Is it necessary to cover thuja for the winter and how?

Trees

A striking representative of the cypress family is the beautiful thuja. It's considered low-maintenance, but requires some winter preparation. Improper or untimely care in the fall can result in the tree's death. Experienced gardeners who grow thuja even in unfavorable climates will share secrets on how to protect thuja for the winter.

Do I need to cover the thuja for the winter?

A mature plant aged 5 years or older doesn't require shelter even at temperatures of -30°C. The tree tolerates light frosts well, overwinters well, and is completely unfazed by low temperatures. Frosts are a threat to young plants. Trees under 4-5 years old have fragile branches. When snow covers the branches, they become deformed and break under the weight.

Another danger for the tree is the winter sun. It's very strong, so thuja branches often become sunburned and the needles fade. Even if the crown isn't exposed to direct sunlight, the needles can suffer from desiccation. If the thuja hasn't been prepared for winter, the tree will likely develop the following problems:

the shoots will be crooked and unsightly;
the color of the crown will change to yellow-green;
the needles will dry out and then fall off.

To prevent this from happening and preserve the plant, provide it with cover. The thuja will be unharmed over the winter, and it will continue to delight you with its attractive appearance in the spring and summer, adding a touch of splendor to your garden.

How to cover a thuja

Covering a thuja for the winter is a simple process, but a bit laborious, as it requires precision. Start by tying the tree branches with thick twine. Don't overdo it, or the branches will become overburdened. Just secure the crown so that snow doesn't settle on it. Gather the branches upward toward the center of the tree, and then begin tying them in a circle. Start at the base of the tree and gradually work your way up.

If your region experiences heavy snowfalls during the winter, it might be a good idea to build a frame. Drive three metal or wooden stakes into the ground near the tree. They should intersect at a single point, just above the crown of the tree. Then wrap the frame with breathable covering material. Be sure to secure the material to the frame to prevent it from being blown away by a gust of wind. Tie it with twine, for example.

Attention!

Low young thujas can be covered in the garden with wooden boxes.

Stores with a wide selection of gardening tools sometimes sell special plant covers. Get one; they're easy to use and will last for decades. Simply place the cover on your arborvitae and straighten it, and the plant will look great all winter long, until early spring. In the spring, remove the cover, wash it, and let it dry; you won't need it until fall.

Another method of covering the needles is to install a sunscreen. This can be a wooden box or a homemade device. Drive stakes into the ground parallel to each other. Cover the space between the stakes with roofing felt or a special sunscreen. This cover will prevent the needles from burning, even in the spring, when the sun is very strong.

Insulation of roots

In addition to keeping the crown warm and protected from the sun, you need to consider how to insulate the root system. The roots of young plants are exposed to frost, and the plant itself will quickly die if the roots freeze. Suitable methods for insulating the root system include:

Peat or any other organic component. The main requirement is that the mulch must have a loose layer;
A mixture of fallen autumn leaves with soil or humus. Besides providing protection from the cold, this mixture will eventually become an excellent fertilizer for the root system;
sawdust, straw.

The mulch layer should be at least 5 cm thick but no more than 10 cm. Place the mulch close to the tree's trunk, then lay bast grass on top of it. This will protect the root system from rodents and compact the mulch.

Note!

Before mulching, water the soil 3-4 days beforehand. The soil should be moist. The roots need moisture for the coming winter.

How to choose covering material

When choosing a covering material for your thuja, consider its permeability. It should be high-permeability and allow air to pass through. Avoid using materials that don't allow air to pass through, such as plastic wrap. This will create a greenhouse effect, causing the tree to rot, shed its needles, and become diseased. The best materials for winter covering include:

spunbond;
lutrasil;
agrospan;
agrotherm;
craft;
sackcloth;
gauze.

Choose a white material; in addition to providing warmth, it will reflect sunlight off the tree, preventing the needles from burning. Therefore, if you've chosen black roofing felt for your cover, wrap a white sheet or duvet cover over it.

How to preserve a thuja in a pot

If your thuja is still small, it's probably still in its pot. Covering it won't be a problem. Simply move the tree from outside to a cool room when cold weather sets in, place the pot in a basement, cellar, or on a glassed-in balcony. The optimal temperature range for overwintering thuja is considered to be between 4 and 10 degrees Celsius. Make sure the room isn't too humid, and water the plant well and wrap it in craft paper. Ideally, the room should have a light source, such as a small window. You can move the thuja to a cool room for the winter, but keep the plant away from radiators and open a window for fresh air.

When is the best time to cover?

The winter protection requirements for arborvitaes vary across different regions. This depends on the onset of cold weather in a given region, the length of winter, and the average temperature. For example, in the southern part of the country, the tree doesn't need to be covered for the winter. It grows easily both in a garden plot and in the forest. However, in other regions, preserving the arborvitae over the winter requires a little more effort.

Middle zone

Cold weather in the temperate zone begins in late October or early November. At this time, when there's no snow yet, a 5-centimeter layer of mulch is laid around the tree's trunk, covered with spruce branches, and the tree is left to overwinter. Around the second half of winter, starting in late January, sun-reflecting screens are installed near the tree to protect the needles. Wrapping the crown with agrofibre is not necessary, as temperatures in the temperate zone rarely drop below 20 degrees Celsius, and overheating is dangerous for the tree.

Volga region

Winter arrives in the Volga region in late autumn, so winter preparations can begin in late October. In the Volga region, as in the central part of the country, arborvitaes are usually overwintered with mulch. The layer can be thicker, about 10 cm high. Only young trees should be protected from the cold. Take a 5-liter plastic bottle, cut off the bottom, and cover the tree with it. To prevent color from bleeding through the plastic, wrap it in a white pillowcase. If your arborvitae is over 4 years old, don't cover it for the winter; it will survive just fine without it.

Urals and Siberia

In the northern part of the country, winter arrives very early, as early as mid-October, so preparations begin earlier than in central Russia. First, the soil is mulched with a 10-cm layer of peat or sawdust. Spruce branches are placed on top of the mulch. Then, a cone-shaped wire frame is made. Agrofibre or any protective material is stretched over the wire and secured with twine to prevent it from falling off. In addition to the wire frame, you can wrap the thuja with spunbond. In Siberia, the tree's covering is removed no earlier than mid-March, as frosts linger in the region for a long time.

Types of the most common errors

Inexperienced gardeners who have never grown a plant before often make many mistakes right away. As a result, the tree can't handle them and eventually either dries out or rots. Here are some of the most common mistakes in agricultural practice:

for the winter, the crowns of young trees are left uncovered;
use fertilizers that are intended for deciduous trees (nitrogen complexes);
do not cover the needles with sunscreens;
the shelter is removed too early.

An important step in tree development is crown formation. If it's not properly established, the plant will immediately lose its appearance. Therefore, after removing the cover, the thuja needs to be pruned. For pruning, use pruning shears; they're easy to use. First, remove dry and diseased branches with yellow needles from the top and middle of the tree; these are already dead. If the crown is excessively dense, thin it out a bit. This will increase air circulation and reduce the risk of pest attacks. To encourage your thuja to grow wider rather than taller, trim off some of the crown. Top pruning stimulates lateral shoots, which become more active. There are three types of thuja pruning:

Spiral. The most common form for pruning thuja. Overall, the tree resembles a large cone, tapering at the top;
Spherical. This option is suitable for shaping low crowns. The plant looks great in a summer cottage or winter garden;
Topiary. The crown is shaped into any geometric form: a diamond, a square, or a sphere. Garden stores sell metal frames for establishing the crown, which are then used for pruning.

Note!

The crown needs to be formed in the second year after transplanting the crop to a permanent location.

Thuja will be the main decoration of your local area if you take care of her properlyProtect it from the cold outdoors, prune its crown, and water it regularly. A healthy and beautiful tree is pleasing to the eye and attracts the attention of everyone around. Thuja can live for decades, no matter what region you plant it in, so if you love evergreens, this is an obvious choice.