How to grow thuja from seeds?

Seeds can be taken directly from the thuja, or rather from the cones. Cut off the buds from an adult plant along with the branches on which they grow. At home, put the brought sticks in a warm place. It is recommended that not too bright light falls on them. Over time, the cones will dry out and open. Then you can get the seeds. Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth and keep them for a day, pouring water on the cloth from time to time.

Step by step process of planting seeds:

  1. Prepare the tub: pour the substrate into it, and drain the bottom.
  2. Water the ground.
  3. Plant one seed in one pot.
  4. Do not bury the seed, but lightly sprinkle with wet sawdust.
  5. Moisten the soil.

Be patient, as the first shoots will appear in a month. A full-fledged thuja bush will grow only after 5 years. However, at home, not everyone needs a large bush

Thuja grows well and develops on fertile soil. Therefore, if possible, add peat and humus to the substrate.

Interestingly, with this type of reproduction, a young thuja may show completely different varietal characteristics compared to the parent plant. So, the needles may have a different color: blue or yellow.

Reproduction by cuttings

Growing thuja with seeds is quite difficult and tedious, and care is everyday. Propagation by cuttings or division is much easier. The stalk should be separated from the mother plant, treated in a chemical solution and immersed in the ground by one and a half cm.

It’s great if old wood remains at the base of the shoot. At first, watering is not recommended: just spray the plant. As soon as the stalk takes root and takes root, it needs to be hardened off. For this purpose, first start to ventilate the room longer, and then you can put the pot in a more ventilated room.

Transfer

Plant care includes transplanting into a larger pot. For a young thuja, the following earthen mixture is suitable: four parts of leafy earth, two parts of coniferous earth and one part of sand. If the plant is already old enough, it is necessary to use one part of peat, one part of soddy land and 0.5 parts of sand. However, a plant with an earthy clod should be transshipped.

The temperature during transplantation at home should be warm: + 20 + 23 degrees. Immediately after transshipment, do not leave the plant in direct sunlight. Spray the crown regularly with a spray bottle, but don't get carried away.

Diseases and pests of thuja

Pests that most often disturb thuja:

  • Shchitovka;
  • Luboeat;
  • Unpaired lumberjack.

The plant can turn yellow very quickly due to aphids. You can get rid of it with the help of decis. It is enough just to spray them on the plant.

Shchitovka harms not only needles, but also cones. The beetle has a detrimental effect on wood, forming passages in the bark. Woodgrass can be detected by round holes in the bark of the plant. The walls of the holes are usually black. Pest control measures include spraying with insecticides. It is advisable to do this at an early stage of the lesion.

At home, thuja can become infected with a fungus. This disease affects the crown of the plant. To fight at the initial stage, karbofos should be used. Treat the thuja several times until it recovers.

Of course, a street plant has a much higher susceptibility to diseases, but home thuja should also be looked after.

In general, caring for thuja at home is simple and elementary. Therefore, this plant is suitable for those who do not want to devote too much time to growing.

Tuya or Tuya(Thuja, Tree of Life, Northern cypress) from the Cypress family (Cupressaceae) includes 4 species of gymnosperms, evergreen coniferous shrubs and stunted trees. We have it widely used as a hedge along fenced areas, and is also often used to form landscape design, to decorate alpine slides and rockeries. But some indoor plant lovers grow thuja at home, the care of which does not require special knowledge and skills. You will find a photo of a room thuja in a pot and tips on home care for a coniferous tree later in this material.

With the help of regular shaping pruning, you can change the appearance of the tree. Despite the fact that thuja belongs to coniferous plants, the crown is formed not by needles on branches, but by opposite scaly leaves, consisting of flat scales overlapping each other. The period of “blooming” (dusting) usually occurs in autumn: a flower bud appears from the axils of the leaves on the tops of the lateral shoots, and then a “flower” blooms (a yellowish female kidney-shaped spikelet appears in the upper part of the crown, and a brownish male spikelet appears in the lower part) . Then, among the scaly leaves, oval-shaped cones are formed, after the ripening of which seeds appear with narrow wings under the scales.

If you saw a thuja in a pot on the floor or on the windowsill of a dwelling, then most likely it is the eastern thuja (Thuja orientalis, Platycladus, Flathead, Biota). This is an evergreen shrub with spreading branches, flat, scaly leaves of a silver-colored color and oblong cones, bent down. The usual form of the eastern thuja is pyramidal, but with the help of pruning and pinching, you can give the crown the desired look. Some craftsmen form a tree in the form of a topiary or bonsai from a thuja in a pot. To do this, the trunk and branches must be bent and fixed almost on the verge of breaking, so that, in combination with the correct pruning and timely pinching of young shoots, a very beautiful bonsai is obtained. The formed decorative tree of coniferous arborvitae will look interesting in an ensemble with flowering bonsai trees such as indoor azalea, fuchsia, Chinese rose hibiscus.

Photo: Tui bonsai We must immediately make a reservation that the potted thuja, as a room variety specially bred by breeders, does not exist. At home, the eastern thuja or flathead, which we mentioned above, takes root best of all. Caring for this unpretentious type of coniferous plant is very simple and an elegant dwarf tree grows at home to a miniature size. Phytodesigners create very interesting compositions of flowering houseplants against the background of evergreen thuja to decorate the interior, choosing such decorative potted flowers as phalaenopsis or dendrobium orchid, tuberous begonia, Persian cyclamen, gerbera with bright daisy flowers, miniature hydrangea, New Guinean balsam, Thompson's clerodendrum . And in gardening and landscape design, such types of arborvitae as T. western, T. Korean, T. Japanese, T. folded are most suitable.

Photo: thuja orientalis in a pot Interestingly, Buddhist philosophy classifies thuja as a plant that promotes longevity and restores vitality. And some designers use thuja in a pot for the symbolic organization of living space according to feng shui, along with houseplants such as homemade Saintpaulia violets, Zamioculcas Dollar Tree, Gloxinia with very bright flowers, Crassula Money Tree. In addition, room thuja exudes a very delicate aroma, reminiscent of the pleasant smell of spruce resin, which will not leave anyone indifferent.

By the way, this coniferous plant has very effective healing properties. It is recommended to grow thuja at home for people suffering from various respiratory diseases. Along with such popular indoor plants as dieffenbachia and home chrysanthemum, thuja grown in a pot enriches the space of the room with useful essential oils and volatile secretions - phytoncides. These substances purify the air of pathogenic microbes, dust and soothe the nervous system. The coniferous smell of arborvitae helps to restore emotional and physical fatigue after a hard day's work, and effectively relieves stress.

Thuja extract is widely used in perfumery to create useful cosmetics, and is also used in traditional and folk medicine for the preparation of effective medicines. Means that have thuja extract in their composition have different healing properties (today there are tonic, antimicrobial, antitumor, expectorant, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic drugs). Various decoctions and infusions are made from crushed thuja needles. There are many folk recipes for the preparation of therapeutic antiseptics against age spots, warts, papillomas, acne on the skin. Medicines with thuja extract in the composition treat adenoids in children and SARS, as well as cervical erosion, cystitis, trichomonas colpitis. Thuja can compete for the status of "the best home doctor" with such well-known indoor medicinal plants as aloe vera or Agave, medicinal Kalanchoe, Benjamin's ficus, pelargonium geranium, jasmine-like gardenia, myrtle tree, indoor spurge, primrose Primrose.

RECIPES: INfusions and decoctions from TUI NEEDLE.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!Location and lighting. Direct sunlight can cause burns on the delicate scaly foliage of the thuja. At home, under the bright rays of the sun, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. It is best to place a pot with a coniferous plant in partial shade, with indirect diffused lighting during the daytime. You can put the pot on a floor stand next to the window on the north side of the room. If you shade the window glass on hot summer days, then the thuja will feel comfortable on a hill next to the western or eastern window.

Temperature regime. In spring and summer, you can take home thuja to a balcony, loggia or garden in a shaded place. The optimum temperature is 18-24°C. In winter, it is necessary to keep the thuja pot away from heating appliances; it is best to place the plant on a glazed loggia. It is desirable that in winter the temperature does not rise above 14-16 ° C.

Air humidity. Moderate or slightly elevated humidity level (40-60%). If the air in the room is too dry (summer heat, the heating system is working), be sure to spray the coniferous plant from a spray bottle with warm soft water.


Watering.
Use warm, settled water for irrigation. It is recommended to observe a moderate watering regime (several times a week). Waterlogging the soil should not be, but drying out the soil is also detrimental to thuja.

Earth mix and top dressing. For planting a young plant, you can make an earthen mixture from coniferous soil. sheet earth and coarse sand in a ratio of 2: 4: 1, and for an adult - sod land, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1.

For top dressing, you can use complex organic and mineral fertilizers for coniferous plants (in half the dose). In summer, thuja most of all needs potash fertilizers, and in spring - nitrogen fertilizers (for adult plants, you can add a little phosphorus fertilizer). It is necessary to feed no more than 2 times a month. In winter, no fertilizer is required.

Transfer. The roots of a coniferous plant are quite long. For planting thuja, choose a tall, but not very wide pot. At the bottom of the pot it is necessary to pour a drainage layer of broken bricks or tiles. A young plant is transplanted annually, and an adult - once every two years. Landing is carried out by transshipment along with an earthen clod.

Reproduction. You can propagate thuja cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the plant is usually propagated by cuttings. A cutting 10-12 cm long is carefully separated with a pruner or a sharp knife from an adult plant. The cut point on the handle should be treated with a root formation stimulator. Then you need to deepen the cutting a few centimeters into the ground and put the container in a warm place and ventilate the room more often. Instead of watering, spray the stalk with a spray bottle with water. When the cutting takes root, it can be transplanted into a suitable pot.

♦ MINIATURE TUI FOR DECORATION OF ROCARY OR ALPINARIUM. PHOTO OF VARIETIES:

♦ VIDEO. HOW TO CARE FOR THUJA AT HOME: Useful tips for caring for room thuja:

Growing western thuja Danica at home:

Tui reproduction:

Dear friends! Please share in the Comments your experience of growing homemade arborvitae. If you have photos or videos, we will be happy to post them on our website - contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Home page

INTERESTING FOR WOMEN.

For decorative landscaping of their site, many gardeners plant a small evergreen tree - thuja. It is widely used in landscape design, and due to the variety of varieties, this plant can be grown in regions with different climatic conditions. The main features of growing thuja from a cutting, as well as recommendations for planting and caring for a crop that help propagate it on your own - later in the article.

Advantages of cuttings

At home, thuja can be done in two ways - by sprouting or using cuttings. But the second method is simpler, so it is used more often.

  • Propagation of thuja by cuttings has several advantages:
  • the tree grows faster than from seeds (in 2-3 years);
  • the process of growing a young thuja from a branch does not require specific knowledge;
  • the decorative effect of the parent specimen is preserved;
  • planting material can be easily prepared independently.

The disadvantage of growing a young tree from cuttings is that the seedlings are less hardy, and their survival rate is 70-80%.

The best time to grow

In order for the cut branches to take root safely, it is necessary to choose the most successful season for planting the plant.

Did you know? Tui wood is very fragile, but it is widely used in carpentry to create finely carved furniture.

You can propagate a tree by cuttings at this time of the year:

  • from the end of March to the first half of April- in the spring, sap flow begins in the shoots of trees, so rooting is faster;
  • in June- in summer, the tree continues active growth, but the probability of damage to the seedling by spring frosts disappears;
  • in October- in autumn, the probability of survival of the seedling is much higher, since the sap flow in the shoots slows down, and cool and humid weather contributes to the formation of young roots.

Procurement of cuttings

Propagation of thuja by cuttings begins with the correct preparation of planting material. This process is not particularly difficult, but requires compliance with certain rules.

When harvesting tree cuttings, follow these recommendations:

  • you need to take planting material only from a healthy thuja;
  • it is best to use strong lignified branches cut from the top of a 2-3 year old tree;
  • the length of the handle should be no more than 0.5 m, and the diameter should be about 7 mm;
  • cuttings are best done early in the morning on cloudy days;
  • the branch must be sharply torn off from top to bottom or cut obliquely with a knife, leaving on it a small piece of bark up to 2 cm long (“heel”);
  • to stimulate the growth of roots on the surface of the cutting, you need to make incisions and remove the needles, leaving only a small amount of it at the end of the branch;
  • freshly cut shoots before planting for 12 hours are placed in a solution of a root growth stimulator (for example, Kornevin);
  • prepared cuttings must be rooted immediately, as as a result of storage they become unsuitable for planting.

Landing site preparation

Before planting young seedlings in open ground, they need to prepare a suitable place for them.

Important! If thuja cuttings cut from the side of the tree were used as planting material, then a twisted seedling can grow from them.

The selected site must meet the following basic requirements:

  • in the morning it is well illuminated by the sun, and in the afternoon to be in partial shade - only in such conditions is normal growth and a beautiful appearance of the tree possible;
  • be protected from drafts - in the cold wind, the thuja is more often affected and grows worse;
  • have loose and moderately acidic fertile soil, well permeable to air and water;
  • lack of groundwater lying close to the soil surface.


A few days before transplanting young trees to a permanent plot, they dig up the ground on it. The surface of the soil is loosened, removing large clods of earth.

Did you know? The Russian name for thuja comes from the Greek word "thuja", which translates as "incense". The branches of this tree were previously used for sacrificial fires.

Step-by-step instruction

Most often, the rooting of the cutting is carried out in water or in a pot with a substrate. The second method is used more often, as it helps to get a stronger seedling with a branched root system.

To plant a cutting, you need to follow these steps step by step:

  1. Prepare a wide wooden box of shallow depth with drainage holes in the bottom. You can use plastic containers for growing seedlings.
  2. Prepare a loose substrate by mixing equal amounts of garden soil, clean river sand and peat.
  3. Pour the resulting soil mixture with boiling water, and then treat it with a 3% solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
  4. Put a drainage layer of expanded clay or small stones on the bottom of the container.
  5. Fill the container with the disinfected substrate, leveling its surface with your hands.
  6. With your finger, make a small hole 1.5–2 cm deep on the surface of the soil in a container. When rooting several cuttings in one container, the distance between adjacent holes should be 5-6 cm.
  7. Dip the lower end of the branch into the hole, placing the cutting at a 45° angle to the soil surface.
  8. Sprinkle the seedling with earth, lightly tamping it with your hands. Pour in some warm water.


After planting, a container with buried thuja branches is kept in a greenhouse. If there is no greenhouse or the gardener decided to plant a cutting in the fall, then rooting can be done in the room. When planting cuttings in the spring, they can be left outside, having previously installed a wire frame with a plastic film stretched over it over the container.

Important! It is possible to remove the shelter from the container or take it out of the greenhouse only after the cutting has taken root. At the same time, new buds and branches appear on it.

Care during rooting

Planted cuttings require proper care. It will not take the gardener much time, but it will help the branches to take root faster in the substrate and get stronger for further transplantation. The rooting process of thuja branches in the substrate lasts about 2 months.

  • the air temperature in the room with seedlings should be + 18 ... + 23 ° С;
  • the optimal level of air humidity is about 75%;
  • container with cuttings should be kept in a well-lit place, but avoid direct sunlight - they can cause burns to seedlings;
  • it is necessary to carry out regular ventilation - use the ventilation system in the greenhouse or briefly lift the film stretched over the container;
  • seedlings are irrigated from a spray bottle with a small amount of warm water as the surface layer of soil in the container dries up;
  • before planting in open ground, rooted seedlings are hardened for 7-10 days - for this, a container with cuttings in warm and clear weather begins to be taken out into the street for several hours.

Transfer to a permanent place

After the cuttings have taken root and released 1-2 new shoots, they are planted out of the container in open ground on a temporary bed in the garden - school. At the same time, the soil on it is dug up with the addition of one bucket of peat per 1 m², and then small holes are made in it. The soil in the container with the rooted cuttings is well watered to make it easier to extract the seedlings.

Important! Autumn cuttings are transplanted into shkolka next year in the spring, and rooted spring twigs - in the fall of the current year.

After that, the stalk is carefully removed and placed in the hole along with an earthen clod, placing it in relation to the soil surface at the same level as in the container. Neighboring seedlings are located at a distance of 25 cm from each other. Further care for the thujas at the school consists of watering and removing weeds, and for the winter the plants are covered with a layer of mulch and spruce branches. In school, the seedling should get stronger and grow, and after 2-3 years it is transplanted to a permanent place.

Step-by-step algorithm for transplanting young trees:

  1. Prepare holes in the selected area with a width and depth of about 1 m. A distance of 2–5 m is left between adjacent recesses (depending on the variety).
  2. Put a small layer of drainage from stones or gravel on the bottom of the hole.
  3. Mix the earth obtained by digging a hole in equal proportions with peat and sand. Fill each recess with a small amount of the resulting soil mixture.
  4. Carefully remove the thuja seedling from the shkolka along with the earthy clod formed around its roots. Transfer the tree into the prepared hole - while the root neck should be flush with the ground.
  5. Fill the remaining space of the planting hole with a loose nutrient soil mixture. Slightly tamp the surface of the earth around the thuja with your hands.
  6. Lightly water the trees with a little warm water, moistening the ground around them.
  7. After complete absorption of the liquid, the soil surface around the trunk is mulched with dry sawdust.

Aftercare

After transplanting young seedlings to a permanent place, the trees need to be provided with appropriate care. Thuja reacts negatively to a lack of moisture, therefore, when growing it, the main attention should be paid to proper watering.

Did you know? Aroma of thuja essential oil in aromatherapy is the base note. He dominates well in elite men's colognes (such as Hugo Boss).

For ornamental cultivation, the tree must be shaped by annual pruning of its branches. And in order for the seedling not to die from frost and snowfall in winter, you need to organize a shelter for it.

Watering

When watering the thuja, a balance must be maintained so that the tree receives enough liquid for growth, but at the same time does not begin to rot from waterlogging of the soil.
Drip watering thuja.

  • carried out as the surface of the soil around the tree dries up (about 1-2 times a week);
  • for each thuja you need to spend about 10 liters of water;
  • in hot weather, tree branches are sprayed with a spray bottle to wash off dust from them and improve the appearance of the plant;
  • watering is best done in the morning or evening hours to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil;
  • for irrigation of thuja, only settled water at room temperature is used.

Preparing for winter

Thuja does not "like" frost and cold winds, so before the onset of winter, the tree must be covered. A protective shelter is built in late October or early November, and removed in the spring - with the onset of stable heat.

Important! When growing a tree in areas with a moderately cold climate for the winter, it is enough to mulch the soil around the thuja. But when snow falls, you need to carefully sweep it from the branches by hand so that they do not break.

The basic rules for sheltering for the winter are:

  • the soil around the trunk is mulched with peat, fallen dry leaves and coniferous branches - while making sure that the lower shoots of the thuja are above the mulch layer and do not rot;
  • in regions with frosts below -40 ° C, the tree trunk is bent to the ground and covered with spruce branches, and after the formation of a snow cover, it is additionally sprinkled with snow;
  • to protect from the bright winter sun and wind, the trunk can be wrapped with a white cloth, fixing it with a rope.

Video: preparing thuja for winter

pruning

Most gardeners grow thuja on their plots as a decorative ornament. In the process of growth, the tree is given the desired shape with regular pruning.

Did you know? Thuja essential oil is used as a natural fragrance during the manufacture of some brands of footwear.

This procedure is carried out according to the following rules:

  • the formation of thuja begins from 2-3 years of age;
  • pruning is done in early spring, as well as during the summer (if necessary);
  • without fail cut off damaged and dried shoots;
  • removal of excess growth is carried out with a sharp pruner so that the cut is even;
  • unnecessary shoots are removed in small "portions", but often - this way the thuja tolerates the "haircut" more easily;
  • healthy tree branches are shortened depending on what shape the gardener wants to give to the crown.


Thuja can become a bright and unusual decoration of any garden plot, and with the help of pruning, the tree is given various bizarre shapes. Even a novice gardener can grow an adult tree from a cutting. The information presented in the article will help to properly prepare planting material, root and plant seedlings in open ground, and provide them with the necessary care.

Video: how to grow thuja from a twig

thuja belongs to the coniferous plants of the family cypress.

It has the ability to release essential oils, which not only saturate the room with pleasant aromas, but also purify the air from harmful pathogenic microbes.

Its high ecological value has made it very popular among flower growers who care about the cleanliness of the home microclimate.

Kinds

In nature, there are 6 species of this plant, but two types of thuja are most suitable for indoor maintenance:

Eastern thuja, or Thuja orientalis L. Sometimes it is also called "biota". It looks like a large shrub with vertically arranged branches and green needles. In indoor floriculture, oriental thuja comes in several decorative varieties.

western thuja, or Thuja occidentslis L. This species is the most popular. It looks like a conical tree with vertical branches. The needles are dark green, sometimes with yellowish tints. Characterized by its extremely slow growth.

Location and lighting

thuja tolerates well shaded place, but if there is too little light, she may begin to lose the splendor of her forms. The rays of the sun, directly falling on the leaves of the thuja, can cause burns in it, so the best environment for the thuja is a place with abundant but diffused light. You can install thuja on a small table in front of the window.

Temperature and Humidity

AT summer time thuja it is necessary to provide a temperature in the region of + 20 ° + 30 ° C. You can take it out to fresh air, but it is recommended to put it only in a shaded place. In winter, such a high temperature for thuja is not at all suitable.

AT cold time year, the room where it is located should not be heated above + 15 ° С. But it easily tolerates even severe frosts.

Air humidity for thuja is not of great importance. But if the temperature is too high, or she is standing on the balcony in the heat, it is recommended to occasionally spray her with a spray bottle.

Watering

Since thuja belongs to plants that calmly tolerate drought, water it not needed very often.

One or two waterings per week will be enough, and even then only in hot and dry weather. Sometimes just spraying with warm water is enough.

This does not apply to plants. during a period of active growth, as well as those that have recently been transplanted. At this time, the thuja must be watered regularly, preventing the land in the pot from drying out.

In order not to fill it with water, a good drainage layer must be present. for watering only soft water should be used.

top dressing

In frequent top dressing thuja does not need. It is recommended to use organic and mineral fertilizers in combination, and nitrogen fertilizers are usually used in spring, and potash fertilizers are usually used in summer, no more than once a month.

Sometimes, depending on the condition of the plant, it can be added to top dressing. phosphate fertilizers.

Soil and transplant

Thuja, as a home plant, feels great in a pot if you choose the right soil. Soil for thuja suitable slightly acidic. The mixture is prepared independently. For young plants that need an annual transplant, it is recommended to use mixture from:

  • leaf land (4 parts);
  • coniferous land (2 parts);
  • sand (1 part).

For an adult thuja the composition of the soil is selected differently:

  • sod land (1 part);
  • sand (0.5 parts);
  • peat (1 part).

Before you transplant a thuja, you need to lay a tight layer.

reproduction

Most often thuyu at home reproduce in two ways- division or seeds.

seeds taken from cones that are cut off from an adult plant and placed in a dark and warm place. After some time, the cones will crack and open, after which it will be possible to extract the seeds.

They are first wrapped in a rag moistened with water and wait about a day, periodically moistening the fabric.

Next, you need cook pot with earth. At first, the earth is lightly watered, and then a seed is planted in it. Deep immersion of the seed is not required, it is better to sprinkle it a little with moistened sawdust.

The first shoots usually appear after 4-5 weeks. Growing from seeds is a very long process. A full-fledged bush will form only after 3 years, and sometimes you have to wait all 5 years.

It is much easier to propagate thuja by division, i.e. cuttings. To do this, the cutting must be separated from the adult thuja, treated with a special tool, and then planted in the ground one and a half to two centimeters. At first, the cutting should be kept in a warm room.

Water the young shoot not required, you can only occasionally spray it lightly with water. As soon as it takes root, you should begin to take it out to fresh air or put it in a room that is regularly ventilated.

Diseases and pests

The most common problem when caring for home thuja is yellowing leaves in. The reasons for this may be the following.

  • The landing was made incorrectly- the root neck was exposed, or when planting the plant was excessively deepened into the ground.
  • Excess sunlight. Perhaps the location of the thuja was not chosen correctly and the light falling on it was not sufficiently scattered.
  • Tui fungal diseases- for example, cytospore or fusarium, which damage the needles and shoots of the plant. To cure thuja from these diseases, it is required to treat it with special preparations. The best known are kartocide and Bordeaux liquid. The treatment procedure should be started in early spring, treating the thuja twice a month, and continue until the plant is fully recovered.
  • If thuja changes colors with the advent of autumn, no need to worry. This is a completely normal process that is characteristic of this plant. In spring, it will acquire its usual color.

Of the pests, thuja is usually affected by aphids, bark beetles, scale insects or arboreals.

  • If the thuja began to turn yellow rapidly It means guilty.
  • Bark beetle forms passages in wood having a detrimental effect on the plant.
  • damages needles and cones plants.
  • If a round holes with black walls formed in the bark- this is the influence of the lumberjack.

Standard insecticides are used to control these pests. The sooner the pest is detected, the greater the chance of saving the plant.

And for the most curious, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video about caring for thujas - brief recommendations

Tuya or Tuya(Thuja, Tree of Life, Northern cypress) from the Cypress family (Cupressaceae) includes 4 species of gymnosperms, evergreen coniferous shrubs and stunted trees. We have it widely used as a hedge along fenced areas, and is also often used to form landscape design, to decorate alpine slides and rockeries. But some indoor plant lovers grow thuja at home, the care of which does not require special knowledge and skills. You will find a photo of a room thuja in a pot and tips on home care for a coniferous tree later in this material.

With the help of regular shaping pruning, you can change the appearance of the tree. Despite the fact that thuja belongs to coniferous plants, the crown is formed not by needles on branches, but by opposite scaly leaves, consisting of flat scales overlapping each other. The period of “blooming” (dusting) usually occurs in autumn: a flower bud appears from the axils of the leaves on the tops of the lateral shoots, and then a “flower” blooms (a yellowish female kidney-shaped spikelet appears in the upper part of the crown, and a brownish male spikelet appears in the lower part) . Then, among the scaly leaves, oval-shaped cones are formed, after the ripening of which seeds appear with narrow wings under the scales.

If you saw a thuja in a pot on the floor or on the windowsill of a dwelling, then most likely it is the eastern thuja (Thuja orientalis, Platycladus, Flathead, Biota). This is an evergreen shrub with spreading branches, flat, scaly leaves of a silver-colored color and oblong cones, bent down. The usual form of the eastern thuja is pyramidal, but with the help of pruning and pinching, you can give the crown the desired look. Some craftsmen form a tree in the form of a topiary or bonsai from a thuja in a pot. To do this, the trunk and branches must be bent and fixed almost on the verge of breaking, so that, in combination with the correct pruning and timely pinching of young shoots, a very beautiful bonsai is obtained. The formed decorative tree of coniferous arborvitae will look interesting in an ensemble with flowering bonsai trees such as indoor azalea, fuchsia, Chinese rose hibiscus.

Photo: Tui bonsai We must immediately make a reservation that the potted thuja, as a room variety specially bred by breeders, does not exist. At home, the eastern thuja or flathead, which we mentioned above, takes root best of all. Caring for this unpretentious type of coniferous plant is very simple and an elegant dwarf tree grows at home to a miniature size. Phytodesigners create very interesting compositions of flowering houseplants against the background of evergreen thuja to decorate the interior, choosing such decorative potted flowers as phalaenopsis or dendrobium orchid, tuberous begonia, Persian cyclamen, gerbera with bright daisy flowers, miniature hydrangea, New Guinean balsam, Thompson's clerodendrum . And in gardening and landscape design, such types of arborvitae as T. western, T. Korean, T. Japanese, T. folded are most suitable.

Photo: thuja orientalis in a pot Interestingly, Buddhist philosophy classifies thuja as a plant that promotes longevity and restores vitality. And some designers use thuja in a pot for the symbolic organization of living space according to feng shui, along with houseplants such as homemade Saintpaulia violets, Zamioculcas Dollar Tree, Gloxinia with very bright flowers, Crassula Money Tree. In addition, room thuja exudes a very delicate aroma, reminiscent of the pleasant smell of spruce resin, which will not leave anyone indifferent.

By the way, this coniferous plant has very effective healing properties. It is recommended to grow thuja at home for people suffering from various respiratory diseases. Along with such popular indoor plants as dieffenbachia and home chrysanthemum, thuja grown in a pot enriches the space of the room with useful essential oils and volatile secretions - phytoncides. These substances purify the air of pathogenic microbes, dust and soothe the nervous system. The coniferous smell of arborvitae helps to restore emotional and physical fatigue after a hard day's work, and effectively relieves stress.

Thuja extract is widely used in perfumery to create useful cosmetics, and is also used in traditional and folk medicine for the preparation of effective medicines. Means that have thuja extract in their composition have different healing properties (today there are tonic, antimicrobial, antitumor, expectorant, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic drugs). Various decoctions and infusions are made from crushed thuja needles. There are many folk recipes for the preparation of therapeutic antiseptics against age spots, warts, papillomas, acne on the skin. Medicines with thuja extract in the composition treat adenoids in children and SARS, as well as cervical erosion, cystitis, trichomonas colpitis. Thuja can compete for the status of "the best home doctor" with such well-known indoor medicinal plants as aloe vera or Agave, medicinal Kalanchoe, Benjamin's ficus, pelargonium geranium, jasmine-like gardenia, myrtle tree, indoor spurge, primrose Primrose.

RECIPES: INfusions and decoctions from TUI NEEDLE.

♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!Location and lighting. Direct sunlight can cause burns on the delicate scaly foliage of the thuja. At home, under the bright rays of the sun, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. It is best to place a pot with a coniferous plant in partial shade, with indirect diffused lighting during the daytime. You can put the pot on a floor stand next to the window on the north side of the room. If you shade the window glass on hot summer days, then the thuja will feel comfortable on a hill next to the western or eastern window.

Temperature regime. In spring and summer, you can take home thuja to a balcony, loggia or garden in a shaded place. The optimum temperature is 18-24°C. In winter, it is necessary to keep the thuja pot away from heating appliances; it is best to place the plant on a glazed loggia. It is desirable that in winter the temperature does not rise above 14-16 ° C.

Air humidity. Moderate or slightly elevated humidity level (40-60%). If the air in the room is too dry (summer heat, the heating system is working), be sure to spray the coniferous plant from a spray bottle with warm soft water.


Watering.
Use warm, settled water for irrigation. It is recommended to observe a moderate watering regime (several times a week). Waterlogging the soil should not be, but drying out the soil is also detrimental to thuja.

Earth mix and top dressing. For planting a young plant, you can make an earthen mixture from coniferous soil. sheet earth and coarse sand in a ratio of 2: 4: 1, and for an adult - sod land, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1.

For top dressing, you can use complex organic and mineral fertilizers for coniferous plants (in half the dose). In summer, thuja most of all needs potash fertilizers, and in spring - nitrogen fertilizers (for adult plants, you can add a little phosphorus fertilizer). It is necessary to feed no more than 2 times a month. In winter, no fertilizer is required.

Transfer. The roots of a coniferous plant are quite long. For planting thuja, choose a tall, but not very wide pot. At the bottom of the pot it is necessary to pour a drainage layer of broken bricks or tiles. A young plant is transplanted annually, and an adult - once every two years. Landing is carried out by transshipment along with an earthen clod.

Reproduction. You can propagate thuja cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the plant is usually propagated by cuttings. A cutting 10-12 cm long is carefully separated with a pruner or a sharp knife from an adult plant. The cut point on the handle should be treated with a root formation stimulator. Then you need to deepen the cutting a few centimeters into the ground and put the container in a warm place and ventilate the room more often. Instead of watering, spray the stalk with a spray bottle with water. When the cutting takes root, it can be transplanted into a suitable pot.

♦ MINIATURE TUI FOR DECORATION OF ROCARY OR ALPINARIUM. PHOTO OF VARIETIES:

♦ VIDEO. HOW TO CARE FOR THUJA AT HOME: Useful tips for caring for room thuja:

Growing western thuja Danica at home:

Tui reproduction:

Dear friends! Please share in the Comments your experience of growing homemade arborvitae. If you have photos or videos, we will be happy to post them on our website - contact email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Home page

INTERESTING FOR WOMEN:

Many are accustomed to seeing thuja as an element of landscape design of a garden or yard. In fact, this amazing tree looks great in the house, on the balcony or loggia, on the veranda. Growing thuja at home is not so difficult, the main thing is to follow all the rules for care.

General information

Thuja is also commonly called the "tree of life", the green beauty belongs to the cypress family. It includes 6 species, but only two species can be kept indoors:

  • Eastern. It looks like a shrub. The needles are rich green.
  • Western. A small tree in the shape of a cone. The needles are dark green, sometimes there is a yellow tint. Quite popular, but very long growing.

Thuja room

You will not find needles on a tree, the branches are covered with scaly leaves that overlap each other. In the autumn, the thuja begins to bloom, after which small cones form.

Where to place the thuja in the house, what temperature does it need

A pot with a plant should not be exposed to the sun, the rays can burn the needles. On the windowsill of the sunny side, the thuja will also not be comfortable, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and crumble. The optimal place for the plant is partial shade, diffused daylight.

You can put a pot of thuja in a flower stand and place it near the window. Another option for protection from direct sunlight is window glass. In this case, the thuja will grow beautiful and green.

In the warm period, thuja can be put on a balcony or loggia. Also, the pot can be taken out into the garden, but set it in the shade.

The air temperature that suits the plant is 18-25 degrees. In winter, the pot is recommended to be set aside from heating objects. The temperature in winter should not fall below 15 degrees Celsius. If the balcony is glazed, the thuja will be comfortable on it.

We water the thuja, what should be the humidity of the air

Thuja can be attributed to those plants that tolerate drought without problems. Therefore, it does not need frequent watering. On hot and dry days, the plant should be watered several times a week. Overwatering will not bring any benefit. But it is also impossible to bring the earthen coma to complete drying.

For irrigation use warm water, previously settled. It is forbidden to take from the tap.

During the growing season, and for a newly planted tree, watering changes somewhat. It is carried out regularly, avoiding drying out. So that there is no stagnation of water, good drainage is established during transplantation.

The optimum air humidity for thuja is 40-60%. If the room is too stuffy, or heating objects are working, the plant should be sprayed with warm water. Do it as needed.

Top dressing and soil for thuja

The choice of soil for thuja depends on its age. For the young, a mixture is prepared, which includes:

  • Coniferous land - 2 parts.
  • Leaf land - 4 parts.
  • Coarse-grained sand - 1 part.

For an adult plant, the following mixture is acceptable:

  • Sod land - 2 parts.
  • Peat - 2 parts.
  • Sand - 1 part.

Top dressing is carried out regularly, the entire warm period. For the winter, the plant does not need to be fertilized. In summer, thuja needs potassium, and in spring - nitrogen. An adult tree can add a little phosphorus. Top dressing should be carried out no more than 2 times in 30 days. You can use purchased fertilizers for plants with needles, but use half as much.

We transplant

Thuja should be planted in a deep pot, but not too wide. This is because the root system of the plant is long. It is mandatory to put drainage at the bottom of the slide. To do this, use a broken brick or tile.

Thuja is transplanted carefully, without disturbing the earthen clod, transshipping. A young plant should be replanted every year, an adult - once every few years.

We propagate

At home, thuja is propagated using:

  • Cherenkov.
  • seed.

Seeds for propagation are not used so often. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the seedlings will be successful. Propagating by seeds is hard work and a long way.

Step-by-step instructions for propagation by seeds:

  • In an adult and healthy plant, the cones are carefully cut off.
  • Put them in a warm place (and cold).
  • After a while, the cones will open and you can extract the seeds.
  • Seeds are wrapped in a cloth, which is pre-wetted with water. They stay like this for 24 hours. The fabric should be moistened as it dries.
  • Take a small pot, fill it with soil and water it. Then the seed is placed.
  • It is not necessary to deepen the seeds, it is enough to sprinkle with earth and cover with wet sawdust.
  • The first shoots can be observed after 1-1.5 months.

When growing thuja seeds, the characteristics of the variety (for example, the color of the needles) may be lost.

Seeds that are ripe in autumn can germinate by spring. For this, stratification is carried out. That is, the seeds are mixed with moistened sand and for about 90 days they should be in a room with a low temperature (3-5 degrees). As an option, put the seed box in the refrigerator or take it to an unglazed balcony. After that, the seeds are sown in the soil, while the temperature should be about 20-23 degrees. After 2 months, sprouts will appear.

When the seeds have germinated, you should create favorable conditions and proper care for growth:

  • Moderate soil moisture.
  • Diffused lighting.

Grown seedlings can be transplanted into a pot to a permanent place, they do it very carefully so as not to damage the delicate root system. The thuja will be completely formed in 3 years, or even 5 years.

Thuja is easier to propagate by cuttings than seeds. Step-by-step instructions for propagation by cuttings:

  • The stalk is carefully separated from the adult thuja. Do this with a sharp knife or secateurs.
  • The optimal size of the handle is 10-12 centimeters.
  • The resulting stalk is deepened into the soil by 2-3 centimeters.
  • A pot with cuttings should be kept in a warm house (apartment).
  • Frequent ventilation is required.
  • The shoot does not need watering, you can replace it with spraying.
  • When the roots appear, the plant can be taken out into the street, and proceed to transplant.

In order for rooting to occur faster, sections are recommended to be treated with a growth accelerator.

Interesting to know! Some flower growers recommend not to cut, namely to tear off the cutting. Pieces of mature wood are torn off, which in the future contributes to rapid rooting.

Care in winter and summer

You need to take care of the thuja regardless of the time of the year. At the same time, care is different at different times. In the warm season, the plant feels great on the balcony. During the growing season, frequent watering is required. On hot days, thuja should be sprayed in the morning and evening. The water is taken warm.

Winter is the dormant time of the plant, special care is not required. The temperature should fluctuate 6-12 degrees. If the balcony and loggia are glazed, the thuja can be kept there. At a higher temperature, the thuja will dry out, and watering will not help it. Watering the green beauty is rarely necessary, and only with warm water.

In the spring, the plant is transplanted. Landing at home should be done carefully. Any damage to the root system can lead to the death of the plant. It is impossible to drop the root neck strongly - this will also destroy the thuja. After planting, thorough watering is necessary.

Pests and diseases

Diseases and pests in thuja grown at home can only appear as a result of improper care. One of the most common problems is the yellowness of the leaves, there are several reasons for this:

  • Planting rules are violated, the root neck is exposed, or too deep into the soil.
  • Falling direct sunlight.

Found in domestic thuja and fungal diseases:

  • Fusarium.
  • Cytospore.

When infected, the needles and shoots are damaged. For the treatment of thuja, specialized preparations are used. Procedures begin to be carried out in the spring, and do not stop until the tree recovers.

With the onset of a dormant period, thuja can change color - this is a natural process, and there is no need to look for diseases.

There are also known pests that pose a danger to the thuja at home (in the apartment):

  • bark beetle Holes appear in the bark of the tree.
  • Shchitovka. It harms the bark and cones, damaging them.
  • Aphid. The first signs of defeat - the needles turn yellow.

You can control pests with insecticides.

Important! The sooner you detect a problem, the easier and faster it will be dealt with. Provide the plant with proper care, and diseases and pests will not be terrible.

What is the benefit

Thuja is not just a beautiful green plant, but also useful. It is recommended to grow it in the house, on the balcony, veranda for people who have problems with the respiratory tract. Thuja secretes essential oils, which are very useful. They contribute:

  • Air purification from dust.
  • Air purification from viruses.
  • Calming the nervous system.

When there is thuja in the house, depression, stress and insomnia are not terrible. The smell of pine needles soothes and pacifies. It's nice to sit on the balcony after a hard day's work and enjoy the magical aroma.

Thuja extract is used for the manufacture of cosmetics, medicines. Thuja is actively used in folk medicine.

Healing qualities of thuja:

  • It has a tonic effect.
  • Used as an expectorant.
  • Included in the diuretic and anticancer drugs.
  • It has hemostatic and antimicrobial properties.

Thuja needles are harvested for the preparation of tinctures and decoctions. They help fight

  • With acne.
  • papillomas and warts.
  • Pigmentation.
  • Cold diseases.
  • cystitis.

Thuja is part of drugs for the treatment of cervical erosion.

You can talk about the benefits of thuja for a long time. Therefore, when planting it at home, you must understand that not just a plant grows in a pot, but a kind of doctor.

Provide proper care for Tuya, and she will definitely thank you.

Thuja in a pot at home

For several years now, conifers have become one of the most popular and beloved ornamental plants. As a rule, compositions with their participation are found in gardens and in the open spaces of urban greenery, however, a huge variety of varieties allows you to choose arborvitae for growing in pots. Learn all about growing thuja on the balcony.

Thuja on the balcony

One of the most versatile types of conifers are western arborvitae, the people use the abbreviated name, just thuja. Great as a shrub, in flowerbeds and hedges, but also great for growing in pots.

Thuja western(Thuja occidentalis), as a species, in nature reaches very large sizes (up to 15-20 m in height) and has the shape of a lush tree. In this form, it is found in cultivation, however, very rarely, since its numerous varieties (often dwarf) are more popular, differing in crown, needle color and height.

Tui varieties for growing in pots

Most varieties of western arborvitae are ideal for the garden and can be used to create hedges and flowerbed arrangements. However, there are plants that are ideal for growing in pots.

Round and dwarf

Among the many varieties of thuja, compact size and spherical crown are characterized, in particular:

  • ‘Danica’- a slow growing variety, grows about 1m in height.
  • 'Teddy'– dwarf variety, grows to about 40-50cm, needs trimming to keep round shape
  • 'Little Champion'- a beautiful, slow growing variety with a dense, compact, spherical crown, grows to about 1m in height
  • ‘Little Dorrit’, ‘Little Giant’, ‘Waterfield’ and ‘Mecki’- a dwarf variety with a dense, spherical crown, grows up to 0.5-1m in height
  • 'Mr Bowling Ball'- a variety with a slightly flattened spherical crown and filiform shoots, grows up to 0.5-1m.
  • ‘Recurva Nana’- a slightly taller but very slowly growing variety with a spherical, cone-shaped crown at a more mature age, grows to about 1.5 m in height.

colorful and small

An interesting color of needles and compact size can boast such varieties as:

  • 'Amber Glow'- a variety with a spherical, uneven crown and yellow needles, grows up to 0.5-1 m
  • ‘Cloth of Gold’- a variety with a conical, free crown and yellowish needles, changes color to orange in winter, grows up to 0.5-1m in height
  • ‘Golden Tuffet’- an interesting dwarf variety with a slightly flattened spherical crown, orange-green needles, grows up to 0.5-1 m in height
  • ‘Meinecke’s Zwerg’- a variety with a spherical crown, spring shoots have a creamy hue, grows up to 1-1.5 m in height
  • ‘Mirjam’- a beautiful dwarf variety, grows slowly, the crown is dense, spherical, yellow-green needles, grows up to 0.5-1 m in height

Requirements and care - how to grow thuja on the balcony?

Thuja in a pot, can decorate balconies and terraces all year round, but to maintain an attractive appearance, it requires more care than plants growing in the open field.

Place

Most thuja grow best in full sun. In the shade, they will look bad and stretch out excessively towards the sun. On shady balconies, it is better to abandon the arborvitae, and plant a yew or cross-pair microbiota.

When planning to plant a thuja on the balcony, you should prepare enough space for them (do not forget that some varieties can grow to a considerable size). You can read about it in the article: Planting thuja - how, where and when to plant thuja

The place should be protected from strong winds (which can throw the plant and lead to freezing in winter).

The soil

For the cultivation of coniferous plants, suitable soil is required, which must be fertile and permeable, and must also have an acidic or slightly acidic pH (with the exception of varieties that prefer a different type of soil).

Plants should be provided with as much earth as possible in pots, so that the earth will remain moist longer and better protect the roots of the plant from the winter cold.

Pots and boxes

For growing thuja, it is best to choose wooden, impregnated boxes or large, frost-resistant pots. Plants should not be planted in plastic, ceramic or metal pots, as they will not protect the plants well from the cold and may crack in the cold (ceramic and plastic).

Each container intended for growing arborvitae should have a drain or a thick layer of drainage at the bottom to protect the roots from flooding. Crates and pots should also have a bottom protected from the cold, so it is worth setting them on a thick wood substrate or on a Styrofoam board.

Watering and fertilizing

A limited amount of land leads to a faster loss of moisture and nutrients, so during the summer heat and winter thaws, thujas in pots may dry out. And during the growing season - nutrient deficiencies.

To avoid problems, plants should be watered systematically in summer, and from March to July, apply appropriate fertilizers intended for coniferous plants (at a lower dose than recommended by the manufacturer).

Wintering

So that conifers growing in containers can decorate a balcony for many years, careful care is required. The biggest threat to them is frost and drought.

Due to the lack of space, the plants cannot take root deep enough and are not protected from the cold as they are in a large layer in the open field, so they are prone to freezing in winter.

In late autumn, plant pots must be covered from frost by wrapping the pots with straw mats or thick non-woven material. It is also worth bearing in mind that in winter, during the thaw, the soil in pots dries out a lot and needs to be slightly moistened.

The rest of the procedures for caring for thujas growing in pots do not differ from the procedures for thujas in the open field. More in the article - Tui cultivation - requirements and care

If you have something to add, please be sure to leave a comment on the site.

Thuja is an evergreen coniferous plant that is very fond of landscape designers. They love to use slender thuja pyramids to place around the perimeter of the site. After all, such a living fence will always look great and will not require special care. In addition, this tree will actively release useful phytoncides into the environment.

Ordinary gardeners love thuja no less. They are well aware that for planting this plant on the site it is not at all necessary to buy expensive cuttings in nurseries, you can grow thuja at home on your own. This article will tell novice gardeners how to grow thuja.

Selection of planting material

Before you start growing thuja you need to choose the right planting material. It must be selected based on the following criteria:

Varietal variety of thuja

In nature, 5 types of thuja grow:

  • Japanese.
  • Korean.
  • Folded.
  • Eastern.
  • Western.

Western thuja is in greatest demand among gardeners and landscape designers. The fact is that this species has a pyramidal crown with diameters up to 5 m. It fits very well into any landscape design of the site. In addition, this type of thuja perfectly tolerates cold and therefore is excellent for growing in our climatic conditions.

To date, breeders have bred many varieties of this type of thuja. The following are the most popular:

Planting thuja

For the first planting, it is best to use seedlings, bought from a nursery. In the future, you will not have to buy them, since thuja can be propagated in various ways, which will be discussed below.

You can grow thuja both in the sun and in partial shade. But in the shade this plant should not be planted. The fact is that from a lack of sunlight, his crown will thin out. In addition, when planting, remember that this plant does not like excess moisture. Therefore, if groundwater is located close to the surface on the site, then full drainage will have to be done.

As for the ground, then this plant survives well on any soil, but feels best in black soil. It is also not recommended to plant it on clay soils. There it can develop root rot.

If there is no black soil on the site, then it is recommended to enrich the soil with humus, compost and peat before planting. The latter is necessary for better air permeability of the soil. On acidic soils, the preliminary application of lime or ordinary ash is recommended.

The process of planting a seedling is as follows:

When planting several seedlings between them, you need to maintain a distance of at least 5 meters. If a hedge is formed from seedlings, then the distance should be 1 m.

Thuja: growing from seeds

Growing thuja from seeds at home- a very profitable occupation in all respects. First, you can grow a large number of seedlings at a time. Secondly, you do not have to pay for seedlings. Thirdly, all seedlings will be the same age and size. This option is perfect for those who have plans to create a hedge on the site. Finally, we should not forget that a plant grown from seeds takes root better in a particular area.

There are a couple of disadvantages to growing thuja in this way:

  • Seedlings grow for a long time. From sowing to transferring the seedling to the ground, 5 years can pass.
  • Despite the same appearance, seedlings can be very different from parent trees. This is due to the possible loss of varietal characteristics.

Seed harvesting

If the gardener decided to propagate this plant with seeds, then he needs to properly prepare planting material. The collection of the latter should begin in early autumn. To do this, you need to choose ripe cones. You can recognize them by their brown color.

The collected cones are dried at home for several days until they are fully opened. After that, the seeds are removed from them by light tapping. Ripe seeds fall out easily. Only those seeds that are dark brown in color should be selected.

After collecting the seeds, you can begin to stratify them. To do this, they need to be wrapped in a rag and dug in moist soil. From above, the soil can be covered with fallen leaves or put a piece of insulation. In this state, the seeds are left for the winter.

After wintering seed material is removed from the soil and poured into a previously prepared container with dry sand. The latter, together with the seeds, should be placed in the refrigerator for 2 months.

By the end of the above period, you need to prepare the soil for planting seeds. They take root best in a mixture of soddy soil, peat sand.

Sowing thuja seeds

It is best to plant seeds at home. For this, wooden boxes are prepared, on the bottom of which a layer of drainage 2 cm thick is poured. A nutrient mixture is poured onto the drainage. All this is well tamped down. Then, furrows are made in the soil mixture into which seeds are sown. The distance between them should not be less than 6 cm. After that, the seeds should be sprinkled on top with a mixture of peat and sand and watered with a spray bottle.

The box with the planted seed should be covered with a film and put in a warm place until the first shoots appear. In this case, do not forget to moisten the soil every day with a spray gun. It is better not to use direct watering, as this can lead to a blurring of the soil mixture and exposing the seeds.

After the appearance of the first shoots the film is removed from the boxes. The boxes themselves should be moved to a cool place and provided with sufficient lighting. It remains only to observe the seedlings and get rid of dead plants in time.

Seedling care at home

First of all, their strong growth should not be allowed. With a strong thickening of the seedlings, they develop poorly. If young plants still grow strongly, then they are not cut off, but seated. When there is no thickening, then it is better not to replant the seedlings during the 1st year.

On the 2nd year of life grown seedlings in any case will have to be transplanted into separate pots, which should then be transferred from home to outdoor conditions. This is necessary for better adaptation of plants to the climate. For wintering, it is better to return the plants to the house.

In the autumn of the 3rd year of life seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place.

In summer, pots with seedlings should be in partial shade at a temperature of 17 to 23 ° C. For the winter, plants should be placed in a room with a temperature regime of 15 to 18 ° C.

After planting the seedlings in open ground, the first 2 years of their free life will have to be securely covered for the winter.

Seedlings in the first years of life do not tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, it is necessary to protect them from such influence. Experts advise storing boxes and pots with seedlings on the windowsills of windows facing the west or north side.

Seedlings should be fed regularly. As fertilizers, you need to use those mixtures that contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. It is also useful to add compositions with boron and manganese to the soil.

Top dressing should be given 2 times a month.

Thuja: propagation by cuttings

You can grow thuja not only from seeds, but also from cuttings. The latter are harvested from the upper parts of the axial shoots. This allows the branching characteristic of the parent to be preserved in the daughter plant. It is better not to use side branches for grafting, as they will make a creeping form of thuja.

When harvesting cuttings, you do not need to cut them. It is better to tear off planting material from the main branch along with the bark. After that, using a sharp knife, you need to clean the ends of the cuttings.

The timing of growing thuja from cuttings depends on the maturity and health of the branches that were used to obtain the cuttings. The younger they are, the faster the cuttings take root.

For better survival of planting material in recent years, gardeners are increasingly using growth substances, for example, organic acids. Their use allows you to increase the survival of seedlings.

If the gardener plans to germinate cuttings in a greenhouse, then it is best to harvest them in April. In this case, at least 75% of all seedlings survive. When rooting cuttings at home, they should be planted in pots filled with quartz sand. From above it is sprinkled with a thin layer of peat.

Cuttings should be planted to a depth of no more than 3 cm. After planting, the pots should be in a room with an air temperature of no more than 8 ° C.

It takes a year for the cuttings to fully root. That is, next spring they can already be placed in open ground. However, before that, they must stand in a greenhouse for 3 weeks.

Fertilizers for growing thuja

In order for this plant to grow properly, it needs to be fertilized regularly. For this purpose, it is best to use the following types of fertilizers:

  • Organics. It is used in cases where it is required to improve the general agricultural background. Organic fertilizers include: manure, peat, compost.
  • mineral fertilizers. First of all, we are talking about mineral complexes containing potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Without them, the normal cultivation of thuja in the northwestern and northern regions of our country can hardly be called effective.
  • Microfertilizers. They contain trace elements such as: manganese, molybdenum, zinc, cobalt, etc.

Conclusion

Tui cultivation This is not an easy, but very exciting process. Yes, it will take more than one year to grow an adult plant, but real gardeners will not be afraid of any difficulties.

Among the variety of coniferous trees, thuja is especially loved by summer residents, owners of private houses. This is not surprising - thuja is frost-resistant, unpretentious, aesthetically attractive. Planting and care in the open field will not require significant work from the summer resident, but the presence of a thuja on the site will be positive from any point of view. It is great for forming hedges, with its help you can create unique green shapes for landscape design of the site, arrange paths. We will consider the nuances of planting, caring for the coniferous beauty of thuja so that it takes root on your site.

This tree, like its coniferous counterparts, exudes a wonderful aroma, enriches the air with useful phytoncides. A lot of positive qualities are thuja.

Thuja differs from pine or spruce in that it does not have needles, its branches are covered with small green scales, soft, pleasant to the touch. It is secretly called the "royal tree" - it is well deserved.

Tui tree - selection of seedlings

If you do not plan to independently propagate the thuja, then you can purchase ready-made, grown seedlings.

They can be bought in nurseries that breed conifers, or in a specialized store. There, among the declared assortment, you will choose the desired variety, buy a healthy tree adapted to the local climate.

Small thuja seedlings from nurseries vary in size and age. If you have a small seedling, then it will not be difficult to “grow” it on your own until it is planted at a permanent place of growth. You can also purchase a large copy, already ready for the design of the site or the local area.

When choosing, always pay attention to the conditions of plant maintenance, the degree of soil moisture in containers, the strength of coniferous scales on a branch. The branches of seedlings should be elastic, the needles do not crumble, there are no spots or signs of illness on it. Upon arrival home, hurry to transplant them to a shady place, water them.

Planting thuja in open ground

When to plant thuja? Thuja will take root perfectly on your site at any time of the year, except for late autumn or winter. Gardeners with experience advise precisely the spring period - April, May. Planted in the spring, it will hurt less, grow faster, adapt better to the environment.

But here in the Kuban, I would still advise the planting of the thuja to be postponed to the fall. Our summer is hot, it will be difficult for a fragile tree to endure the heat. And, planted in the fall, she will meet the summer stronger, well-rooted.

Where to plant thuja in the garden? The landing site should be slightly shaded, consider this factor when planning the landscape design of the site. Under direct sunlight, the tree will wither, and subsequently it will be worse to endure the winter cold. In a completely dark place, the thuja will slowly develop, the branches will lose their splendor and brightness. The ideal territory for it would be a windless section of the site, with light shading, close occurrence of groundwater. How to plant thuja?

Thuya -, step-by-step actions:

  1. First, we dig a rather deep hole - 80-100 cm deep, with similar diameter sizes (if you have a large seedling, of course, and not like the one in the photo above). The recess should be such that a tree with an earthen clod can freely enter there. At the bottom we pour a little earth mixed with wood ash or other organic fertilizer.
  2. We put the thuja in the hole, while its root collar should be located on the same level with the soil surface.
  3. We mix the dug earth with sand, peat (1: 1), fill the recess with the seedling with this mixture, and then lightly trample it down.

The distance between the thujas during planting should be determined according to the characteristics of the variety, since the thujas are very small and vice versa, very tall. Small trees can be planted a meter apart, large ones - about 4-5 m. Some varieties of thuja reach 15-20 meters in height, and their crown grows in breadth up to 3-4 m (for example, thuja western Brabant). For full development, such a tree needs space, but when decorating alleys, green corridors, and hedges, arborvitae are planted at a distance of 1 meter, regardless of variety and type.


Tui Western Smaragd and spherical Danica

How to care for thuja

Competent care for this conifer involves watering, fertilizing, loosening the trunk circle, and crown formation. After the tree is planted at its permanent place of residence, primary feeding is performed. For these purposes, growth stimulants of natural origin are often used (most gardeners choose Epin). The components of such dressings contribute to better rooting of the tree, improve resistance to diseases. In the spring, thuja can be fed with potassium-phosphorus additives, it is better to do this twice, the break between fertilizers should be 10-15 days.

In the spring, the frequency of irrigation is affected by the amount of rain, with the onset of summer, 2 times a week is enough, in the spring - 1 time. If it rains more often, then there is no need to water, rain moisture will be enough. Thuja requires high-quality watering at all stages of life (seedling, adult tree), while the crown also loves irrigation. In order for the branches to be elastic, shiny, to please you with the brightness of green shades, the minimum amount of water for the root area should be 10 liters per watering (1 time per week, if the summer is very dry, then up to 3 times). You can determine the lack of moisture by the state of the top of the thuja - it begins to turn yellow. It is better to water the trees early in the morning or in the evening.

Thuja is very fond of crown irrigation, for these procedures the purchase of a special nozzle becomes relevant. From such sprinkling, dust is washed off, a fresher appearance of the tree is provided, and a pleasant coniferous aroma begins to stand out. Do not be afraid to overdo it with irrigation, 1-2 times a day will only benefit the thuja.

Returning to fertilizers, it is worth noting that too frequent fertilizing for thuja is not required. Special mineral compositions for conifers (for example, "Fertika") or compost, which has already become a classic additive, is enough to use twice a season - in spring, in summer. Fertilizers are applied during loosening: they are laid out in a near-stem circle, and during plowing they are mixed with the topsoil. In summer, the additive can be diluted with water, used for irrigation.

The near-stem area must be periodically cleared of weeds, loosened, mulched with sawdust or compost. Decoratively colored sawdust (they are dyed with natural ingredients) or walnut shells look very attractive. Mulching creates some barrier to weeds, retains moisture, improves the condition of the tree as a whole.

As for cutting or artistic pruning, it is better not to touch it for the first two years of a tree's life, it should take root in its place. You can start caring for the crown from the third year from the moment of planting. Initially, dried, weak branches are removed, the degree of density is determined. Excessive thinning adversely affects the decorative qualities of the tree, everything should be in moderation.

The main pruning is carried out in April, and then only the shape is corrected. For high-quality air circulation, maintaining a “peppy” appearance of thuja, gardeners recommend removing all branches of annual growth.

If the artistic design requires the tree to grow in breadth, then only the upper part of the crown should be trimmed. From thuja, you can create various geometric shapes, columns, figures of animals or fairy-tale characters. Beginning gardeners can quite easily give the tree crown the shape of a ball, cascade, curb. Mowing or pruning is best done in dry weather.

How fast does thuja grow? It depends on the variety. Dwarf varieties grow slowly. Vertical is faster, but annual growth also depends on the variety. For example, thuja Brabant gives up to 30-40 cm of growth per year, and Smaragd - up to 10 cm.

Thuja - preparation for winter

For colder regions of the country, frost-resistant varieties of thuja (western) should be chosen. Despite their unpretentiousness, they also require preparation for the cold season. In autumn, it is necessary to provide trees with abundant watering, since even in winter the thuja continues to develop, albeit slowly.

How to care for thujas in winter? In the first years of life, young representatives must be insulated. With the help of a dense polyethylene film, non-woven spunbond or other suitable covering material, a kind of cocoon is formed that will retain heat and let the rays of the sun through. You can even purchase special covers designed specifically for this purpose, they are sold by the garden department of supermarkets or in online stores.

Roots for the winter are covered with fallen leaves, which are removed with the onset of spring, as soon as the upper layer of the earth thaws. The overgrown crowns of adult thujas are carefully tied with a wide ribbon to prevent snow from accumulating on the branches.

In order to please the eye, there was a healthy thuja, planting and care in the open field should be carried out correctly, in a timely manner. This tree is quite unpretentious, but the result of simple care is expressed not only by its external beauty, the decoration of the territory. A green thuja hedge will absorb noise from the street, neighboring areas, and also protect your site from prying eyes.

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