Thuja is one of the most common coniferous hedge plants that brings an exotic flair and green freshness to a garden all year round. It is generally easy to care for, but in order for the plant to look good and not overgrow, you need to trim your thuja hedge, and do it regularly and at the right time of year. Read on to find out how to properly trim a thuja hedge and what post-summer conifer care is needed to keep your evergreen hedge thriving.
When to cut a thuja hedge
When to cut thuja hedges? Prune at least twice a year. Pruning should usually be done once in the beginning of summer and a second time at the end of summer from late August to late September. How often do you have to cut a thuja hedge? In addition to the two main cuts, you can also trim your hedge more frequently throughout the year to keep it in good shape. You must not cut your thuja hedge in hot weather. Provide regular moisture for the plants before and after cutting.
What goals do thuja cuts meet
As already mentioned, thuja hedges are trimmed in spring and at the end of summer. The spring cut is good for young thuja trees that quickly develop new branches to fill the hedge. It is important to prune young thuja trees so that the hedge fills in properly, with no gaps. With the cut at the end of summer keep the good shape of the hedge. This is a reduction cut.
If your hedge is overgrown, you can cut back more in the spring, but don’t cut too hard. As a rule, you do not need to be afraid, because the young shoots grow back quickly and soon cover all unsightly spots. How to cut an overgrown thuja, we will explain later.
tools and equipment for cutting
Here is a list of everything you need before you start pruning the thuja hedge.
Hedge trimmer Secateurs (can also be electric secateurs) Posts longer than 2 meters Cord Stepladder or work platform
Wearing safety clothing is also recommended:
Protective gloves, goggles, earmuffs
Please note: this list is not exhaustive; make sure that your personal protective equipment is adapted to the respective work.
How to cut a thuja hedge – step-by-step
If you take some simple steps to properly trim your Thuja hedge, it will not only look good, but it will also be healthy, strong and resilient to snow and storms. With a little care, your hedge will always be green and close to the ground – just the way you want it to be. First, it’s important to water your thuja plants a day or two before cutting, as they need moisture to heal the wounds and sprout new branches.
Pruning the sides of the hedge
Cut from the bottom up. It is important that the blade is kept parallel to the hedge. Cut back the new growth by about two thirds of the length. Begin by trimming the vertical sides of the hedge. Only use sharp tools to cut the shoots. It is best to cut the hedge at an angle, slightly thicker at the base than at the top. This will give the foliage a little more sunlight, which in turn should help encourage healthy growth. It is best to use a hedge trimmer so that you achieve a more even result and no holes appear in the hedge.
Crop the top part
After trimming the sides and being happy with the result, trim the top of the hedge. How do you proceed? Mark the desired cutting height by setting a few stakes on each side of the hedge and stretching a string between them. The cord should run horizontally.
In general, you should cut back about 30 cm for each cut. However, if you live in a region that gets a lot of snow in winter, a rounded tip is better as this shape prevents snow from accumulating and damaging the foliage.
Cut thuja hedge after planting
How to prune your young Thuja hedge? This is an important question, because with the first cut of the freshly planted thuja hedge you decide which growth form the hedge should have. Cut the new Thuja hedge for the first time when it has grown really well. If thujas were planted in the spring, they are pruned for the first time in the spring. Since rooting works very slowly in winter, the thuja usually needs the following season to root. Pruning takes place shortly before sprouting in spring.
Pruning is necessary in the first year because the young plant begins to grow vigorously after rooting. For a perfect columnar shape, any branch that tries to break out of the columnar shape is trimmed during the first cut. For the columnar shape of your thuja, the varieties ‘Columna’, ‘Holmstrup’, ‘Rosenthalii’ and ‘Spiralis’ are good choices.
How to cut an overgrown thuja
Hedge plants tend to grow and overgrow quickly. If not trimmed regularly, they can turn into a jungle. However, you can fix the problem if you act quickly and prune your Thuja hedges in a timely manner. What should you do if you have an overgrown thuja?
Consider that if you have not cut for a long time, you should not prune the hedge too much. Conifers in general don’t like pruning too hard. If you cut too much, larger gaps will not close and the hedge will not look beautiful. If you cut too hard, at best your thuja won’t look much better after the cut and at worst, the branches will dry up and the thuja will start to rot.
Conifer care after summer pruning
Thuja is ideal as an opaque privacy hedge. Out of the ends of last year’s growth will grow a new breadth of dense, lush green growth if properly cared for. Like any other plant, conifers need certain care in order for them to grow properly and thrive. Not only the cut, but also some other important care measures you should take to be able to enjoy your plants for a long time.
How often to water conifers
Water your new conifer thoroughly after planting to ensure good root-to-soil contact. How often to water during the plant’s growing season? For the first few years, you should water when the soil feels dry to the touch about 5 cm below the surface. After 3 to 5 years, little or no additional water will be needed, provided you live in a climate where it rains naturally during the growing season. If you live in a summer-dry climate, additional watering is usually needed when the soil feels parched. Do not overwater the tree to prevent the roots from becoming susceptible to root rot.
Thuja hedges need fertilizer
Should You Fertilize Your Thuja Hedge? As a rule, conifers rarely need fertilizing and do not benefit from the addition of organic matter. What is the best homemade fertilizer for evergreen plants? Dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt in 4 L of water. Shake the solution thoroughly. Use the solution to water your plants. Water them with this solution once a month during the growing season.
General growing conditions for evergreen plants
Thuja are best planted in moist, well-drained soil of lime, clay, sand or loam with an acidic, alkaline or neutral PH balance. They thrive best in soil that retains moisture. Plant them in a location that allows for their potential height and spread without affecting other plants or structures. Conifers thrive best when they get at least six hours a day of direct sun. The plants also tolerate light shade. Even moisture is an important requirement for conifers to thrive.