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A thuja hedge is very popular among owners of private houses and summer residents. And this is not surprising, such a fence has many advantages, but questions arise during planting. And the most common problems are the choice of variety and the features of caring for thujas.
Benefits of creating a thuja hedge
The evergreen hedge is not only beautiful, but also functional. Such a thuja fence can hide unsightly buildings that are located outside the site. In addition, the hedge purifies the air thanks to phytoncides. The protection keeps dust, dirt, harmful gases.
If you plant thuja bushes close, you will get a dense hedge, which will serve to frame the garden or divide the territory into zones. However, these are not all the advantages of evergreens. With the help of thuja on the site, you can create beautiful figures that will become the main design element.
The best varieties of thuja for hedges
Perennial thujas are universal plants, it remains only to choose the best varieties for hedges that will take root well in a particular region.
The climate in Our Country is so diverse that not everywhere the thuja will feel comfortable. To create an evergreen fence in the south of the country, all varieties are suitable, you need to choose only for decorative qualities and purpose. But for the Northern regions and the middle zone, it is necessary to take into account the frost resistance of the plant. The hedge is restored for a long time and there should be no mistakes when planting it. For these climatic regions, thuja Brabant and Smaragd are more often used.
In addition, shrubs for hedges are selected from the destination. There are undersized varieties of this plant that are well suited for forming borders and zoning the garden. Fast-growing tall varieties are best planted along the edge of the site. Such plants recover well after winter, the hedge remains dense and attractive for a long time.
Fast growing thuja varieties for hedges
Thuja Brabant is not only frost-resistant, but also fast-growing, which is especially good for a hedge framing the site. It is not difficult to grow a real green wall in a short period of time. During the year, the shrub increases by 15 cm in width and up to 35 cm in height. The plant recovers well after winter or an unsuccessful haircut, quickly increases its green mass. This is ideal for beginners who are inexperienced in growing green hedges.
However, the Brabant shrub has one drawback – in the fall, the thuja needles turn red, and in the spring it needs careful care, especially during the drought. Yes, frequent haircuts can be stressful. Twice a year you need to carry out the formation and pruning.
The Smaragd variety does not grow so fast. It forms young shoots well, but somewhat slower than the previous one. This can be attributed to both advantages and disadvantages. The plant is suitable for professionals and experienced gardeners. After all, after unsuccessful molding, the hedge will not recover so quickly. However, frequent haircuts are not needed for a living fence.
Thuja Smaragd can be used to create green figures in the garden. Her needles are dense, even, regular in shape. But to maintain a rich color, the shrub needs more moisture than the previous variety.
Thuja Globoza can be attributed to fast-growing varieties. From its spherical shrubs, an attractive hedge is obtained, the height of which will reach 2 m. The shoots grow densely, evenly, but once every 2 years they need to be rejuvenated. The variety tolerates frosts well, but the branches can disintegrate under the weight of snow, so it is better to pull them off. Thuya Globoza tolerates drought well and grows well in the shade, which can be called an advantage of the variety.
Which thuja is best suited for hedges
For a hedge that will be inside a plot or border, thuja varieties with a small annual increase are better suited. You can stop at the Danica variety. The peculiarity of the variety is its spherical crown, which in an adult plant reaches 0,5 m. The thuja grows slowly and does not require pruning, as it perfectly retains the shape of the crown.
Thuja Columna grows very slowly. The average plant reaches a height of 1-1,5 m, but this takes a long time. A green fence of these shrubs will not bring trouble and will remain attractive for a long time. Mature plants grow up to 7 m. Shrubs are beautiful, with a dense pyramidal crown, with the right haircut they give thick shoots. The frost resistance of the plant is very high, so there is no reason to be afraid that the hedge will freeze.
Thuja Holmstrup can be considered the best for a green fence. The plant grows slowly, it needs to be cut every 2 years. And the indisputable advantage is the needles of the plant – it changes color throughout the season. Such a fence will look attractive. The maximum height of a living fence is 3 m. Thuja Holmstrup is unpretentious, winters well and does not suffer from the spring sun.
How to make a thuja hedge
Tui are unpretentious plants, but there are still some aspects in their cultivation. They must be taken into account when planting shrubs, because some varieties recover for a long time and do not forgive the gardener’s mistakes.
Recommended dates
The best time to plant is autumn when the ground is damp. In different regions, the timing is different, but before frost there should be time for the thuja to get stronger and take root well. You can plant a hedge in early spring, but no later than April.
Soil Preparation
The place for the thuja should be well protected from gusts of cold wind. The soil is preferably acidic, well-drained. It is prepared in advance. Groundwater around the perimeter should be deep. The root system of the thuja is vulnerable and does not tolerate such a neighborhood.
The distance between the thujas in the hedge
It is necessary to place a thuja for a hedge in one row at a distance of about 50-60 cm. It all depends on the variety and growth rate of the plant, as well as on the desired planting density. For some varieties, the distance between plantings may be different. For example, fast-growing arborvitae, such as Brabant, are placed 70 cm apart for hedges. Plants are gaining green mass well and it is easier to care for them if they are planted not too densely.
To make the fence look denser, the plants are planted in a checkerboard pattern, leaving about 1 m between them.
How to plant a thuja for a hedge
To create a fence from thuja, not adult plants are chosen, but young seedlings, whose age is about 4 years. Such shrubs are cheaper, and take root better. The optimal plant height is 1 m.
Tui planting is carried out by a trench method according to the following plan:
- Dig a trench along the perimeter of the site, about 50 cm deep. The width of the moat is slightly larger than the root system of the seedling.
- The bottom of the ditch is well drained, a layer of nutrient soil is placed on top, then compost and humus.
- Seedlings are set at the right distance so that the root neck is flush with the soil or slightly lower.
If thujas are planted in 2 rows, then the same recommendations are followed.
How to care for a thuja hedge
Growing a thuja is not a hassle, but this does not mean at all that a hedge will grow on its own. Shrubs need good and regular care. It is necessary to take special care of the plants at first, until the thujas take root.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
The most important thing in growing thuja is watering. Everything is not so simple here, many gardeners make typical mistakes, trying to moisten the soil after certain periods of time. It is not right. It is impossible to select the interval between waterings. Young seedlings are watered abundantly at first, then, as needed. The soil under the thujas should be checked regularly, during the hot period they are moistened more strongly and mulched.
The first years of thuja are not fed if the landing trench is filled according to the rules. Further, specialized fertilizers are applied for thuja, the choice of which is large. In spring and summer, nitrogen fertilizing is used, and in autumn they switch to phosphorus.
Loosening and mulching the soil
A hedge grows well if the soil is loose and well permeable to air and moisture. Therefore, after each watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil under the plantations so that a crust does not form. However, this must be done carefully so as not to damage the root system. Loosening depth – no more than 10 cm.
So that the roots of the thuja do not overheat and do not suffer from a lack of moisture, the trunk circle is mulched. Use different material, most often humus. It will not only retain moisture, but also serve as top dressing.
Thuja hedge trimming
Shearing and shaping play an important role in the life of a green thuja hedge. There is one rule here – the minimum number of shoots is cut at a time, no more than 30%. If you cut off more, that the thuja will simply dry out and the fence will die.
The timing of the haircut is different, it all depends on the climate zone and the purpose of pruning. If it is necessary to restrain the growth of the fence, then the formation is started before the buds open. For recovery and rapid growth, the hedge is sheared after flowering.
For cutting fences, use high-quality garden shears or secateurs. Tools must be clean and well-sharpened so as not to bring dirt into wounds.
A properly trimmed thuja from the side resembles a pyramid. Experienced gardeners recommend cutting one side of the hedge the first year, and the other the next season. So, the needles will grow evenly and the errors will not be so noticeable.
From the first time, not everyone succeeds in cutting the thuja correctly, so many use special frames. They are put on a bush and cut off everything superfluous. After such a haircut, the entire hedge is even and the same.
Conclusion
A thuja hedge on the site is not a myth, but a reality. It is quite possible to grow it yourself. You just need to decide on the variety and from the very beginning give the shrubs enough time to avoid mistakes. Thuja is a grateful plant, it perfectly tolerates a haircut and frost.
