Peculiarities of propagation of thuja by cuttings in autumn. Propagation of thuja by cuttings in autumn

Thuja is used for landscaping, as this frost-resistant plant does not require special care. However, to implement the intended design, more than one seedling is needed, so it is advisable to learn how to propagate thuja yourself.

Propagation of thuja by cuttings: advantages of the method, suitable timing for planting

Coniferous plants can be propagated in two ways:

Seeds;

By cuttings.

The first method is rarely used, ready for further cultivation a seedling can be obtained only after five years. In addition, during seed propagation, everything varietal characteristics are lost. The only one possible method What remains is the cutting of an adult plant.

This method has a number of advantages:

Preservation of varietal characteristics;

Speed ​​of breeding.

Thujas grown from cuttings are identical to the mother plants. All qualities are preserved 100% and are subsequently transferred to new seedlings. At the same time, you can get a tree ready for planting in three years, in contrast to seed propagation.

However, this method also has a fly in the ointment. When propagating thuja by cuttings, the survival rate of planting material is no more than 70%. To obtain a large number of seedlings, you will need to plant a lot of shoots.

Suitable timing for thuja cuttings

You can cut thujas in spring, summer and autumn, but you should take into account all the features of each period.

Spring cuttings allow seedlings to take root faster, because all processes occur more actively. Shoots need to be harvested at the end of March or the very beginning of April. It is best to root spring cuttings in a soil substrate. Other methods will not work; seedlings need plenty of moisture.

If time is lost, then cuttings can be postponed to the summer. A suitable month is June. However, such seedlings will take root only by next spring, and their survival rate is worse. When it is possible to wait, it is better to postpone the preparation of cuttings until autumn.

Autumn cuttings are carried out in October, when all processes slow down. Rooting itself takes longer than in spring, but the survival rate of cuttings is better. The shoots do not die from lack of moisture, because they have naturally prepared for winter. Such cuttings can be rooted in any way.

Rules for preparing cuttings for home rooting

For thuja cuttings, choose a healthy tree. Shoots for rooting are cut only from the top part of the bush; the side branches produce twisted seedlings.

Cuttings are prepared from two to three year old lignified growth, no more than 15 cm long. The shoots are cut along with a piece of bark so that they take root better.

Important! All tools for work should be disinfected to prevent contamination of planting material.

This is what a correct thuja cutting looks like

How to prepare thuja cuttings for propagation

To prevent the cuttings from rotting during rooting, they need to be prepared.

1. Cut off the lower needles so as to expose a third of the shoot.

2. Lightly peel the bark.

3. Shorten the remaining branches by half.

The cuttings prepared in this way are kept in a solution of the drug “Kornevin” or another growth stimulant. Processing time is about 12 hours.

Important! Planting must be done immediately after processing; if this is not possible, then the cuttings are stored in a damp cloth for no more than a day.

Popular methods for rooting thuja cuttings at home

The method of rooting cuttings depends on the time of planting, as discussed above. There are several proven methods that give the best results.

Instructions for rooting thuja using the standard method

Rooting shoots in the substrate is a common method of propagation. To do this, you will need light, loose soil, which you can purchase in a store or prepare yourself from peat, sand and leaf soil. All components are mixed in equal proportions.

Advice! Substrate own production must be disinfected by any available method.

Root the shoots in small individual containers with drainage holes. Fine gravel or expanded clay is placed at the bottom, then the substrate is poured. The prepared cuttings are buried 2 cm and sprinkled with washed sand.

After planting, all plants are placed in a greenhouse, where they are maintained optimal temperature. Pots should not be exposed to direct sunlight. An important step rooting involves watering and ventilating the greenhouse. Watering is carried out using a spray bottle; the soil should always remain moist.

Method of rooting cuttings in potatoes

The starch and other nutrients from potatoes help the shoots take root faster. For germination, select healthy fresh potatoes without eyes. A hole of about 4 cm is made in it and cuttings are inserted. Next, all the tubers are placed in a box and covered with loose soil, watered abundantly. Keep cuttings in greenhouse conditions until new leaves appear.

Rooting cuttings with moss

Moss is used as a substrate for rooting branches, which is poured warm water and leave to infuse for 3 hours. During this time it will swell and become saturated with moisture. Then do everything according to the instructions:

Spread the prepared moss on a wide strip of fabric;

Place the cuttings at a short distance from each other;

Roll the workpiece into a roll and place it in a bag.

Rooting should be done in a well-lit room, but not in direct sunlight.

The advantage of this method is the ability of moss to retain moisture for a long time. Additionally, you do not need to water the workpieces often.

Instructions for rooting cuttings in water

This method is the simplest, but has a drawback - water is quickly absorbed by the cuttings and needs to be topped up. In addition, it is important to ensure that the shoots do not rot.

Add a little potassium permanganate to the water for rooting. Place the cuttings in a container and pour in so that the water does not reach the needles. Add liquid as needed.

Caring for thuja before planting in a permanent place

After successful rooting, the question arises - what to do next with the seedlings. They are grown in a special bed for about two years, until the time comes to plant permanent place.

A bed is chosen with sparse shade and nutritious soil. Seedlings are placed at a distance of 25 - 30 cm from each other. At first, they are covered with film and gradually accustomed to natural growing conditions. Caring for thujas involves regular watering, fertilizing and weeding.

Thujas are slow-growing coniferous trees and shrubs, characterized by their highly decorative crown and unpretentiousness. Growing a plant is a rather lengthy process. The situation is greatly simplified by purchasing a ready-made seedling.

Thuja reproduces by two methods. The first way is by seeds. But this is a long and rather labor-intensive process. By the time of landing young plant V open ground at least 5 years will pass. Shrubs grown from seeds do not always inherit varietal characteristics: the color of the needles and the shape of the crown. The easiest way to grow a plant is from a twig or cutting. Vegetative propagation thuja (cuttings) allows you to get new plants twice as quickly, at lower costs and retain all the characteristics of the parent form.

• Show all

  Cuttings

  You can grow thuja from a small twig or cutting. The process will take 2 - 3 years. This duration of growing a new plant is explained by the characteristics of the thuja growing season:

  • long-term (from 2 to 5-6 months) root formation;
  • slow growth and the resulting need to grow seedlings for 2-3 years.

  Proper preparation of cuttings and compliance with all rooting conditions will allow you to optimize the process and propagate the plant faster.

  Dates

  Thuja cuttings can be carried out at different times of the year: spring, summer or autumn. Professionals' opinions on the choice optimal timing ambiguous. The choice of time of year affects the rate of root formation and has its advantages and disadvantages.

  Season	Duration of root formation	Advantages	Flaws
  Spring: immediately after the snow melts	2 to 3 months	Rapid root growth	Young plants go into winter not strong enough
  Summer: early June, before the active growth of shoots begins; second half of August, when growth processes slow down	From 2 to 5 months	There is an opinion that warm and long summer nights are favorable for the formation of roots	When rooting in June, the late appearance of roots “shortens” the growing period: weak plants overwinter Summer temperatures increase the risk of root rot
  Autumn: in mid-latitudes - October; in the south - November	From 3 to 5-6 months	Planting for growing is carried out in the spring, so the seedlings have enough time to get stronger and overwinter favorably	Slow root growth, high probability of cuttings rotting.

  The main condition that determines the timing of cuttings is the absence of active growth of shoots.

  Harvesting cuttings

  At any time of the year, cuttings are prepared:

  • on a cloudy or rainy day;
  • giving preference to healthy and actively growing young (4-9 years) plants.

  2 or 3 year old branches with a length of 10-15 to a maximum of 50 cm are used as cuttings.

  When breeding pyramidal thuja into cuttings, cut side shoots. For getting spherical crowns - both lateral and apical.

  It is difficult for a non-specialist to determine the age of shoots by external signs, so you can focus on their strong and healthy appearance and the presence of a lignified main part of the shoot.

  The shoots are cut or torn off with a sharp downward movement. In this case, a “woody heel” should remain on the separated branch - part of the wood and lignified bark of the mother shoot. Roots will develop in this area, so the longer it is, the better.

  Thuja cuttings with wood heel

  After separation from cuttings:

  • cut off areas of bark peeled off from the wood;
  • Leaves are removed at a distance of 3-4 cm from the heel;
  • the remaining leaves are shortened by 1/3 of their length.

  

  Rooting methods

  Thuja cuttings are rooted in water, substrate or sphagnum.

  Regardless of the method chosen, there are several general recommendations, compliance with which will improve the efficiency of the process:

  • Before rooting, the heel of the cuttings is placed for 10-12 hours in a pre-diluted (according to the instructions) root formation stimulator, for example, Kornevin. Some gardeners practice short (2-3 seconds) immersion in an undiluted product.
  • When rooting, the green leaves of the shoots should not touch the surface of the water or substrate. Otherwise they will rot.
  • The container with cuttings should not be placed in a place that is too warm (above 23 °C). This provokes rotting of the shoots.
  • For successful rooting, the branches need good lighting, excluding exposure to direct sunlight.

  In water

  Many experts believe that this is one of the easiest ways. It is more effective during spring rooting.

  To carry it out you will need:

  • small (0.5 liter) transparent container;
  • settled water at room temperature;
  • several (3 to 5) harvested and processed cuttings.

  The technology of the process is simple and differs little from traditional rooting in water:

  1. 1. Place several (no more than 5) cuttings in a transparent container so that their heel is 1.5-2 cm immersed in liquid.
  2. 2. Place the container in a cool, bright place.

  Caring for the cuttings consists of changing the water in a timely manner as they become cloudy and rinsing the container. During this time, the heels of the cuttings removed from the container are wrapped in a damp cloth or napkin. To prevent rotting, add a couple of crystals of potassium permanganate to fresh water.

  Rooted cuttings are planted in the ground for growing.

  In the substrate

  An equally effective method is rooting in the substrate. To carry it out you will need:

  • small nurseries, plastic containers or mini-greenhouse;
  • nutrient mixture of peat and leaf soil (1:1) with the addition of a small (1/2 part) amount of sand;
  • water for irrigation.

  Before use, the soil mixture is disinfected with any in an accessible way: calcined in the oven or microwave, spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

  Rooting method:

  1. 1. Fine drainage is placed at the bottom of the containers, and nutrient soil is placed on it.
  2. 2. The soil is well moistened, allowing the water to completely saturate the earthen ball.
  3. 3. Several depressions are made in the substrate, into which the cuttings are buried 1.5 - 2 cm.
  4. 4. To create greenhouse conditions, containers with seedlings are covered with transparent, airtight material and placed in a bright place.

  When condensation forms on the shelter, the containers are ventilated. The soil and cuttings are moistened with a spray bottle.

  After 2 - 3 months, fresh green leaf scales will appear on the shoots, indicating that rooting has occurred.

  

  This is what thuja cuttings rooted in the substrate look like

  Rooting in the “diaper”

  Thuja cuttings can be rooted in sphagnum using a special technique that involves wrapping the bases of the cuttings in moss spread on fabric. For this reason, the method received such an unusual name.

  To carry out rooting in a “diaper” you will need:

  • fabric 20 - 30 cm wide and no more than half a meter long;
  • sphagnum moss;
  • settled cold water;
  • plastic film or bag.

  3 hours before the procedure, the moss is poured cold water. Then the water is drained and a series of sequential actions are performed.

  Lay out the fabric on a flat surface (table).

  
  

  Mentally divide the width of the fabric in half. On its upper part, retreating about 2 cm, wet moss is laid out.

  
  

  Thuja branches are distributed on the sphagnum at intervals of 2-3 cm. The heels of the cuttings should be surrounded by moss, and the green parts should be outside the fabric. A layer of sphagnum is covered bottom fabrics.

  
  

  The fabric is carefully rolled into a roll or cocoon, which is placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in film. The resulting structure is placed in a cool, bright place.

  
  

  This rooting method is considered one of the most effective. Its advantages:

  • constant high humidity: moss provides cuttings with moisture for a long time;
  • low probability of rot: sphagnum has antiseptic properties;
  • ease of care: no need to water or ventilate.

  The need for humidification is determined by the absence of condensation on internal parts bag or film. The cocoon is removed and the tissue is moistened with a spray bottle.

  "Wick" rooting

  In its technology, the method is similar to rooting thuja in the substrate, but is carried out using a special design. To create it you will need:

  • small (for 2-3 cuttings) individual plastic containers, for example, cups for rooting;
  • transparent a plastic cup diameter as a container for rooting (to create greenhouse effect) for each batch of rooted cuttings;
  • glass half-liter jar;
  • a strip of fabric that absorbs water well, 1.5 - 2 cm wide and about 10 - 15 cm long;
  • nutrient substrate (a mixture of peat and leaf soil) and water.

  The rooting process begins with the assembly of the structure:

  1. 1. At the bottom plastic container, in the middle or on the side, make a small hole into which 1/3 of the strips of fabric are inserted (pull), evenly distributing it along the bottom.
  2. 2. The container is filled nutrient substrate and moisturize well.
  3. 3. Several depressions (according to the number of rooted cuttings) are made in the nutrient mixture.
  4. 4. Cuttings pre-treated in a root former are buried by 1.5 - 2 cm.
  5. 5. Fill 1/4 of a half-liter jar with water and place a container with rooted cuttings in it, straightening a strip of fabric in the water. The bottom of the cup can touch the water, but should not submerge in it.
  6. 6. Cut off the edges of a transparent cup and place it upside down on a container with cuttings, covering their ground part.
  
  

  In this form, the structure is installed in a cool, bright place. Water is periodically added to the jar. When new green leaf scales appear on the cuttings, indicating rooting, a hole is made at the bottom of the covering cup for ventilation.

  This method of growing thuja at home is quite simple and effective. Many gardeners on forums note its effectiveness.

  Rooted plants are ventilated, the duration of this procedure is gradually increased, and then the protection is removed. In spring and summer, seedlings are taken out into the open air for several hours to harden.

  Growing up

  Cuttings rooted at home are weak and small, so they cannot be immediately planted in a permanent place. They need growing, which is carried out in flowerpots, placing them outdoors or on growing beds.

  Growing of cuttings rooted in spring is carried out in September, in autumn - in May. To carry it out on breeding beds:

  • choose an area in partial shade;
  • They dig up the earth, adding for each square. meter 1 bucket of peat and 1/2 bucket of sand;
  • in the prepared soil, at a distance of 25 - 30 cm, make planting holes with a depth commensurate with the seedlings’ earthen clod;
  • using the transfer method, they are moved from the container into the depressions, covered with earth and watered.

  

  Planting thuja for growing

  At autumn planting seedlings are mulched with sand or peat for the winter and covered coniferous branches or foliage.

  Young plants planted in spring are cared for by:

  • water periodically, preventing the soil from drying out;
  • remove weeds;
  • shelter for the winter.

  After 2-3 years, the seedlings will grow up and can be planted in a permanent place.

  

  Grown thuja seedlings, ready for planting in a permanent place

  Arborvitae in landscape design

  Thujas look great as single plantings and as part of plant compositions. Dense plantings can form hedges and spectacular alleys. When forming the crown, thuja can take on a variety of forms, including creative ones. The time spent will pay off with the appearance of new plants that can delight more than one generation with their beauty.

  
  

Propagation of thuja by cuttings in autumn or spring is considered the most convenient and effective way. The main advantage of this method is the ability to preserve the varietal qualities of the plant and obtain small, full-fledged trees in just 2 or 3 years. Of course, growing thuja from cuttings also has its drawbacks. This plant cannot be called hardy, therefore the survival rate of seedlings is not too high. But other methods of propagating thuja have their drawbacks.

How to choose branches for cuttings?

To grow thuja from a twig, you need to select the right material. It should be remembered that it is best to use cuttings from actively growing young thujas at the age of 4-9 years, since over the years the ability of cut branches to form a root system decreases. Interestingly, branches from cultivated specimens take root better at home.

You can cut the plant in different time of the year. If this is done in the spring, then you need to start immediately after the snow has melted, but before the kidneys awaken, that is, if you take climatic conditions Middle zone, then this is approximately the end of March-mid-April. Summer cuttings are also possible, but this is rarely done in June; usually experts recommend postponing the procedure until August, when it is already possible to germinate woody shoots. When cuttings are taken in spring, roots form quite quickly, within three months. But when autumn work By the end of the year, only characteristic growths may appear, and rooting will occur only next year.

It is believed that it is better to collect thuja branches in the fall, since at this time of year the movement of juices slows down and therefore there will be less number of seedlings dying from moisture deficiency. But on the other hand, rooting will occur more slowly.

October is usually chosen to collect twigs. It is best to do this when deciduous trees The leaves have already fallen. In addition, experts say that it is advisable to harvest branches not on a sunny day, but on a cloudy day. It is recommended to carefully pinch off the shoots from the top. It is best to take those branches that are already 3-4 years old, but a non-specialist is unlikely to distinguish them by appearance. So in this case, it is better to select those that seem quite strong and healthy.

Experts believe that even for indoor thujas, the weather for selecting cuttings is of fundamental importance. It is best to cut branches in cloudy weather. In this case, side shoots are usually chosen if we're talking about about a pyramidal thuja, but if the tree is spherical, then this does not matter.

For further propagation, only lignified branches should be used; their length should be no more than 50 cm. But you should not take branches that are too small, since their rooting will take quite a lot of time. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the top of the future cutting. It should be green, but there may be yellowish areas underneath it.

You need to carefully examine such an escape. At its end, the so-called “woody heel” should remain - this is a piece of bark, which becomes the basis for the development of new roots. The larger and longer it looks, the better for rooted plants. Before proceeding to the next stage, you need to remove the leaf plates at a height of approximately 3-4 cm from the end of the shoot.

Is it possible to grow cuttings in water?

Some gardeners believe that the simplest answer to the question of how to propagate thuja is to grow them in a jar of water. They claim that this is the most quick way activate the roots of the plant.

Before growing thuja using cuttings, you need to prepare planting material. To do this, you need to use a sharp knife to trim the long tail of the tree “heel”, on which the bark is still preserved. Using pruning shears, only the relatively small lower parts of the shoot are cleaned - up to 3.5-5 cm, so that there are no stray needles left on it, then the end of the branch is dipped in water and root-forming powder.

Growing thuja cuttings in water and using a wick structure

To do this you need to take large capacity, fill with water, then install the shoots so that the water covers their ends by approximately 2 cm. There should be no more than 3-5 cuttings in a jar or other container so that they are not too crowded.

When growing in this way, under no circumstances should the rooted cuttings be allowed to begin to rot. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that their green parts do not come into contact with water. This is precisely what causes the planting material to rot. In order for the plant to feel comfortable, the container must be moved to a bright place where it will be cool, but not cold.

The most important thing in caring for such seedlings is to change their water in a timely manner, without waiting for it to become cloudy. At this time, the cuttings should be removed from the container, and the roots should be wrapped in clean damp cloth. The water is pre-disinfected; for this you only need a couple of crystals of potassium permanganate.

At the same time, you need to use a peg to make a vertical hole in the ground. Its depth should be about 30-40 mm. There are as many holes made as there are cuttings. The distance between them should be at least 60-80 mm. As soon as the cuttings have roots, they can be transplanted into the prepared container.

Growing cuttings in substrate

You can grow thuja from cuttings different ways. One of the most simple options the use of substrates is considered. The fact is that the above method using water has one significant drawback - in pure form the liquid does not contain any nutrients, unlike the substrate.

Before rooting thuja, you need to prepare boxes for seedlings and make sure that holes are made in them for soil aeration. There must be a drainage hole and a layer of fine gravel at the bottom. The soil used is either ready-made store-bought compositions or a home-prepared mixture of leaf humus and peat, with all components taken in equal parts. The resulting soil must be disinfected, and to do this, it must be calcined in the oven. If you have potassium permanganate in the house, you can make a fairly strong dark solution (the color indicates a high content of the active substance in the water).

The cuttings must first be placed in water for 10-12 hours. Before this, the biostimulating drug “Kornevin” is added to the liquid. If a person is interested in how to grow thuja in this way, he must prepare everything necessary in advance, including fairly spacious, but not too large containers that are filled with substrate. The recesses for the cuttings are made according to the scheme described above. The seedlings are deepened by 1.5-2 cm and sprinkled with sand on top. It also needs to be pre-heated.

Then the containers with seedlings are covered plastic film and leave them where they will have enough light, but without direct sunlight. The air temperature should be within +18…+22ºС. When condensation appears on the film, it can be opened for ventilation. It is very important not to overdo it with watering, but you should not allow the soil to dry out. Humidification is carried out exclusively from a spray bottle, since a more powerful stream of water can press down the soil and expose the “heel” necessary for the development of a full-fledged seedling.

Growing cuttings in sphagnum

Cuttings can also be grown in a sphagnum environment, that is, peat moss. In this case, the procedure involves the formation of a kind of cocoon from clean fabric and damp moss, which is why this method is sometimes called propagation in diapers.

On initial stage Growing cuttings in sphagnum is similar to growing in ordinary soil. In the same way, the branches must be properly prepared and kept in water with a root formation stimulator for about 10-12 hours. But sphagnum needs additional processing. It needs to be filled with boiled water for about 3 hours so that it is properly saturated with moisture. A fairly wide piece of fabric is laid out on the table, this width is mentally divided in half, and wet moss is placed along the entire length on one of the halves. The second strip is left free so that you can then cover the moss and cuttings with it.

Thuja branches are laid out on sphagnum moss at a certain distance from each other so that their “heels” are surrounded by moss. Then the cuttings are covered with the bottom of the strip so that the green tops are free. After this, the fabric is rolled up. A package comes out that needs to be put inside plastic bag. Then it is hung in a well-lit place, but so that direct sunlight does not fall on it.

Growing thuja from cuttings in sphagnum moss is even easier than in soil, since moss allows you to maintain the desired level of humidity for a long time. If, nevertheless, there is not enough moisture, this can be easily determined by the fact that condensation will not collect on the inner walls of the bag and they will become dry. In this case, moistening from a spray bottle is necessary.

Advantages of the vegetative method

Although propagation by seeds produces hardier specimens, growing from cuttings has many advantages. Firstly, this is the only way to maintain a specific appearance plants. When propagating by seeds, this is not always possible.

Secondly, thuja seeds, as well as grains of other coniferous plants, stratification is needed, that is, a procedure in which they imitate natural conditions to ensure germination. IN in this case This is a procedure that creates both cold and humidity. As a result, you can get fairly hardy trees. But such a process takes a very long time. To obtain seedlings suitable for planting, you will need to wait an average of 6 years. Reproduction by cuttings can significantly reduce this time. With this growing method, you can get a plant suitable for planting in open ground in literally 2-3 years.

Of the numerous coniferous trees, the cypress family, in particular, the thuja, is in greatest demand among gardeners and summer residents - this unpretentious, evergreen tree pleases the eye in winter and summer, serves wonderful decoration any area. Thujas are planted along fences and paths, and they decorate resting areas, as thujas smell pleasant and fresh, and the trees purify the air around them with the phytoncides they release.

Thuja is also interesting for land owners because it can be propagated and grown at home without spending too much effort and money on it: purchasing seedlings in stores is not a cheap pleasure.

Growing thuja with seeds

This is what thuja seeds look like

If it is impossible to provide oneself with the required number of cuttings, they resort to propagating the tree by seed.

This process is painstaking and lengthy (from 3-5 years), but it allows you to grow enough planting material to realize all your ideas, and the remaining specimens can be given as gifts to relatives or friends.

You need to start by harvesting fresh seeds; they will ensure good germination.

The seed collection period occurs at the end of summer - beginning of autumn. Cones with seeds must be collected before they begin to open, and placed in a dry room until completely dry.

The seeds will be ready in 2-3 days, they will easily begin to spill out of the cones, small, brown or reddish.

After receiving the seeds, it is best to sow them in the near future, with long-term storage in warm rooms they lose germination percentage.

Autumn (early winter) sowing

We make grooves at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other

With this propagation method, crops will undergo natural stratification, which will provide more strong seedlings, its active growth. To do this you will need:

1. Suitable wooden box fill with prepared soil consisting of 1 part turf soil, 2 parts peat, 0.5 parts fine-grained sand.
2. Level and compact the soil.
3. In-depth make grooves at a distance of 5–6 cm, slightly widening them for ease of sowing.
4. Distribute the seeds evenly among the rows and sprinkle with a 1 cm thick layer of soil.
5. Carefully water from, being careful not to wash the seeds.

Place the box in a convenient place outside, preferably under a spreading tree, so that the sun dries out the soil in the box less. And in the spring, the branches of the tree will protect the seedlings from direct sunlight. Moderate watering is required as the soil dries; seeds should not be watered, otherwise they will begin to rot.

Pre-winter sowing can be carried out directly into the ground by preparing small garden bed in partial shade, because bright direct sun will be destructive for young seedlings. Care should be taken to ensure that pets do not enter the garden bed by fencing it or covering it with non-woven material.

Spring sowing

If the sowing of thuja seeds was planned for the spring, they must be hardened (stratified) so that the seedlings are strong and fully developed. Required:

1. Before the onset of cold weather, bury the seeds wrapped in a cloth shallowly in the ground and cover with a layer of fallen leaves.
2. To prevent seeds from freezing, make sure that they are covered with snow or provide additional insulation.
3. With the onset of spring, after the snow melts, remove the seeds from the ground and transfer them to suitable container, sprinkle with damp sand, place in the refrigerator until sowing.

By the end of March - beginning of April, when the ground warms up, you can plan to sow the seeds in the ground. The sowing is done shallow, the distance between the rows is 10-15 cm. The sown seeds are sprinkled with a very thin layer of soil and carefully watered.

Further care consists of regularly moistening the soil, killing weeds, and shading the seedlings from the sun.

You can plant each seed in a separate pot so that future sprouts grow and develop individually for a whole year, until the next transplant:

1. Purchase special soil for coniferous plants in advance.
2. Prepare pots or cups, pour a layer of drainage on the bottom, soil on top, compact it, and pour in a solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Place the seeds that have been soaked a day before sowing and hatched in pots, pour warm water on top.
4. Place the cups in a warm place and cover with foil on top.
5. After the sprouts appear, take the cups to a cool, bright place. If the pubescent roots are on the surface, they should be sprinkled with sand and moistened with a spray bottle.

In the summer-autumn period, pots with young shoots can be taken outside and placed under a tree.

Caring for seedlings in boxes

• In the first year, seedlings grow only 7 cm, it does not require special care, the main requirements are watering, spraying, adding soil, fertilizing.
• Next year in the spring, they begin to pick seedlings into separate pots or cups with soil for coniferous plants.
• After the seedlings have taken root, they can be placed outside, finding a shaded place, regularly watering and inspecting the seedlings in order to identify diseased specimens in time. In winter, the cups are taken into hiding. In the third year, the seedlings must again be transplanted into pots bigger size , from May they can be safely taken outside, and in the fall they can be planted in a prepared permanent place, leaving root collar

at soil level.

Propagation of thuja by cuttings

Thuja cuttings need to be torn off with the heel

For cuttings, you can use the end of April, until the buds are completely swollen, or the middle - end of June, when the growth of shoots stops. Woody branches 30–40 cm long are taken from young healthy thujas, 2–3 years old. You need to tear off the cuttings so that along with them a piece of bark (“heel”) comes away from the mother tree.

Clear the lower edges of the broken branches 8-10 cm from the needles, soak in one of the root formation stimulants (proceed according to the instructions).

• During this time, prepare a bed with suitable soil:
• peat;
• river sand;

The components are taken in equal quantities and mixed. The soil is brought into the garden bed, mixed with garden soil, and spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. The cuttings are buried 2-3 cm, water to compact the soil around the cuttings. Further watering is replaced by spraying, this creates the required humidity.

Growing thuja from a twig

This method of propagation is almost no different from planting cuttings. From the middle part of a healthy tree you like, cut branches 25–35 cm high with sharp scissors; the larger the branch, the it will take root better. The cut is treated with “Kornevin” or “Heteroauxin”, all lower leaves are deleted.

1. A hole is prepared in a secluded, semi-shaded, humid place, the soil is loosened well, organic fertilizer is added, and water is spilled.
2. After the soil is saturated with water, a thuja sprig is stuck in, the ground around it is slightly compacted.
3. The planted branch is covered with a jar or transparent plastic bottle, the edges are sprinkled with earth, and again a little water is poured from a watering can.

The jar or bottle will need to be removed periodically for ventilation, but not earlier than 2 weeks after planting.

Rules for caring for thuja sprouts from cuttings and twigs

After rooting the cuttings and twigs, they need regular watering(but not overmoistening), regular spraying of needles, fertilizing 2-3 times complex fertilizers, constant removal of weeds, frequent surface loosening of the soil.

Before the onset of cold weather, insulate the ground around the trunks with bark, dry leaves, sawdust or spruce branches, and top part Wrap young trees with film.

September next year is the time to transplant the grown trees to a permanent place.

It is important not to bury the trees, leave the root collar at soil level, deeper planting will lead to the death of the plant.

Tui is afraid of direct sunlight and drafts

Conical, pyramidal, egg-shaped, spherical - thujas will become a wonderful decoration for any garden if you provide them with proper care.

The landing site must be chosen such that:

• straight sunlight fell on the trees in the mornings or evenings, exposure to the daytime sun will dehydrate the needles, the plant will lose its beauty;
• thuja does not tolerate well strong winds and drafts, if it is planted in such a place, it will be difficult for it to endure winters;
• dense shadow will affect the density of the crown, it will be sparse and unattractive;
• Arborvitae love moist soil, but prolonged late spring flooding will destroy them.
• Only a year after planting, when the tree is stronger and well rooted, can you begin to feed it.

To maintain the correct shape, the trees need decorative pruning: from the age of two years, the branches that extend beyond the shape are cut off with sharp pruning shears design idea. Experienced gardeners They believe that it is better to do minor but frequent pruning.

The homeland of thuja is East Asia. In our latitudes, thuja has gained popularity due to its unpretentiousness and dense dense crown. Thuja is easy to trim, so it can be given any shape. Thanks to this feature, thuja is used in many landscape compositions.

Thuja serves as a material for hedges; entire alleys are planted with it. Such plantings require tens and hundreds of young trees, so the issue of rapid plant propagation is relevant.

The most popular method that is suitable for thuja is propagation by cuttings in the spring. Despite the fact that this method of propagation produces trees that are less hardy compared to seedlings from seeds, it is much more popular. This is explained as follows:

• propagation by cuttings allows you to preserve features mother plant;
• Coniferous seeds require natural stratification, which takes a long time. The process of growing seedlings from seeds ready for planting lasts about 6 years;
• Propagation of thuja by cuttings in the spring allows you to obtain ready-made seedlings for planting in a permanent place in 2-3 years.

The vegetative method of propagating thuja also has disadvantages. During the process of growing seedlings, only 70-80% of plants survive from the total number of harvested cuttings. If you do not follow the rules for propagating coniferous plants, then this percentage will be even lower.

How to prepare spring cuttings

In order for growing thuja from cuttings in the spring to be fruitful, it is necessary to properly prepare the cuttings.

To prepare spring cuttings, you need to take the tops of the axial shoots of the thuja. Such branches retain the branching pattern that is characteristic of this species. If you take a cutting from a side branch, you get creeping form plants.

Best period for separating cuttings from the mother plant - the spring month of April. At this time, the first phase of plant growth occurs. The plant from which the shoot is taken must be 2-3 years old.

In order for the thuja to have a better chance of taking root, while this plant cannot be grown from a cutting with 100% probability using this method of propagation, you need to correctly separate the cutting. To do this, it must be torn off manually, without using pruners. You need to tear it off with a sharp movement. The detachable part should be 20 cm long. When you pull out a twig, a piece of last year's wood remains at its end, which contains nutrients.

Important! To root thuja, you can collect planting material in the summer, for example, in June. But such harvests will grow a season longer until they are fully ready for planting, since they will essentially “sleep through the harvesting season.” In June, thujas experience a second growth period.

The primary preparation of harvested thuja cuttings is to remove small twigs and needles from the lower part of the cutting. This is done so that they do not come into contact with sand or wet soil, because in this case they will begin to rot.

Features of rooting cuttings in spring

After harvesting, it is necessary to root the thuja cuttings in the spring. Before this, you need to disinfect the young shoots. For this purpose, they are immersed in a weak solution of manganese for several minutes, after which they are placed in the drug “Kornevin” or another growth stimulator for one day.

Existing rooting methods, which one is suitable for spring

The next step in the process of how to root a thuja from a twig is to place the cutting in an environment where it can take root. There are several ways to root thuja:

• in the substrate;
• in water;
• in a diaper with moss.

For cuttings prepared in spring, the most the best way rooting in the substrate is considered. Twigs need a lot of moisture and at least a minimum nutrients. There are not enough nutrients in the water and in the moss diaper for the growth of thuja.

How to prepare a substrate for cuttings

In the question of how to plant a thuja with a branch, the substrate in which the cutting will be placed plays an important role. The substrate should be clean river sand or a mixture of sand and garden soil that need to be disinfected.

For disinfection river sand it is placed in a galvanized bucket or tank and boiled by placing it in a large container of water. After this, the sand is watered with a 3% solution of potassium permanganate. After completing these procedures, sand can be used in the substrate for planting thuja cuttings.

Some disinfect sand after placing it in a container for planting. The sand is poured with boiling water, and then with a solution of potassium permanganate.

How to “plant” a spring cutting correctly

After preparing the necessary substrate, the next task remains - how to root thuja cuttings in the spring. The procedure is as follows:

• prepare seedling containers with plenty of drainage holes;
• Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the container - crushed expanded clay or gravel;
• a substrate is laid out on the drainage layer - river sand or a mixture of river sand and garden soil;
• prepared cuttings are deepened into the substrate to a depth of 1-1.5 cm and the soil around them is compacted.

Did you know? When new shoots begin to appear on the cuttings planted in the substrate, it means that it is well rooted.

Proper care of cuttings is the key to success

The next thing you need to know when researching the question of how to grow thuja from cuttings is the rules of care after planting. As the landing takes place in early spring, the outside temperature is too low for young branches. Therefore, the planted cuttings are placed in a greenhouse, in a shaded place or in a spunbond greenhouse.

The temperature for growing thuja from cuttings should be between 17 and 23 degrees. The seedlings must be sprayed daily, and if the weather is hot, the substrate must be moistened twice a day.

Important! When spraying, thuja leaves should not be exposed to water, as this may cause them to begin to rot.

Two months after landing and proper care The cuttings should produce their first roots. When this happens, the risk of cuttings drying out is significantly reduced.

What to do when the cuttings take root

After the cuttings planted in the spring take root, they must be transplanted for growing into a special bed - a shkolka. Thuja seedlings spend 2-3 years in the school until they are ready to be transplanted to a permanent location. Twigs planted in the soil in the spring are placed in the schoolhouse the same year, in September.