The heat-loving coniferous beauty - thuja - has become the subject of interest not only for landscape designers, but also for ordinary gardeners. This plant is planted as a hedge or used as a tapeworm. However, not all exotic lovers know that delicate thuja needs protection from winter cold and sun.
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Preparing for winter
Evergreen thuja is gradually becoming a common plant in central Russia. Among gardeners, it is considered a wind-resistant and winter-hardy tree. However, this exotic beauty needs special care on the eve of winter.
This primarily applies to young (up to 3 years old) and recently planted trees. If the planting of thuja was carried out in the fall, then there is a danger that the plant will not have time to thoroughly root. In this case, it becomes necessary to protect the root system from freezing.
Without waiting for severe frosts, a handful of complex mineral fertilizer is scattered in the zone of the trunk circle. Then the soil around the tree is carefully loosened to a depth of 10-12 cm, avoiding damage to the roots.
In addition, young trees are afraid of a frosty, but dry, snowless winter. Therefore, an evergreen plant needs to provide a supply of moisture that will keep the needles in a normal state. Pour at least 30 liters of water under one tree.
Then, in the area of the trunk circle, an insulating layer is laid out, which consists of components taken in equal proportions:
- fallen needles;
- humus;
- rotted manure;
- straw.
The shielding material is mixed and spread around the trunk. The insulation layer should not exceed 10-15 cm. The optimal time for this procedure is mid-October.
Attention! Winter protection is needed not only for the root system of the thuja. Delicate needles can get burned by direct sunlight.
Shelter for the crown
A well-made shelter will protect thuja from severe frost and sunburn. In addition, it will save the branches of young trees from damage during heavy snowfalls. Therefore, first of all, you should decide on the covering material.
What can you make a shelter from?
Specialized shops for gardeners offer a wide range of ready-made frame shelters. Such a protective structure can be made with your own hands from wooden slats or metal rods. Then the frame is covered with non-woven fabric or dense wrapping paper, the edges of which are fastened with a stapler.
There are other ways to protect yourself in winter. The branches of the trees should be carefully folded around the trunk and carefully tied with twine. After that, the crown is covered with several layers of gauze, burlap or thick paper. This coating is secured with a wire or a stapler.
The main thing is that the covering material is light in color - this will allow it to reflect the sun's rays. In addition, the protective layer should not be too massive and dense - the plant needs to breathe.
Important! Synthetic fabrics and polyethylene are not used to cover the crown, since they do not allow air to pass through.
Condensation will accumulate under the impermeable material, which will lead to frostbite of thuja branches in extreme cold. And in the event of a sudden thaw, the crown deprived of access to air will begin to rot.
What to do in spring
With the onset of spring, do not rush to open the thuja. It is necessary to wait for stable weather, when frosts pass, the earth will begin to thaw, and the air will gradually warm up. This procedure usually occurs in mid-spring. It is best to remove the insulation on a cloudy day so that the needles do not get sunburn.
Caring for an exotic plant will not go unnoticed. An evergreen beauty with fragrant needles will decorate the garden for many years, justifying its second name - "tree of life".
Have you already planted thuja on your site?
Original articleand many other materials, you can find on ourwebsite.
Read about compositions from coniferous plants in the following article:How to make a beautiful composition of conifers: original ideas