Coniferous plants are always popular with gardeners and landscape designers. Elegant strict look throughout the year and unpretentiousness make them lodgers in any garden, giving it neatness and attractiveness.
One of the brightest representatives of this genus is Thuya West Smaragd. A unique beauty emerald green plant with a narrow-conical thick crown can decorate any site and does not change its color even in winter. It clears and ionizes the air. The height of the Tui Smaragd reaches up to 5 meters, and the width is up to one and a half. The tree is distinguished by high frost resistance and does not require serious care, getting along in different climatic conditions. Tui Smaragd grows slowly enough and lives up to 150 years. This tree can easily be pruned to create garden sculptures, which became its inalienable dignity. It is suitable for single, group landings, and also as a hedge.
Tuy West Smaragd - landing
Tui is planted in spring and summer, as the young planted plant must grow stronger before the cold. Grow it can be from seeds or cuttings of an adult plant, but the result of planting the seeds is a very long process and requires certain skills. During the year, thuya grows only 10 cm. The best option is the acquisition of a seedling in a garden center. It is very important that the needles at purchase had a fresh appearance and a bright green color, and the ground near the root system was not over-dried.
To plant Tui Smaragd, it is desirable to choose a place that can be under direct sunlight about 6 hours a day. The soil when planting should be well moistened and drained (perlite, peat, manure), to improve the air exchange, you can use a little sand. After planting and watering a shallow loosening is carried out, but not more than 10 cm, so as not to damage the surface root system.
Thuya West Smaragd - care
Watering must be done regularly from 1 time per week to 1 time per month, this is especially true when the tree is young. The main rule is that the root system should not dry up. In hot months, the soil is covered with peat under the thuje to avoid excessive loss of moisture, and the first few winters are sprinkled with dry leaves or sawdust for warming. Also, to protect the young tree from winter and spring sunburn, use shelter from burlap or kraft paper. From time to time in the summer you can arrange a tree so-called sprinkling (watering or spraying from above), which stimulates the growth of the crown well.
In April, May and August, the tree is necessarily fertilized. To fertilize perfectly suitable special fertilizers for evergreens. In the first year the fertilizer is diluted twofold, so as not to burn the sensitive root system.
In the spring, thuya needs timely circumcision of damaged, diseased and colorless branches. And 2-3 times a year you need to shorten shoots by one third, which stimulates growth and adds a crown of splendor.
Diseases of Tui Smaragd
The main pests of this plant are aphids and falsification. They damage the needles of the tree, after which it turns yellow and begins to fall off. For the destruction of these parasites experts recommend 3 times a year to spray the tree with fungicides and use insecticides such as carbofos (90 grams of the drug per 10 liters of water).
Reproduction of Thuya Smaragd
The most preferable is the reproduction of thuja by propagation by cuttings. It is not recommended to carry out this type of reproduction after the appearance of the kidneys. The result will be better in the spring, until the kidneys are awakened.