Thuja is a gorgeous evergreen plant belonging to the coniferous genus. It is popular with gardeners due to the beautiful pyramidal crown, and also due to the fact that in comfortable conditions it can reach several meters in height. But there are also species that are grown in pots at home. Despite the fact that many gardeners are interested in transplanting thuja, there is very little information on how to make it right.
Transplanting potted species
A transplant of a thuja grown in a pot should be carried out at least once every two years.
At the same time, the pot will fit one whose size slightly exceeds the diameter of the roots. It must have a sufficient number of drainage holes.
When preparing the ground, it should be remembered that the thuja loves slightly acidic lands. If the pH level of the soil is neutral, you need to add pine needles or bark to it. It is important to ensure maximum oxygen supply to the roots. The addition of perlite or expanded clay to the soil helps to do this in a closed pot system.
Thuja transplantation is performed in the following sequence:
- Pull the plant out of the pot, preserving the earthen lump as much as possible.
- At the bottom of the pot, pour a layer of drainage of expanded clay, chipped brick or other suitable materials.
- Install the earthen lump in the pot so that the root collar is at the same level.
- Cover the soil with voids in a pot.
- Water abundantly.
The nuances of transplanting garden specimens
Transplanting thuja growing in the garden is a much more difficult process. This is especially true for large adult plants. You should also observe several rules:
- It is important to plant a tree with the same orientation to the cardinal points. Therefore, before digging up a plant, one should determine where the north is and tie a ribbon on this part of the crown. Subsequently, when landing, it must be oriented to the north side of the pit.
- Thuja is a moisture-loving plant. Therefore, after a transplant it is important to water it regularly until it takes root.
- Prepare a pit for planting in advance. It should be about thirty centimeters wider than the estimated basal lump of earth. The depth of the pit should ideally be about a meter.
Choosing a place to land
It is not so important that a thuja is transplanted in August or in any other month; the place should be chosen correctly for these purposes. Ideal for this evergreen plant will be an open, well-lit area.
Thuja soil is undemanding to soil characteristics. But the soil should be reasonably well fertilized. In addition, if the soil is too heavy, a layer of drainage should be poured into the bottom of the pit, and the soil for falling asleep should be mixed with expanded clay. This will help to avoid stagnation of moisture and decay of the roots.
Tuyu can be grown both as freestanding trees, and in combination with other conifers. It is perfect for creating hedges, as it protects the site from prying eyes all year round.
How to dig up?
To successfully transfer the tree to a new place, it is important to preserve the root lump as much as possible. If an adult thuja is transplanted, it can be quite difficult to do. There are a number of rules that can greatly simplify this difficult procedure.
- The tree is carefully watered a day before the start of digging.
- First you should dig a trench around the tree. Its diameter should be 20 centimeters from the edge of the crown.
- Digging deeper should be done gradually, strengthening the walls of the pit with covering material or burlap.
- When the depth of the trench reaches 60 cm, you can start digging under the tree. In this case, the covering material should be bent. You can completely remove the thuja using a crowbar.
- When the lump is dug, the burlap is tied to maximize its preservation.
The best option is to prepare the thuja in advance for a transplant. To this end, they begin to dig a trench about a year before the procedure. If large roots get caught, they are cut off, the sections are covered with garden varnish. The trench is covered with loose soil and carefully watered. Such measures will help the tree form new thin suction roots.
Transplant procedure
Thuja transplant should ideally be carried out in spring. In the prepared pit, you need to pour a layer of soil in such a way that after installing the thuja, the root neck rises about ten centimeters above the ground level. The tree should be installed in the center of the pit. In this case, the burlap can not be removed.
Further, all the voids are sprinkled with earth and trampled. After that, the soil is carefully watered. It will be useful to fill the surface of the basal circle with any mulching material.
After transplanting, it is important to maintain soil moisture. Two weeks after the procedure, it is advisable to feed the tree with fertilizers.
Autumn Transplant Rules
If for some reason there is no way to wait for spring, a thuja can be transplanted in the fall. At the same time, the tree should be moved to a stable frost before the onset. Ideally, this should be done until mid-October, otherwise the plants will not have time to take root. As a result, it will be very difficult for him to move the winter.
After transplantation, it is advisable to sprinkle the root circle with fallen needles or compost. Due to this, weakened roots will be protected from freezing.
Many believe that it is impossible to transfer such a plant as thuja to a new place without damage. Transplantation in the fall, as well as in the spring, should be carried out in compliance with certain rules. In this case, you will almost certainly be able to save the thuja.