Thuja is a coniferous plant that has not only an amazing aroma, but also a beautiful appearance. That is why growing thuja from seeds is so popular. How exactly to grow a tree on your own, and what aspects of this procedure is important to know before planting, we will understand in the article.

Tui breeding methods

There are several ways to propagate thuja. This is done using seeds and cuttings. The second method is most often used. It's easier and faster.

But, it is not always possible to purchase healthy cuttings, or to purchase them in sufficient quantities. In addition, the method of breeding with seeds is becoming increasingly popular. This ensures that the plant will grow healthy and beautiful.

Seed preparation

At the first stage, it is important to properly prepare the seeds for planting. Since the plant itself tolerates cold well and is considered frost-resistant, it is better to plant seeds before the cold sets in.

Therefore, it is better to collect seeds at the end of summer. You need to carry out the procedure before the cones begin to open. And it will be easiest to get seeds from dry fruits.

So that the seeds do not deteriorate, they must be dried well. Therefore, immediately after assembly, lay them out on paper in a warm place. A window sill that receives the sun's rays is perfect. The main thing is not to overdry them, otherwise nothing will work.

Soil preparation and planting thuja from seeds

There are two options for planting seeds: immediately in open ground or in small wooden boxes. In the second case, only a few months later, when all the seedlings appear above the surface and get a little stronger, the thuja propagated by seeds at home will be ready for planting.

To plant thuja with seeds, you need to specially prepare the soil in the right place. To do this, mix in a box one part of peat and sod land with two parts of sand.

The resulting mass must be thoroughly mixed.

After that, the soil is slightly compacted, and at a distance of 6-7 cm, make in-depth rows in which to evenly plant the seeds. After that, sprinkle them a little with a layer of earth, approximately 1 cm and moisten a little.

Be careful not to wash away the seeds with the water jet.

Growing thuja from seeds

After planting, the cultivation of thuja from seeds continues. Already after 25 days you can see the first sprouts. In this case, the temperature should not fall below 15 ° heat.

In order to stimulate the growth of thuja, you need to feed it every two weeks. This is the only way to grow a healthy tree. It is best to use mineral fertilizers for these purposes, which include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

Thuja from seeds grows rather slowly, no more than 8 cm in the first season. The sprouts must survive the first wintering in the box where they were sown.

Experienced gardeners say that in the first spring it is better to plant thuja seedlings in open ground in rows on separate beds so that they grow even more.

In order for the reproduction of thuja seeds to be successful, it is better to choose a place in partial shade. Before planting, it is important to additionally fertilize. For 1 square meter soil should be made 1 bucket of humus, 45 grams of nitrophoska and 250 grams. Distribute everything evenly, and then dig up the bed so that all the components are mixed.

Tui transplant

Further, the cultivation of thuja from seeds involves planting sprouts in open ground, on permanent place growth. You can do this in spring and autumn.

Thuja grows well on light sandy soils, especially with the addition of leafy and soddy soil. Best of all, a change of place is tolerated by trees that have a closed root system.

To grow thuja from seeds, you need to follow the following sequence:

1. Thuja is planted in a recess, but not more than 70 cm. If you plan to make a kind of fence from coniferous trees, then the pit should be up to a meter deep. As for the width, it should be twice as large as the diameter of the rhizome. Do not forget about drainage, which is simply necessary for plants. Its amount should be about half the total depth.
2. Planting thuja seeds in autumn, as well as in spring, requires fertilizer. If it is not possible to perform all the manipulations on your own, you can buy a ready-made mixture for planting.
3. During landing, the distance must be at least 1 meter. It is best that it be equal to 2-2.5 meters. So, the grown trees will not interfere with each other. When planting, the root collar should be level with the ground.
4. Thuja tolerates drought well and an adult plant needs additional only in the hottest weeks of summer. But, a young tree that has recently been transplanted needs additional moisture twice a week.
5. Before growing thuja from seeds, it must be fed regularly for 2 years. The soil around conifers is loosened only occasionally, and no deeper than 10 cm. The main rule when growing arborvitae is dry soil and a lot of shade can cause the tree to lose its unique color.
6. Particular attention should be paid to the first wintering of the tree. In preparation for it, it is better to tie the branches with a rope so that winter blizzards do not dishevel them. It is very important to cover the thuja with spruce branches to protect it from frost.

Of course, to get a beautiful tree in the end, you need to pay attention. But, the implementation of such simple rules will help you achieve your goal.

Tui care

In order for the thuja to continue to please the eye, it is important to constantly look after it. It is important to form a crown from the very beginning; for this, extra branches are regularly trimmed.

Each spring, the branches are shortened by two-thirds, which allows new shoots to grow. A sharp pruner is best for this. In addition, dry branches are constantly removed to renew the plant.

Due to the great popularity of conifers, many are interested in how to germinate thuja seeds. The process is long, but not difficult. It is enough just to follow the instructions and use the tips given in the article.

Stages of growing thuja from seeds - video

Thuja: growing by sowing seeds. Master class, photo

The simplest and most convenient breeding technology for thuja is sowing seeds before winter in the ground. Seedlings come out strong, develop well. You can get any number of seedlings in a fairly short time. Here's how it's done:

Why it is convenient and easy to propagate thuja seeds

After planting, water and mulch with peat. Feed once every 2-3 weeks in the same way as in the previous season, water in dry weather, loosen the soil after watering and remove weeds at the same time as loosening. In the third year of cultivation, when the thuja grown from seeds reaches a height of 50 cm, it can be planted in a permanent place.

How to select thuja seedlings for a hedge

For hedges, uniform planting material is needed, but when growing thuja from seeds, splitting of forms occurs: seedlings from sowing are obtained with different outlines and crown densities. This problem has a solution. At the age of 2-3 years, the future shape of the crown is already clearly visible in thuja seedlings. You can easily choose required amount homogeneous planting material for a fence or other purposes. In addition, the thuja tolerates a haircut very well, and the desired shape of the hedge can be obtained, even if the seedlings are slightly different.

Illustrations for the material: OOO Publishing House Gastronom

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Thuja is an evergreen coniferous tree, which is very much appreciated by gardeners. This is a great find for landscape design. Thuja is willingly used as a hedge. It creates protection from winds in summer and winter. Growing conifers at home is often carried out using cuttings - they take root well and young trees quickly grow. But, it is not always possible to get cuttings in the right amount, and recently the seed method has become popular, which is also more effective. It allows you to grow a large number of young seedlings in just a few years to create any composition in the garden or in the park. How to grow thuja from seeds - expert advice.

Thuja frost-resistant and unpretentious plant. In order for the seedlings to be strong and healthy, the seeds are sown before winter in the ground.

Soil preparation and sowing

Planting thuja at home is carried out in beds on the open ground or in boxes. For the convenience of planting care, experienced gardeners plant thuja in boxes, which can later be placed in any other place. Wooden containers are filled with nutrient soil, mixing peat and soddy soil - one part with 2 parts of sand. The soil is leveled and slightly compacted. Then, at a distance of 6 cm, deep rows are made, in which the seeds are evenly distributed along the entire length of the row. Thuja crops are lightly sprinkled with a thin layer of soil - 1 cm. Then the surface is compacted with a plank. After planting, seedlings are watered from a spray gun very carefully to prevent them from being washed out. Washed seeds should be lightly sprinkled with earth. In wet weather, seedlings do not need to be watered.

After planting, young thuja seedlings need proper care. In the spring they are exposed under trees that will create protection from direct sunlight.

For all conifers, and thuja is no exception, sunburn is very dangerous. It is recommended to cover the landing with a non-woven covering material, if on garden plot there are animals.

In the process of snow melting, it is very important to prevent the covering material from touching the ground surface.

Seedling care

After the soil warms up to a temperature of 15 degrees, after about 20 days, the first shoots will appear. Young plants bear little resemblance to adult specimens. After a few years, in seedlings with a needle-like structure, the needles develop into scales, as in adult plants. It will seem to someone that instead of thuja, completely different coniferous trees grow from seeds, for example, spruce or juniper. All you need is patience. After 2 months, the plants will have scaly branches of needles.

To stimulate growth, seedlings are fed every 14 days. Top dressing from mineral fertilizers, which include phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, is ideal for this. You can also use preparations Agricola, Mortar, which contain manganese, boron, stranded, molybdenum and zinc.

In one season, plants can grow up to 8 cm in height. They will spend the first wintering in boxes. And if the plantings are not too thick and the plants grow in a deep container, then they are left for another year without transplanting.

Experienced gardeners recommend planting seedlings after the first wintering in separate beds for further growing. The site must be chosen in partial shade. First, it is fertilized: 1 bucket of humus, 45 g of nitrophoska and 250 g of wood ash, then dig well.

Transplant to a permanent place of cultivation

You can transplant thuja at any stage of life, it quite successfully tolerates this procedure.

• Seedlings are planted in rows for growing at a distance of 30 cm.
• The distance between rows should also be about 30 cm.
• When planting, the root neck should be at the level of the soil. If the thuja is planted deeper, it will simply rot, turn yellow and die.
• Immediately after transplantation, the plants are mulched with peat and watered.

Subsequent care consists of regular feeding of young plants, frequent but moderate watering, loosening the soil after watering and removing weeds.

Fertilizers are applied once every 30 days, as in the previous year. Thuja is planted on a permanent site only at the age of 3, when the plant reaches half a meter in height.

In order to create a dense decorative hedge, planting material of a uniform shape and size is used. Growing thuja from seeds allows you to get adult specimens with different structures, crown densities, and also outlines. At the age of three, the seedlings can see the shape of the future crown. Planting seeds can produce a sufficient number of uniform seedlings to create any arrangement in a garden plot, city park, industrial area landscaping and other places. In addition, thuja is a surprisingly coniferous tree that tolerates pruning quite easily. Regular shearing allows you to create a crown of the desired shape or make an ideal hedge.

Thuja has long been popular with gardeners.

It is used to create various landscape designs, as a hedge (with the help of a haircut, a plant can be given any look).

It is durable, very unpretentious (it can grow on different soils, in urban conditions).

In addition to the decorative function, thuja sanitizes the air, releasing phytoncides.

Varietal and species diversity allows you to grow thuja even in the northern and middle latitudes.

Thuja: cultivation. Selection of planting material

1. The appearance of the plant - the branches should be elastic, and the needles should be bright, shiny, lively. If it is dull and crumbles when touched, then the plant has died;

Growing thuja from seeds: features of planting and care at home

The earthen ball must be preserved - the bare roots of the plant are unacceptable;

3. If possible, inspect the root system. It should be healthy and not dried: the ends of the roots are white or yellowish, elastic (if scratched, juice is released);

4. It is also necessary to take into account the indicators of the thuja variety: needle color, crown splendor, frost resistance.

Types and varieties of thuja

Under natural conditions, there are 5 main types of thuja: Japanese, Korean, folded, eastern, western. The most popular of them is western thuja. This is a pyramidal tree, reaching a height of 15-20 m, with a crown of 3-5 m in diameter. Due to its frost resistance, it is suitable for cultivation in all regions of our country. Many varieties of this species have been bred, having different shapes, color of needles, height. The most famous are:

.Brabant- frost-resistant fast-growing grade. The crown diameter is 1.5 m. The color of the needles is green in summer, brown in winter.

. Emerald- is a tree reaching a height of 4-4.5 meters. The shape of the crown is conical. It grows slowly, dark green needles practically do not fade in winter. Handles haircut well.

. Columna- a fast-growing variety in the form of a tree with a dense narrow crown. It has high winter hardiness, prefers semi-shady areas.

. Wagneri- a variety with gray needles, which acquires a copper tint in winter. Prefers fertile soils in open areas. Possesses the increased frost resistance.

.Globoza- a slow-growing variety with a spherical crown (it reaches a height of 1 m by the 10th year of vegetation), winter-hardy and drought-resistant.

. Danica- undersized shrub with a rounded dense crown up to 0.6 m high. It grows slowly (growth reaches only 5 cm per year). The needles have a light green color. The variety is shade-tolerant, drought-resistant and frost-resistant. Propagated only by cuttings. Ideal for landscaping small areas.

.Golden Globe- the variety has golden-green needles, grows slowly, is used in single compositions, rockeries, rock gardens and low borders.

Thuja: cultivation. Sowing and planting (timing, shelter, temperature, soil, etc.)

For growing thuja, both a sunny place and partial shade are suitable. If you plant this coniferous plant in the shade, then its crown will thin out and lose its decorative effect. Although the thuja is moisture-loving, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, if groundwater occurs on a site close to the surface, then drainage must be carried out on it before planting.

Thuja can grow on different soils, but it is still better to plant it on moisture-permeable fertile lands. On heavy clay soils, it is prone to root rot. Therefore, such areas must first be enriched with humus or compost, add sand and peat to improve aeration. Acidic soils are alkalized by adding wood ash or lime.

Planting thuja

They dig a hole 70-80 cm deep and 90-100 cm in diameter;

At the bottom of the pit, drainage is poured from crushed stone, expanded clay;

Pour prepared soil on the drainage, add complex fertilizers and 2 cups of ash;

The seedling is placed in the pit so that the root collar is at ground level;

The distance between plants depends on the size of the variety. If thujas are planted in a group, then the interval between them ranges from 1 to 5 m, and when creating a single-row hedge, it is one meter.

Growing thuja from seeds

The process of growing thuja from seeds is quite long in time: 3-5 years will pass from sowing to planting seedlings in a permanent place. In addition, plants from seeds do not retain varietal characteristics. However, if necessary, minimal cost get a lot of strong seedlings adapted to the climatic conditions of your region, then this method fits perfectly.

Like all coniferous plants, thuja seeds are unpredictable in their germination. They can lie in the ground for more than six months before shoots appear.

Seed cones are harvested in the year of fruiting. They are laid out in a warm room in one layer, after a couple of days they will open and then small reddish seeds easily spill out of them. Healthy seeds that have undergone natural or artificial stratification (cold exposure) are suitable for planting.

In the first case, they are sown in open ground after harvest in late autumn. In the spring, shoots will appear that look like dill shoots. The first branches of the seedlings will grow only after 6 months. So that the seedlings are not lost among the weeds, they can be sown in boxes dug into the ground. In the third year, the plants dive. Young arborvitae can be planted in a permanent place in the fifth year of the growing season.

In the second case, the seeds are sown in a bowl with wet sand, covered with glass or film, placed in a cool room or refrigerator on a shelf with a temperature of + 5ºС for 2-3 months. Periodically, crops must be ventilated and condensate removed. After stratification, the seeds are sown in February in boxes. The substrate is made from turf land, peat, sand, taken in equal proportions. For disinfection, it is shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. After sowing, the soil is moistened. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +20ºС and above. As soon as sprouts appear, the boxes with seedlings are transferred to a cooler place with good lighting. Twice a month, plants are fed with complex mineral fertilizers for conifers. Dive seedlings in the second year in the spring. In summer, pots with them are taken out into the garden in partial shade. For the winter they are brought into the greenhouse or into the house. In the third spring, the grown thujas are transferred to larger pots. When the plants reach 50 cm in length (4-5 years of vegetation), they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Sowing thuja seeds

Growing thuja from cuttings

With this method of reproduction, plants retain their varietal characteristics. Some varieties of thuja can only be grown with cuttings (for example, the Danica variety).

Tui cuttings are carried out in April. For cuttings choose healthy strong branches of a young plant (2-3 years). If there are no such specimens, then semi-lignified branches of an adult thuja are used. Cuttings must be torn off with a "heel" - a piece of bark.

Tui cuttings with a "heel"

The lower end of the cutting is 1/3 cleaned of needles, soaked for a day in a root formation stimulator and planted on a bed in a greenhouse, deepened by 2-3 cm. The substrate for planting is made from a mixture of equal proportions of leaf (turf) soil, sand and peat, which must first be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate. Seedlings need diffused light and high humidity (about 70%). Therefore, cuttings planted in pots must be covered with banks. After planting, the plants must be sprayed and ventilated so that rotting does not begin. The appearance of new shoots means that rooting was successful. In autumn (September), young plants are planted in a permanent place. For the winter they need shelter. To do this, use spruce spruce branches, sawdust, dry leaves.

Thuja: cultivation. Care, feeding

Care when growing thuja consists in watering, feeding, cutting and preparing for the winter period.

The irrigation regime of the thuja depends on the weather conditions. Thuja is very sensitive to the moisture content of the soil. With a lack of moisture, its needles fade and acquire a yellow-brown color. This is especially true after summer pruning. The minimum amount of watering per plant is 10 liters. In hot weather, water every 3-4 days.

It is better to do it in the morning or in the evening. Sprinkling has a good effect on the appearance of the plant. Daily spraying washes away the dust from the needles, which begins to exude its phytoncidal smell.

In the spring, compost or mineral fertilizers are applied for coniferous plants. If top dressing was applied at planting, then the next time it is fertilized after 2 years.

The trunk circles of the thuja are mulched with sawdust, compost, crushed bark or walnut shells. Mulch will retain moisture in summer and protect roots from overheating and freezing in winter.

Pruning begins in the third year of the growing season of the thuja. The main pruning is carried out starting in April. At the same time, dry and diseased branches are removed, and the selected crown shape is formed. When cutting a hedge, the shoots are cut no more than one third of the length.

Preparing thuja for winter. In the middle and northern strip of Russia, young thuja (even frost-resistant varieties) need shelter for the first few years. The trunk circles are covered with dry foliage, and the plants themselves are covered with spunbond or a thick greenhouse film. On adult plants, the branches are tied with twine to the trunk in order to avoid breaking them off when snow accumulates on them.

Thuja shelter for the winter

Major pests and how to deal with them

thuja aphid- Insects that live in colonies and feed on plant sap. Damaged needles turn yellow and fall off. To destroy aphids, insecticides are used (for example, Fufanon).

spider mite spreads rapidly in dry, warm weather. You can notice it by the branches covered with cobwebs. The needles are covered with yellow spots and crumble. In case of severe damage, acaricides are used. Tick ​​does not like high humidity therefore, for the prevention of thuja, it is necessary to spray water more often.

Moth moth- a small butterfly, the larvae of which gnaw through the needles. Shoots first turn brown, and then die. To control pests, the affected thujas are treated twice with pyrethroids with an interval of 8 days.

Thuja false shield- small light yellow insects. Affected plants wither, the needles partially dry out. In the period from May (before bud break) and until mid-June, thujas are sprayed with karbofos, actellik or actara.

Click beetles (wireworms) - polyphagous pests. The larvae feed on small roots and humus, and as they grow, they move to thick roots. As a result, the thuja stops in development, the needles dry and crumble. Most often, click beetles settle in moist areas with acidic soils. To prevent the spread of these beetles in the fall, it is necessary to dig up the soil, because. adults (adult insects) hibernate shallow in the ground. Low-lying areas should be drained and alkalized. In case of mass damage by wireworms, thuja and surrounding vegetation are sprayed with such preparations as Fufanon, Actellik, Decis. To destroy the larvae, they are introduced into the soil chemicals with diazonin (Kapkan, Bazudin).

bark beetles- small beetles that gnaw through passages and lay eggs in the bark of a tree. The affected tree quickly dies. There is no universal remedy for bark beetle protection. It is recommended to spray the plants with insecticides at intervals of two weeks. Damaged branches are cut and burned.

Shutte and rust- diseases caused by various pathogenic fungi, in which the needles darken and fall off. Mostly young thujas are ill. Affected branches should be cut and burned to prevent the spread of fungal spores. For prevention, all conifers on the site are sprayed with Hom (40 g per bucket of water), Topsin-M (15 g per bucket of water) or Bordeaux liquid. Trunk circles are shed 2 times per season with a solution of foundationol.

root rot- one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of thuja. As a result of the destruction of young roots, the shoots become pale yellow, turn brown over time, and the plant dies. Sick specimens must be destroyed, and the ground under neighboring plants should be shed with a fungicide solution (for example, Fitosporin).

Beautiful, evergreen thuja- an excellent tree for creating a hedge. It is characterized by good winter hardiness, unpretentiousness. Dense needles well protect the site from cold winds at any time of the year. However, the price of thuja seedlings often forces one to abandon this option. What should those summer residents who cannot afford to buy thuja seedlings do? There is an exit! You can grow a plant from seed. Is it difficult to do this? No. The main thing in the process is patience and quality care. How to grow thuja from seed? We will learn the answer to this question from the article.

Growing thuja from seeds

How to grow thuja - where to start?

If you think that this is too difficult and this is for you, then we hasten to assure you of the opposite. Thuja can be grown from seeds on its own, in any quantity. It does not matter that in the first year the seedlings grow no more than 10 centimeters. In subsequent years, when the thuja root system is finally formed, its annual growth is 25-30 centimeters.

To obtain seeds, thuja cones are harvested in the horse of August - early September, they just ripen by this time. You need to hurry to have time to collect them before full disclosure. They are laid out in one layer, the room should be dry and warm. When the dried buds open, the seeds will fall out freely. It is desirable to plant them immediately, since storage adversely affects the germination of seeds. If, for some reason, it is not possible to plant seeds in the fall, before spring planting they need to be stratified. Tui seedlings sown before winter grow stronger and healthier than their counterparts sown in the spring, grow earlier, winter better, which is especially important for them in the first years of life.

How to sow thuja seeds? Consider the most practical tips:

• It is possible to sow thuja seeds directly into the open ground, on the garden bed reserved for them, or in boxes, it is more convenient to move them around the site. Soil for sowing thuja consists of one part of sod or garden soil, two parts of peat and a small amount of sand.

  Independent cultivation of thuja seedlings

  It is poured into a box, leveled and compacted so that it is at least 2 centimeters below the sides.

• Then planting grooves are laid, the seeds are evenly laid out in them and covered with soil, which is then compacted. In dry weather, crops should be watered moderately, making sure that the seeds do not float to the surface.
• A box with crops is placed in partial shade so that in spring the seedlings do not fall under the burning sun.
• In the spring, 15-20 days after the soil is well warmed up, shoots will appear, at first similar to spruce, this is a feature of the arborvitae, and there is no need to be afraid. Real twigs, with scaly needles, grow from seedlings by mid-summer.

Tui reproduction

Thuja from seeds - timely care

Young arborvitae require regular (every two weeks) application of complex mineral fertilizers, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements. The first wintering of thuja seedlings takes place in the old place. In the second spring, the strongest plants can be planted in the "school", which must necessarily be slightly shaded. The soil for planting must be dug up on the bayonet of a shovel, add humus, nitroammophoska, ash into it. Seedlings for further growth are located at a distance of at least 30 cm.

When transplanting seedlings, care must be taken not to deepen the root neck, in which case it will begin to rot, and the thuja most often dies. The root neck must necessarily be located at ground level. After transplanting, seedlings need to be watered and mulched with peat. Water them in dry weather, while loosening the soil and removing weeds. Top dressings are made every 2-3 weeks. At proper care by the end of the third year, seedlings grow up to half a meter, now they can be transplanted to a place intended for further cultivation.

If seedlings are grown for hedges, you need to choose those that have the maximum similarity in the emerging crown - so the hedge will be more uniform in density. However, if all the seedlings turned out to be “variegated”, it doesn’t matter either, since the thuja tolerates a haircut perfectly, which allows you to form a hedge of any configuration.

So, now you know how to grow thuja from seeds. We hope that everything will work out for you, and in a few years you will enjoy your own grown thuja, which will decorate the entire summer cottage.

How easy it is to grow thuja from seeds

Thuja is a very unpretentious plant, it is not afraid of cold weather and polluted city air. The crown of the thuja can be formed, getting a shrub of any shape, so it is perfect for building a hedge.

Thanks to lush needles, such a fence protects the garden from cold or dry winds. However, thuja seedlings are quite expensive, and they need a lot for a hedge. You can save a lot by growing a shrub yourself from seeds.

Propagation by seeds - a practical way

The advantage of seed propagation over cuttings is that the result is very strong plants adapted to local conditions. In the first year, the seedlings will grow by only 7 cm.

But in the future they will add 30 cm per year.

Seed harvesting

Tui fruits - small oblong cones - ripen in early September. But in autumn it is impossible to distinguish barren flowers from fruits suitable for reproduction. Inspection should be carried out at the end of March, when pollinated cones have already closed, unlike unpollinated ones. Empty flowers can be cut off in advance so that they do not consume valuable plant resources.

The cones must be carefully cut and laid out in a dry, warm place. When dry, they open and release seeds. They should be planted immediately after harvest to give them the opportunity to overwinter under the snow. After undergoing winter stratification, seedlings emerge earlier and grow much more actively in spring.

Landing features

Thuja, like all conifers, does not like the bright sun, but she is also uncomfortable in the shade. A slightly shaded place under a large tree is suitable as a "golden mean".

You can plant seeds immediately in open ground, but it is more convenient to grow them in wooden boxes. Under the conditions of the box, it is easier to control watering and fertilizing, it is more convenient to seat grown young animals from it.

The boxes must be filled with soil so that 2–3 cm are left to the edges. Make indentations in the soil with a spatula at a short distance. The soil mixture for germinating thuja seeds is peat, soddy soil and sand in a ratio of 4:2:1. The holes need to be widened. Seeds in the recesses are distributed evenly. Then they need to be sprinkled with earth and watered a little.

Crop care

Small thujas are very similar to spruce seedlings, but after a couple of months they have scaly needles, and they take on the shape of an adult plant.

Here are the basic rules for caring for young thujas:

1. Boxes are installed in shady areas of the garden.

   Thuja from seeds - growing at home

   Additional shelter for the winter is not required. Under the snow, the seeds in the boxes will successfully overwinter and give the first shoots when the ground warms up in the spring.

2. Once every two weeks, seedlings need to be fed with fertilizers for coniferous plants. While the plants are still very small (7–8 cm), they do not need to be seated.
3. After wintering, seedlings need to be planted in temporary beds. In open ground, they will feel free, which will accelerate their growth and development.
4. The soil at the planting site should be loose and well permeable; if necessary, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the beds. Before planting, peat mixed with sand and dry rotted compost should be added to the beds. Additionally, you can add 50 g of nitroammophoska.
5. Thuja tolerates transplants well. young age. The distance between plants should be 30 cm.
6. When planting, it is not necessary to deepen the root neck - it should be at the level of the soil.
7. The soil around the seedlings should be sprinkled with crushed pine bark or needles.
8. It is enough to water the growing trees once a week and fertilize every 2-3 weeks.
9. If there is no severe drought, abundant watering is not required.
10. It is possible to transplant thuja to a permanent place when their height reaches 50 cm. Usually these are two-three-year-old plants.

The disadvantage of seed cultivation of thuja is the varietal heterogeneity of seedlings. However, this problem is easily solved if you plant more seeds - with a margin. Three-year-old thujas are already acquiring a certain crown density, which will not change over the years. From a large number of seedlings, you can choose a sufficient number of identical plants for a hedge.

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Technology of growing coniferous plants

Ivan Mitrofanovich CHERKIS,

arborist, nursery owner

Coniferous plants are evergreen and therefore able to perform their functions, especially aesthetic, all year round. And such conifers as juniper are also valuable because they emit a large amount of phytoncides (phytoncides are biologically active substances that kill or inhibit the growth and development of bacteria), 6 times more than other conifers, and 15 times more than deciduous. In addition, coniferous plants successfully retain dust and absorb toxic substances. Thuja and juniper are actively used for topiary (curly haircut).

Thuja from seeds: how to grow, transplanting into open ground

You can create both individual figures and entire green hedges. Where to get such a viable planting material and how to grow it?

Seeds or cuttings, as the initial planting material for growing seedlings, must be harvested from stands naturally growing in these areas. climatic conditions, or from artificially grown, but well acclimatized and resistant to given conditions.

On the territory of our region, many conifers grow in gardens, parks and private land holdings: different kinds firs, pines, junipers, arborvitae, larches, yews, etc. Many of these plants are 20 or more years old, so they have passed a good natural selection, acclimatized and can be used for harvesting seeds and cuttings. It is important to choose the right time for harvesting seeds: for prickly spruce and larch - mid-August; spruce and pine - from December to February; Tui - September; junipers - October, November.

Sowing of coniferous plants is carried out only in the spring. Seeds from collection to sowing are stored in hermetically sealed vessels, which keeps them from drying out. Juniper seeds after harvesting are laid for 3-3.5 months for stratification. In the spring, before sowing, the seeds of all conifers, except for junipers, are soaked for 1 day in ordinary water at room temperature.

For sowing beds, it is advisable to choose a place in partial shade or prepare shields for shading. For spruces, the soil should be loamy, well-humused, for other conifers - sandy loam. Before sowing and subsequently during the year, no fertilizers, especially manure, can be applied to the soil. The only thing you can add is compost soil. For a small number of plants grown, it is better to use single-line sowing. Seeding depth: for larch and spruce 0.5-1 cm, for other conifers 1-2 cm. Monitor soil moisture, if necessary, additionally water, but do not flood. With the emergence of seedlings, after about 12 days, by partially opening the film, the seedlings are hardened, and then the film is completely removed. Further care for seedlings consists of watering, weeding and loosening. Shelter in the winter is not required. It takes 2 years to grow seedlings of thuja and juniper 15-25 cm high, spruce and larch - 3 years. To increase the energy of growth, the formation of seedlings with a beautiful symmetrical crown, seedlings are dug early in spring with a bare root system, the roots are shortened by 1/3 and planted, increasing the area for each plant (25-30 cm). Further care: watering once a week for 2 months, then the intervals between waterings can be increased, weeding, loosening the soil, sometimes shading. It will take 3-6 years to get seedlings 1-1.2 m high from these seedlings with a good crown and a powerful root system. To do this, every 2 years it is necessary to carry out 1-2 transplants.

So, what should be remembered when planting seedlings of coniferous plants:

1. All conifers up to 3 years old can be transplanted with a bare root system only in spring.
2. Plants older than 3 years should be transplanted only with a natural earthy clod in spring or autumn.
3. Do not remove naturally falling needles from under the plant, as it protects the soil from overheating and drying out, and when decomposed, it provides the plant necessary elements nutrition.

Coniferous plants, especially shrub forms, can also be propagated by cuttings. Cutting time is spring, after the start of sap flow.

Annual cuttings are torn off with a heel, that is, with a part of the wood. Further grown according to conventional technology.

And the last thing - if you decide to bring or purchase seedlings from other areas, then you need to consider the following:

• the climatic conditions in which the seedlings are grown and where they will be planted should be close in their characteristics, especially humidity and temperature;
• cultivation technology (whether the hydroponic method was used);
• seedlings older than 3 years must be delivered with a natural earthen clod in a packaged form.

If you saw beautiful 2-meter seedlings in flowerpots with peat, do not think that they grew in them, this is just a packaging for transportation, but when and what you packed, you should think about it.

Tui are often used in landscape design. They are highly valued for their beautiful appearance, which lasts throughout the year.

Most often, thujas are grown by cuttings, but recently the seed method has become popular - it is more affordable and, moreover, quite effective. Undoubtedly, you need to know when to collect thuja seeds in order to be on time.

What do thuja seeds look like?

The seeds of an evergreen plant ripen in cones located at the tips of branches. These cones ripen in the first year of fruiting. It is not difficult to notice them on an adult tree - they have a brown-orange or light brown color, resembling branched twigs that have turned brown from the cold.

It is these brown seed twigs that are harvested to obtain thuja seeds. They break off easily from wood. After drying at home, the cones open and the seeds themselves spill out of them - small winged and reddish seeds in color.

When do thuja seeds ripen?

The time for collecting thuja seeds and harvesting planting material usually falls at the end of summer - the beginning of autumn. It is necessary to collect the cones before they open, because from dry and open cones they spill out to the ground very easily.

Collected cones should be laid out on a flat surface in a dry and warm ventilated area. Once the buds open, the seeds will be very easy to extract.

Thuja from seeds, planting and care

After collecting thuja seeds, you need to decide when you will use them for planting.

Depending on this, you must prepare them for long or short storage. Or you can immediately sow the seeds "in the winter." By the way, it is during the autumn planting that the thujas turn out to be the most hardened, strong, less demanding to care for. Having passed natural stratification, plants sprout earlier, grow faster, and better tolerate wintering.

A beautiful, evergreen thuja is an excellent tree for creating a hedge. It is characterized by good winter hardiness, unpretentiousness. Dense needles well protect the site from cold winds at any time of the year. However, the price of thuja seedlings often forces one to abandon this option. What should those summer residents who cannot afford to buy thuja seedlings do? There is an exit! You can grow a plant from seed. Is it difficult to do this? No. The main thing in the process is patience and quality care. How to grow thuja from seed? We will learn the answer to this question from the article.

Growing thuja from seeds

How to grow thuja - where to start?

If you think that this is too difficult and this is for you, then we hasten to assure you of the opposite. Thuja can be grown from seeds on its own, in any quantity. It does not matter that in the first year the seedlings grow no more than 10 centimeters. In subsequent years, when the thuja root system is finally formed, its annual growth is 25-30 centimeters.

To obtain seeds, thuja cones are harvested in the horse of August - early September, they just ripen by this time. You need to hurry to have time to collect them before full disclosure. They are laid out in one layer, the room should be dry and warm. When the dried buds open, the seeds will fall out freely.

When to collect thuja seeds?

It is desirable to plant them immediately, since storage adversely affects the germination of seeds. If, for some reason, it is not possible to plant seeds in the fall, they must be stratified before spring planting. Tui seedlings sown before winter grow stronger and healthier than their counterparts sown in the spring, grow earlier, winter better, which is especially important for them in the first years of life.

How to sow thuja seeds? Consider the most practical tips:

• It is possible to sow thuja seeds directly into the open ground, on the garden bed reserved for them, or in boxes, it is more convenient to move them around the site. Soil for sowing thuja consists of one part of sod or garden soil, two parts of peat and a small amount of sand. It is poured into a box, leveled and compacted so that it is at least 2 centimeters below the sides.
• Then planting grooves are laid, the seeds are evenly laid out in them and covered with soil, which is then compacted. In dry weather, crops should be watered moderately, making sure that the seeds do not float to the surface.
• A box with crops is placed in partial shade so that in spring the seedlings do not fall under the burning sun.
• In the spring, 15-20 days after the soil is well warmed up, shoots will appear, at first similar to spruce, this is a feature of the arborvitae, and there is no need to be afraid. Real twigs, with scaly needles, grow from seedlings by mid-summer.

Tui reproduction

Thuja from seeds - timely care

Young arborvitae require regular (every two weeks) application of complex mineral fertilizers, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace elements. The first wintering of thuja seedlings takes place in the old place. In the second spring, the strongest plants can be planted in the "school", which must necessarily be slightly shaded. The soil for planting must be dug up on the bayonet of a shovel, add humus, nitroammophoska, ash into it. Seedlings for further growth are located at a distance of at least 30 cm.

When transplanting seedlings, care must be taken not to deepen the root neck, in which case it will begin to rot, and the thuja most often dies. The root neck must necessarily be located at ground level. After transplanting, seedlings need to be watered and mulched with peat. Water them in dry weather, while loosening the soil and removing weeds. Top dressings are made every 2-3 weeks. With proper care, seedlings grow up to half a meter by the end of the third year, now they can be transplanted to a place intended for further cultivation.

If seedlings are grown for hedges, you need to choose those that have the maximum similarity in the emerging crown - so the hedge will be more uniform in density. However, if all the seedlings turned out to be “variegated”, it doesn’t matter either, since the thuja tolerates a haircut perfectly, which allows you to form a hedge of any configuration.

So, now you know how to grow thuja from seeds. We hope that everything will work out for you, and in a few years you will enjoy your own grown thuja, which will decorate the entire summer cottage.

How to grow thuja from seeds at home?

Cypress family. Motherland North America.

Thuja western Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous plant with a pyramidal crown, in good conditions lives for a very long time, reaching an average of 10-15 m in height with a trunk thickness of about 40 cm. The bark of young plants is smooth, reddish-brown, furrowed with age, exfoliating into strips. The needles are scaly, dense, small (scales about 3-4 mm), saturated green, turning brown in winter. Every 2-3 years, the thuja renews its foliage, throwing twigs and acquiring new needles. The thuja has small 10-15 mm egg-shaped cones with delicate scales, similar to dried buds. There are more than 300 varieties of thuja.

The original species - western thuja - is a garden plant, but is sometimes grown as a pre-bonsai. However, there are various varieties of western Polish thuja on sale. Among them are compact plants that grow well in pots. For example, the miniature Miki variety Thuja occidentalis ‘Miky’ is characterized by a fine foliage structure that remains a rich green color throughout the growing season. The crown is very dense, dense, in an adult plant of a wide-conical shape. In winter, it can take on a copper tint. The shoots are slightly twisted, which gives the variety an additional charm. Thuja grows rather slowly: in 8-10 years it will grow about 70-80 cm in height and about 50 cm in girth. This variety practically does not need pruning shoots.

Thuja planting and care

At home, thuja - a wonderful decoration for a balcony or terrace - loves fresh air, does not tolerate being kept in the kitchen or in a smoky room. It also looks attractive in the garden: in rock gardens, rocky gardens, it goes well with other coniferous plants.

Temperature

The frost resistance of the plant is zone 5b if you plan to grow thuja in a greenhouse or garden. At home in the summer we have the temperature that is dictated by the weather, but cypress trees do not tolerate heat - they need 22-24 ° C for optimal growth. In winter, a cool content is required, + 8-10 ° С is enough, at least + 2 ° С. At the same time, the soil in the pot is almost completely dry. At the lower temperature limit, the plant needs to be insulated. You can put the pot in a box with sawdust, wrap it with foam rubber, put it in a large pot and fill it with dry earth between the walls. Coolness must be provided with the onset heating season until the beginning of February.

Lighting

Thuja is photophilous, prefers a certain amount of sunlight, it is better before lunch - the east or southeast side, or in the evening - the northwest. In the period from February to May, from 12 to 15 hours, openwork shading is desirable - at this time the most active sun can cause burns (brown needles). By summer, the thuja gets used to the sun well and does not need shading if it has enough fresh air.

• Attention: at temperatures above 26-27 ° C, the direct sun of the thuja is difficult to tolerate. Therefore, if the pot is on open balcony or at open window(not micro ventilation, but a well-opened window), shading is not required. If you close the windows, it is better to move the pot to a more shady, but not hot window sill. Young plants are especially in need of shading. In nature, thuja seedlings (from self-sowing) have been growing for decades in the shade of taller trees.

You may have heard that thuja is shade-tolerant - this statement applies only to garden conifers, at home the lighting is always one-sided, and growing on the north side can lead to the formation of uneven crown leafing. Therefore, if you have north side, gradually turn the pot on the window.

Watering

During the growth period, especially in hot weather, watering is quite plentiful, with drying of the top layer of the earth. Do not leave water in the pan after watering. Thuja does not tolerate overdrying - as soon as the soil dries out, it deplorably lowers the branches, but after moistening it immediately restores turgor. If it is too dry, especially in the heat, it is irreversible. When the rainy season and a sharp cold snap begin in the fall, make sure that watering is infrequent and the soil has time to dry almost completely in 3 days.

• Important: the correctness of watering is regulated not only by its frequency and volume of water, but also by the composition and structure of the soil.
• For reference: in nature, thuja grows in humid forests, especially abundant in coniferous swamps, but at the same time the root is superficial, not completely submerged in water, but on a well-drained substrate. But the most famous long-lived thujas, up to 1000 years old, have been preserved on cliffs and rocky terrain. For thuja, air humidity is more important than soil moisture - avoid both waterlogging and overdrying.

Fertilizer: Thuja fertilization is required two months after transplanting if the soil is too poor. You can purchase a special fertilizer for coniferous plants or use a universal non-alkaline and chlorine-free for ordinary indoor plants.

Humidity: Thuja loves very humid air, optimally 60-80%, humidity below 40% requires moistening - spraying 2-3 times a day or placing the pot on a wide pan with water (water should not come into contact with the roots). With the beginning of the heating season, move the plant to a cool room.

• If there is no possibility of a cool wintering, you have two options: to isolate the edge of the window sill from the battery with plexiglass or greenhouse film, put a humidifier and add artificial lighting. Or, if the size of the bush exceeds the size of the window sill, do not torture the plant - grow it in the garden.

Tui transplant

Potted thuja is transplanted annually or every two years, very carefully, keeping the root ball as carefully as possible. When planting, it is important not to compact the soil too tightly and not to deepen the root neck (the soil level is at the same level, without hilling). Healthy roots are brick-brown and firm in appearance. Soil: 1 part of clay-soddy soil, 1 part of leaf (or peat), 1 part of baking powder (zeolite granules or akadama, vermiculite or agroperlite can be used, coarse river sand - sifted to 2-4 mm). The pot should not be too large - slightly larger than the root system. At the bottom, make a lot of holes for water flow, drainage if desired (required in a tall pot). If the soil is closer to neutral in acidity, add a couple of tablespoons of pine needles or bark to the pot.

Thuja grows well on slightly acidic soils, does not tolerate alkalization and strongly acidic soil - optimal pH 5.5-6.5. If the substrate is caked and compacted, you need to carefully loosen it to a depth of 5-6 cm. If a salt coating appears on the surface of the soil, it must be removed and the plant should be watered with softer water (filtered, boiled, softened with aquarium water).

If you are using peat-based commercial soil, keep in mind that it quickly consumes nutrients, and in its pure form is far from ideal for thuja (dries quickly), but can serve as one of the components. In addition, store soils are often filled with a large dose of fertilizers, even specialized coniferous mixtures, as a rule, are based on pure peat and sand, while light loam will be an ideal soil base for arborvitae. But do not forget that growing in a closed system (limited by the walls of the pot) deprives the roots of an important element - oxygen. Over watering will suffocate the roots if the soil is not porous enough (pure loam). That is why we add baking powder. Drained soil does not mean drainage at the bottom, but drainage particles in the soil itself between the roots.

Topic on the forum: Bonsai from thuja - options for the formation of thuja, as well as the theme of Ephedra

Tui reproduction

Thuja is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seed cultivation is impractical - the cypress representative grows very slowly. But it is a pleasure to grow cuttings - it is important to know how! Very simple: in autumn or spring, cut a sprig of thuja about 15 cm long.

Fill the zip bag with sterilized soil, stick the cutting and close it. If blue-green algae appear on the walls - it's okay, it's from high humidity. You can plant thuja cuttings in a pot when they grow by 5-7 cm

Take a spacious zip-bag (on a fastener), prepare the soil: 1 part of the universal potting soil (for example, Terra Vita living earth) and 1 part of sand or vermiculite. Mix and sterilize for 3 minutes in the microwave. Cool and pour into a bag. The substrate should be moist, but not too wet (wet boiled water). Place the cutting in the substrate and close the bag tightly. Hang it in a bright place - if the cutting is cut in autumn (October-November), then you can hang it on the south window without shading. If in early spring, then only under shading from direct sun. It is not necessary to open the package, it retains about 90% humidity. Just wait for the roots to appear.

We grow thuja from seeds: photo master class

They are dark, not light, like many houseplants, so they are not very noticeable.

When the thuja takes root, it must be transplanted into a pot in the soil described above for adult plants. Put the pot in a bag and tie. Shade the first week from any sun and air 2-3 times a day. After a week, the package can be untied, but not removed, but gradually accustom the young plant to drier air. As soon as the opportunity arises, put the pot in the fresh air on the balcony.

Step-by-step process of planting thuja western

Among coniferous plants, the western thuja stands out for its complaisant disposition and willingness to put up with many growing conditions. The evergreen beauty helps out when you need to create slender columns in the garden, a low border or a living screen. The widespread use of thuja in landscape projects is due to at least six reasons:

• unpretentiousness to soils;
• resistance to polluted air;
• simple reproduction and cultivation;
• a variety of forms;
• year-round decoration;
• good winter hardiness for the middle lane.

However, in order to see all the beauty of the thuja, it is necessary to choose the right seedling, plant it correctly, and then provide the necessary care. We divide the whole process into several stages and consider each separately.

The first stage is the choice of planting material

If possible, you can take seeds from an adult tree or cut off a branch for cuttings. The source material from a plant grown in local conditions will be the key to obtaining healthy and acclimatized offspring. Self-propagation of thuja allows you to acquire a large number of young seedlings, which after 2-4 years are planted around the site. This method requires time, skills and the availability of a suitable plant from friends or neighbors, so you usually have to buy thuja in a container.

Thuja, grown in a container, forms a ball of roots visible through the drainage holes. The absence of protruding white roots suggests that the seedling was dug up before selling and pushed into a pot.

Thuja western Planting and care Growing from seeds at home Reproduction by cuttings Photo

Perhaps it was taken for a long time, watered irregularly - it is unlikely that it will survive.

Ask to lift the plant from the container and make sure the root system is well developed, the presence of young roots. The land clod must be whole, a bare rhizome like a wound in a person. With a slight scratching of the living root, the top layer is removed and the juice is released.

Check the thuja for pests, diseases. It is impossible to take seedlings with clearly expressed violations of the color of the needles and damage to the bark. coniferous plant does not die immediately - for 3-4 years. If in any doubt, move on to another instance.

The second stage - choosing a place

Thuja has a wide range of applications in gardening: pyramidal forms are suitable for park alleys, undersized species fit well into miniature compositions. The coniferous tree looks great in separate groups and mixed with other evergreen species.

Evergreen borders and hedges up to 4 meters high are created from it. Landings that protect from prying eyes can be closely spaced trees, both trimmed and with tops pointing upwards. Thuja is an excellent material for a curly haircut. After studying biology and gaining patience, skilled gardeners depict complex geometric shapes and even animal figures.

Thuja loves places that are closed from cold winds and sufficiently lit. The only place where you should not plant it is a full shade: without the sun, the crown becomes sparse. This plant is so moisture-loving that it can grow next to loved ones. groundwater at the same time, well-developed mature trees normally survive a short-term drought.

On a note: although thuja is considered light-loving, it has been noticed that with proper care certain types, for example, thuja spherical, feel great under the canopy of tall trees.

The third stage - do-it-yourself planting of the western thuja

A place is selected, taking into account what kind of tree it will become in 5–10 years, so that it does not have to be replanted or cut down later. The planted seedling will reach a height of 3–3.5 meters in adulthood - it pretends that the crowns of neighboring trees do not interfere with its growth.

A hole is dug up to 1 meter in diameter and twice the size of the container.

Drainage is arranged on damp soils - half of the pit is filled with gravel, stone or broken brick.

Sour peat, leaves and needles are introduced into the planting pit. The optimal substrate for arborvitae is a light, fertile loam with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction (pH 4–5.5). Sandy soil is improved with organic matter, while clay soil is softened with sand.

The earth is poured in several layers, rammed with feet. The pot is tried on, the placement of the root collar is calculated - the soil will sag a little, so the thuja is planted two centimeters above the surrounding soil.

The plant is pulled out of the container. Twisted roots are often difficult to "gut" - they can be slightly trimmed.

The seedling is placed in the center of the piled tubercle, fertile earth is filled up around and crushed.

Young thuja is immediately mulched in an accessible way, abundantly watered with water from a watering can.

On a note: it is preferable to plant and transplant western thuja in early spring, but container seedlings allow planting until mid-autumn.

The fourth stage - growing

In the first month, the planted coniferous tree is watered every 3-4 days, alternating root irrigation with crown irrigation - this requires 10-15 liters of water. Further care consists in abundant watering throughout the season. In subsequent years, the root system of the thuja will get water on its own, it is enough just to water it in dry weather.

Thuja western, like all conifers, does not really need mineral fertilizers- top dressing is applied on very poor soils.

In other cases, their own fallen needles are simply not removed, peat is gradually added. Sanitary pruning of damaged and diseased branches is performed in the spring. Decorative shearing is done on no more than 1/3 of the shoot in April-May or at the end of summer.

On a note: in some columnar varieties, a second crown may form during growth - to obtain a neat crown shape, it must be cut off.

Diseases and pests appear on the western thuja due to poor care, lack of nutrition. Various kinds of fungal pathogens affect the rhizome, branches and needles. Prevention consists in the annual spraying with Bordeaux liquid, blue vitriol. In advanced cases, trees are treated in the spring once every two weeks until complete recovery. They fight with thuja aphids and false shields through the use of karbofos, decis or rogor.

In general, all forms of western thuja survive negative temperatures well, but other winter factors can cause harm. Preparation for winter starts from the last autumn months before the snow falls. Thuja care activities in winter period aimed at keeping plants healthy and beautiful.

In the first year of planting, seedlings are covered with non-woven material ("Lutrasil", "Agroterm") - for convenience, a bag is prepared, which is put on the crown so that the branches do not tighten much. Around the thuja, you can build a frame and cover it with the same cloth or burlap.

To protect the roots from frost, the near-trunk space is insulated - mulching is performed with leaves mixed with earth, pine sawdust or bark of coniferous trees. There are many types of mulch, each gardener is able to find his acceptable option.
It is completely necessary to remove protection in the spring after thawing the earth and establishing a positive temperature. Prior to this, partial ventilation is carried out from the north side.

On a note: strengthened coniferous plantings do not need shelter for the winter, but protection from the bright sunlight of the last winter days - reflected from the white snow, they burn the thuja needles.

At proper fit And good care for young plantations, the western thuja requires less and less care over time and grows on its own. The main thing is not to overdo it with "courtship", try to create conditions close to the natural habitat.

Coniferous tree, belonging to the cypress family, perfectly tolerates low temperatures, city dust and always remains green.

Thuja is widely used in landscape design, since such a tree can be given any shape, besides, it heals the air.

Well, since there is nothing complicated in caring for thuja, it is very often bred at home. It seems to many that breeding thuja is quite difficult, but this is absolutely not the case.

Moreover, the reproduction of thuja occurs in two ways:

• cuttings and twigs;
• seeds.

Therefore, it is best to try both methods and then understand for yourself which one it will be convenient for you to propagate thuja. At home, it is best to opt for seeds.

Necessary materials

Reproduction of thuja by seeds is a rather laborious and painstaking way of breeding a tree.

But at the same time, it gives almost 100% result, which is also important, because thuja is a rather expensive tree.

Therefore, it is best to be patient, because in a year a thuja can grow no more than 8 centimeters.

If such time frames do not scare you, then the following materials will be needed to grow thuja:

• boxes for planting seeds;
• soil for coniferous plants;
• pebbles;
• river sand;
• potassium permanganate solution;
• the seeds themselves.

Expert advice: potassium permanganate solution is used to disinfect the soil. The solution is made dark pink and it is desirable to use it for both ordinary soil and peat-based soil, because thuja is a plant very sensitive to various diseases.

Preparing seeds for planting

Growing thuja from seeds is not at all difficult, the main thing is to adhere to the basic rules.

For planting, use only fresh seeds.

They must be collected in the fall, from September to December, from the cones that appear on the thuja in the very first fruitful year.

In color, they are brown-orange or light brown, so they are easy to notice against the background of green needles.

To get the seeds from the cone itself, there is no need to make an effort, just leave the cones in a warm place, spreading them on paper in one layer, overnight, so that they dry and open, and by morning the small seeds will spill out on their own.

Then the seeds must go through cold aging - leave them for 3-4 months in the refrigerator. This simple procedure will weed out diseased seeds and destroy diseases and all bacteria.

After that, the seeds must be soaked in warm water or wet sand for 10-12 hours and you can start planting.

How to plant

Seeds can be planted in two different ways.

The first method provides for personal plot, since the seeds will be planted immediately in the soil, and not in tubs.

If this option suits you, then you need to wait for the snow and then spread the seeds on the ground, digging shallow holes for them at a distance of at least 10 centimeters from each other and covering them with needles and snow on top.

With proper care, the first shoots will sprout in a few months, but it will be possible to transplant the thuja to a permanent place only in the spring.

In the second option, you will need boxes or pots, on the bottom of which pebbles are laid out and covered with a thin layer of river sand, and then the soil is already filled up.

It is necessary to plant seeds, adhering to the 4x4 scheme. This must be done carefully, the root collar must be flush with the soil, otherwise the seeds are likely to die.

Young plants should be sprayed regularly, and fertilized once a month. In addition, direct sunlight should be avoided.

Specialist's note: it is best to grow thuja sufficiently moistened peat or clay soil. At the bottom of the tub, in addition to pebbles, you can also lay a drainage layer 2–3 centimeters high, and watering is carried out when the topsoil dries up.

How to grow

Seedlings can be planted in specially prepared soil a year after the seeds have been planted.

During this time, the plant should become 7 centimeters high. By this time, the thuja will already have a dense trunk and root system.

The new place for plants should be protected from direct sunlight and strong winds, otherwise the sensitive bark can dry out. Young thuja should be seated at a distance of at least three meters from each other.

If everything is done correctly, and how to take care of the thuja, then next year it should grow about 15 centimeters, and by the end of the third year reach a height of half a meter.

In the fifth year, a young thuja can be transplanted to a permanent place, where it will grow for all subsequent years, pleasing to the eye.

Watch the video in which experienced gardener shows in detail how to collect and plant thuja seeds for further cultivation: