Thuja occidentalis grow from seeds. Conditions for growing thuja from seed: planting at home. Care for young thuja seedlings

The simplest and most convenient breeding technology for thuja is sowing seeds before winter in the ground. Seedlings come out strong, develop well. You can get any number of seedlings at a pretty short time. Here's how it's done:

Why is it convenient to propagate thuja seeds

After planting, water and mulch with peat. Feed once every 2-3 weeks in the same way as in the previous season, water in dry weather, loosen the soil after watering and remove weeds at the same time as loosening. In the third year of cultivation, when the thuja grown from seeds reaches a height of 50 centimeters, it can be planted on permanent place.

For hedges, uniform planting material is needed, but when growing thuja from seeds, splitting of forms occurs: seedlings from sowing are obtained with different outlines and crown densities. This problem has a solution. At the age of 2-3 years, the future shape of the crown is already clearly visible in thuja seedlings. You can easily select the required amount of homogeneous planting material for a hedge or other purposes. In addition, thuja tolerates a haircut very well, and desired shape hedges can be obtained even if the seedlings are slightly different.

Landing has become a frequent occurrence coniferous plants in front of a private house. Thuja is great for these purposes, it transforms the entire summer cottage. Looks impressive in combination with undersized juniper. Even hedges are often formed from it, while not carrying large financial investments. The tree is beautiful, easy to care for, unpretentious and frost-resistant. This tree is long-lived, the average age of which is 100-150 years. You can not plant asters and peonies nearby.

Thuja can be planted with seeds, cuttings or seedlings. It prefers to grow in a site where there is both sun and shade, in a calm place. The constant scorching sun or shade negatively affects the condition of the needles. If the occurrence of groundwater is close to the soil surface, then a drainage layer must be made in the planting pit. When creating a hedge, the distance between the trees is kept 1-1.5 m.

Planting thuja seeds

Of course, there is nothing complicated in this matter, but it will take 4-5 years to grow a seedling suitable for planting, and in the first year the seedling will grow no more than 7 cm. to their growing area.

At the end of August, unopened cones are collected, laid out in a dry place and waiting for them to open. As soon as this happens, the seeds are shaken out and planted immediately. Tightening with landing reduces the percentage of germination. Thuja seeds sown before winter go through a natural stage and start growing faster in spring. But if you plan to plant in the spring, then in winter time they still have to be exposed to low temperatures.

Pour nutrient soil into the boxes, consisting of peat, leafy soil and sand (2: 1: 0.5), compact and level a little. Make grooves at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other, place the seeds in the grooves, sprinkle with soil in a layer up to 1 cm and water. Set landings on personal plot under a tree so that the sun's rays do not harm in the spring. Cover the box with non-woven material so that no animals can spoil the crops in winter. In the spring, when the soil temperature warms up to 15-20 ° C, the growth of seedlings will begin. Every 2 weeks, fertilize with Agricola or Mortar, which contain a sufficient amount of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. So the grown seedlings remain to winter until the next season or transplanted in according to the 30x30 cm scheme. Thuja reacts painlessly to the transplant, while making sure that the root neck remains at soil level. If it is deeper, then it can lead to aging. Then water and mulch with peat. Feed again the following spring, water, loosen and remove weeds. Mulch again for the winter. When the height of the seedlings reaches 50 cm, you can start transplanting to a permanent place.

Spring planting thuja seedling

When buying thuja seedlings, be sure to ask varietal features What is the height and width of an adult tree. Pay attention to the condition of the needles, they must be strong, rich color and not crumble at the slightest touch. Stems and twigs should have a uniform bark color. No stains or signs of disease.

They dig a planting hole with a diameter of up to 1 m, depending on the size of the earthen clod, and add a mixture of soddy soil, peat and sand (2: 1: 1). They are planted to a depth of 0.6-0.8 m so that the root neck is soil level. Then carry out watering with a solution "". Watered once a week at the rate of up to 20 liters per tree.

Planting a thuja with a cutting

Cuttings are taken from young trees that are 2-3 years old. In August, break out (secateurs in this case it is better not to use) cuttings of 20-30 cm with a "heel" and soak in "" for 12 hours. Good planting material comes out from the top of the crown. The soil is mixed with sand and peat, watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, loosened, leveled, watered, holes are made 2-3 cm deep and cuttings are planted, having previously cut off all the needles and small twigs in the lower part. positive result rooting is the emergence of young shoots.

Varietal thuja cuttings are dug up in April and rooted in a greenhouse or in a pot, at the bottom of which there are holes for the outflow of excess water. Lay a drainage layer of expanded clay or small pebbles on the bottom, cover with a mixture of sand and garden soil, make holes 2 cm deep, insert the cuttings, cutting off the lower needles and twigs, and cover with earth. After planting, water and place in a warm (18-22 ° C), shady place. Spray every day for 2 months. In September, rooted cuttings are planted in a school or the pot is moved to a greenhouse for growing. In November they cover with sawdust. In the spring, when the shelter is removed, check the cuttings, remove the missing ones, and cover the bare ones with earth. After 2-3 years, finished seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place in the garden.

Thuja is an evergreen coniferous tree, which is very much appreciated by gardeners. This is a great find for landscape design. Thuja is willingly used as a hedge. It creates protection from winds in summer and winter. Growing conifers at home is often carried out using cuttings - they take root well and young trees quickly grow. But, it is not always possible to get cuttings in the right amount, and recently the seed method has become popular, which is also more effective. It allows you to grow a large number of young seedlings in just a few years to create any composition in the garden or in the park. How to grow thuja from seeds - expert advice.

Thuja is a frost-resistant and unpretentious plant. In order for the seedlings to be strong and healthy, the seeds are sown before winter in the ground.

Soil preparation and sowing

Planting thuja at home is carried out in beds on the open ground or in boxes. For the convenience of planting care, experienced gardeners plant thuja in boxes, which can later be placed in any other place. Wooden containers are filled with nutrient soil, mixing peat and soddy soil - one part with 2 parts of sand. The soil is leveled and slightly compacted. Then, at a distance of 6 cm, deep rows are made, in which the seeds are evenly distributed along the entire length of the row. Thuja crops are lightly sprinkled with a thin layer of soil - 1 cm. Then the surface is compacted with a plank. After planting, seedlings are watered from a spray gun very carefully to prevent them from being washed out. Washed seeds should be lightly sprinkled with earth. In wet weather, seedlings do not need to be watered.

After planting, young thuja seedlings need proper care. In the spring they are exposed under trees that will create protection from direct sunlight.

For all conifers, and thuja is no exception, sunburn very dangerous. It is recommended to cover the landing with a non-woven covering material, if on garden plot there are animals.

In the process of snow melting, it is very important to prevent the covering material from touching the ground surface.

Seedling care

After the soil warms up to a temperature of 15 degrees, after about 20 days, the first shoots will appear. Young plants bear little resemblance to adult specimens. After a few years, in seedlings with a needle-like structure, the needles develop into scales, as in adult plants. It will seem to someone that instead of thuja, completely different coniferous trees grow from seeds, for example, spruce or juniper. All you need is patience. After 2 months, the plants will have scaly branches of needles.

To stimulate growth, seedlings are fed every 14 days. Top dressing from mineral fertilizers, which include phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, is ideal for this. You can also use preparations Agricola, Mortar, which contain manganese, boron, stranded, molybdenum and zinc.

In one season, plants can grow up to 8 cm in height. They will spend the first wintering in boxes. And if the plantings are not too thick and the plants grow in a deep container, then they are left for another year without transplanting.

Experienced gardeners recommend planting seedlings after the first wintering in separate beds for further growing. The site must be chosen in partial shade. First, it is fertilized: 1 bucket of humus, 45 g of nitrophoska and 250 g of wood ash are added per 1 m2, then they are dug up well.

Transplant to a permanent place of cultivation

You can transplant thuja at any stage of life, it quite successfully tolerates this procedure.

• Seedlings are planted in rows for growing at a distance of 30 cm.
• The distance between rows should also be about 30 cm.
• When planting, the root neck should be at the level of the soil. If the thuja is planted deeper, it will simply rot, turn yellow and die.
• Immediately after transplantation, the plants are mulched with peat and watered.

Subsequent care consists in regular feeding of young plants, often, but moderate watering, loosening the soil after watering and removing weeds.

Fertilizers are applied once every 30 days, as in the previous year. Thuja is planted on a permanent site only at the age of 3, when the plant reaches half a meter in height.

In order to create a dense decorative hedge, planting material of a uniform shape and size is used. Growing thuja from seeds allows you to get adult specimens with different structures, crown densities, and also outlines. At the age of three, the seedlings can see the shape of the future crown. Planting seeds can produce a sufficient number of uniform seedlings to create any arrangement in a garden plot, city park, industrial area landscaping and other places. In addition, thuja is a surprisingly coniferous tree that tolerates pruning quite easily. A regular haircut allows you to create a crown of the required shape or make it perfect. hedge.

Thuja has long been popular with gardeners.

It is used to create various landscape designs, as a hedge (with the help of a haircut, a plant can be given any look).

It is durable, very unpretentious (it can grow on different soils, in urban conditions).

In addition to the decorative function, thuja sanitizes the air, releasing phytoncides.

Varietal and species diversity allows you to grow thuja even in the northern and middle latitudes.

Thuja: cultivation. Selection of planting material

1. The appearance of the plant - the branches should be elastic, and the needles should be bright, shiny, lively. If it is dull and crumbles when touched, then the plant has died;

Growing thuja from seeds: features of planting and care at home

The earthen ball must be preserved - the bare roots of the plant are unacceptable;

3. If possible, inspect the root system. It should be healthy and not dried: the ends of the roots are white or yellowish, elastic (if scratched, juice is released);

4. It is also necessary to take into account the indicators of the thuja variety: needle color, crown splendor, frost resistance.

Types and varieties of thuja

Under natural conditions, there are 5 main types of thuja: Japanese, Korean, folded, eastern, western. The most popular of them is western thuja. This is a pyramidal tree, reaching a height of 15-20 m, with a crown of 3-5 m in diameter. Due to its frost resistance, it is suitable for cultivation in all regions of our country. Many varieties of this species have been bred, having different shapes, color of needles, height. The most famous are:

.Brabant- frost-resistant fast-growing grade. The crown diameter is 1.5 m. The color of the needles is green in summer, brown in winter.

. Emerald- is a tree reaching a height of 4-4.5 meters. The shape of the crown is conical. It grows slowly, dark green needles practically do not fade in winter. Handles haircut well.

. Columna- a fast-growing variety in the form of a tree with a dense narrow crown. It has high winter hardiness, prefers semi-shady areas.

. Wagneri- a variety with gray needles, which acquires a copper tint in winter. Prefers fertile soils in open areas. Possesses the increased frost resistance.

.Globoza- a slow-growing variety with a spherical crown (it reaches a height of 1 m by the 10th year of vegetation), winter-hardy and drought-resistant.

. Danica- undersized shrub with a rounded dense crown up to 0.6 m high. It grows slowly (growth reaches only 5 cm per year). The needles have a light green color. The variety is shade-tolerant, drought-resistant and frost-resistant. Propagated only by cuttings. Ideal for landscaping small areas.

.Golden Globe- the variety has golden-green needles, grows slowly, is used in single compositions, rockeries, rock gardens and low borders.

Thuja: cultivation. Sowing and planting (timing, shelter, temperature, soil, etc.)

For growing thuja, both a sunny place and partial shade are suitable. If you plant this coniferous plant in the shade, then its crown will thin out and lose its decorative effect. Although the thuja is moisture-loving, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, if on a site close to the surface lie ground water, then it must be drained before planting.

Thuja can grow on different soils, but it is still better to plant it on moisture-permeable fertile lands. On heavy clay soils, it is prone to root rot. Therefore, such areas must first be enriched with humus or compost, add sand and peat to improve aeration. Acidic soils are alkalized by adding wood ash or lime.

Planting thuja

They dig a hole 70-80 cm deep and 90-100 cm in diameter;

At the bottom of the pit, drainage is poured from crushed stone, expanded clay;

Prepared soil is poured onto the drainage, complex fertilizers and 2 cups of ash are added;

The seedling is placed in the pit so that the root collar is at ground level;

The distance between plants depends on the size of the variety. If thujas are planted in a group, then the interval between them ranges from 1 to 5 m, and when creating a single-row hedge, it is one meter.

Growing thuja from seeds

The process of growing thuja from seeds is quite long in time: 3-5 years will pass from sowing to planting seedlings in a permanent place. In addition, plants from seeds do not retain varietal characteristics. However, if you need to get a lot of strong seedlings at minimal cost, adapted to the climatic conditions of your region, then this method is the best fit.

Like all coniferous plants, thuja seeds are unpredictable in their germination. They can lie in the ground for more than six months before shoots appear.

Seed cones are harvested in the year of fruiting. They are laid out in a warm room in one layer, after a couple of days they will open and then small reddish seeds easily spill out of them. Healthy seeds that have undergone natural or artificial stratification (cold exposure) are suitable for planting.

In the first case, they are sown in open ground after harvest in late autumn. In the spring, shoots will appear that look like dill shoots. The first branches of the seedlings will grow only after 6 months. So that the seedlings are not lost among the weeds, they can be sown in boxes dug into the ground. In the third year, the plants dive. Young arborvitae can be planted in a permanent place in the fifth year of the growing season.

In the second case, the seeds are sown in a bowl with wet sand, covered with glass or film, put in a cool room or refrigerator on a shelf with a temperature of + 5ºС for 2-3 months. Periodically, crops must be ventilated and condensate removed. After stratification, the seeds are sown in February in boxes. The substrate is made from turf land, peat, sand, taken in equal proportions. For disinfection, it is shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. After sowing, the soil is moistened. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +20ºС and above. As soon as sprouts appear, the boxes with seedlings are transferred to a cooler place with good lighting. Twice a month, plants are fed with complex mineral fertilizers for conifers. Dive seedlings in the second year in the spring. In summer, pots with them are taken out into the garden in partial shade. For the winter they are brought into the greenhouse or into the house. In the third spring, the grown thujas are transferred to larger pots. When the plants reach 50 cm in length (4-5 years of vegetation), they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Sowing thuja seeds

Growing thuja from cuttings

With this method of reproduction, plants retain their varietal characteristics. Some varieties of thuja can only be grown with cuttings (for example, the Danica variety).

Tui cuttings are carried out in April. For cuttings choose healthy strong twigs young plant(2-3 years). If there are no such specimens, then semi-lignified branches of an adult thuja are used. Cuttings must be torn off with a "heel" - a piece of bark.

Tui cuttings with a "heel"

The lower end of the cutting is 1/3 cleaned of needles, soaked for a day in a root formation stimulator and planted on a bed in a greenhouse, deepened by 2-3 cm. The substrate for planting is made from a mixture of equal proportions of leaf (turf) soil, sand and peat, which must first be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seedlings need diffused light and high humidity (about 70%). Therefore, cuttings planted in pots must be covered with banks. After planting, the plants must be sprayed and ventilated so that rotting does not begin. The appearance of new shoots means that rooting was successful. In autumn (September), young plants are planted in a permanent place. For the winter they need shelter. To do this, use spruce spruce branches, sawdust, dry leaves.

Thuja: cultivation. Care, feeding

Care when growing thuja consists in watering, feeding, cutting and preparing for the winter period.

The irrigation regime of the thuja depends on the weather conditions. Thuja is very sensitive to the moisture content of the soil. With a lack of moisture, its needles fade and acquire a yellow-brown color. This is especially true after summer pruning. The minimum amount of watering per plant is 10 liters. In hot weather, water every 3-4 days.

It is better to do it in the morning or in the evening. Good effect on appearance sprinkling plants. Daily spraying washes away the dust from the needles, which begins to exude its phytoncidal smell.

In the spring, compost or mineral fertilizers are applied for coniferous plants. If top dressing was applied at planting, then the next time it is fertilized after 2 years.

The trunk circles of the thuja are mulched with sawdust, compost, crushed bark or walnut shells. Mulch will retain moisture in summer and protect roots from overheating and freezing in winter.

Pruning begins in the third year of the growing season of the thuja. The main pruning is carried out starting in April. At the same time, dry and diseased branches are removed, and the selected crown shape is formed. When cutting a hedge, the shoots are cut no more than one third of the length.

Preparing thuja for winter. In the middle and northern strip of Russia, young thuja (even frost-resistant varieties) need shelter for the first few years. The trunk circles are covered with dry foliage, and the plants themselves are covered with spunbond or a thick greenhouse film. On adult plants, the branches are tied with twine to the trunk in order to avoid breaking them off when snow accumulates on them.

Thuja shelter for the winter

Major pests and how to deal with them

thuja aphid- Insects that live in colonies and feed on plant sap. Damaged needles turn yellow and fall off. To destroy aphids, insecticides are used (for example, Fufanon).

spider mite spreads rapidly in dry, warm weather. You can notice it by the branches covered with cobwebs. The needles are covered yellow spots and crumbles. In case of severe damage, acaricides are used. The tick does not like high humidity, so for the prevention of thuja it is necessary to spray water more often.

Moth moth- a small butterfly, the larvae of which gnaw through the needles. Shoots first turn brown, and then die. To control pests, the affected thujas are treated twice with pyrethroids with an interval of 8 days.

Thuja false shield- small light yellow insects. Affected plants wither, the needles partially dry out. In the period from May (before bud break) and until mid-June, thujas are sprayed with karbofos, actellik or actara.

Click beetles (wireworms)- polyphagous pests. The larvae feed on small roots and humus, and as they grow, they move to thick roots. As a result, the thuja stops in development, the needles dry and crumble. Most often, click beetles settle in wet areas with acidic soils. To prevent the spread of these beetles in the fall, it is necessary to dig up the soil, because. adults (adult insects) hibernate shallow in the ground. Low-lying areas should be drained and alkalized. At mass defeat thuja wireworms and the surrounding vegetation are sprayed with such preparations as Fufanon, Actellik, Decis. To destroy the larvae, they are introduced into the soil chemicals with diazonin (Kapkan, Bazudin).

bark beetles- small beetles that gnaw through passages and lay eggs in the bark of a tree. The affected tree quickly dies. There is no universal remedy for bark beetle protection. It is recommended to spray the plants with insecticides at intervals of two weeks. Damaged branches are cut and burned.

Shutte and rust- diseases caused by various pathogenic fungi, in which the needles darken and fall off. Mostly young thujas are ill. Affected branches should be cut and burned to prevent the spread of fungal spores. For prevention, all conifers on the site are sprayed with Hom (40 g per bucket of water), Topsin-M (15 g per bucket of water) or Bordeaux mixture. Trunk circles are shed 2 times per season with a solution of foundationol.

root rot- one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of thuja. As a result of the destruction of young roots, the shoots become pale yellow, turn brown over time, and the plant dies. Sick specimens must be destroyed, and the ground under neighboring plants should be shed with a fungicide solution (for example, Fitosporin).

Beautiful, evergreen thuja - beautiful tree to create a hedge. It is characterized by good winter hardiness, unpretentiousness. Dense needles well protect the site from cold winds at any time of the year. However, the price of thuja seedlings often forces one to abandon this option. What should those summer residents who cannot afford to buy thuja seedlings do? There is an exit! You can grow a plant from seed. Is it difficult to do this? No. The main thing in the process is patience and quality care. How to grow thuja from seed? We will learn the answer to this question from the article.

Growing thuja from seeds

How to grow thuja - where to start?

If you think that this is too difficult and this is for you, then we hasten to assure you of the opposite. Thuja can be grown from seeds on its own, in any quantity. It does not matter that in the first year the seedlings grow no more than 10 centimeters. In subsequent years, when the thuja root system is finally formed, its annual growth is 25-30 centimeters.

To obtain seeds, thuja cones are harvested in the horse of August - early September, they just ripen by this time. You need to hurry to have time to collect them before full disclosure. They are laid out in one layer, the room should be dry and warm. When the dried buds open, the seeds will fall out freely. It is desirable to plant them immediately, since storage adversely affects the germination of seeds. If, for some reason, it is not possible to plant seeds in the fall, before spring planting they need to be stratified. Tui seedlings sown before winter grow stronger and healthier than their counterparts sown in spring, grow earlier, winter better, which is especially important for them in the first years of life.

How to sow thuja seeds? Consider the most practical tips:

• It is possible to sow thuja seeds directly into the open ground, on the garden bed reserved for them, or in boxes, it is more convenient to move them around the site. Soil for sowing thuja consists of one part of sod or garden soil, two parts of peat and a small amount of sand.

  Independent cultivation of thuja seedlings

  It is poured into a box, leveled and compacted so that it is at least 2 centimeters below the sides.

• Then planting grooves are laid, the seeds are evenly laid out in them and covered with soil, which is then compacted. In dry weather, crops should be watered moderately, making sure that the seeds do not float to the surface.
• A box with crops is placed in partial shade so that in spring the seedlings do not fall under the burning sun.
• In the spring, 15-20 days after the soil is well warmed up, shoots will appear, at first similar to spruce, this is a feature of the arborvitae, and there is no need to be afraid. Real twigs, with scaly needles, grow from seedlings by mid-summer.

Tui reproduction

Thuja from seeds - timely care

Young arborvitae require regular (every two weeks) application of complex mineral fertilizers, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements. The first wintering of thuja seedlings takes place in the old place. In the second spring, the strongest plants can be planted in the "school", which must necessarily be slightly shaded. The soil for planting must be dug up on the bayonet of a shovel, add humus, nitroammophoska, ash into it. Seedlings for further growth are located at a distance of at least 30 cm.

When transplanting seedlings, care must be taken not to deepen the root neck, in which case it will begin to rot, and the thuja most often dies. The root neck must necessarily be located at ground level. After transplanting, seedlings need to be watered and mulched with peat. Water them in dry weather, while loosening the soil and removing weeds. Top dressings are made every 2-3 weeks. At proper care by the end of the third year, seedlings grow up to half a meter, now they can be transplanted to a plant intended for further cultivation place.

If seedlings are grown for hedges, you need to choose those that have the maximum similarity in the emerging crown - so the hedge will be more uniform in density. However, if all the seedlings turned out to be “variegated”, it doesn’t matter either, since the thuja tolerates a haircut perfectly, which allows you to form a hedge of any configuration.

So, now you know how to grow thuja from seed. We hope that everything will work out for you, and in a few years you will enjoy your own grown thuja, which will decorate the entire summer cottage.

How easy it is to grow thuja from seeds

Thuja is a very unpretentious plant, it is not afraid of cold weather and polluted city air. The crown of the thuja can be formed, getting a shrub of any shape, so it is perfect for building a hedge.

Thanks to lush needles, such a fence protects the garden from cold or dry winds. However, thuja seedlings are quite expensive, and they need a lot for a hedge. You can save a lot by growing a shrub yourself from seeds.

Propagation by seeds - a practical way

The advantage of seed propagation over cuttings is that the result is very strong plants adapted to local conditions. In the first year, the seedlings will grow by only 7 cm.

But in the future they will add 30 cm per year.

Seed harvesting

Tui fruits - small oblong cones - ripen in early September. But in autumn it is impossible to distinguish barren flowers from fruits suitable for reproduction. Inspection should be carried out at the end of March, when pollinated cones have already closed, unlike unpollinated ones. Empty flowers can be cut off in advance so that they do not consume valuable plant resources.

The cones must be carefully cut and laid out in a dry, warm place. When dry, they open and release seeds. They should be planted immediately after harvest to give them the opportunity to overwinter under the snow. After undergoing winter stratification, seedlings emerge earlier and grow much more actively in spring.

Landing features

Thuja, like all conifers, does not like the bright sun, but she is also uncomfortable in the shade. A slightly shaded place under a large tree is suitable as a "golden mean".

You can plant seeds immediately in open ground, but it is more convenient to grow them in wooden boxes. Under the conditions of the box, it is easier to control watering and fertilizing, it is more convenient to seat grown young animals from it.

The boxes must be filled with soil so that 2–3 cm are left to the edges. Make indentations in the soil with a spatula at a short distance. The soil mixture for germinating thuja seeds is peat, soddy soil and sand in a ratio of 4:2:1. The holes need to be widened. Seeds in the recesses are distributed evenly. Then they need to be sprinkled with earth and watered a little.

Crop care

Small thujas are very similar to spruce seedlings, but after a couple of months they have scaly needles, and they take on the shape of an adult plant.

Here are the basic rules for caring for young thujas:

1. Boxes are installed in shady areas of the garden.

   Thuja from seeds - growing at home

   Additional shelter for the winter is not required. Under the snow, the seeds in the boxes will successfully overwinter and give the first shoots when the ground warms up in the spring.

2. Once every two weeks, seedlings need to be fed with fertilizers for coniferous plants. While the plants are still very small (7–8 cm), they do not need to be seated.
3. After wintering, seedlings need to be planted in temporary beds. In open ground, they will feel free, which will accelerate their growth and development.
4. The soil at the planting site should be loose and well permeable; if necessary, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the bed. Before planting, peat mixed with sand and dry rotted compost should be added to the beds. Additionally, you can add 50 g of nitroammophoska.
5. Thuja tolerates transplants well. young age. The distance between plants should be 30 cm.
6. When planting, it is not necessary to deepen the root neck - it should be at the level of the soil.
7. The soil around the seedlings should be sprinkled with crushed pine bark or needles.
8. It is enough to water the growing trees once a week and fertilize every 2-3 weeks.
9. If there is no severe drought, abundant watering is not required.
10. It is possible to transplant thuja to a permanent place when their height reaches 50 cm. Usually these are two-three-year-old plants.

The disadvantage of seed cultivation of thuja is the varietal heterogeneity of seedlings. However, this problem is easily solved if you plant more seeds - with a margin. Three-year-old thujas are already acquiring a certain crown density, which will not change over the years. From a large number of seedlings, you can choose a sufficient number of identical plants for a hedge.

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Technology of growing coniferous plants

Ivan Mitrofanovich CHERKIS,

arborist, nursery owner

Coniferous plants are evergreen and therefore able to perform their functions, especially aesthetic, all year round. And such conifers as juniper are also valuable because they emit a large amount of phytoncides (phytoncides are biologically active substances that kill or inhibit the growth and development of bacteria), 6 times more than other conifers, and 15 times more than deciduous. In addition, coniferous plants successfully retain dust and absorb toxic substances. Thuja and juniper are actively used for topiary (curly haircut).

Thuja from seeds: how to grow, transplanting into open ground

You can create both individual figures and entire green hedges. Where to get such a viable planting material and how to grow it?

Seeds or cuttings, as the initial planting material for growing seedlings, must be harvested from plantations that grow naturally in these climatic conditions, or from artificially grown, but well acclimatized and resistant to these conditions.

On the territory of our region, many conifers grow in gardens, parks and private land holdings: different kinds firs, pines, junipers, arborvitae, larches, yews, etc. Many of these plants are 20 or more years old, so they have gone through a good natural selection, acclimatized and can be used for harvesting seeds and cuttings. It is important to choose the right time for harvesting seeds: for prickly spruce and larch - mid-August; spruce and pine - from December to February; Tui - September; junipers - October, November.

Sowing of coniferous plants is carried out only in the spring. Seeds from collection to sowing are stored in hermetically sealed vessels, which keeps them from drying out. Juniper seeds after harvesting are laid for 3-3.5 months for stratification. In the spring, before sowing, the seeds of all conifers, except for junipers, are soaked for 1 day in ordinary water at room temperature.

For sowing beds, it is advisable to choose a place in partial shade or prepare shields for shading. For spruces, the soil should be loamy, well-humused, for other conifers - sandy loam. Before sowing and subsequently during the year, no fertilizers, especially manure, can be applied to the soil. The only thing you can add is compost soil. For a small number of plants grown, it is better to use single-line sowing. Seeding depth: for larch and spruce 0.5-1 cm, for other conifers 1-2 cm. After sowing, the beds should be watered, put small arcs and tightly closed with foil. Monitor soil moisture, if necessary, additionally water, but do not flood. With the emergence of seedlings, after about 12 days, by partially opening the film, the seedlings are hardened, and then the film is completely removed. Further care for seedlings consists of watering, weeding and loosening. Shelter in the winter is not required. It takes 2 years to grow seedlings of thuja and juniper 15-25 cm high, spruce and larch - 3 years. To increase the energy of growth, the formation of seedlings with a beautiful symmetrical crown, seedlings are dug early in spring with a bare root system, the roots are shortened by 1/3 and planted, increasing the area for each plant (25-30 cm). Further care: watering once a week for 2 months, then the intervals between waterings can be increased, weeding, loosening the soil, sometimes shading. It will take 3-6 years to get seedlings 1-1.2 m high from these seedlings with a good crown and a powerful root system. To do this, every 2 years it is necessary to carry out 1-2 transplants.

So, what should be remembered when planting seedlings of coniferous plants:

1. All conifers up to 3 years old can be transplanted with a bare root system only in spring.
2. Plants older than 3 years should be transplanted only with a natural earthy clod in spring or autumn.
3. Do not remove naturally falling needles from under the plant, as it protects the soil from overheating and drying out, and when decomposing, it provides the plant with the necessary nutrients.

Coniferous plants, especially shrub forms, can also be propagated by cuttings. Cutting time is spring, after the start of sap flow.

Annual cuttings are torn off with a heel, that is, with a part of the wood. Further grown according to conventional technology.

And the last thing - if you decide to bring or purchase seedlings from other areas, then you need to consider the following:

• the climatic conditions in which the seedlings are grown and where they will be planted should be close in their characteristics, especially humidity and temperature;
• cultivation technology (whether the hydroponic method was used);
• seedlings older than 3 years must be delivered with a natural earthen clod in a packaged form.

If you saw beautiful 2-meter seedlings in flowerpots with peat, do not think that they grew in them, this is just a packaging for transportation, but when and what you packed, you should think about it.

Any gardener would like to see an evergreen on his site that does not require special care, beautiful plant. Most often, these plantations include coniferous shrubs and trees. To decorate garden and household plots, such a type of coniferous trees as thuja is used. It lends itself easily to a haircut, bizarre shapes can be formed from it, as well as hedges.

Description

Thuja belongs to the Cypress family. Came to Russia from North America. These trees delight gardeners all year round with their dense green crown. Each species of this tree has its own specific coniferous smell. Average life expectancy is about 75 years. There are species whose age exceeds 100. To date, more than 35 species of this coniferous tree are known. They are all different in terms of features. The first visual difference that is noticed is the color. The color palette is very wide: from rich blue to mustard.

The tree has increased winter hardiness, unpretentious to the soil composition, does not require constant care, drought-resistant. Often used as an addition to plants involved in landscape design. Some varieties are used as independent decorations in landscape design.

The health of a tree can be judged by its needles. If the greenery of the thuja is juicy, matches the color of the variety, then the tree is healthy and does not require additional watering and top dressing. If the branches and needles are dry, have acquired a yellow-brown hue, the tree needs additional moisture and mineral fertilizer.

You should also choose the right container in which you can plant thuja. Since this tree is quite large, the pot in which it grows should increase by 1.5 sizes with each subsequent transplant. The root system should feel free in the container.

Important! Tui reproduction occurs in places protected from winds and drafts. Very young seedlings require shelter on winter period, for several years. The tree can be grown both outdoors and at home. It is recommended to comply temperature regime for a tree that grows at home. The temperature should not fall below 8°C and rise above 20°C. That is, in an apartment room temperature the seeds will develop well.

In addition to being used in landscaping, wood is also used in recipes. traditional medicine. Tinctures and decoctions are prepared from cones and needles, good medicinal teas are obtained from the bark, and essential oils help to get rid of the initial signs of sinusitis and sinusitis.

Sprouting seeds at home

To decorate the site with decorative thuja, its seedlings can be purchased at the nursery, or you can plant it yourself. Growing thuja from seeds on your own at home is more profitable than buying a large number of seedlings in nurseries.

In order to plant thuja seeds, they should be collected. They are collected from cones that grow on thuja in the first year of fruiting. Seed cones are easily broken off from the branches of a tree, laid out in a warm room in order for them to open. It is not worth delaying the planting process, because a few months after the seeds have fallen out of the seed cones, they will not be able to germinate, since their germination capacity is reduced by more than 50%.

Tui seeds

How to grow thuja from seeds obtained in this way? The most natural way to grow thuja from seeds is to sow them in the ground for the winter. With this method, sowing is done in early December, and the seeds are not soaked, no additional preparations that accelerate plant growth are required. The first shoots can be seen in the spring, after the end of frost on the soil. At first glance, they look like dill shoots. In the first year after planting, the thuja will grow no higher than 10 cm. In the second year, its growth will reach about 25 cm. In the third year, it will grow to 50 cm.

There is another way to grow thuja from seeds at home. The breeding method consists in processing the planting material with cold. To do this, thuja seeds are placed in a container with wet sand or sawdust and placed in a cold place where the temperature does not rise above 5 ° C.

Note! The best option for placing containers with seeds is the lower shelf of the refrigerator.

Planting seeds in the ground

Seeds germinated in the second way are planted in early February. Containers with germinated seeds are placed under a lamp in order for the earth to warm up and the seedlings to develop further. At the bottom of the container there should be a drainage layer, about 3-4 cm high. To do this, you can use charcoal, expanded clay or even foam. The second layer is the soil mixture. The best option for a soil mixture intended for growing thuja from seeds, prepared soil for growing coniferous shrubs and trees is considered. On packages with earth, you can find step-by-step instructions for preparing the land for planting seeds and seedlings. The third layer should be sand. It should be about 2-3 cm high. Before sowing seeds in this soil mixture, it is treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is done in order to rid the soil of bacteria. The seed is planted in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between them should not be less than 1 cm. After planting, the seedlings are sprayed with warm water and covered with a greenhouse film or agrofibre. These containers should be in a room where the temperature is maintained at about 20 ° C. When the first shoots appear, the containers are removed to a cool place that is well lit. sunbeams.

Planting thuja seeds in the ground

After 2 months, the greenhouse film or agrofiber that covered the containers with thuja seeds can be removed. If roots are visible on the surface of the soil, they must be sprinkled with sand. In the first year, the plants need to pour the earth.

A year later, in the spring, when the frosts go away and the earth warms up a little, thuja seedlings can dive. When picking, thuja seedlings need vitamin supplements. It is also necessary to apply fertilizers containing a large amount of nitrogen. It is advisable not to allow the land to dry out, but watering should be moderate. In their second winter, thuja seedlings are not yet ready to grow in the open, even with the necessary shelter. The best option there will be a placement of pots with seedlings in a greenhouse. In the spring, plants should be hardened off. For this, pots with seedlings are taken out to open air. You can transplant them into open ground already in the autumn.

sprouted thuja seeds

Transplantation and care in the open field

But in a too shaded place, the needles will not be saturated green, the crown will not be so dense. good place there will be partial shade, protected from winds and drafts. For planting seedlings, a planting hole 1 meter deep should be prepared. The width should be at least 80 cm. Since the seedlings are planted by the transshipment method, the roots of the plant with a clod of earth should be placed in the pit. At the bottom of the landing pit, a small layer of drainage in the form of wood ash or expanded clay should be poured. The land that the plant will be covered with should be mixed with organic fertilizers. When planting, it is important to ensure that the root neck does not go deep into the ground, but is above its surface. The seedling should fall asleep with earth mixed with sand or peat in a ratio of 1: 1.

Depending on which variety of thuja sits on the site, the distance between the planting pits is selected. If the tree is short and compact, the distance can be about 1 meter. If the plant is tall, with spreading branches, it is better to stick to an interval of 4 meters. For trees that are grown as hedges, a spacing of 1 meter can be followed, regardless of variety and size.

Note! Prepared seedlings are planted in the ground in a place that is in the shade, and not under direct sunlight, because a tree that will be burned out by the sun will develop worse in the future, get sick more, etc.

After transplanting the tree to a permanent place, you can make the first dressing, which includes any growth stimulator. In the spring, thuja needs to be fed with potassium and phosphorus. Such top dressing is carried out in two stages with a difference of two weeks. You can take care of the plant and water it twice a week. Not only the planting hole needs watering, but also the crown of the tree. If the tree does not have enough moisture, its top will begin to dry. When irrigating the branches of a tree, it gives out a peculiar coniferous aroma, and the greenery itself becomes rich, green and healthy.

The plant needs to be fed twice a year. It is brought in when loosening. The root hole should be mulched with sawdust, walnut shells.

On a note. In the first three years of life, the plant is not cut. The tree must gain strength and take root in a permanent place.

Diseases and pests

The main pest that affects the crown of the thuja is the gray aphid. In the presence of this pest, the needles turn yellow and fall off. First of all, aphids eat the lower shoots. In order to save thuja from aphids, it is treated with karbofos.

Another pest that can spoil the young shoots of thuja is a butterfly, 5 mm in size, called moth moth. When a tree is affected by this pest, the shoots first turn brown and then dry out. To drive the pest away from the plant, thuja is treated with pyrethroids. This is done in several stages, with an interval of 15 days.

False shield strikes a tree trunk under the bark. The false shield leaves the tree when it is sprayed with karbofos and actellik.

gray aphid

Wireworm larvae feed on the root system of the plant. They thrive in acidic soils. They get rid of the larvae in the autumn, when digging up the site. In this case, you should get rid of high acidity. If there is a lot of wireworm, preparations containing diazolin are introduced into the soil.

Phytophthora is considered the most dangerous disease characteristic of thuja. First of all, it affects the root system of the tree. Tui has the following symptoms:

• The top begins to dry;
• The tree is covered with a gray bloom;
• The trunk, near the root neck, becomes soft.

This disease most often appears in too moist soil. The tree, in case of illness, is treated with fungicides. Since phytophthora is a fungus, with a strong spread of this disease, it is recommended to change the earth, and take the old one, along with fungal spores, away from the site.

Phytophthora

Dangerous fungal diseases are considered rust and shute. These diseases are characterized by darkening and falling of the needles. With rust and shute, the affected branches are cut and burned. The tree is also treated with copper-containing preparations.

Growing thuja from seeds at home does not require a diploma higher education. It is enough to have minimal knowledge of caring for seedlings, and the decoration of landscape design on the site is provided.

Thuja is one of the most beautiful representatives of evergreen trees and is often used in landscape design to decorate garden plots and city parks. Usually, the plant is grown by buying ready-made seedlings in special nurseries, but if you wish, you can grow thuja yourself by collecting seeds from an existing tree for this. Even a novice gardener can handle growing thuja seeds. It will be possible to move the grown seedlings into open ground in the third year of development.

Advantages and disadvantages of seed cultivation

The most important advantage of growing thuja seeds is that you can get a large number of seedlings of the same size and age almost for free. This is especially true for those gardeners who plan to arrange a hedge from the thuja, because the seedlings of this plant are quite expensive. In addition, seed-grown thuja will already be adapted to local climatic conditions and soil composition.

But there are this method cultivation and its shortcomings, due to which it is used less frequently than cuttings. First of all, it is the duration of the seedling development process. From the moment of sowing seeds to transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, at least four years will pass. Varieties are not always preserved during seed propagation. mother plant, as when growing thuja from twigs. Therefore, seed-grown young conifers can have a different crown shape.

Seed and soil preparation

Thuja seeds should be collected in early autumn. To do this, it is necessary to cut off ripe brown or brown cones from the mother plant. Brown and spread out in an apartment on paper so that they dry out within a few days. After that, the cones will open on their own, and small seeds will fall out onto a paper sheet.

To increase germination, seeds must be stratified. To do this, they are wrapped in a rag and buried in the ground in autumn, covering them with fallen leaves or other insulation. With the onset of spring, the seeds are dug up and poured into a container. A layer of sand is poured on top and put in the refrigerator for 2 months.

Soil for sowing seeds can be bought ready-made. In this case, choose a special soil mixture for coniferous plants. If this is not possible, you can mix the soil yourself. It should consist of the following components:

• 2 parts sand;
• 1 part of sod land;
• 1 part peat.

Procedure algorithm

Stratified seeds can be sown directly into the ground by placing a special bed under them. But it is better to plant them first in boxes and grow them for the first years at home. This will make it easier to take care of the seedlings.

Furrow marking

The step-by-step planting process is as follows: a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the box and filled with prepared soil. The soil surface is leveled and compacted so that its level is 2–3 cm below the edges of the box. Then furrows are marked, keeping a distance of 5–6 cm between them.

Furrow preparation for sowing

Then, for the convenience of work, the furrows are slightly expanded.

Seed placement in furrows

Seeds are spread evenly throughout the furrow.

Filling seeds with soil mixture

From above, the seeds are covered with a layer of soil 1 cm and the surface of the soil is compacted with a plank. Then it is moistened by spraying with water from a spray bottle.

After sowing, the boxes are covered with glass or film and placed in a warm place for germination. When sprouts appear, the boxes are moved to a cool room with good lighting. Shelter is periodically removed for airing and watering plants. If there are spoiled sprouts, they are removed. After 40 days, the seedlings will already be strong enough, then the shelter can be completely removed.

It is possible to sow and germinate seeds and more in a simple way. To do this, the seeds collected in the fall are not processed, but immediately sown on the beds in the open field. To create favorable conditions, the place where the seeds are sown is covered with sawdust. In the spring, after the snow melts, the first shoots will appear, similar to dill. With such a natural method for growing thuja, seedlings can grow by 7 cm per year. They must be covered for the winter.

Seedling care

When growing seedlings in boxes, it is not necessary to transplant them if the plantings are not very thickened and there is enough room for each plant to grow. Care in the first year of life should consist only in periodic moistening of the soil. You need to keep boxes with seedlings in a shaded place at a temperature of +17 to +23 degrees. It is best to grow seedlings on windows on the north or west side of the house. In winter, the temperature can be reduced to +15 degrees.

To stimulate growth and development, seedlings need to be fed twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers. Preparations such as Mortar or Agricol are suitable as top dressing. They are used according to the instructions on the package.

In the second year of development of the seedlings, they are seated in separate pots and moved outside, to a semi-lit place in the garden. Care at this time is moderate watering. For the winter, pots with young thujas are brought into the room. In the third year, they are taken out into the street already in May, and in the fall, bushes can be planted in a permanent place.

Transplantation in open ground

Young plants can be planted in open ground starting from the third year of their development. But it is better to wait with a transplant until the seedlings reach the age of five. Before planting, a darkened place is chosen for the thuja on the site and the soil is prepared. The soil is dug up, at the same time introducing into each square meter the following fertilizers:

• humus - 1 bucket;
• nitroammophoska - 2 tbsp. l.;
• wood ash - 1 tbsp.

When transplanting, make sure that the root neck is not buried. This will lead to yellowing of the needles and the death of the plant.

Grown thujas are planted on suburban area so that the distance between them is at least 30 cm. After transplanting the seedlings, they are watered and the soil is mulched with peat. Further care consists in timely regular watering, periodic loosening of the soil and timely disposal of weeds. After the height of the seedling reaches half a meter, young plants can be transplanted to their permanent habitat.

In the first winter after planting plants in open ground, they are absolutely necessary to protect them from the cold and animals. To do this, the seedlings are covered with foliage and branches, you can use hay for shelter, on top of which burlap is fixed. Seedlings may turn brown in autumn. This is normal: in spring, the thuja will turn green again.