PLANTING A THUJA HEDGE

Autumn is the perfect time for planting a thuja hedge, and that’s why we want to talk about the most popular thuja hedge varieties – Smaragd and Brabant. Our customers often ask – what is the difference? How to plant a thuja hedge? Therefore, in this article, you will find answers to these two questions.

“SMARAGD”

“BRABANT”

 

​	​Thuja occidentalis SMARAGD	Thuja occidentalis BRABANT
Height/Width	4m / 1.5m	4-6m / 2-3m
Crown shape	Conical with dense branching	Conical with spreading branching
Needle color	Emerald green	Light green
Light	Sun – half – shadow	Sun – half – shadow
Shearing	Cut only the ends. It awakens dormant buds and promotes thuja growth. Also the visual effect. The tops can be cut in a rounded shape or in a straight line to create more columnar shapes.	The crown should be regularly cut from all sides so that the hedge is beautiful and dense. Expect more time for maintenance.
Growth rate	Annual growth ~10cm, depending on growing conditions (soil, watering, etc.)	Annual growth ~30cm, depending on growing conditions (soil, watering, etc.)
Planting distance	50-70 cm	70-90 cm
​Price difference	As for the difference in cost, in terms of price, Smaragd and Brabant plants cost similarly. Sometimes Brabant tends to be a bit cheaper, but it is important to pay attention not only to the price, but also to the quality of plants.	It is worth paying attention not only to the specified plant height, for example 140-160cm; 160-180cm, etc., but also for their plumpness. For example, Brabant thuja, starting from the size 160-180cm, are offered already shaped and such plants will be more expensive, but they will be much thicker.

 

PLANTING TIME

Thujas can be planted from early spring to late autumn. In spring and autumn, plants dug from the field are available, they are called rootball plants (unlike bare roots, root balls are tied in jute cloth and for larger plants also strengthened with a special wire net). In the rest of the season, you can buy thujas grown in containers (pots). Thujas grown and dug from the field are bushier and often less expensive than container plants.

 

8 STEPS IN PLANTING

Step 1

First you need to prepare a trench for planting. A thuja trench is dug 50 – 60 cm wide and 40 – 50 cm deep. It is important to assess the quality of the existing soil. If the soil is good, then it is not necessary to change it, only amend with peat and compost material. If the soil is poor, contains rocks or remains of construction, then it is better to replace the soil completely. The trench is dug at least 50 cm away from the fence, so that thuja have a place to grow.

Step 2

A neutralized peat substrate is used for the soil! Thujas do not need very acidic soil. The pH required for thuja growth is 5.5-6.5.

Step 3

The prepared thuja trench should be filled with water, so that almost mud is formed and allowed to stand, preferably until the next day.

Step 4

In order to plant thuja at the same distance, make marks using some pegs or, for example, geotextile nails – something that will serve to fix the distance. When planting, thujas should be assessed visually, as they tend to be a little narrower or wider. If necessary, the distances should be slightly adjusted so that the hedge is visually equally dense.

Step 5

Thujas should be planted at the same depth as they were grown in a pot or rootball plants – so that the jute cloth is covered, but not too deep. Thujas planted too deep can start to wilt. This is a frequent reason why thujas grow differently in the hedge – some faster, others slower. Therefore, it is important to plant them all at the same depth!

IMPORTANT! The rootball seedlings are planted in the ground with all the cloth and wire net. If the tied area near the trunk is very tight, then it can be cut when the thuja is already firmly established in the soil. Wire net decomposes within 3-5 years after planting.

Step 6

It is not necessary to use agrotextile, but it will protect your hedge from weeds. We usually cover it after planting, making an incision opposite each thuja, and folding the agrotextile so that it does not completely wrap around the plant trunks.

Step 7

Simple insertion of a drip irrigation tube will be a great help in watering, even if you do not plan to install a fully automated watering system. A garden hose can be attached to the irrigation tube, allowing the water to run for a couple of hours. It will not be a full automation, but it will make watering by hand easier. This will be especially useful at the beginning, when the thuja will have to be watered a lot and often – depending on the weather, but on average at least 2 times a week, pouring at least 20l of water per plant (depending on the plant size).

Step 8

It is not mandatory to use mulch, however, it will be similar to cake icing – a beautiful and accurate design, while protecting the soil from drying out.

IMPORTANT! Be sure NOT to use mineral fertilizers when planting! There will be already enough nutrients in the prepared trench, and after planting, the thujas roots should be allowed to grow and develop, instead of stimulating rapid growth with the help of mineral fertilizers. You can start fertilizing with mineral fertilizers in the second or third year after planting.

 

 

Properly prepared soil and planting are important prerequisites for your hedge to grow beautiful and healthy for many years. Ask for advice from professionals – nursery sellers, plant breeders, gardeners.

Let the hedges be bold and beautiful!

JARDI