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Thuja Danica is a dwarf variety of coniferous shrub. The variety was obtained in Denmark in the mid-twentieth century; it has been growing in the BIN Botanical Garden since 1992. Used for decorating rocky gardens and creating green borders.
Description of western thuja Danica
Thuja Danica has brown or reddish bark that peels off. It grows very slowly and tolerates frost well. When choosing a planting site, you need to take into account that thuja Danica loves light, but can also grow in partial shade.
The needles of Thuja Danika are emerald green, elegant and lacy. The crown is dense and looks very decorative. The arrangement of needles and branches is dense, reminiscent of emeralds.
Dimensions of an adult thuja Danica plant
Thuja Danica is a dwarf variety, about 60 cm high. The crown is spherical in shape, with a diameter of up to 1 m. The description of the size of Thuja Danica does not always coincide with the real ones.On good soil it may be slightly larger, but on poor soil it may be smaller in height and volume.
Varieties and varieties
In addition to Danika, miniature forms of western thuja with ordinary green scale-like needles include several more varieties:
- Dumoza;
- Globoza;
- Hetz;
- Midget;
- Howey;
- Little Champion;
- Little Jam.
The size of the bush is similar to Thuja Danika, Aurea Nana, it differs only in the color of the needles and the slightly elongated shape of the crown. Aurea has a yellow-green color, then becomes light green, and in winter it turns brownish-yellow.
Thuja Globoza also has a spherical crown shape, it is slightly larger than the Danica variety. The height of the bush is 1.2 m, and the width of the crown is 1 m.
There is also a dwarf form, Globosa Nana. The height of the bush is only 30 cm, it resembles a small green ball. Perfect for rock gardens and rock gardens with miniature varieties of flowers and ornamental grasses.
The use of thuja Danica in landscape design
Thuja western Danica, according to the photo and description of gardeners, is decorative throughout the year; it looks beautiful in the foreground of any composition. Thujas look beautiful in small containers displayed along paths in the garden or on the main staircase. This is an ideal material for a clipped evergreen border.
Features of reproduction
Thuja Danica is propagated using cuttings. This method allows you to transfer all the properties of the mother plant to the seedlings. Thuja from cuttings will have the same spherical crown, needle color and small size.
2-year-old shoots, about 10-15 cm long, are suitable for harvesting cuttings. They should not be cut, but broken off together with the “heel”, this will promote better rooting.
Description of the rooting process:
- The needles are removed from the bottom of the cutting.
- For rooting, take a planting container and a loose soil mixture (turf soil, sand, peat).
- Place the cuttings in the soil to a depth of 5 cm.
- Then moisten with a spray bottle.
- Cover the cuttings with a bag and place them on a bright, warm windowsill.
- Periodically open and spray with a spray bottle, maintaining 100% humidity, making sure that mold does not form.
- After 2-3 months, the cuttings will begin to take root.
In the spring, rooted cuttings can be planted in a garden bed for further growing, and a year later they can be planted in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for thuja Danika
Having bought a seedling of thuja globulus Danica at the garden center that you like, or grown it yourself from a cutting, prepare the soil on the site. Not only proper fit is important, but also subsequent care.
A young seedling planted in the ground is watered regularly during the first month; this is important for good survival. Mulch the tree trunk circle with peat, compost, wood chips or pine needles. This will prevent weeds from growing and will retain moisture in the soil.
Recommended timing
You can plant thuja Danika in open ground in spring and autumn. Spring and autumn plantings have their pros and cons. A plant planted in spring or summer will almost restore its root system by autumn and adapt to the local climate. In the spring, garden centers have a much larger selection of quality seedlings than in the fall. If you need a lot of planting material, this is an important argument in favor of spring planting thujas.
Not all garden centers provide high-quality care for plants, so in the fall you can buy a sick or weakened plant. Supporters of autumn planting believe that the later you plant thuja Danika, the better.In the fall, you can buy a seedling at a good price thanks to seasonal sales.
Site selection and soil preparation
When planting and caring for thuja occidentalis Danica, it is important to choose the right place: without stagnant water, well lit, where there is direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. In the shade of the thuja, the crown becomes loose and openwork. The plant's immune system weakens over time, and it becomes more susceptible to fungal diseases.
Thuja Danika is not picky about soil; it can grow in any area. But it prefers moist, breathable soil. On poor, sandy soil and with insufficient moisture, the thuja needles become pale green, and the bush begins to bear fruit often and abundantly.
Landing algorithm
For thuja western Danica (Danica), the description of planting and subsequent care for gardeners is not complicated. The main thing is to properly deepen the root collar.
Process description:
- Planting holes are prepared for seedlings. If you plant a hedge, make a trench.
- The size of the planting hole should ideally be twice as wide and deep as the root ball.
- The root collar of the thuja should be at ground level or 1-2 cm higher, since the soil may sag and the root collar will be buried.
- In a container plant, knead or comb the lump; do not remove the net or burlap, they will quickly rot.
- Having placed the plant in the hole, fill the remaining space with soil so that there are no air pockets left inside.
- At the end, water, spending about a bucket of water per plant.
After planting, it is advisable to shade the plant.To do this, you can use a façade mesh and install screens. Shading will help reduce moisture evaporation until the root system is restored.
Features of growing thuja Danica
Although Thuja Danica is an unpretentious plant, it requires constant care. If you neglect to fulfill basic agrotechnical requirements, the thuja will lose its decorative effect or even die.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
In the first year of planting or transplanting, thuja Danika is regularly watered once a week. A bucket of water is used for each plant. Thujas respond well to sprinkling - watering along the crown. From the second year, the ground under the conifers is loosened 1-2 times a season, without going too deep, since the root system is superficial.
It is better not to overfeed the plant; excess nitrogen fertilizers can lead to dire consequences. The winter hardiness of thuja Danika will decrease. In the spring, complex mineral fertilizer for coniferous plants is applied, and in the middle or end of August, potassium fertilizer is applied. This will allow Thuja Danika to better prepare for winter.
Rules for cutting thuja Danika
You can trim thuja Danika, whose height does not exceed 60 cm, all year round, but it is better to do this when the air temperature is not too high. You should not trim during rain or frost; it can cause more harm to the plants than good. Only young green shoots are cut, trying not to touch last year's crown, so as not to leave bald spots.
The haircut is performed twice a season: the first time in May, the second in September. If this is not done, the bushes lose their correct spherical shape, the crown becomes loose, and loses its high decorative value.
Before pruning, to create a beautiful landscape design, a film is laid around the thuja Danika (pictured), then all the debris will be easy to remove and take to a landfill. With hands wearing work gloves, carefully clean out old, dead needles from the base of the branches. It is advisable to carry out cleaning twice a season - in the spring before cutting and in August or September. Cutting the crown using hand garden shears starts from the bottom, and then goes along the entire perimeter.
Preparing for winter
In autumn, the color of the needles changes to brown-green and turns yellow inside the crown near the trunk. This is a normal process. The winter color of the needles is a protective mechanism that helps the plant survive the winter and partially protects against spring burns.
Autumn care for the globular thuja Danika includes shelter. Its needles must be protected from early spring sunburn. It can get very burnt, lose its decorative effect, and then it will take a long time to restore the needles. The plant is protected from the bright spring sun. This can be done in late autumn or February. For shelter, you should not use various geotextiles; it is better to take white calico or burlap. You can install shading screens on the south side, where the sun shines more often and more.
Pests and diseases
Thuja Danica, as described by gardeners, is unpretentious in care and is considered a resistant plant, but is sometimes damaged by diseases and pests. As a rule, thuja diseases are of fungal origin; systemic fungicides are used against them.
There are also specific pests:
- thuja false scale;
- thuja aphid.
Contact and systemic insecticides are used to control harmful insects.
Conclusion
Thuja Danica is a compact spherical shrub with a dense bright green crown. This is a wonderful decoration for the garden. The advantages of the variety include undemandingness to soil, resistance to drought and excess moisture, and frost resistance. You can grow Thuja Danika yourself from cuttings.
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