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Thuya Danica is a dwarf variety of coniferous shrub. The variety was obtained in Denmark in the middle of the twentieth century; it has been growing in the BIN Botanical Garden since 1992. It is used to decorate rocky gardens and create green borders.
Description of the western thuja Danica
Tui Danica has brown or reddish bark that flakes off. It grows very slowly, tolerates frost well. When choosing a landing site, it should be borne in mind that Danica’s thuja loves light, but can also grow in partial shade.
The needles of the thuja Danica are emerald green, elegant and lacy. The crown is dense, looks very decorative. The arrangement of needles and branches is dense, reminiscent of emeralds.
Dimensions of an adult plant thuja Danica
Thuja Danica is a dwarf variety, about 60 cm high. The crown is spherical in shape, up to 1 m in diameter. The description of the size of the Danica thuja does not always coincide with the real ones. On good soil, it can be a little larger, and on poor soil, it can be smaller in height and volume.
Varieties and varieties
To the miniature forms of the western thuja with the usual green scaly needles, in addition to Danik, there are several more varieties:
- Dumoza;
- Globoza;
- Hetz;
- Midjet;
- Howey;
- Little Champion;
- Little Jam.
The size of the bush is similar to Aurey Nana Danica, it differs only in the color of the needles and in the slightly elongated shape of the crown. Aurea has a yellow-green color, then becomes light green, and brownish-yellow in winter.
Thuya Globoza also has a spherical crown shape, it is slightly larger than the Danica variety. The height of the bush is 1,2 m, and the width of the crown is 1 m.
There is also a dwarf form of Globoz Nana. The height of the shrub is only 30 cm, it resembles a small green ball. Perfect for rock gardens and rock gardens with miniature varieties of flowers and ornamental grasses.
The use of thuja Danica in landscape design
Thuja western Danica, according to the photo and description of gardeners, is decorative throughout the year, it looks beautiful in the foreground of any composition. Tui look beautiful in small containers, displayed along the paths in the garden or on the main staircase. This is the perfect material for a sheared evergreen border.
Features of reproduction
Thuja Danica is propagated using cuttings. This method allows you to transfer to the seedlings all the properties of the mother plant. Thuja from the handle will have the same spherical crown, needle color and small size.
For harvesting cuttings, 2-year-old shoots are suitable, about 10-15 cm long. They must not be cut, but broken off together with the “heel”, this will contribute to better rooting.
Description of the rooting process:
- Needles are removed from the bottom of the cutting.
- For rooting, they take a planting container and a loose soil mixture (turf, sand, peat).
- The cutting is placed in the soil to a depth of 5 cm.
- Then moisten with a spray bottle.
- Cover the stalk with a package, and put it on a bright, warm windowsill.
- Periodically open, and spray from a spray bottle, maintaining 100% humidity, making sure that mold does not form.
- After 2-3 months, the cuttings will begin to take root.
In the spring, rooted cuttings can be planted in the garden in a school for subsequent growth, and a year later they can be planted in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for thuja Danica
Having bought a sapling of thuja globular Danica in the garden center, or having grown it yourself from a cutting, they prepare the soil on the site. Not only the correct fit is important, but also the subsequent care.
A young seedling planted in the ground is watered regularly during the first month, this is important for good survival. Mulch the trunk circle with peat, compost, wood chips or needles. This will keep weeds from growing and keep moisture in the ground.
Recommended dates
Thuja Danica can be planted in open ground in spring and autumn. Spring and autumn plantings have their pros and cons. A plant planted in spring or summer will almost restore its root system by autumn, and will adapt to the local climate. In spring, garden centers have a much larger selection of quality seedlings than in autumn. If you need a lot of planting material, this is an important argument in favor of spring planting thuja.
Not all garden centers provide quality care for plants, so in the fall you can buy a sick or weakened plant. Proponents of autumn plantings believe that the later Danica’s thuja is planted, the better. In autumn, you can buy a seedling at a bargain price thanks to seasonal sales.
Site selection and soil preparation
When planting and caring for the thuja western Danica, it is important to choose the right place: without stagnant water, well lit, where there is direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. In the shade of the thuja, the crown becomes loose and openwork. The immune system of the plant weakens over time, and it becomes more susceptible to fungal diseases.
Thuja Danica is not demanding on the soil, it can grow in any area. But prefers moist, breathable soil. On poor, sandy soil and with insufficient moisture, the thuja needles become pale green, the bush begins to bear fruit often and abundantly.
Landing algorithm
In the thuja western Danica (Danica), the description of planting and subsequent care for gardeners is not difficult. The main thing is to properly deepen the root collar.
Description of the process:
- Prepare planting pits for seedlings. If they plant a hedge, make a trench.
- The size of the planting hole should ideally be twice as wide and as deep as the root ball.
- The root neck of the thuja should be at ground level or 1-2 cm higher, as the soil can subside and the root neck will be buried.
- At a container plant, they knead or comb a lump, do not remove the mesh or burlap, they will quickly rot.
- Putting the plant in a hole, fill the remaining space with soil so that there are no air pockets inside.
- At the end, they are watered, spending about a bucket of water per plant.
After planting, it is advisable to shade the plant. To do this, you can use the facade grid and put screens. Shading will help reduce evaporation of moisture until the root system is restored.
Features of growing Tui Danica
Although the thuja Danica plant is unpretentious, it requires constant care. If you neglect the fulfillment of the basic agrotechnical requirements, the thuja will lose its decorative effect or even die.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
In the first year of planting or transplanting, the Danica thuja is regularly watered once a week. For each plant spend a bucket of water. Tui respond well to sprinkling – watering along the crown. From the second year, the ground under the conifers is loosened 1-2 times a season, without going far, since the root system is superficial.
It is better not to overfeed the plant, an excess of nitrogen fertilizers can lead to sad consequences. The winter hardiness of thuja Danica will decrease. In the spring, a complex mineral fertilizer is applied for coniferous plants, and in the middle or end of August, potassium top dressing. This will allow Tuya Danica to better prepare for the winter.
Tui Danica haircut rules
You can cut Danica’s thuja, whose height does not exceed 60 cm, all year round, but it is better to do this when the air temperature is not too high. You can not cut during rain and frost, plants can do more harm than good. Only young green shoots are sheared, trying not to touch last year’s crown, so as not to leave bald spots.
Haircut is performed twice per season: the first time in May, the second – in September. If this is not done, the bushes lose their correct spherical shape, the crown becomes loose, loses its high decorative effect.
Before pruning, to create a beautiful landscape design, a film is laid around the Danica thuja (pictured), then all the garbage will be easy to remove and take to the landfill. With hands in work gloves, they carefully clean out the old, dead needles from the base of the branches. It is desirable to carry out cleaning twice a season – in the spring before a haircut and in August or September. To cut the crown with manual garden shears, they start from the bottom, and then go around the entire perimeter.
Preparation for winter
In autumn, the color of the needles changes to brown-green and turns yellow inside the crown near the trunk. This is a normal process. The winter color of the needles is a protective mechanism that helps the plant to overwinter, and partially protects against spring burns.
Autumn care for Danica’s globular thuja includes shelter. Its needles must be protected from early spring sunburn. It can get very burnt, lose its decorative effect, and then it will take a long time to restore the needles. The plant is sheltered from the bright spring sun. This can be done in late autumn or in February. For shelter, you should not use various geotextiles; it is better to take white calico or burlap. You can put shading screens on the south side, where the sun shines more often and more.
Pests and diseases
Thuya Danica, according to the description of gardeners, is unpretentious in care and is considered a resistant plant, but is sometimes damaged by diseases and pests. As a rule, thuja diseases are of fungal origin; systemic fungicides are used against them.
There are also specific pests:
- thuja false shield;
- thuja aphid.
To combat harmful insects, insecticides of contact and systemic action are used.
Conclusion
Thuya Danica is a compact spherical shrub with a dense bright green crown. This is a great decoration for the garden. The advantages of the variety include undemanding to the soil, resistance to drought and excess moisture, frost resistance. You can grow thuja Danica yourself from a cutting.
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