Decorative arborvitae are planted on a summer cottage so that they look attractive regardless of the season. One of the most popular and unpretentious varieties is the thuja Golden Smaragd. This variety has an attractive appearance, slow growth, small size and unpretentiousness in care.
Thuja Golden Smaragd Golden (Golden Smaragd)
Thuja Golden Smaragd is an evergreen ornamental plant that belongs to the protected varieties, therefore its reproduction is prohibited without special permission. This view is widely used by gardeners and amateur gardeners in landscape design to frame paths, create hedges, and also to divide a site into segments.
Thuja living fence Golden Smaragd
For your information! The homeland of Thuja Smaragd is considered to be golden America and Canada. It was on the border of these two countries that this decorative tree was first discovered. In Russia, for the first time, a tree appeared on the Black Sea coast.
Description and specifications
A monoecious evergreen plant with a dense and narrow pyramidal crown of golden color is called thuja Golden Smaragd. The needles of this tree are bright green. Adult thuja grows in height from 4 to 6 m, crown diameter reaches 2 m. Life expectancy is on average about 130 years. In one year, the thuja grows in height not more than 20 cm, and in width by 4-5 cm.
Thuja western Golden Smaragd belongs to the most popular representative of the Cypress family. Crohn's plants are pronounced, with a dense coniferous coating. Throughout the year, the tree remains green. In spring, the flowering period begins, during which oblong brown cones appear on the tree, they begin to fall off with the onset of autumn cold.
Use in landscape design
Since the thuja western Golden Smaragd has slender and clear forms, most often this plant is used to create fences in parks and squares. Trees that are planted close to each other can replace absolutely any fence. Caring for such a structure will not cause difficulties. It is enough to systematically carry out a haircut. The tree looks great both in the ensemble and singly.
Note! A hedge does not lose its decorative effect even in the absence of regular pruning. In this case, on the contrary, it acquires a peculiar charm and a touch of wildlife.
Thuya Smaragd in landscape design
Landing and care
In order to grow a beautiful and healthy ornamental plant, you need to be responsible for the planting process. It is important to observe all the nuances, as even minor trifles can adversely affect the development of the tree.
How to choose a thaw when landing
Before planting thuja, the seedling must be correctly selected. Preference should be given to cuttings with a developed root system, in which there are no signs of damage and disease. They are planted in late spring - early summer. In autumn, planting cuttings is not recommended, since frost can adversely affect the root system.
Site selection and soil preparation
It is important to choose the right site for landing. Are not suitable for growing thuja zones with direct sunlight, which will constantly fall on the plant. They can cause burns and aggravate a lack of moisture. The most suitable place for growing this variety is considered to be a place with moderate illumination and protection from the wind.
Note! As for the soil, experts recommend planting this variety of thuja in the soil, depending on individual preferences. Practice shows that any decorative soil is suitable for this decorative plant, but soil with loose soil and a neutral reaction is considered the best.
Features of proper planting and transplantation of plants
Equally important is the proper planting of the plant. To do everything properly, you must do the following:
- arrange seedlings so that the root neck is located above the soil level;
- first you need to remove the pot from the root coma, then put the plant in the pit, fill it with soil and water;
- after all actions, you should compact the soil, if necessary, add more earth.
After planting, it is important to properly water the plant, depending on the time of year.
Planting and caring for the thuja Golden Smaragd
Thuja care during the growing season
Thuya Smaragd Gold is considered an unpretentious plant, so it will not be difficult to plant and grow it. To do this, it is necessary to provide her with full and regular care.
Important! The tree is hygrophilous, therefore, in order to get a dense crown and bright greens, it is necessary to provide it with regular watering and spraying. If ground water passes close to the surface of the earth on the site where the thuja is planted, it will be enough to water it once a week.
It is systematically necessary to loosen the soil, remove weeds. It should be borne in mind that in this variety the roots are located close to the surface, so you should be extremely careful.
To form a crown, systematic trimming and sanitary haircuts are required. Before the onset of cold weather, trunks at the thuja rhizome should be sprinkled with peat, needles, dry foliage or sawdust. This is especially important for young seedlings.
Top dressing
The first fertilizer application is carried out during planting. The second time top dressing is carried out in six months. In the future, an adult tree is fertilized no more than once a year. The most suitable time for this is considered spring. Such periodicity is enough to grow a beautiful tree.
Features winter care for the thuja Golden Smaragd
To thuja suffered winter cold, it must be prepared. This is especially true for Siberia and the Urals, where winters are very cold. The first thing to do is to shelter the plant for the winter.
It is worth taking care of warming the root system, as this will help protect the plant from frost and death.
Trimming thuja Golden Smaragd
The tree must be systematically pruned. But since it retains its perfect shape for a long time, it will not be necessary to do this often.
Experienced gardeners recommend trimming every two years. This is best done in the spring. For pruning, use a sharp secateurs, with which the plant is shortened by 1/3.
Note! Before you start trimming thuja, you need to disinfect the pruner.
How Thuja Golden Smaragd propagates
The reproduction of the thuja Golden Smaragd can be carried out in the following ways:
- seeds. They are removed from the cones in the second half of September, and then they are landed immediately on the site or in February in special containers designed for seedlings;
- cuttings. Last year's shoots are used for harvesting cuttings. 5 cm retreat, and then cuttings of at least 15 cm in size are cut. The needles are removed from the bottom.
Propagation by cuttings
Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. When choosing, it is worth considering your preferences.
Possible problems in growing thuja Golden Smaragd
Since the thuja Smaragd Gold is an ornamental plant, it is often exposed to the negative effects of insects and diseases. The most dangerous are:
- the scale is false. It is characterized by the appearance of growths that look like cones. Any insecticidal drug is suitable for controlling the parasite;
- fungus. The needles begin to turn yellow, brown spots appear on the shoots. To combat the disease, you need to cut and burn diseased shoots;
- aphids thuja. Shoots and needles are affected. The plant is treated with malathion.
Thuja Western Golden Smaragd
There are not many diseases that are inherent in this variety of thuja, so it is important to simply monitor the condition of the tree and, if necessary, take immediate measures.
Thuya Smaragd Gold, the description, characteristics and reviews of gardeners indicate that this is a wonderful and versatile tree. It can grow on any soil and does not require close and complex care. Thanks to it, you can grow a living fence and give a unique look to your garden, regardless of the climatic conditions of the region.
