Bushes and trees
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Kira Stoletova
Thuja Sankist is a popular ornamental plant with honey-yellow needles. North America is considered its homeland. The name of the tree is translated as “sun beam” (due to the golden color of the crown). To successfully grow this original thuja, it is useful to know the basic characteristics, rules of agricultural technology and reviews from gardeners.
Thuja occidentalis Sunkist - a bright element of a summer cottage
Description of Western Thuja Sunkist
Thuja occidentalis belongs to the Cypress family. In the wild, trees can reach a height of 20 m. The description of Thuja Sunkist is similar to the Lutea variety. It was this conifer that was used for breeding Sunkist.
“Bunch of the Sun” is how the name of this low evergreen tree with bright golden needles is translated from English. In the garden, Thuja Sunkist grows up to 2 m. Rare specimens can reach no more than 5 m at the age of ten. A slow-growing tree with proper care, it adds a little more than 5 cm per year in height and width.
- The branches of Thuja Sunkist are vertical, slightly twisted.
- The crown shape is pyramidal.
- The color of the scaly needles varies from light yellow to bronze, depending on the season.
- The root system of the thuja is located in the top layer of soil.
- The bark is smooth brown when young, but peels off in even strips as the tree ages.
- Greenish flowers are hardly noticeable in the dense crown.
- The reddish cone fruits contain several seeds.
The needles and wood of thuja occidentalis Sunkist have a pleasant pine aroma. But, unlike pine and spruce, resin does not stand out on the conifer bark.
The use of thuja Sunkist in landscape design
The low-growing evergreen tree looks spectacular all year round. The golden color of the needles goes well with green and red shrubs and ornamental plants in alpine hills.
On websites offering landscaping services, you can find many photos and descriptions of Thuja Sunkist in various decoration options.
Several varieties of thuja with different colored needles can be planted in the front area of the garden. This will become a real decoration for an alley or rock garden.
A hedge of western thuja Sunkist can be grown around the site or used to cover outbuildings with plantings. Western thuja tolerates pruning well to shape the crown. A dense woven hedge made of golden thuja Sunkist will not only create the necessary decorative effect, but will also protect the area from the penetration of animals.
Western Thuja Sunkist, as shown in the photo, combines well with ground cover plants. A frame of stones will give the evergreen tree a special flavor.
The unpretentious decorative conifer can be grown in containers. Miniature young thuja Sunkist trees are used in landscape design.
Photo of the seedling:
Features of reproduction
Western thuja is propagated by seeds and cuttings. But, given that thuja Sunkist is an artificially bred variety, varietal characteristics may be lost when propagating the crop using seeds. To propagate thuja occidentalis Sankist, it is better to use the vegetative method.
Propagation by cuttings
Planting material for western thuja Sunkist is harvested in late autumn. Root cuttings at a temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius. Thuja Sunkist requires high air humidity for the development of the root system. Experts advise using indoor greenhouses or plastic bags for rooting cuttings.
Advice! To prevent containers for rooting thuja occidentalis from taking up much space, you can use zip bags. Such devices can be easily mounted suspended on a window.
Thuja Sunkist branches for propagation should be cut off with a small piece of bark (heel) with a sharp knife so as not to damage the mother tree. The length of the workpiece should be about 15 cm. Afterwards, it is necessary to remove the needles and small lower branches to the middle of the cutting.
The soil for rooting thuja occidentalis must be disinfected. You can warm the substrate in the microwave. Boiled water should be used for irrigation.
To root one thuja cutting, about a glass of a mixture of sand and turf soil is required. In order to increase moisture and breathability, it is recommended to add vermiculite or foam chips. The soil should be moderately moist.
The thuja occidentalis stalk must be immersed in the substrate and the bag tightly closed. In this state, rooting occurs in about a month. You need to keep the package with thuja on a bright window or use a backlight. The duration of daylight hours for the rapid germination of western thuja is at least 13 - 14 hours.
You should not open the package while the thuja is rooting. The regrown roots are clearly visible.
The seedling needs to be transplanted into a pot as soon as the root system has developed. For further cultivation of thuja Sunkist, you can mix fertile turf soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 2 to 1.
Algorithm of actions:
- Place drainage at the bottom of the pot.
- Fill up some of the soil.
- Place the rooted thuja cuttings vertically.
- Sprinkle soil around the circumference of the container.
- Water and spray the plant.
- Place in a plastic bag and cover tightly for 2 - 3 days.
A thuja seedling can be opened no earlier than after 3 days. It is necessary to carefully accustom the plant to decreased humidity.
How to propagate thuja
Thuja propagation occurs through seeds and petioles. But since the variety is bred artificially, when propagated by seeds, a loss of varietal characteristics may occur. Therefore, it is recommended to propagate our variety using cuttings.
Vegetative way of reproduction
Planting material should be prepared in the autumn season, around October. Rooting of petioles is carried out at temperature conditions of approximately +25 degrees. In order for the root system to develop well, the air must be highly humidified.
Breeders give advice on this - it is better to root petioles in indoor greenhouse conditions or in plastic bags.
For more space, use Ziploc bags instead of growing containers. Ziploc bags can be easily secured hanging on the windows.
We cut off the thuja branches with a small piece of bark with a sharp knife to preserve the “mother tree”. The length of the seedling should be approximately 15 cm. After this procedure, we clear the petiole to the middle of the needles and small branches from below.
The soil for planting is subject to mandatory disinfection. Usually the soil is heated in the microwave. Watering is carried out with boiled water.
To root 1 petiole, you need to prepare a glass of mixed turf and sand. To increase air and water permeability, add vermiculite or foam chips. The soil should be moderately moist.
Next, place the petiole in the soil and close the bag tightly. In this case, the seedlings will take root in 30 days. Packages with seedlings are kept in a well-lit place. Daylight hours should last 13-14 hours for the plants to germinate quickly.
When the thuja takes root, it is better to always keep the bag closed. The shoots are already clearly visible.
As soon as it is noticeable that the root system is developing, it is necessary to transplant the plant into a container. To further grow the seedling, mix turf filled with nutrients and coarse sand in a 2:1 ratio.
Progress
- Place a drainage system at the bottom of the container.
- Fill one part of the soil.
- Place the seedling straight up.
- Pour soil around the container.
- Water and spray the seedling.
- Place in a plastic bag and close tightly for a couple of days.
- The plant opens only after 3 days, not earlier. It is necessary for the seedling to get used to the reduced amount of moisture.
Landing rules
When planting thuja occidentalis, you should remember that the evergreen tree will grow in one place for more than 10 years. It will be impossible to replant an adult plant. The root of the Western Thuja Sunkist can grow up to a meter deep.
Recommended timing
You can plant thuja in open ground from spring to autumn. But each landing date has its own characteristics.
Summer landing
When planting thuja Sunkist in open ground in summer, you must remember that the roots of the plant are very sensitive to drying out. Therefore, you need to prepare the planting hole in advance and replant the tree as soon as possible. It is recommended to do this until the air temperature exceeds 20 degrees Celsius. It is also necessary to shade the young tree to avoid drying out the roots and burning the needles.
Important! The time from removing the seedling to covering the root system with soil should not exceed 15 - 20 minutes.
Planting in autumn
The main problem with autumn planting of thuja is soil subsidence. Even a healthy seedling is not yet able to stay in the soil due to the weakness of the root system. Therefore, when planting thuja in the fall, you should install supports so that the tree is not damaged by wind or melting snow.
Spring planting
The optimal time for planting western thuja in open ground is March-April. This period may vary slightly in different climate zones. It is important to have time to plant the thuja before the sap begins to flow.
At this time, all conifers begin to actively grow shoots. Therefore, thuja planted in spring takes root more easily. Before winter, the tree will have time to develop a strong enough root system so that it will not be afraid of frost.
Site selection and soil preparation
Thuja Sunkist is shade tolerant and can grow in poor soils. But for the full development of decorative qualities, the tree requires fertile soil with neutral acidity. If there is insufficient lighting, the crown may grow disproportionately. And the golden color of the needles in the shade can change to greenish.
Important! You cannot plant thuja in areas where groundwater lies closer than a meter. A moisture-loving tree cannot develop when water stagnates.
The soil for planting thuja should contain half of turf soil and the same amount of rotted manure or high-quality compost. On heavy soils, you can add coarse sand or mix to the mix to increase breathability.
You can improve the nutritional properties of the soil by adding complex fertilizers (nitroammophosphate, superphosphate).
Attention! Be sure to mix the preparations with the soil so that the fragile root system does not get burned.
Landing algorithm
Before you remove the thuja Sunkist plant from the pot, you need to prepare the soil mixture and planting hole to minimize the time the thuja roots are exposed to the air. Sequencing:
- Dig up the soil and clear it of weeds.
- Prepare a planting hole 80*80*80.
- Prepare the soil.
- Lay a drainage layer up to 20 cm.
- Remove the seedling from the container along with a lump of earth.
- Place the plant in the hole.
- Sprinkle halfway with soil evenly and compact.
- Pour in a bucket of water to shrink the soil.
- Add the remaining soil.
- Cover the tree trunk circle with mulch.
- Cover with a cloth from the sun's rays.
When deepening a seedling, remember that the root collar should protrude above the soil level by at least 5 - 6 cm.
Western Thuja Columna: planting and care
Once you have chosen a seedling, you will need to plant the plants correctly.
To do this, you need to follow our recommendations, and then your thuja will definitely be strong and healthy. It is best to plant this crop in the spring, so that during the summer-autumn period the plants are well prepared for wintering; if you plant thuja in the fall, the plant may die. It is recommended to plant this crop in sunny places or in openwork shade. If you choose an area that is too dark, the plant may also die. This culture does not like drafts either. Therefore, keep these requirements in mind. Be sure to keep a distance between plantings, remember that thuja is a very voluminous plant, so step back at least 3 meters from other crops. If we talk about the type of soil, it is better to choose fertile and alkaline soil. The air permeability of the soil is also important, so it is not recommended to plant this crop on heavy soils, especially on clay. The planting hole must have a moisture drainage system, so it is recommended to place a drainage layer at the bottom. The planting hole must be at least 60 cm deep and up to 100 cm wide. However, for Thuja Columna, the size of the hole depends on the volume of the root system, as well as on the height of the seedling itself.
Thuja Columna in landscape design: photo
As you remember, you should lay small crushed stone, expanded clay, and pebbles on the bottom. The hole should be filled with fertile soil, with the addition of sand and peat. It is recommended to feed the plants in the spring; for this purpose, nitroammophoska is used. The root collar of the seedling should be located approximately at ground level, so do not try to bury it. Otherwise, the seedling will dry out quickly.
Growing rules
Caring for thuja Sunkist involves regular feeding and watering. To give the tree a spectacular shape, young branches need to be pruned to form a crown.
Watering schedule
In the first month after planting thuja Sunkist in the ground, it is important to monitor soil moisture. Up to 50 liters of liquid per seedling may be required per week. If the weather is dry and hot, then you need to moisten the soil every other day in the early morning or evening after solar activity decreases. It is important to water at the root in the morning and sprinkle in the evening.
The soil in the tree trunk circle of young plants can sag, forming holes. This can cause stagnation of moisture and rotting of the root system. It is necessary to add soil until the shrinkage is complete.
After watering, the soil must be loosened to a depth of 5 - 7 cm. Weeds must be removed so that the thuja does not have to share nutrients.
Top dressing
You need to feed thuja Sunkist for the first time about six months after planting it in the ground. In spring you can use ammonia preparations. Nutrient special mixtures of prolonged action are produced for conifers. They can be purchased in specialized stores. The preparations contain a full range of components that are required for the normal development and growth of ornamental evergreen coniferous trees and shrubs.
Trimming
Sanitary pruning of thuja western Sunkist is carried out in the spring. At the same time, dry and damaged branches, as well as part of the shoots, are removed to ensure air access to the internal branches.
Garden pitch or resin is used to seal cuts and wounds on the bark.
Formative pruning of the crown is best done in the fall, before the air temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius. Partially remove branches protruding far from the crown.
Advice! You should not cut off the shoots on the thuja too much. A slow-growing tree will take a long time to recover.
Preparing for winter
Western Thuja Sunkist tolerates cold weather well. It is necessary to insulate only young plants that have not had time to sufficiently grow their root system. It is much more important to protect the tree from temperature changes and bright sunlight in the spring.
In the fall, the trunk circle is covered with a thick layer of peat or compost mulch. The branches of young seedlings are tied with twine or twine and covered with lutrasil or any other covering fabric that does not impede air access.
The shelter is removed in the spring after the snow melts.
Care and planting
Thuja is unpretentious and not too demanding in terms of care. Can grow in any soil and conditions. But it also has its own characteristics. It prefers well-lit areas most of all. However, planting in the shade will help preserve its decorative qualities for a longer period.
Grows quite well in dry soil. It is very photophilous - for high-quality crown formation, 6-7 hours of sun per day are necessary, otherwise the plant will stretch.
Reproduction is carried out both by seeds and seedlings, cuttings. Considering that its growth is very slow, the best option is to purchase ready-made seedlings. But they are quite expensive, and the seeds rarely retain the characteristics of the variety. For these reasons, it is better to propagate the plant from cuttings.
Seeds for subsequent planting must be collected in the fall. The cones are cut off and dried in a cool room (temperature should not exceed 7 degrees). After the scales dry, the seeds are removed and stored in fabric bags until spring.
Western thuja is planted using these seeds in the spring. They are laid in grooves, previously filled with water, with a distance of 10-15 cm between them. Planting is done at a shallow depth, only 0.5 cm. After planting, they must be sprinkled with dry soil and mulched with pine needles (sawdust will also do).
Watering the seedlings is carried out regularly, but not too much; at first, protection is provided from too intense sunlight. The tree grows very slowly - during the first year it adds only 4-5 cm.
The soil around the seedling is mulched with sawdust and peat. After three years from the moment of planting, a dive is carried out, and planting in a permanent place is permissible only after 4-5 years.
For propagation by cuttings, they are cut in the spring, preferably during cloudy hours. The cutting is taken from a young annual shoot; it must be at least 10 cm long, and the tree itself must be 4-8 years old. Cut cuttings are immersed in a weak manganese solution for a day. Then they are planted in the ground to a depth of 5-6 cm at an angle of 20-30 degrees.
Planting in containers or pots is acceptable. You can also plant them in open ground, be sure to cover them with film, with a distance of 10-15 cm between them.
Cuttings carried out in the spring help the plants take root as well as possible and grow quickly. Cuttings in summer do not give such results; you have to wait until next year for rooting.
Pests and diseases
Thuja Sunkist is quite resistant to fungal diseases. Despite this, fusarium often affects weak plants. The first sign of the disease is a change in the color of the needles and drying out of the branches. It is possible that the problems are caused by improper care. Thuja Sunkist often suffers from excess moisture and improper feeding. Therefore, before using potent anti-fungal agents, it is necessary to regulate soil moisture and provide ventilation for the crown.
To combat the disease, standard means against plant diseases are used. Dry parts must be trimmed and burned. To protect trees, it is better to use systemic fungicides that protect the plant by penetrating its parts.
Thuja Sunkist can be attacked by aphids or false scale insects. To protect against pests, standard preparations against leaf-eating insects or traditional methods are used.
Diseases and pests
Tuika can be affected by shutte and late blight.
Prevention is timely drainage of the soil and proper fertilizing. In addition, plants can be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
At the first signs of the disease, copper-containing preparations are added to it.
Among insect pests, the tree is threatened by thuja aphids and false scale insects. For control, washing with soapy water and treating with insecticides is used. In acidic soils, wireworms can grow, harming the roots of the thuja. Products containing diazinon help get rid of it.
