When the gardener decides to ennoble his plot, he tries to plant unusual, rare plants. Quite often for this purpose they use thawed western varieties of Kolumna. Thanks to active growth and a rich shade of needles, it will become a real decoration and protection of the site. This article will discuss the basic rules for growing this crop.
Description and differences
Description of the variety of thuja western Kolumna:
- crown - erect, narrow, columnar in shape;
- branches - short, extend horizontally from the trunk;
- tree height - 10 m, annual growth of about 15 cm;
- crown diameter - 1.5 m;
- bark - rough, reddish-brown;
- needles - a dense, rich green tone.
If we consider the description of the variety, then it has significant differences from other varieties. Tuyu Kolumna, due to the structure of the crown, can be attributed to the group of cypress crops. Among these trees, this variety has the fastest growth rate. Quite often, the plant is used to create hedges.
Despite the fact that this thuja does not have to be cut, it looks no less attractive in appearance, in comparison with the cropped “relatives”.
Important! The thin root system of the western thuja Kolumna is interwoven with mycorrhiza. Given that the root resembles a mushroom mycelium, the culture is quite whimsical in terms of planting measures.
Use in landscape design
If you decide to grow Columna thuja, then with its help you can create unique landscape compositions.
Quite often, it is used in solving such design problems:
- in the formation of the space of alleys;
- for hedges.
Not bad this tree looks like a tapeworm. You can combine this variety with other varieties of conifers, against which the thuja will look slim and bright. If you plant this variety in the garden, then you can give the site a note of comfort and elegance.
Many gardeners use Column to form hedges. These tall trees can provide a sense of security and peace, protecting the courtyard from prying eyes.
Video: Thuya Kolumna
Landing
Planting thuja Columna varieties is quite simple. If you follow all the basic rules, the seedling can quickly take root in the soil. It is necessary to start landing in the spring, at the end of March.
This will allow the young tree to grow stronger in winter and not die during severe frosts. First of all, you should choose the right place for planting and buy a full planting material. The quality of future plantings depends on this.
Did you know? In folk medicine, thuja branches and bark are used to make tinctures. Such herbal preparations have diaphoretic and diuretic properties.
Seedling Selection
When choosing a seedling, many factors must be considered. Carefully inspect the roots of planting material. If they bulge out of the holes in the drain, then they are in the tank for a long time. It is better to bypass such specimens, as they will take root for a long time. You should also carefully examine the appearance of planting material.
It should not have:
- spots that indicate disease;
- damaged shoots;
- deformed cortex.
Adult seedlings are sold with an earthen lump, which is wrapped in a metal mesh. They can also be in bulk containers. Such plants are characterized by a developed root system and a lush crown. Before planting seedlings, literally 3-4 months before this process, prune the roots. This will provide stimulation of the formation of new young root processes.
Site preparation
Planting thuja varieties Columna should be carried out in sunny areas or in partial shade. If the plant does not get enough natural light, then the tree will soon wither. Also, a draft affects the development of the tree, provoking a huge number of diseases.Thuja varieties Kolumna unpretentious in choosing soil.
However, the tree develops best in nutrient soil with a high level of alkaline balance (about 8-9). The growth of the crop is strongly influenced by the air permeability of the soil layer. If clay prevails in your garden, then during planting you need to add drainage (sand, gravel, etc.) to each hole. Otherwise, the roots will rot with active irrigation or high rainfall.
Did you know? From the Latin language “thuja” is translated as “incense”. This can be explained by the fact that this tree was often used in ancient centuries in sacrificial rituals.
Step-by-step instruction
Landing technology is as follows:
- Dig a hole for planting. When calculating its size, consider the structure of the root system. The minimum depth of the pit should be 70 cm. The optimal width of the hole is 90 cm.
- Place a drainage layer (about 10 cm) at the bottom. It is best to use expanded clay or crushed stone.
- Sprinkle 2 kg of earth, 1 kg of sand and 1 kg of peat over the drainage.
- During spring planting, 500 g nitroammophoski is placed in each well.
- Place a seedling in the center of the recess. Its basal neck should remain above the surface of the earth.
- Sprinkle the plant with soil, slightly tamping, and pour 20 liters of water.
Care
In the process of growing thuja varieties Columna, you must properly care for it. First of all, it is necessary to ensure the optimal level of humidity, as well as adjust the feeding. Do not forget to timely carry out sanitary pruning, loosen the soil and remove weeds. All these actions will help the tree to fully develop and not stop growing.
It is important to protect plants from diseases and pests. The most common parasite that affects culture is considered to be aphids. Against it, spraying with a solution of "Karbofos" (50 g per 6 liters of water) is carried out. Pseudoscutum may also appear on plants. In the fight against it, it is advisable to spray Actellik (100 g per 5 liters of water).
One common disease is rot. It manifests itself in the form of yellowing branches. The treatment consists in using Rogor (20 g per 10 liters of water), which are sprayed at intervals of two weeks. Against late blight, which manifests itself in the drying of branches and their death, apply "Antio" (60 g per 10 liters of water). Plants are sprayed with an interval of 7 days until the disease is completely eradicated.
Watering and feeding
After planting material is planted, you need to water the thaw once a week. Under each tree, 15 liters of water are poured. If dry weather prevails in your area, the amount of water can be increased to 20 liters.
Important! A few days after watering, you need to loosen the near-stem part of the soil to a depth of 7 cm.
Most gardeners prefer to sprinkle a tree. This will make up for the lack of moisture throughout the crown area of the plant. Using this procedure, dust that accumulates on the surface is easily removed. Thanks to this, the shade of the needles becomes more saturated and the likelihood of developing ailments is reduced.
If you used nitroammophoska during planting, then until next year you do not need to apply fertilizer. Otherwise, you need to feed the thuja tree with this substance in mid-September. The second top dressing is introduced next spring. During this period, a mixture of potassium nitrate (200 g) and superphosphate (300 g) is used. This total volume of the nutrient mixture is designed for one tree.
Trimming and Shaping
Forming pruning is carried out in the fall, at the end of September. It is necessary to remove 30% of the entire crown (only in length). Thinning the tree is not necessary, otherwise it may not survive the winter due to severe frost damage. It is advisable to carry out sanitary pruning in spring. In the process, dry, diseased and damaged branches are removed.
Proper wintering
Thuja varieties Kolumna is characterized by strong frost resistance. The plant is able to withstand frosts to -28 ° C. To prepare young plants (no more than 12 months old) for wintering, it is necessary to cover them with a large plastic bottle, in which the neck is cut off. The optimal capacity is 5-6 liters.
Trees, whose age is from 1 to 3 years, are wrapped in a thick layer of paper or spanbond. Adult plants do not need shelter for the winter. If you know that severe frosts are expected, then thuja needs to be mulched. To do this, use straw and peat.
Which variety to choose - Kolumna or Smaragd
It is quite difficult to answer the question of which variety to choose: Kolumna or Smaragd. It all depends on the desired height of the barriers. If the western thuja Columna grows to 10 m in height, then Smaragd reaches only 6 m.
In terms of color saturation and crown diameter, trees of both varieties are similar to each other. Also, they do not differ from each other in terms of durability, frost resistance and exacting care.
So, now you know with the help of what recommendations you can grow beautiful thawed varieties of Kolumna in the local area. Due to the active growth (15 cm per year), you can very soon admire tall green trees. They cultivate culture not only to decorate the garden, but also as a hedge. In the second case, plants can obscure your private space from prying eyes and add variety to the design of protective elements.
