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Tui transplantation is not a very pleasant process, both for the tree and for the owner, but, nevertheless, it is often necessary. The reasons for transplantation can be very diverse, although, mainly, they are forced measures in the event of extraordinary situations. The transplant process itself is technically simple, but it may not have very pleasant consequences, since its root system is injured. Not the least role in its success is the time of thuja transplantation.
In what cases is it necessary to transplant thuja to another place
The reasons for transplanting thuja can be very diverse. Preferably, large thujas are transplanted, since their too high growth (which may have been incorrectly predicted during the initial planting) interferes with the development of other plants or poses a danger to humans.
Another reason for transplants is the acquisition of already adult species. This is a rational solution, and it occurs quite often. Thuja is an excellent decorative coniferous tree, but its growth rate, especially at the beginning of life, is low. Thuja grows to an adult state for a very long time, which in some cases is unacceptable for its future owner.
That is why the purchase of an already adult thuja is quite logical and justified. However, with it there is a problem in transporting the tree and transplanting it. Often it even has to be transplanted and brought not just from the nursery, but directly from the forest.
The third reason why thuja can be transplanted is the design aspect. There are frequent situations when the thuja does not fit into the site and significantly distorts its appearance. At the same time, it either looks unsuccessful, or introduces an imbalance in the overall composition, or simply interferes with the implementation of one or another idea of the author. If such problems become critical, the thuja needs to be transplanted.
Is it possible to transplant an adult thuja
All botanists and gardeners agree that it is possible to transplant an adult thuja. Moreover, as practice shows, most transplanted thujas are already adults.
Until what age can thuja be transplanted
There are no age restrictions on thuja transplantation. The transplantation algorithm will be the same, that for a young thuja 3-5 years old, that for a 20-30-year-old “veteran”. However, the difference in the nuances of transplanting large and small trees can be quite significant.
In order to properly transplant an adult thuja, first of all, it will be necessary to take care of the safety of its root system, which can be a serious problem for large trees. For example, a 2-fold difference in growth means that the mass (and with it the root system with an earthy clod) of such a tree will be 8 times greater. Such issues must be taken into account when replanting mature trees, since in this case we are talking not only about labor costs, but also about the possible use of special tools.
As for the time of transplantation of an adult species, the question of when to transplant a large thuja, in spring or autumn, does not depend on its age.
When can I transplant thuja to another place
Botanists and gardeners still do not have an unambiguous assessment of what time of the year is optimal for arborvitae transplantation. According to observational statistics, there is not much difference in the survival rate of trees transplanted in spring, summer or autumn. It’s just that each period of the warm season has its own characteristics, both positively and negatively affecting the adaptation of the thuja in a new place, and, as a result, its future life.
When to transplant thuja in spring or autumn
The question of when to transplant thuja, in spring or autumn, belongs to the gardener’s personal preference. Each of the periods has its own characteristics:
- Tui transplantation in the fall is good because at this time the coniferous tree has a very high chance of taking root and normalizing its metabolism. This is due, first of all, to the fact that it is with the onset of cold weather that the regeneration of the roots is activated in the thuja, and it manages to grow additional root processes in a relatively short time, as well as restore the injured parts of the root system. The disadvantages include the fact that sometimes this time may not be enough, since rapidly advancing frosts can only aggravate the situation with an injured and not yet prepared for winter root system.
- Transplanting thuja in the spring to another place has other advantages. In spring, thuja gets much more time to adapt, so it will definitely have time to prepare for winter and restore the root system after transplantation. However, not everything is smooth here either: transplantation must be carried out early enough, before the start of the growing season, otherwise disease resistance will be significantly reduced.
Based on the possible risks, terrain and climate, a decision should be made at what time a transplant is needed. For example, if the winter in the southern region is not too cold, and the warm period ends closer to November, it is advisable to transplant in the fall.
In the case of a relatively short summer and severe winter, transplantation should be carried out only in the spring.
Is it possible to transplant thuja in the summer
Transplantation of an adult thuja can also be carried out in the summer. This period is a kind of compromise between the spring danger of getting sick and the autumn danger of not having time to form a root system. It’s just that, unlike spring or autumn transplantation, in summer it is extremely difficult to more or less reliably determine the behavior of the thuja after transplantation.
How to transplant an adult thuja to another place
In order to transplant thuja from the ground without problems, it is necessary to determine the place of transplantation and carry out preliminary work on it. The success of the entire operation will depend on their correctness and effectiveness by 80%. Below are the manipulations for preparing the landing site, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to transplant thuja in spring or autumn.
Where to transplant
The correct determination of the place where the thuja will be transplanted is the most important problem in transplanting. In a new place, the tree should be comfortable enough so that in the first days after transplantation it does not expend energy on any processes other than those associated with adaptation.
Thuja loves sunny areas, so there should not be tall buildings, structures, trees, etc. near her.
Thuja is very negative about drafts, so they should not be at her new landing site. It is equally important to protect the thuja from the winds that have a predominant direction in this region, with the help of artificial or natural hedges.
Thuja is a calcephile, that is, it prefers alkaline soils. The very nature of the soil can be clayey, sandy loam or even swampy. The tree prefers poor soils. It is not recommended to grow it in more nutritious areas (chernozems, etc.)
The location of groundwater should not be too close to the surface. For each of the thuja varieties, this value is different, but in the general case it is relatively small and does not exceed 1-1,5 m. On the other hand, the thuja root system is not so vulnerable to constant moisture in the soil, so this requirement is rather recommended, than mandatory.
Features of the preparation of the landing pit
The selected area must be cleared of weeds, it is advisable to even dig it to a depth of 10-20 cm.
Under the thuja, they dig a hole with a depth and width of 50-70 cm more than an earthen clod of a transplanted tree. Previously, the pit is filled with water and soil for the arborvitae is laid in it.
The composition of the soil may be as follows:
- river sand;
- peat;
- humus.
All components are taken in equal parts. In addition, wood ash and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are added to the composition. Nitrogen fertilizers cannot be added, since the growth of the “green” part of the tree is undesirable at this stage.
How to transplant a large thuja
The procedure for transplanting an adult thuja is as follows:
- They dig and prepare a landing hole according to the algorithm indicated earlier. All work must be completed 3-4 months before planting.
- Closer to the time of planting, an additional 100 g of ash and up to 300 g of humus are added to the pit. The supply of nutrients in these top dressings is enough so that the tree does not need top dressing during the year. These operations must be completed 15-20 days before transplantation.
- Transplantation should be done on a cloudy day. It is necessary to dig out the thuja from the ground and transport it to a new landing site. At the same time, it is recommended to retreat from the tree when digging out its root system by at least half a meter. The thuja itself can be removed from the ground along with an earthen clod by prying it with a pitchfork. The operation is recommended to be done by at least two people.
- The root system for the time of transportation must be wrapped with burlap or any other material. The tree must be moved on a flat surface (plywood, plank flooring, etc.)
- After transportation, the protective material is removed from the earthen clod, the clod is placed in a pit, sprinkled with earth and carefully rammed. In this case, you need to get rid of all the air cavities that may form.
- The soil is thoroughly watered until the water stops seeping into the soil.
On this, the process of transplanting a large thuja can be considered complete.
How to transplant a small thuja
There are no problems with transplanting young trees. Everything that applies to large species can also be applied to small ones. In addition, transplanting small thujas is much easier, since in the vast majority of cases they are transplanted not from soil to soil, but from a pot to soil. That is, this is the first transplant of a tree after its purchase.
Site selection and soil preparation
The choice of a place when planting a small thuja is similar to the choice of a place for an adult, however, the requirements for midday shading in this case have a certain peculiarity.
Unlike adult species, where midday shading is advisory, for small thujas it is mandatory. In addition, a young tree in the first few years after transplantation does not need direct, but diffused sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to plant thuja either in partial shade or behind a trellis, with which it will be shaded or provided with diffused light.
Transplant algorithm
The algorithm for transplanting a small thuja is similar to transplanting a large tree. There are practically no differences. However, do not forget that the summer transplantation of young species is less effective in terms of their survival rate. The tree is unlikely to die, since the thuja are quite tenacious, however, the adaptation process can be significantly delayed.
Thuja care after transplant
After it was possible to transplant thuja in spring or autumn to another place, it is necessary to carry out some care for it. It is slightly different from caring for the usual look and includes the following activities:
- Do not allow the soil to dry out, even for relatively short periods. Tui in the “normal” state are able to endure droughts up to 2 months, however, after transplantation, they are very vulnerable and can quickly lose their decorative properties. In addition, the recovery time after a drought can take more than one year.
- You should not do pruning in the year of transplantation, even sanitary. It is recommended that all pruning activities be carried out next spring, about a week before the start of the thuja active growing season.
- The tree may need additional nutrition in the form of dressings, but it is not worth fertilizing the thuja too abundantly. The first top dressing can be done with urea in May next year. Then apply potash fertilizers in the middle of summer. Phosphate fertilizers are generally not recommended. They can be used in case of excessive weakness after transplantation and in a situation where the soil is very poor in nutrients.
- It is highly recommended to mulch the soil after the first watering with sawdust or coco fiber. This will not only help the root system retain moisture for a longer time, but also provide it with additional protection.
- Preventive pest and parasite control measures should be carried out monthly.
- Seasonal pruning and, in general, any work with the crown is allowed no earlier than 2-3 years after transplantation for young thujas and no earlier than 1 year for adults.
Using these simple rules, you can easily transplant thuja and provide it with all the conditions for normal growth in a new place.
Conclusion
In fact, thuja transplantation is a relatively simple process. The main thing is to remember the basic rules regarding the seasonality of this event, as well as subsequent actions to maintain the tree when adapting to a new place. As the experience of gardeners who breed thuja shows, on average it takes 2 to 3 years to adapt, regardless of their age.
