How to grow wonderful thuja in your garden?
Contents:
- Why do you need fertilizing
- Timing of fertilization
- Types of fertilizers
- How to fertilize correctly
- Root feeding
- Foliar feeding
- Favorable conditions for growing thuja
- Typical mistakes of gardeners
Thuja is an evergreen coniferous plant that is widely used to decorate areas in landscape design, to decorate city streets and public areas. For normal development and preparation for winter, thuja needs 3 main fertilizing by season. You will find answers to questions about what you can feed thuja with in summer and autumn, what fertilizers are needed and why in this article.
Why do you need fertilizing
The harmonious development of an evergreen plant depends on following the rules of care and timely complex nutrition. Over time, the content of nutrients in the soil decreases – absorbed by the roots, washed out by groundwater, and meltwater. Long-term nutritional deficiency is fraught with diseases and death of the crop. In order to recognize the lack of certain elements in time, the tree is examined for the following signs:
- yellow top – lack of potassium and magnesium;
- white coating – iron deficiency;
- slow growth and loss of color – nitrogen deficiency;
- brown-purple ends of branches – need for phosphorus.
Fertilizer for thuja used in time will support the growth and density of the crown, bright and juicy color of the needles. The first fertilization of thuja is carried out when the plant is planted in depleted soil, as well as when transplanting in spring and autumn for better survival.
Timing of fertilization
Seasonal fertilizers for thuja differ in purpose and composition:
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- In spring, if the crop is growing poorly and changing color, nitrogen-containing preparations are used to awaken the plant from winter hibernation and ensure rapid growth of seedlings. They can be applied as early as March.
- Additional feeding in June is especially necessary if the tree was not fertilized with nitrogen in early spring. Complex preparations and solutions based on bio humus are selected to protect the plant from pests and fungi.
- In autumn, thujas grown in the south of Russia need additional feeding.
Types of fertilizers
Different fertilizers are used to feed thuja: organics, minerals, complex preparations, and folk remedies. Mineral fertilizers are easier to dose, and with their help, you can quickly saturate the soil with valuable substances. Organics are absorbed longer, but together with nutrition, they improve the composition of the soil and its air permeability.
Organics
Natural fertilizers also activate the development of soil microorganisms. Rotted manure, compost, and humus improve the soil by being added to a shallow depth. Fresh manure and litter are not used for coniferous trees, as they can cause root burns.
You can also use ready-made organic-based preparations:
- Bloom City’s Worm Tea Concentrate based on biohumus;
- AgroThrive Organic Fertilizer – General Purpose.
Minerals
When choosing what to feed thujas with for rapid growth, it is worth stopping at mineral complexes with increased content of magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Ready-made compositions quickly eliminate the symptoms of starvation. Thuja, unlike deciduous trees, does not need a large amount of nitrogen.
Ready-made complexes
Complex fertilizers, specially developed for conifers, will help to provide nutrition to the plantings during planting and stimulate further growth. The complexes contain the entire necessary set of nutrients. High concentration allows to use additives less often (once every 3-5 years), which is economical and reasonable.
Folk recipes
Instead of store-bought preparations and organics, you can use folk remedies to care for thuja.
- Herbal infusions. Collect nettles, clover, couch grass and other plants containing nitrogen. Grind the raw materials, pour into a container and fill with water. For every 50 liters (13 gallons) of liquid, add 5 tablespoons of urea or ammonium nitrate. Cover the container so that holes remain for the release of gases, and put it in the sun for about 10 days, stirring the contents daily. To increase the effectiveness of the solution, you can add bone meal and ash. When the solution acquires a dark brown color, dilute the resulting concentrate with water 1:10 and use for watering.
- Yeast solution. Stimulates growth and strengthens the immune system. In a small container, mix 35 g (1.2 ounces) of dry yeast, 2 tbsp. sugar and 700 ml (24 ounces) of water. Leave to ferment in a warm place. The fermented concentrate is diluted with water at the rate of 1 tbsp. per bucket of water and used for watering.
How to fertilize correctly
How often should you use fertilizer for thuja? The interval between different substances is from 2 weeks. In the fall, any additional feeding is stopped, since stimulating vegetation during this period will negatively affect wintering. An exception is made for plants grown in southern regions.
The day before applying the fertilizer, the trunk circle is abundantly moistened so that the preparations do not burn the roots. Minerals are alternated, not allowing the simultaneous use of complex compositions with the same components.
Root feeding
This agrotechnical method consists of watering with a solution or laying granules in the soil. Preparations are applied no closer than 15 cm (0.5 feet) to the trunk, enriching the soil in the trunk circle. Mulch from peat, bark or pine needles is laid on top.
It is important to choose correctly what to fertilize the thuja with and when. Approximate terms:
- in the spring, distribute the selected fertilizer over the moistened soil under digging at the rate of 40 g (1.2 ounces);
- per one thuja;
- During the growing season, fertilize the soil twice at a rate of 60 g (2 ounces) of a suitable composition per 1 m2.
Foliar feeding
The crown needs spraying so that it does not turn yellow and quickly absorbs nutrients. The absorption of valuable elements in this case is 2-4 times higher compared to root feeding. The period of implementation is from May to August with a regularity of every 2 weeks.
Favorable conditions for growing thuja
Thuja grows well in moist, well-fertilized soil. If the soil is depleted, the color of the needles will become dull and then brown. The bush will begin to lose branches and will be affected by fungus.
When choosing what to feed the thuja, consider the types of shrubs – eastern or western. For the first, not very fertile soils are suitable, but warm, moisture-permeable and alkaline. For the second, high humidity and soil fertility are important, an acidified substrate is needed.
The place should be well lit by sunlight, but if the area is predominantly shaded, it is worth choosing varieties that are undemanding to light.
Typical mistakes of gardeners
Experienced gardeners can give valuable advice not only on how to feed thuja in the summer, but also on how to choose a place and properly care for coniferous plantings. It is worth avoiding such common mistakes among beginners:
- Feed plants irregularly, without a schedule.
- Being inattentive to the needs of the tree at a particular period of vegetation.
- Exceed the dosages recommended by fertilizer manufacturers.
- Neglecting to prepare the soil before using fertilizers.
Thuja is a grateful plant, ideal for landscaping areas, decorating sidewalks and streets. Its undemanding nature allows you to plant thuja everywhere. You can learn more about the fertilizers and agricultural techniques listed in the article from other articles on the site.
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