How to cover a small thuja for the winter. Caring for thujas in winter and after winter: preparing the shrub for wintering and adaptation in the spring

Any shrub or tree needs to be prepared for winter cold so that the plant can tolerate them as easily as possible. Caring for thuja is quite simple: it does not require special fertilizers, pruning it is not difficult, and you do not need to constantly feed the soil. But even with such minimal care, the thuja will delight you with its blooming appearance.

If you want to decorate your dacha with trees, then thuja will be an excellent option for decorating any area

If you want to decorate your dacha with trees, then thuja will be an excellent option for decorating any area. This evergreen from the Cypress family, it amazes with its variety of shades, and thanks to its excellent winter hardiness, it is perfect for central Russia.

The most popular are 14 types of western thuja, which are chosen by gardeners:

1. Brabant. It is resistant even to severe frosts and has a rich green color.
2. Emerald. Dark green, needs plenty of watering.
3. Columna. With a dense narrow crown, dark green needles do not fade even in summer.
4. Holmstrup. Does not require careful care, perfect for suburban areas, which are not often visited. Resistant to cold weather.
5. Fastigiata. Due to the conical crown it looks like a cypress. Prefers wet soil and sunny areas.
6. Sunkist. Interesting view with a slightly sloppy shape, which the tree acquires due to its numerous well-developed branches. The color is green; in summer the needles fade to a yellow tint.
7. Wagnery. Gray-green with a copper tint.
8. Claude of Gold. With lemon or orange, the needles are tender and thin.
9. Globoza. The bluish tint is most pronounced during the winter months.
10. Woodwardy. Famous for its rich emerald needles.
11. Stolvik. Tolerates winter well and does not suffer from bright sunlight.
12. Danica. The spherical tree is light green and does not suffer from severe drought.
13. Golden Globe. The variety is interesting for its unusual golden color. Requires care.
14. Hoseri. The deep color takes on a light grayish tone in winter. Doesn't need a haircut.

Gallery: thuja in landscape design (25 photos)

How to care for thuja (video)

When and where to start preparing thuja for winter

To prepare the bush for the cold period, must be stopped feeding with fertilizers, that contain nitrogen (with the exception of weakened plants after illness, but even in this case it is better to halve the amount). This is done at the end of summer: August.

The thuja will stop actively growing, its branches will become woody enough and will be able to survive the frosts.

General principles of caring for thuja in autumn

Although the shrub is frost-resistant, it also needs to be prepared for wintering. This way you can keep the plant healthy, and it will delight you for several decades.

Purpose and features of moisture-recharging irrigation of thuja in autumn

Moisture evaporates at any time season, therefore, the plant can easily dry out after wintering. A large loss of moisture leads to a decrease in protection, the bark begins to wrinkle, and the branches become fragile and break easily in the spring. To prevent this, provide abundant watering before frost.

Thuja is given abundant watering before frosts.

Thuja requires 5 to 8 buckets of water. This volume is enough to sufficiently moisten the soil (up to 1.5 m in depth). The higher the specimen, the more liters the tree “drinks.” But water even low varieties to capacity, if they were planted this or last year; young trees require more water due to their active growth.

But it is important not to overdo it, since excessively moist soil contributes to rotting and freezing of the root system. Check it so as not to make mistakes in your calculations: squeeze a lump of earth in your fist.

• If, after opening your palm, the ball does not lose its shape and leaves a wet imprint on the paper (take regular toilet paper), then it contains a sufficient amount of water. Carry out minimal watering (10-20% of the indicated volume);
• if the shape is not lost, but no trace remains, reduce the amount of water by 30-40%;
• If the lump crumbles after unclenching your fist, pour the thuja in full.

It is necessary to carry out moisture-recharging irrigation at a time when the trees have almost lost all their leaves. This is mid to late October and early November.

How to trim thuja (video)

Scheme and technology for pruning thuja in autumn

Need pruning:

• dried branches;
• significantly lost their color;
• sick;
• with sunburn.

For the procedure you will need:

• Secateurs;
• garden shears with long blades.

Thuja tolerates pruning well at any time of the year

The first tool removes damaged branches, the second gives the desired shape to the crown. There is no need to use special putty. For the procedure, choose dry and windless weather. Check the forecast for no rain in the next 2-3 days.

1. Remove diseased shoots. Cut off the damaged part, do not touch the healthy part.
2. Carefully inspect the bush for their presence; it is important that all branches are removed.
3. Using scissors, trim the bush the required form, for convenience, use a rope. Tie the tip to the top and mark the slopes to see where you need to cut off the overgrown needles. This is not necessary if you are satisfied with the resulting outlines.

It is necessary to prune thuja not only for decoration purposes, but also to maintain the health of the plant.

Autumn feeding of thuja

Thuja is not a very fancy shrub. It does not need constant fertilization, except for rare breeds or transplanted/young plants.

is necessary, but it must also be carried out according to the rules:

1. Do not fertilize later than mid-September. Best time- end of August.
2. Do not use nitrogen, potassium, bacterial and microfertilizers later than the specified time, so as not to provoke active growth of the tree.
3. It is best to use peat, compost, bone meal or wood ash to enrich the soil useful substances. Such fertilizers will not cause harm, but will only be beneficial. They are great for insulation and can be used in the fall.

The best time to feed thuja is the end of August

How to properly cover a thuja for the winter

Some lovers wonder: is it necessary to protect thuja in winter? After all, this plant is known for its good frost resistance, which means it is quite capable of withstanding cold without negative consequences. But experienced gardeners It is advised to play it safe so as not to notice significant deterioration in the spring.

Shelter must be carried out in the following cases:

• When frosts in your region drop below 30-35 degrees;
• if the plant has been replanted or is still very young;
• if the thuja is on open place and exposed to direct sunlight.

Cypress family. Homeland North America.

Western thuja Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous plant with a pyramidal crown; in good conditions it 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, exfoliates stripes. The needles are scaly, dense, small (scales about 3-4 mm), rich green in color, becoming brown in winter. Every 2-3 years, the thuja renews its foliage, throwing out branches and growing new needles. Thuja has small 10-15 mm egg-shaped cones with delicate scales, similar to dried buds. There are more than 300 varieties of thuja.

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

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, and 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 - for optimal growth they need 22-24°C. In winter, it is necessary to keep it cool, +8-10°C is enough, minimum +2°C. At the same time, the soil in the pot is almost completely dry. At the lower limit of temperature, the plant needs to be insulated. You can put the pot in a box with sawdust, wrap it in foam rubber, place it in a large pot and fill it with dry soil between the walls. Coolness must be ensured with the onset heating season until the beginning of February.

Lighting

Thuja is light-loving, prefers a certain amount of sunlight, preferably before lunch - the eastern or south-eastern side, or in the evening - north-west. In the period from February to May, from 12 to 15 hours, openwork shading is desirable - at this time the sun is the most active and can cause burns (browning of 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, thuja cannot tolerate direct sun. Therefore, if the pot is placed on an open balcony or near an open window (not micro-ventilation, but a well-open 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 especially need shading. In nature, thuja seedlings (from self-seeding) grow 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 foliage of the crown. Therefore, if you have a north side, gradually rotate the pot on the window.

Watering

During the growth period, especially in hot weather, watering is quite abundant, drying the top layer of soil. Do not leave water in the tray after watering. Thuja does not tolerate drying out - as soon as the soil dries out, it sadly drops its branches, but after moistening it immediately restores turgor. If it is too dry, especially in the heat, it is irreversible. When the rainy season begins in the fall and there is a sharp cooling, make sure that watering is infrequent and the soil has time to dry almost completely within 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 abundantly in coniferous swamps, but at the same time the root is superficial, not completely immersed 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 overmoistening and overdrying.

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

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

• If there is no possibility of a cool winter, you have two options: fence off the edge of the window sill from the battery with plexiglass or greenhouse film, install 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.

Thuja transplant

Potted thuja is replanted annually or once every two years, very carefully, preserving the root ball as carefully as possible. When planting, it is important not to compact the soil too tightly and not to bury it too deep. root collar(soil level at the same level, without hilling). Healthy roots are brick brown and springy in appearance. Soil: 1 part clay-turf soil, 1 part leaf (or peat), 1 part baking powder (zeolite granules or acadama, vermiculite or agroperlite, 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 many holes for water drainage, drainage as desired (in high pot Necessarily). 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 in slightly acidic soils, does not tolerate alkalization and highly acidic soil - optimal pH 5.5-6.5. If the substrate has caked and compacted, you need to carefully loosen it to a depth of 5-6 cm. If a salt deposit appears on the surface of the soil, it needs to be removed and the plant watered with softer water (filter, boil, soften with aquarium water products).

If you use store-bought peat-based soil, keep in mind that it quickly consumes nutrients, and in pure form far from ideal for thuja (dries out quickly), but can serve as one of the components. In addition, store-bought 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 the ideal soil base for thuja will be light loam. But don't forget that growing in closed system(limitation to the walls of the pot) deprives roots important element— oxygen. Overwatering will suffocate the roots if the soil is not porous enough (pure loam). That's why we add baking powder. Drained soil does not mean drainage at the bottom, but drainage particles in the soil itself between the roots.

Forum topic: Thuja bonsai - options for forming thuja, as well as the topic Conifers

Reproduction of thuja

Thuja propagates by seeds and cuttings. Growing by seeds is not advisable - the cypress plant grows very slowly. But it’s a pleasure to grow cuttings - it’s important to know how! It’s very simple: in autumn or spring, cut a thuja twig about 15 cm long.

Fill the zip bag with sterilized soil, insert the cutting and close If blue-green algae appears on the walls, it’s okay, it’s due to high humidity You can plant thuja cuttings in a pot when they grow 5-7 cm

Take a spacious zip bag (with a zipper), prepare the soil: 1 part universal soil (for example, Terra Vita Living Earth) and 1 part sand or vermiculite. Stir and sterilize for 3 minutes in the microwave. Cool and pour into a bag. The substrate should be moist, but not too damp (moisten with 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 the fall (October-November), then you can hang it on a south window without shading. If in early spring, then only under shade from direct sun. There is no need to open the package; it retains about 90% humidity. Just wait for the roots to appear. They are dark, not light, like many indoor plants, so they are hardly noticeable.

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

Preparing thuja for winter

As you know, young thuja plantings need special and careful care before the onset of frost. Adult plants almost always overwinter well, but the fragile root system of young plants requires careful preparation.

Is it necessary to cover thujas for the winter: when to do it and how

In this article we will try to find answers to the question of how to protect thuja in winter.

Preparing thuja for winter

Preparations begin in the fall. But we will pay especially much attention to plants planted for the first year:

1. To slow down growth, we stop all nitrogen fertilizing around the end of August. Around the beginning of autumn, we begin to carry out sanitary pruning, not too strong.
2. The next step in preparing thuja for winter is to feed it in the fall with special preparations for the root system.

   This is the most common “Kornevin”, which will help the roots adapt to the cold and survive frosts.

3. Preparing the thuja for winter in early November involves covering the root circle. For this purpose, fallen leaves from the garden, which are mixed a little with the ground, will do. This method will prevent the roots from freezing, retain moisture and receive additional feeding in the future.
4. The time when it is necessary to cover thujas for the winter is difficult to name unambiguously.

   It all depends on the region: the warmer it is, the later they begin to cover. Typically, the period when it is necessary to cover thujas for the winter occurs at the end of November or the beginning of December.

   However, we will only shelter young animals. A bag made of non-woven material, in which the crown will be sufficiently compressed, perfect solution. Sometimes a frame for the crown is used. In this way, we will combine preparing the thuja for winter with measures to preserve the shape of the crown.

5. Even if the preparation of the thuja for winter was correct, do not forget to constantly remove snow from the top of the crown in order to prevent the plant from overheating and deforming it.

   Preparing a low thuja for winter can be done by forming a frame over the crown and stretching non-woven material over it.

Related articles:

How to cover thuja for the winter with your own hands? video

The main thing is to insulate root system . Leaves mixed with soil will not only protect the roots from the cold, but also retain moisture.

And when they rot, they will serve as additional fertilizer.

Why hide thuja for the winter?

Thuja is a frost-resistant plant.

It feels great even at a temperature of -30o. In such a case, is it necessary to use a shelter?

Young trees often get burned from the bright winter sunlight and wind, especially when spring approaches. To avoid this unpleasant moment, they are covered before the snow falls.

It is allowed to do this inside February if you are not afraid of frost. Moreover, seedlings need shelter in the first year or two after planting.

How to cover a thuja. Beginning of work

First prepare necessary tools and materials. Select materials for shelter white: They perfectly reflect the sun's rays.

This can be simple gauze or specialized covering material (lutrasil, spunbond, agroterm). You will also need ropes, wire, and a stapler. For a much larger tree it will be necessary to prepare a suitable frame.

How to cover a thuja.

Using gauze

The principle is the simplest. The thuja is fastened with ropes in such a way as not to injure the branches. The branches are collected as much as possible, but quite neatly, to the center and tied.

Wrap the seedling on top with a very large piece of gauze.

How to cover thujas for the winter and what material is better to choose?

Also secure the gauze with ropes or wire. You can use a stapler.

Do not forget that gauze will shrink when wet. Thanks to this, a piece of gauze should freely envelop the bush, leaving soft folds.

How to cover a thuja.

Using the Frame

This is a rather labor-intensive method. It is not suitable for very tall trees. The frame can be made from slats made of wood or wire.

The shelter will not allow the snow to linger on the top. In the absence of shelter, the top changes size, and specimens with a spherical shape will take on an unattractive appearance.

Another common option is shelter in the form of a wigwam. Sticks or iron rods are stuck around the plant. Their loose ends are tied together over the top of the thuja in in the form of a wigwam. Then everything is covered.

The frame can be made with your own hands, or you can purchase a ready-made one.

Application of the bag

If you have a bag of the right size, it is better to use it.

He is dressed in advance related plant so that it does not tighten too much. This is perfectly shown in the photo.

Insulation of the root system

To do this, mix the fallen leaves with the soil. Spread the resulting mixture equally around the bush.

This “blanket” will protect the roots from the cold. With the advent of spring, the leaves will begin to rot and provide green beauty necessary fertilizers, and will also retain moisture.

It is also useful to mulch with peat or pine bark when negative temperatures occur.

Close root system before the onset of cold weather - first of all.

Release from winter captivity

To prevent your beauty from burning from the spring sunshine, you should not rush to free her.

Wait until the temperature reaches above zero and the weather is cloudy. But if you still want to free the plant from winter captivity, fearing that it will support you, you will need to create a shadow with the help of shields.

In early spring, you need to plan for rich watering.

Do not overdo it with the shelter and there is no need to make it extensive.

Do not cover the plant with fallen snow: it will not freeze. But he can back it up. Moreover, never use polyethylene film, blankets or thick fabrics.

Give your favorite a little care, and she will delight you for many years.

Caring for thujas. Some advice from an expert

How to hide young trees in winter

How to cover a thuja for the winter?

Landscape designers love working with thuja. This popular coniferous plant is characterized by rapid growth. But for this, the thuja needs to be properly cared for, especially in the first years after planting.

If a tree is planted in the spring, it will have time to adapt after transplantation.

Small roots grow on its roots, absorbing nutrients from the soil. At autumn planting such root hairs will not have time to grow, and it will be more difficult for the tree to take root.

In early spring, when the sun begins to warm up, the needles intensively evaporate moisture, but little comes from the ground. Thuja seedlings begin to “burn out.”

To prevent this from happening, the green beauty of the thuja must be covered. Let's find out how to prepare the thuja for the coming winter and how to properly cover the tree for the winter.

Preparing thuja for winter

Thuja is a frost-resistant plant. It feels great even at -30°C. However, young trees can get severe burns from bright winter sun. To preserve thuja in winter, in late autumn, usually before snow falls, you need to cover the seedlings.

This should be done at least for the first two years after planting, when the trees are still very fragile and tender. And if the winter turns out to be frosty and sunny, then even mature trees may suffer.

Therefore, they can be shaded with sunny side fine mesh.

There are several options for covering thuja for the winter.

1. Cover with gauze or light burlap. Some gardeners do not recommend using non-woven material for these purposes, for example, spandbond or lutrasil.

   It is believed that such materials do not allow air to pass through well, moisture will accumulate under them, and this, in turn, threatens to dampen the plant during a thaw.

   The gauze fabric must be cut into sheets equal in length to the distance from the soil to the highest branch in the crown. Carefully secure the gauze first to the crown and then to the base of the tree. The next piece of gauze must be stapled to the previous one. You will need several pieces of fabric to completely cover the entire tree.

   Do not pull the gauze too tightly, as it will shrink when wet.

   How to cover a young thuja for the winter

   At the base of the thuja, for the same reason, do not tighten the cover too tightly.

2. The shelter is more complex, which can be done by a professional. To begin with, you need to install a wooden frame around each thuja tree. Light-colored material is then stretched around the frame to protect the wood from the sun. Remember that you need to handle the thuja with care, not to stretch or injure the tree branches.
3. The easiest option for covering thuja for the winter is to install wooden shields near the seedlings on the sunny side, which will shade the young plants from bright sunlight.
4. You can purchase in specialized stores finished design in order to properly preserve the thuja in winter.

In winter, snow will accumulate on any type of shelter, so caring for thuja in winter will involve constantly shaking it off.

If this is not done, in the spring heavy melted snow can break the fragile branches of the thuja.

Some people mistakenly believe that when clearing snow from paths, it is better to throw it on plants, including thuja. However, this cannot be done: under a large amount of snow, the tree’s needles may begin to rot.

Winter shelters need to be removed in the spring, after the ground has thawed.

In addition, it is better to “undress” the thuja on a cloudy day, so that there is no sharp drop V sunlight and young thuja trees gradually adapted to a different light regime.

Now, having figured out how to cover thujas for the winter, you can protect the garden from various adverse influences environment and thereby preserve its harmony and beauty.

Thuja is a frost-resistant plant. But some types of crops, and necessarily young trees, require preparation for winter. Depending on the characteristics of the regional climate and taking into account the variety of thuja, covering material and the most appropriate method of protecting plants from frost are selected.

Whether thujas should be covered for the winter is decided based on a number of factors. The age of the plant, its adaptability to the regional climate and even the amount of snow fell are taken into account.

Trees and shrubs are hidden under shelters not so much from the cold as from negative influence winter sun, snow and wind. Plants in the first years of life especially need protection - they have not yet sufficiently developed immunity to the weather conditions of the region.

Insulation measures are carried out before the onset of frost. It is difficult to indicate specific dates - in each region, autumn and winter arrive at their own time (and this does not always coincide with the calendar):

• southerners luckiest of all - their autumn is always warm; therefore, adult plants do not need shelter, and young trees begin to wrap themselves in mid-November;
• in the Moscow region, Middle zone Night frosts are expected by the end of September, and a sharp cold snap occurs in November; in this region it is better to start work in the first half of October;
• V Leningrad region September, although sunny, is already frosty; therefore, thujas should be covered a little earlier than in the Moscow region;
• in Siberia consistently cold autumn occurs in the first month of the season, and in October there is already snow everywhere; It is better to carry out covering activities here in late August - early September;
• in the Urals it all depends on the region - the northern zone, in terms of conditions, is close to the Siberian climate, the southern zone - to the conditions of the Middle Zone.

Preparatory steps should be carried out even earlier. And they include pruning branches and necessary fertilizing. As for watering, the latter is carried out immediately before covering the plants.

To protect thuja from frost, gardeners use various materials:

• some people prefer to use burlap or craft paper;
• others prefer multi-layer gauze, but here we have small nuance– you cannot tie the plant tightly, otherwise the material will get wet and shrink, which will lead to damage to the branches;
• Agroterm and Agrospan performed well;
• but although lutrasil and spanbod are used, they have poor throughput, so moisture accumulates inside, and this leads to rotting.

The lighter the covering material, the better it reflects the sun's rays. This will prevent the formation of a greenhouse effect inside the shelter, which only harms the plants.

In regions with cold winds they prefer to use plywood panels. They also work well in heavy snowfall, preventing branches from breaking off under the weight of precipitation.

In winters with little snow and severe frosts, plant roots also need shelter. To this end trunk circles mulch with loose organic matter (peat, humus, sawdust and other material). In this case, the covering layer must be at least 20 cm thick.

How to properly cover thujas for the winter

There are several methods for covering thujas for the winter. The method is selected based on the shape of the crown and some other characteristics of the plant.

Regardless of weather conditions and regional climate characteristics, plants up to 4-5 years old need winter shelter every year. To protect them from the cold, non-woven material is best suited, from which they construct something in the form of a bag.

Its size should be such that the plant does not shrink—the young thuja’s shoots are still too tender. To play it safe, some gardeners place the bag not on the tree, but on a special frame built around the plant.

The frame system will be especially useful on spherical plants. If snow rolls off a pyramidal thuja over the covering material, then in this case heavy rainfall can push down the middle of the bush, pushing the young branches to the side. This will lead to deformation of the thuja, and it will lose its decorative effect.

Mulching of the soil is carried out if the base of the frame does not extend beyond the standard circle.

Shelter for spherical thuja step by step

Plants with spherical crown always need shelter (regardless of age) to prevent thuja from damage and sunburn. Wrapping a bush is not very convenient, so it is recommended to install a frame.

You can buy a metal structure in a store, but if you need to wrap several plants, this option will be expensive. Therefore, it is better to build a frame from scrap materials.

The step-by-step algorithm for covering a thuja looks like this:

• All debris is removed around the plant - wilted grass, broken branches, old leaves;
• the soil near the trees is mulched with peat or compost;
• take wooden stakes 30 centimeters long above the plant itself; you will need 3-4 of them;
• the stakes are sharpened at one end;
• around the plant at a distance of 10 cm beyond the crown, draw a square or a regular triangle and drive stakes into the tops (at an angle);
• the upper ends are connected together above the plant strictly in the center, tied with a rope; to prevent it from slipping, the stakes are either notched with a knife or small self-tapping screws are screwed in;
• Now all that remains is to cover the frame with material.

If it is possible to use spruce branches, it will the best option shelters. The frame is tightly covered with branches and tied with ropes in 2-3 places along the height.

You can also use gauze or spandex, wrapping it around the structure and securing the material with something so that it does not blow away in the wind.

It’s easier with columnar thujas - you just need to wrap them in material and not be afraid that the branches will be damaged. The main thing is not to make a tight wrap yourself, because first you will have to tie the plant itself with ropes, lightly pressing the shoots to the trunk. Then a loose bag is placed over the plant, which is also wrapped with ribbons.

When using gauze, perform the following steps:

• the end of the material is fixed at the top of the plant;
• begin to systematically wrap the thuja, moving spirally to the base;
• the second tape is also fixed at the top and wrapped around the plant, but moving in the opposite direction.

If it is necessary to apply another 1-2 layers, proceed identically, each time changing the movement of the turns. It remains to secure the gauze with a stapler in some places.

Can be used wooden frames and for shelter Smaragd. But here it is recommended to use a slightly different design than for the spherical thuja:

• take 4 wooden beams slightly taller than the tree itself;
• they are connected to each other by planks, which are stuffed on all sides, forming a truncated pyramid with a base wider than the tree itself;
• there should be small gaps between the slats for air movement;
• free space is also left at the base.

The frame is lined on top and sides coniferous branches. Paws small size cover the soil around the plant. If winter is expected strong winds, the frame under the branches should be covered with one of the above materials.

How to cover a thuja correctly: video

Inexperienced summer residents rely on the fact that coniferous trees are frost-resistant. Although here the adaptability of each variety to the regional climate should be taken into account. Those breeds that feel comfortable in the southern regions even in winter can hardly withstand the harsh weather of Siberia.

But even enough winter-hardy varieties Thujas can die if you ignore some rules:

• young trees under 5 years of age need shelter without fail - their immunity has not yet been sufficiently developed;
• preparation of the tree for wintering begins in advance, without waiting for autumn; at the end of summer last feeding; later application of fertilizers will lead to the fact that the plant will continue to develop and will not have time to enter the dormant phase by the cold weather;
• some gardeners make the mistake of stopping watering in the fall; on the contrary, their number should be increased - this will saturate the soil with moisture and help the thuja to overwinter comfortably; but you shouldn’t be too zealous, so as not to create stagnation of water, otherwise the roots will freeze;
• You will also need sanitary pruning of the crown - on warm autumn days, trees are inspected and damaged branches are removed;
• it is important to check the thuja before sheltering for the presence of diseases and pests; The plant may need to be treated with medicinal drugs.

If the thuja was not covered for the winter, it is advisable to do this in early spring (March-April, depending on the region). At this time, the plants are just beginning to wake up and are still weak, but the sun is already gaining strength.

Green needles attract the sun's rays, but since sap flow has not yet begun, there is a risk of getting burns. As a result, the plant, which has not had time to recover from hibernation, will lose its decorative effect and may even die.

Winter shelter thuja – important point in caring for decorative conifers. But you need not only to be able to properly wrap trees and bushes, but also to open them in the spring. The cover is removed gradually to avoid burns that the rays of the spring sun can cause to the plant.

There is no need to worry about mature trees that have reached impressive sizes. Over the decades of their life, they have become well-seasoned and learned to withstand natural negative factors. Huge thujas can withstand winter without covering material, but in the cold season with little snow, it is better to worry about mulching the root zone.

Thuja is one of the most favorite trees of designers and owners of country houses. They willingly plant it on the streets and in parks. This is understandable: related to coniferous species A member of the cypress family, this tree (or shrub) has its advantages over other varieties. The evergreen crown can be shaped as you like, creating real masterpieces landscape design. However, culture requires a special attitude and special conditions growing. How to care for it, what kind of lighting it needs, how to cover the thuja for the winter - this is discussed in the article.

Green, but not forever

Forgive the author for the play on words, but evergreen thuja sometimes changes the color of the branches to yellowish and brown. This may be the natural seasonal coloring of the needles of some tree varieties. On low temperatures mature plants may respond by darkening the ends of the branches, but they will turn green again in the spring. However, such a reaction may occur to too much lighting and direct rays of the sun in summer or winter. It’s worth talking in more detail about how to cover thuja for the winter. Some people make a big mistake by covering a tree or bush. plastic film. This should not be done under any circumstances - the plant may simply become damaged by condensation and freeze to death in severe frosts.

How to cover thujas correctly

Many people probably pay attention in winter to decorative trees and shrubs wrapped in insulation. Most often, they try to protect flower perennials and specifically thujas from the cold. By the way, the latter come from the eastern regions North America, and in their warm homeland they can reach 50-60 meters in height. It turns out that in the latitudes of Russia, thuja is a guest who must be treated accordingly. It is, of course, not adults who need to be protected from the cold. tall trees and strong bushes, and young plants with tender branches and needles of the first year of growth.

The covering material must be white. This is necessary so that it reflects bright sunlight and at the same time did not shade the plant too much. It must be a special type of spunbond or lutrasil. Many gardeners and designers, who know first-hand how to cover thuja for the winter, prefer to use thick wrapping paper. It protects from frost and allows air to pass through. Still, it is better to use modern covering material, from which you can build a bag and put it on top of the plant, then secure it with twine. Thus, the snow will not linger on the branches and injure them, and the thuja will easily tolerate the cold. Do not squeeze or tie the plant too tightly. The bag or wrapping material should be spacious to allow air to pass between the branches. It is necessary to ensure that snow does not accumulate on the covered thuja and does not press down the top.

Protect the root system

How to cover thujas for the winter with wrapping is understandable. But we must not forget about the roots. Common mistake- shovel all the snow from garden paths under the thuja. Snow, of course, warms you in winter, but in spring there will be stagnation of melt water at the foot of the tree, which will still freeze at night. It is best to cover the roots of a tree or bush with fallen leaves mixed with soil in the fall. By spring it will also be additional fertilizer. This is about how to cover a thuja from top to root for the winter. Another tip: you don’t need to free the plant from the covering material with the first rays of spring, as the needles can quickly burn under bright light. It is better to do this gradually, and even better to shade the trees for the first time.

Each plant is unique in its own way and needs an individual approach to care. Some of them are not whimsical, while others, on the contrary, require knowledge and skills to implement good care. Most plants must be carefully prepared for wintering. Many people mistakenly believe that conifers do not require special care in winter. This is partly true, they are frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -30º. Why hide in this case? conifers? The greatest danger to conifers is not the air temperature, but bright sun rays and wind, especially at the end of winter and beginning of spring.

During this period of time, burns may appear on the trees, which can cause irreparable harm to the plant. The most demanding among conifers when preparing for winter is thuja. How to cover a thuja for the winter is an important question, let’s try to figure it out.

All measures aimed at protecting thuja in winter are recommended to begin in late autumn before the first snow and frost appear. If the thuja is located near the structure in the shade and is a frost-resistant variety, then it can be covered for the winter in mid-February. Young plants in the first couple of years after planting, regardless of variety and frost resistance, require mandatory shelter.

Video “Saving conifers from yellowing”

Ways to cover thuja

There are many different techniques that can protect thuja from exposure ultraviolet rays and wind. Next we will talk in more detail about how to cover conifers for the winter. The following types of shelters are very popular among gardeners:

Fabric

Fabric shelters can be made yourself or purchased at a farm store. Homemade shelter for coniferous trees can be made from gauze or burlap. To insulate thuja with gauze, take material with a width of at least 50 cm and cut it into strips. Their length should be slightly greater than the height of the tree itself. When determining the length of the strip, the splendor of the crown is taken into account. Then all the strips are fastened together and tied into a bundle on one side to form a kind of bag. Instead of gauze, you can use any white “breathable” material. Fabric covers should be made a little loose, since slight shrinkage of the fabric is possible over time.

Garden stores offer more modern solution for insulating wood. Non-woven materials are very popular among gardeners: agroterm, lutrasil and spandbond. They are easy to use, easy to clean, dry quickly and are reusable.

Paper

To create such shelters, wrapping paper is used. Take a piece of material and wrap the tree crown in a spiral from top to bottom. When performing work, lightly press the branches against the trunk. The strips of paper must be overlapped. Fix the resulting structure on the plant using a stapler or tight rope.

Frame

Frame structures are suitable for insulating young plants. You can make the frames yourself or buy them at a garden store. To build a protective frame, you will need to take thick slats and wire, as well as thin bars plastic pipes and a metal corner. If the thuja is small, then the structure can be made with 3 supports, and if larger, then with 4. The frame legs are driven into the ground 20 cm. Their length should be at least 2/3 of the height of the tree itself. If you have a large number of available means, you can build a structure taking into account the capture of the top of the crown. The material is fixed to the frame using transverse and connecting posts. After building the frame, a bag is put on it. The main disadvantage of this design is that accumulated snow must be constantly removed.

Panel

This option is the simplest and can protect thuja only from direct sunlight. Installation wooden shields carried out on the sunny side of the tree.

Photo “Ways to cover thuja for the winter”

Winter care for conifers

After talking about how to cover a thuja for the winter, move on to the features of caring for the plant in winter. When caring for evergreen trees, you should not lose vigilance even in winter. After heavy snowfall, trees must be cleared of accumulated snow mass. In case of accumulation large quantity snow around the trunk must be cleared.

In early spring, you should not rush to remove covers from trees, as they can get sunburn. You can remove the cover from the thujas after the weather returns to normal. It is recommended to plant conifers near fences and buildings. This arrangement has a beneficial effect on the plant in the spring.

Thujas sheltered for the winter also decorate the yard

In winter, wrapped thujas can look very unattractive. To make the site look attractive, you can show a little imagination. Cover structures can be built similar to a wigwam. You can draw different pictures or funny faces on paper shelters.