Content
Thuja folded Vipkord is a slow-growing dwarf ornamental shrub belonging to the cypress family. The plant has a compact (up to 100 cm in height and 150 cm in width) size and an original spherical shape of the crown.
Description of folded thuja Vipcord
This variety of folded thuja has long hanging shoots that resemble ropes, which is why it got its name - "whipcord", which means "twine" in English. Shoots are covered with shiny needles in the form of scales, tightly adjacent to each other. In summer, the needles are green, and in cold weather it becomes an unusual bronze color. The shrub has a shallow root system that is sensitive to soil compaction. In the description of thuja Vipkord, its unpretentiousness is noted.
The use of folded thuja Vipcord in landscape design
The Vipcord variety is widely used in landscape design. It can be used to create hedges, complement rock gardens, mixborders, rockeries. Due to its excellent compatibility with other ornamental plants, thuja Vipcord looks good in a variety of compositions. This thuja looks no less successful in single plantings. It acquires particular attractiveness when grown near small reservoirs and in rocky areas. It is often used in container plantings. According to gardeners, Vipcord folded thuja looks unusual in topiary.
The photo of the folded vipcord thuja shows how harmoniously it is combined in landscape design with architectural elements from various natural materials and with other conifers.
Breeding features
Thuja of this variety is propagated mainly vegetatively. The reproduction algorithm consists of the following points:
- dig up the ground in the area where the cuttings will take root, add peat, pour a layer of sand on top;
- at the end of June, break off the shoots from the plant, soak them in a root formation stimulator;
- plant the cuttings to the depth of the sand layer at a slight angle;
- Cover each stalk with a transparent plastic bottle or glass jar, like a greenhouse.
Rooted plants can be transplanted into open ground the following spring.
Propagation by thuja seeds of this variety is used very rarely - this complex process can take up to 6 years. In addition, not all young shrubs obtained from seeds inherit the varietal characteristics of the original plant. In early spring, the seeds are left in a container of water for 12 hours, after which they are laid out on wet sand. As soon as sprouts appear, they are transplanted into individual containers and grown until they are planted in open ground.
Planting and caring for folded thuja Vipcord
There is nothing difficult in planting thuja Vipcord: it does not impose special requirements either on illumination or on the composition of the soil. Cuttings with a closed root system usually take root well provided simple planting techniques are followed. In general, the cultivation of thuja Vipcord is subject to the same rules as the cultivation of other varieties of this crop.
Recommended timing
The most suitable season for planting thuja is spring. Planting can begin in April, when the soil warms up enough, and already in May, young seedlings will actively grow. However, the unpretentious Vipcord variety can be planted throughout the season until mid-autumn. In regions with cold winters, it is recommended to avoid planting in autumn so that the plant has time to take root and accumulate strength for wintering.
Site selection and soil preparation
Thuja Vipkord is quite unpretentious - it grows equally well both in illuminated places and in shade conditions. However, direct sunlight should be avoided. The shrub does not suffer from strong winds and tolerates winter frosts well. It can grow on any soil, but fertile, water- and air-permeable, moderately moist substrates are best suited. In conditions of insufficient humidity, the crown thins.
The site for planting thuja Vipcord is dug up, sand is added to too heavy clay soils. It will also be useful to enrich the substrate with peat and add leaf or sod land.
Landing algorithm
Planting thuja Vipcord is not difficult and is carried out using the following technology:
- dig a planting hole 2 times the size of the root ball;
- water it daily for two weeks;
- prepare a mixture of peat and sand;
- place a seedling in a hole and cover with soil mixture;
- water well.
Growing and care rules
The cultivation technique for this variety of thuja is very simple: the plant needs regular watering, infrequent feeding, minimal pruning, loosening or mulching and preparation for winter. Thuja Vipcord can grow on its own, but with good care, its crown looks especially picturesque.
Watering schedule
The shallow root system of Thuja Vipcord is very sensitive to drying out of the soil, therefore watering is an essential part of plant care. Young bushes are watered once every 7 days at the root. Within 30 days after planting, the seedling needs sprinkling of the crown. It is carried out in the evening, when direct sunlight does not hit the wet shoots. Older bushes are watered less often, once every 10 days is enough, and sprinkling can be carried out only from time to time.
Top dressing
During the first three years after planting thuja, Vipcord does not need fertilization, then it is enough to feed the plants with potash and phosphorus compounds. They are applied twice a year during active growth - in spring and summer. It is also good to use special complexes for conifers. Fertilizers are dissolved in water for irrigation, scattered on trunks or applied during the next loosening.
Pruning
Like all thuja, the Vipcord variety tolerates a haircut well. In the spring, sanitary pruning is done - all damaged, dried and frozen shoots are removed. Due to its slow growth and natural spherical shape of the crown, this shrub usually does not need formative pruning. However, plants of this variety can be given the desired look with decorative pruning. Most often, a crown of standard forms of folded thuja Vipcord is formed, for example, such as in the photo:
Preparing for winter
The shrub of this variety tolerates frosts down to -8 ° C, therefore, in conditions of mild winters, adult plants of Thuja Vipcord can not be covered. Regardless of the climate, the trunk circles mulch before winter so that the superficial root system of the thuja does not suffer. Spruce branches, large chips, leaves are well suited as mulch. The best shelter for thuja will be a thick snow cover, but when winters are too cold or with little snow, shrubs are removed under burlap, cardboard boxes or other insulating material.
The covering material is removed at the moment when the spring sun begins to warm. If night temperatures can damage the needles, the plants are covered every evening.
Pests and diseases
One of the most serious diseases of thuja is late blight. The fungus infects the plant and leads to its slow death. This disease is extremely difficult to treat, so most often diseased shrubs are burned, and the soil is changed to avoid contamination of other crops. Plants are susceptible to phytophthora, whose root system does not receive enough air and suffers from excess moisture. To prevent this disease, the soil is loosened or mulched.
Like all types of thuja, Vipcord can get sick with rust, in which shoots and needles become brown. The plaque is cleaned off or the affected parts are removed, and the plant is treated with fungicides.
If the thuja is invaded by insects, Karbofos or other insecticides will help to cope with them. In the description of thuja folded Vipecord, it is noted that of all pests, the May beetle is especially dangerous. As soon as the first insect is noticed, the crown should be treated with special preparations, which include imidacloprid. Such treatments are repeated every 1.5 months during the entire spring-summer season.
A good prevention is periodic spraying of the plantings with Bordeaux liquid.
Conclusion
Thuja folded Vipcord is an excellent choice for gardeners who want to revitalize their site with an unusual evergreen shrub, grow a hedge or create an original landscape composition. The unpretentiousness of the plant, its resistance to adverse weather conditions and ease of care are of particular value.
