How to propagate thuja?

Conifers have always held a special place in landscape design. They are perfectly combined with flowering plants, can act as an independent element of the composition and form hedges. Thuja is one of the most common decorative species and has numerous fans around the world. In this regard, the question of its rapid and effective reproduction is relevant not only for novice summer residents, but also for experienced gardeners.

The most suitable seasons for thuja breeding are spring and summer. Summer months are considered the most favorable time for the process., which is recommended to start in the second half of June. This is due to the fact that during this period there is a repeated growth of shoots, from which a stronger planting material is obtained than that obtained in the spring.

You can also get material for planting in April. To do this, take one-year non-lignified green shoots, which, however, are less resistant to aggressive external factors than seedlings harvested in June. Spring specimens do not provide 100% survival rate, therefore, if possible, it is better to wait until summer with the selection of planting material.

However, with the definition of a suitable time for breeding, not everything is so unambiguous, and some experts are convinced that the autumn selection of planting material is much more expedient than the summer or spring. They explain this by a natural slowdown in sap flow, as a result of which the number of seedlings dying from a lack of moisture in winter is noticeably reduced. But for the sake of fairness, it's worth noting that autumn rooting takes much longer than spring, therefore, the choice of the breeding period depends on how quickly you need to get a new plant.

This breeding method is considered the easiest and most effective and is practiced by many summer residents. The key to its success is the correct choice and preparation of planting material, as well as adherence to the technology of further care. So, the first stage of thuja propagation by cuttings is the selection of a suitable branch to obtain a cuttings... To do this, it is advisable to choose a strong two- or three-year-old shoot in the upper part of the crown and pluck a 20-centimeter shoot from it. Cutting the stalk with a garden tool is not recommended; the best thing is to simply pull it out of the mother branch from top to bottom.

With the help of a sharp knife, the "heel" is cleaned from the remnants of the bark, thus preventing rotting or drying out of the cutting. Then the lower part of the shoot is carefully cleaned of the remnants of needles, since it can also rot when it comes into contact with the ground or nutrient mixtures. The next step is to prepare a solution of any growth stimulator, for example, "Kornevin", and placing the cuttings in it for a period of 12 to 24 hours. While the shoot is being processed, a special substrate is prepared, consisting of turf, peat and river sand, taken in equal parts.

In order to avoid the multiplication of pathogens, for which sand is an ideal environment, it must be calcined in the oven, heating it up to 250 degrees. The processing time should be at least 20 minutes, after which the oven is turned off and the sand is allowed to cool naturally. but experienced gardeners recommend preparing the rooting mixture in advance and this is explained by the fact that after calcining the sand it takes at least a month to restore the natural microflora.

A container with a diameter of at least 12 cm is taken as a container and small holes are made in its body and bottom. This will promote full air exchange and the removal of excess fluid. Next, they begin to form a drainage layer, which can be used as river pebbles or expanded clay. After everything is ready, the turf, sand and peat are thoroughly mixed in a large bucket, poured into a container, spilled with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, and the cuttings are rooted. For this, holes are made with a pencil 3-4 cm deep and shoots are placed in them. At the same time, make sure that the buried part of the cutting is completely cleaned of the bark, and the needles do not touch the soil. The earth around the cutting is well compacted and tamped, after which the planting is slightly moistened.

Next, the container is covered with a film or glass jar and removed to a damp place. In this case, the air temperature should be from +17 to +23 degrees. It is important to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the plant, as they can have a detrimental effect during the rooting stage. Every day, the soil around the seedling is sprayed from a spray bottle, and in too hot weather, this procedure is done twice a day. In this case, you need to look so that drops of water do not fall on the needles, otherwise it may begin to rot.

After a couple of months, it will become clear which cuttings the rooting process was successful, and which plants died. If the cuttings were carried out in the spring, then the rooted seedlings can be planted in open ground at the end of autumn, while the summer specimens are only the next year. For the winter they are placed in a bright room at a temperature of + 10-15 degrees and with the onset of spring they are planted in a garden bed.

In addition to the nutrient substrate, peat moss - sphagnum is often used. Below is a step-by-step description of this method, which, according to experts, gives excellent results:

• so, a torn off 20-centimeter shoot is placed in a container with any stimulant of root formation and left for 12 hours;
• moss is poured with boiled water and left for 3 hours;
• a wide piece of fabric is laid out on the table, visually divided in half and sphagnum moss is laid on the top of the material;
• cuttings are placed on top of the moss at a short distance from each other, covering their heels with sphagnum;
• the bottom of the fabric is covered with the "planting" so that the needles of the shoots are free;
• the fabric is rolled up, placed in a plastic bag and hung in a bright place.

Thanks to sphagnum, the humidity level remains high for a long time, and its decrease is judged by the absence of condensation on the inner surface of the bag. In this case, immediately moisten the fabric roll with a spray bottle. Roots usually appear one month after the start of germination. The main advantage of vegetative propagation is the possibility of obtaining a new tree within 3 years., with full preservation of the varietal qualities of the parent.

You can propagate thuja at home with seeds. This method is not as fast as grafting and it can take up to 6 years to grow a new tree. Moreover, trees grown in this way do not always retain the hereditary characteristics of the parent plant. But they are highly resistant to various diseases and endure atmospheric changes. Seed propagation begins with seed preparation. To do this, at the end of August, ripe, but still closed cones are collected from the thuja, and put in a warm place. After a couple of days, the scales on the cones open and seeds spill out of them. Seed germination lasts for 2-3 years, so they are harvested, placed in a tissue bag and stored in a dry place. With the onset of cold weather, bags of seeds are buried in the snow, thus performing stratification.

In the spring, the bags are removed from the snow and the seeds are planted in an open ground or container. A mixture of sand and peat, taken in equal proportions, is used as a substrate, planting seeds to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. Above, the substrate is mulched using coniferous sawdust or peat, and regularly moistened. If the collection and planting of seeds was performed correctly, and the technology of their germination was not violated, then the appearance of the first shoots will not be long in coming. After the seeds germinate, they must be shaded and kept out of direct sunlight.

As a fertilizer, I use a weak infusion of mullein or a special feeding for conifers. In addition, the soil is regularly loosened and, if necessary, weeded. With the onset of cold weather, young shoots growing in the garden are covered with spruce branches, and the shoots sitting in the container are transferred to the basement and stored at a temperature of + 5-10 degrees. After the plants reach the age of three, they are allowed to dive, and upon reaching 4–5 years, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

This method is used for young thujas, as their roots are much easier to separate than in mature trees. In order to get several individual plants, you need to dig up a strong and dense tree at the beginning of summer and transplant it to a shallow depth - usually 15 cm is enough. This technique contributes to the rapid growth of the root system and the possibility of obtaining several plants from one tree at once. In the first decade of September, the tree is dug up and its root system is carefully divided into several parts. The resulting trees are planted in permanent places and continue to care for them as usual.

This method is also quite simple and effective and consists in the following: the lowest branch of the plant is bent to the ground, pinned to the ground with a wire and sprinkled with earth. The roots appear quickly enough, and after a few months, the rooted branch can give several seedlings at once. After the formation of a full-fledged root system, they are carefully chopped off from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Planting thuja seedlings in open ground should be carried out under favorable weather conditions after the threat of recurrent frosts disappears. The optimal period is late May - early June, depending on the local climate. It should be remembered that seedlings older than 3 years have great chances of survival. Despite the unpretentiousness of thuja, it is recommended to plant them in fairly bright places.

This will help the plant to grow green mass faster and allow it to start forming its crown faster. However, most experts advise growing spring and autumn cuttings in special "schools" - common beds, where young rooted cuttings or seedlings grown from seeds will be up to 3 years of age. So, cuttings obtained in autumn are planted in "schools" in spring, and spring cuttings - at the beginning of autumn of the same year.

Tui are quite unpretentious trees and do not require complex maintenance. Below are some guidelines to help you get a strong, healthy plant effortlessly.

• In the spring, it is recommended to apply nitroammofosk or other similar compositions under each tree. However, they need to be introduced only a year after planting the plant in its place.
• Most of the thuja species have a very lush crown that evaporates a lot of moisture. Therefore, regular watering of the tree is simply necessary, and this should be done without waiting for the complete drying of the near-trunk circle.
• It is necessary to loosen the soil near the trunk very carefully, since the peculiarity of the thuja is the superficial arrangement of the roots, which are very easy to damage. Therefore, the loosening depth should not exceed 10 cm.
• To retain moisture in the root zone, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the trunk. To do this, you can use sawdust, bark or compost. The thickness of the mulch should be 6–7 cm.
• For the winter, trees, especially young ones, must be wrapped in polyethylene and covered with spruce branches. Only for this you need to choose a transparent film, since the process of photosynthesis does not stop in winter, and the plant needs sunlight.
• In the spring, the crown of the thuja should be disposed of from dry and damaged shoots.
• Transplanting an adult plant to another place is carried out in the fall. To do this, the tree is dug up together with an earthen lump and carefully transferred to a new place.

The most common errors in the reproduction of thuja are:

• poor cleaning of the bottom of the cutting from the remnants of the bark and needles, which is why the young shoot often rots;
• planting seeds that have not been stratified;
• the use of weakened and diseased shoots for cuttings;
• planting a young tree in the shade, leading to baldness of the crown and loss of the juiciness of greenery;
• use of sand that has not undergone heat treatment for the preparation of a substrate;
• poor-quality weeding and lack of timely watering;
• planting in a permanent place as a single element of trees under the age of 3 years.

For information on how to multiply thuja correctly, see the next video.