Thuja Teddy (Thuja occidentalis Teddy) is a subspecies of dwarf shrub, cypress family. It appeared in the 1950s in Germany, thanks to the selection of Kobold seedlings. Due to its high aesthetic qualities and unpretentious care, the ephedra quickly gained popularity in the field of landscape design.
Western thuja Teddy: care features
Brief information about the variety
- Needle color: emerald green, changes to bronze brown by autumn.
- Height: 50-80 cm.
- Width: 30-50 cm.
- Regions: Bryansk, Leningrad, Voronezh and Saratov regions.
- Landing features: partial shade, well-drained soil, shelter from the wind.
- Immunity: suffers from fungal diseases.
- Life span: over 10 years.
Growing regions
Tuy western Teddy belongs to the plants of the 5th climatic zone of frost resistance.
The Bryansk, Leningrad, Voronezh and Saratov regions correspond to it.
Description of the plant
Teddy is a dwarf perennial with emerald-green needle-shaped leaves, very pleasant to the touch.
The color of the rounded crown changes by autumn: from green to bronze.
For a year, the shrub grows by about 5 cm. The crown of an adult specimen reaches 50 cm in diameter. The bark on the stems is smooth, and the wood itself is soft, but at the same time quite strong and does not break.
When loosening and weeding, it is important to consider the following point: the root system is branched and located close to the surface. The plant, thanks to its soft needles and rounded shape, is very similar to a plush toy, it is this similarity that determined the name of the variety.
Landing
A beautiful tree only in prepared soil
Thuja is an unpretentious variety and grows calmly on any type of soil.
However, to get a beautiful and well-groomed plant, it is better to choose light and well-drained soil for planting.
Sapling selection
In the garden market, Teddy seedlings are presented with open and closed root systems. In the first case, the price is slightly lower.
You should not buy a plant with visible damage and rot.
- Open-rooted specimens are planted in early spring or fall.
- Instances in containers (with closed roots) are selected according to the state of the bark and shoots; they can be transplanted from April to October.
Sometimes unscrupulous sellers place seedlings intended for sale with open roots in containers and thus offer low-quality planting material.
Determine deception by an elongated or crooked crown, the absence of roots and the crumbling of an earthen coma.
Site preparation
Description of a good place for planting seedlings:
- good lighting, but without direct sunlight, so that the needles do not burn out;
- there is wind protection;
- a site with a small slope or with an elevation, because the culture does not tolerate an excess of moisture.
Landing technology
In order not to harm the root system when transplanting from a container, it is recommended to water the plant abundantly the day before the procedure. So it will be easy to get the thuja out of the container along with the earth.
Landing Algorithm:
- Pit preparation. To do this, you need to dig a depression that will exceed the volume of the container several times. Broken brick or expanded clay is laid on the bottom with a layer of at least 20 cm wide. This will ensure drainage of the plant and protection from the severity of the soil.
- Fertilizing the hole. Almost to the edge, it is filled with a mixture of 3 components: peat, turf soil and sand (taken in equal proportions). With a poor soil composition, it is recommended to use complex mineral fertilizing. Thuja also respond well to organic matter (compost, humus or wood ash). A pit with an earthen mixture and fertilizers is trampled down and watered abundantly.
- Landing. The seedling must be positioned so that the root collar is flush with the ground. Add soil if necessary.
- Earth compaction and watering. Mulching is recommended at this stage.
The seedlings are placed at a distance of at least 40 cm. While the seedlings take root, it is especially important to monitor the soil moisture.
Care
Caring for the Teddy shrub is quite standard for the culture and consists in timely watering, annual feeding, processing of the root zone and pruning dried branches.
Watering
Water the Teddy once a week. The bush takes 8-10 liters.
In dry weather, watering is increased up to 2-3 times, focusing on the degree of soil drying.
The plant responds well to spraying the crown with water. The procedure is recommended in the morning or in the evening 2-3 times a week.
Top dressing
Feed Teddy enough once a year. For this, mineral complexes for conifers are excellent. Fertilizers are applied in early spring.
You can also use nitroammofosku (a product based on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), but you will need to add additional feeding in the fall.
Mulching and loosening the soil
Thuja mulching consists in covering the root zone with peat, sawdust, dry grass or other material. This agricultural practice is used to retain moisture, avoid the appearance of weeds and parasites, and provide additional plant nutrition.
If you do not carry out the procedure, then the root zone of the bush must be loosened after each watering. The closeness of the roots to the surface should be taken into account and manipulations should be performed very carefully.
Haircut and trim
Teddy forms a spherical crown on its own in the process of growth, so there is no need to cut the plant on purpose.
However, in early spring, it is recommended to perform sanitary pruning, during which dry and broken branches are removed.
Preparing for winter
Adult bushes perfectly tolerate temperature drops to -30 °, they do not need to be snatched by winter.
But young, not up to 3 years of age, it is better to wrap the plants with burlap or other material, after removing the mulch, if any.
In shrubs with an unformed crown, it is recommended to bandage the stems before the onset of cold weather.
The spherical crown sometimes falls apart under the weight of snow, therefore, wooden frames or mesh arches should be equipped.
Reproduction
Beauty on your site
Thuja can be propagated at home by cuttings and through seeds.
When grafting, one-year-old or two-year-old stems are cut. In the former, the branches are separated in the spring, in the latter, in the fall.
Shoots are selected with a length of 20-30 cm. They are cut and dipped in a solution that stimulates the formation of roots (heteroauxin is well suited).
Treated cuttings are planted in containers with soil, preferably at a slight slope, and left in a room at a temperature not lower than 22 °. Further, the established seedlings dive into a separate container.
Cutting allows you to fully preserve varietal characteristics.
The seeds are harvested in the fall. For this, the selected buds are left in a dry and warm place for several days. This will open up and the seeds will be easy to remove.
Further, the planting material must be put in the refrigerator for 2-3 months (stratified). After that, it is sown in containers or boxes with disinfected soil (for this it is enough to ignite it in the oven).
The soil is used purchased or prepared independently from peat, sand and turf in equal proportions. The seeds are placed to a depth of no more than 5 mm. Containers should be covered with foil or glass to create a greenhouse effect before the first germination.
Diseases and pests
Thuja western Teddy is rarely exposed to diseases and insect attacks.
Possible threats include the danger of fungal infection (fusarium, cytosporosis) and aphids.
In the first case, thuja is treated with copper-containing preparations: Topsin-M or Hom.
For prevention, antifungal agents are used in early spring.
In the second, insecticides are used (Aktara, Detis).
Use in landscape design
Tuy Teddy is often used in landscape design. Due to its compact size and unpretentiousness, thuja is convenient to decorate small gardens, loggias, flower beds, and even roofs.
The tree is planted in open ground, various containers and pots for decorating terraces and gazebos.
The plant looks harmoniously both alone and in combination with other ornamental crops, such as juniper.
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Gardeners reviews
Gardeners are happy and speak well of growing thuja Teddy. They like the small size and spherical shape of the plant, thanks to which they can decorate any corner of the site.
They note a high tolerance to low temperatures, but it is recommended to protect the shrubs from the severity of snow in order to avoid falling apart. It is advised to install frames or nets over it in winter, or at least periodically shake off wet snow.
Many state that with the right choice of place, the crown does not fade, and it does not need to be formed.