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Transplanting a thuja is not a very pleasant process, both for the tree and for the owner, but, nevertheless, it is often necessary. The reasons for the transplant can be very diverse, although, mainly, they are forced measures in the event of extraordinary situations. The transplantation process itself is not technically difficult, but it may not have very pleasant consequences, since this will injure its root system. The time of thuja transplantation has an important role in its success.
In what cases it is required to transplant a thuja to another place
The reasons for transplanting thuja can be very diverse. It is preferable to transplant large thujas, since their too high growth (which may have been incorrectly predicted during the initial planting) interferes with the development of other plants or poses a danger to humans.
Another reason for transplants is the acquisition of already adult species. This is a rational decision, and it occurs quite often. Thuja is an excellent decorative coniferous tree, but its growth rate, especially at the beginning of life, is low. Thuja takes a very long time to grow to an adult state, which in some cases is unacceptable for its future owner.
That is why buying an adult thuja is quite logical and justified. However, with it, a problem arises in the transportation of the tree and its transplant. Often it even has to be transplanted and brought not just from the nursery, but directly from the forest.
The third reason why a thuja transplant can be carried out is the design aspect. Situations are not uncommon when thuja does not fit into the site and significantly distorts its appearance. At the same time, it either looks unsuccessful, or introduces an imbalance in the overall composition, or simply interferes with the implementation of one or another idea of the author. If such problems become critical, they need to be transplanted.
Is it possible to transplant an adult thuja
All botanists and gardeners agree that it is possible to transplant an adult thuja. Moreover, as practice shows, most of the transplanted thujas are already adults.
Up to what age can you transplant thuja
There are no restrictions on the age of thuja transplants. The transplanting algorithm will be the same, that for a young thuja 3-5 years old, that for a 20-30-year-old "veteran". However, the difference in the nuances of replanting large and small trees can be quite significant.
In order to properly transplant an adult thuja, first of all, it will be necessary to take care of the safety of its root system, which can be a serious problem for large trees. For example, a 2-fold difference in growth means that the mass (and with it the root system with an earthen lump) of such a tree will be 8 times greater.Such issues must be taken into account when transplanting adult trees, since in this case it is not just about labor costs, but also about the possible use of special means.
As for the time of transplanting an adult species, the question of when to transplant a large thuja, in spring or autumn, does not depend on its age.
When can you transplant thuja to another place
Botanists and gardeners still do not have an unambiguous assessment of what time of the year is optimal for transplanting thuja. According to the statistics of observations, there is no particular difference in the survival rate of trees transplanted in spring, summer or autumn. It's just that each period of the warm season has its own characteristics, both positively and negatively affecting the adaptation of the thuja in a new place, and, as a result, on its future life.
When to transplant thuja in spring or autumn
The question of when to transplant thuja, in spring or autumn, is a matter of personal preference for the gardener. Each of the periods has its own characteristics:
- A thuja transplant in the fall is good because at this time the coniferous tree has a very high chance of taking root and normalizing its metabolism. This is due, first of all, to the fact that it is with the onset of cold weather that the regeneration of roots is activated in thuja, and it manages to grow additional root processes in a relatively short time, as well as restore the injured parts of the root system. The disadvantages include the fact that sometimes this time may not be enough, since the rapidly advancing frosts can only aggravate the situation with the injured and not yet prepared for winter root system.
- Transplanting a thuja in the spring to another place has other advantages. In the spring, thuja gets much more time to adapt, so it will definitely have time to prepare for winter and restore the root system after transplantation. However, not everything is smooth here either: the transplant must be carried out early enough, before the beginning of the growing season, otherwise disease resistance will be significantly reduced.
Based on the possible risks, terrain and climate, a decision should be made at what time a transplant is needed. For example, if the winter in the southern region is not too cold, and the warm period ends closer to November, it is advisable to transplant in the fall.
In the case of a relatively short summer and harsh winter, replanting should be carried out only in the spring.
Is it possible to transplant thuja in the summer
An adult thuja can be transplanted in the summer. This period is a kind of compromise between the spring danger of getting sick and the fall danger of not having time to form the root system. It's just that, in contrast to the spring or autumn transplant, in the summer it is extremely difficult to more or less reliably determine the behavior of the thuja after transplantation.
How to transplant an adult thuja to another place
In order to transplant thuja from the soil without problems, it is necessary to determine the place of transplantation and carry out preliminary work on it. The success of the entire operation will depend on their correctness and effectiveness by 80%. Below are the manipulations for preparing the planting site, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to transplant the thuja in spring or autumn.
Where to transplant
Correct determination of the place where the thuja will be transplanted is the most important problem during transplantation. In a new place, the tree should be comfortable enough so that in the first days after transplanting it does not expend energy on any processes other than those related to adaptation.
Tuya loves sunny areas, so there should not be tall buildings, structures, trees, etc. next to her.
Thuja has a very negative attitude towards drafts, so they should not be at her new landing site. It is equally important to fence the thuja from the winds, which have a predominant direction in the region, with the help of artificial or natural hedges.
Thuja is a calcephile, that is, it prefers alkaline soils. The very nature of the soil can be clayey, sandy loam or even marshy. The tree prefers poor soil. It is not recommended to grow it in more nutritious areas (black soil, etc.)
The location of groundwater should not be too close to the surface. For each of the varieties of thuja, this value is different, but in general it is relatively small and does not exceed 1-1.5 m.On the other hand, the root system of thuja is not so vulnerable to constant moisture in the soil, therefore this requirement is rather recommended. rather than mandatory.
Features of the preparation of the landing pit
The selected area must be cleared of weeds, it is advisable to even dig it up to a depth of 10-20 cm.
Under the thuja, a hole is dug 50-70 cm deep and wider than the earthen lump of the transplanted tree. Previously, the pit is filled with water and the soil for the thuja is laid in it.
The composition of the soil can be as follows:
- river sand;
- peat;
- humus.
All components are taken in equal parts. In addition, wood ash and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are added to the composition. Nitrogen fertilizers cannot be added, since the growth of the "green" part of the tree is undesirable at this stage.
How to transplant a big thuja
The procedure for transplanting an adult thuja is as follows:
- A planting hole is dug and prepared according to the algorithm specified earlier. All work must be completed 3-4 months before planting.
- Closer to the time of planting, up to 100 g of ash and up to 300 g of humus are additionally introduced into the pit. The supply of nutrients in these dressings is sufficient so that the tree does not need additional dressing for a year. These operations must be completed 15-20 days before the transplant.
- The transplant should be done on a cloudy day. It is necessary to dig the thuja out of the ground and transport it to a new planting site. In this case, it is recommended to retreat from the tree when digging its root system at least half a meter. The thuja itself can be removed from the ground along with an earthen lump by prying it with a pitchfork. The operation is recommended to be done at least by two people.
- The root system must be wrapped with burlap or any other material during transportation. The tree should be moved on a flat surface (plywood, plank flooring, etc.)
- After transportation, the protective material is removed from the earthen lump, the lump is installed in the pit, sprinkled with earth and carefully tamped. In this case, you need to get rid of all air pockets that may form.
- The soil is thoroughly watered until the water stops seeping into the ground.
On this, the process of transplanting a large thuja can be considered complete.
How to transplant a small thuja
There are no problems with replanting young trees. Anything that applies to large species can be applied to small ones. In addition, transplanting small thujas is much easier, since in the overwhelming majority of cases they are transplanted not from soil to soil, but from a pot to soil. That is, this is the first transplant of a tree after purchasing it.
Site selection and soil preparation
Choosing a place when planting a small thuja is similar to choosing a place for an adult, however, the requirements for midday shading in this case have a certain peculiarity.
Unlike adult species, where midday shading is advisory, for small thujas it is mandatory. In addition, a young tree in the first few years after transplanting does not need direct, but diffused sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to plant thuja either in partial shade, or behind a trellis, with which it will be shaded or provided with diffused light.
Transplant algorithm
The algorithm for transplanting a small thuja is similar to transplanting a large tree. There are practically no differences. However, do not forget that the summer transplantation of young species is less effective in terms of their survival rate. The tree is unlikely to die, since the thuja is quite tenacious, but the adaptation process can be significantly delayed.
Thuja care after transplant
After it was possible to transplant thuja in spring or autumn to another place, it is necessary to carry out certain care for it. It is slightly different from caring for a regular look and includes the following activities:
- Do not allow the soil to dry out, even relatively short-term ones. Thuja in a "normal" state are able to withstand droughts for up to 2 months, but after transplanting they are very vulnerable and can quickly lose their decorative properties. In addition, the recovery time from a drought can take more than one year.
- You should not engage in pruning, even sanitary, in the year of transplantation. All activities related to pruning are recommended to be carried out next spring, about a week before the start of the active growing season of the thuja.
- The tree may require additional nutrition in the form of top dressing, but it is not worth fertilizing too abundantly. The first feeding can be done with urea in May next year. Then add potash in the middle of summer. Phosphate fertilizers are generally not recommended. They can be used in case of excessive weakness after transplanting and in a situation where the soil is very poor in nutrients.
- It is highly recommended to mulch the soil with sawdust or coconut fiber after the first watering. This will not only help the root system retain moisture for longer, but also provide additional protection.
- Preventive measures to combat pests and parasites should be carried out monthly.
- Seasonal pruning and, in general, any work with the crown is allowed no earlier than 2-3 years after transplanting for young thujas and no earlier than 1 year for adults.
Using these simple rules, you can easily transplant thuja and provide it in a new place with all the conditions for normal growth.
Conclusion
In fact, thuja transplantation is a relatively simple process. The main thing is to remember the basic rules regarding the seasonality of this event, as well as the subsequent actions to maintain the tree while adapting to a new place. As the experience of thuja gardeners shows, on average, adaptation takes 2 to 3 years, regardless of their age.
