Thuja Woodwardii western - description

Every year among the owners of private houses, thuja spherical Woodwardi is gaining more and more popularity. Landscape designers often use green space when creating garden compositions. Features of growing thuja Woodwardi and methods of its reproduction are described below.

Description of thuja Woodwardy

Thuja Woodwardii (in Latin, Thuja occidentalis Woodwardii) belongs to the category of decorative varieties of evergreen conifers that belong to the Cypress family. The plantation is distinguished by its dwarf size and rounded crown outlines.

Woodwardy variety

The height of a young shrub reaches 45-50 cm. The diameter of young bushes is in the range of 50-60 cm. By the age of 10-15, the growth of a tree can reach 200 cm.

Gradually, thuja shoots actively grow on the sides. The crown becomes egg-shaped. On the densely growing branches, flat coniferous shoots are concentrated, which are painted in green shades. Cones, which are seed carriers, function as fruits.

This feature allows you to grow plants on the territory of tuberculosis dispensaries. The saturation of the shade of scaly needles gradually changes. The dense crown becomes squat over time.

Combination with other plants

Landscape designers most often use the variety when decorating garden paths, roadsides, verandas. Thuja western Woodwardii can be planted in deep containers and placed on the balcony.

When planting in flower beds, it is recommended to combine the variety with:

• bushes of blooming roses;
• heather and rhododendron;
• deciduous plants.

Woodwardy will create a spectacular composition in combination with dwarf spruce, juniper and fir. The design of the garden area will acquire a special contrast and brightness.

Care features

When choosing a landing site, you should give preference to sunny areas or areas located in partial shade. The soil for planting thuja should be well moistened, with a small amount of the previously introduced:

• compost;
• peat.

After planting the bushes, it is necessary to mulch the soil near the plantings with peat. If direct sunlight hits the plant in the first months after planting, experts recommend shading it with garden cloth.

Woodwardy in the garden

Disembarkation and leaving

It is advisable to carry out planting work in the middle of spring. It is recommended to leave a distance of about 55-60 cm between the bushes. After digging a hole, it is necessary to place a drainage layer on the bottom surface. For this purpose, it is advisable to use broken bricks.

After that, the pit is filled by a third with the mixture:

• sand;
• peat;
• turf.

In the case of heavy soil, experts recommend making a 25 cm thick drainage layer.

During planting, deepening of the root collar is unacceptable. The soil is moistened every 5 days. Pour 1 bucket of water under each bush. On especially hot days, you can increase the frequency of watering up to 3 times a week.

In order to slow down the evaporation of water, it is recommended to use mulching. A layer is suitable as a mulch:

• straw;
• peat;
• hay.

The thickness of the mulch should not exceed 12 cm.To prevent the emergence of weeds and prevent moisture loss, it is best to add mulch under the plant, the layer of which will reach 8-9 cm.

In the spring, you need to take care of the introduction of top dressing. You can use any complex fertilizers.

Sprinkling should be carried out early in the morning, which will free the plants from dust deposits and give the coniferous aroma to the local area.

After moistening the soil, it is recommended to start loosening and mulching the earth near the root system. Compliance with the rules for caring for thuja will help grow a strong and healthy shrub.

Pruning

Thuja pruning can be:

• forming;
• sanitary;
• anti-aging.

Formative pruning makes it possible to maintain the desired shape of the Woodwardy thuja crown. With its help, it is possible to correctly form the location of the shoots, which will make it possible to preserve the spherical shape while maintaining 2-3 bearing axes. It is also worth paying attention to the direction of growth and the density of the shoots.

Shaping the removal of branches on the plant should be done in mid-March before the start of the growing season. Due to the moisture of the branches, the cuts will heal quickly enough.

Carrying out sanitary pruning allows you to get rid of sick, dried, improperly growing shoots. A dead branch should be removed directly at the base. It is advisable to carry out activities before the beginning of the budding period. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall and spring.

Rejuvenating pruning is essential for plants over 3 years old. Dying branches are cut, which allows to revive the thuja and extend its life.

Chic perennial

Preparing for winter

Annual seedlings need protection from the cold. It is important to shelter them from severe frosts.

As a covering material, you can use spruce branches or spandbond. It is very important that the material allows the sun's rays to pass through, since the Woodwardi western thuja belongs to the category of evergreens. Photosynthesis takes place even in the cold season. Lack of sunlight will undoubtedly lead to the death of the plant.

Mature shrubs do not need special care in winter. However, it is important to take care of the bandaging of the crown, which will avoid damage to it by a layer of snow in winter.

Reproduction of thuja

Below are the main ways of breeding thuja Woodwardi.

Seed method

It is recommended to collect seeds at the end of summer before the buds open. After collecting the cones from the plants, we dry them in a dry area on a spread fabric. Gradually, the fruits will begin to open, and the seeds themselves will fall out of the cones. Seeds can be sown both in open ground and in a container specially prepared for this purpose.

Step-by-step process of planting seeds:

1. We fill the container with turf soil mixed with a little peat and sand.
2. We compact the soil a little.
3. We make grooves, the distance between which should be within 60 mm.
4. Distribute the seeds evenly along the length of the furrows.
5. We pour a soil mixture on top of the seeds, the layer of which should not exceed 1.5 cm.
6. The soil is compacted and slightly moistened.

Cuttings

Cutting off the shoots for further reproduction, remove the needles from their lower part and place them in a container with water for 120 minutes. After that, the shoots can be planted in greenhouse conditions.

The soil mixture for planting is prepared independently. Peat and river sand are mixed with sod soil. Experts recommend disinfecting the ground before planting cuttings. For this purpose, a solution of potassium permanganate is used.

Dividing the bush

The bush is abundantly filled with water. Carefully dig it out and use a sharpened shovel to cut the bush into 2-3 pieces.

If the root system is very thick, it may be better to use a pruner. Each cut is abundantly processed with Fitosporin or Gamair. This will prevent the onset of a fungal infection. We plant the resulting bushes in different containers.

Thuja saplings woodwardii

Diseases and pests

Both parasites and diseases can harm the thuja of the Woodwardi variety. Below are the most common problems you may encounter when growing a perennial.