Why should I plant a Thuja hedge?
Thuja has been a popular alternative to leylandii hedging for many years. Its olive green shiny foliage and cinnamon red shredding bark give it an attractive look and the foliage when crushed gives off a pleasant aromatic scent. For those that are looking for an alternative to leylandii that is slightly slower growing but still forms an equally effective hedge, Thuja is a good option.
How tall will Thuja grow?
People often ask how tall Thuja will grow and the simple answer is that they will grow as tall as you want them to. It is grown as an important timber tree in commercial forestry operations and will reach a great height if left to its own devices but it will respond well to being trimmed to create a hedge of any height from 4-20ft, although most people tend to grow their Thuja hedges to 6-7ft in height which is usually more than adequate for eye level privacy in most gardens.
How quickly will a Thuja hedge grow?
People often associate leylandii with being extremely fast growing and often getting out of control. Whilst leylandii will put on 2-3ft growth each year after planting, Thuja are slightly slower growing, and are much more likely to put on around 1-1.5ft (30-45cm) per year if left untrimmed. However, once the hedge has reached its desired height it should be trimmed at that height accordingly to maintain its size and density. This will slow down the upward growth of your hedge to a much more manageable level meaning it can easily be trimmed once a year. Another advantage of Thuja over leylandii is that it can be cut back harder if it has grown more than needed.
When should I clip or trim a Thuja hedge?
A Thuja hedge will need to be clipped annually in the Spring or Autumn as you would with any other hedge.
How far apart should I plant a Thuja hedge?
Thuja should be planted 2ft (60cm) apart regardless of how tall or short they are when you buy them and careful preparation of the planting site is important. See section below on how to look after your Thuja hedge after planting.
How do I look after my Thuja hedge after planting?
Although Thuja plants will put up with most soil types, we recommended that the planting soil is mixed with compost to give the plants the best environment to grow in for their first year. After planting, your Thuja hedge should be watered regularly during its first year to give it the best chance of survival and this is especially important if your hedge is being planted in the drier summer months.
How do I water my Thuja hedge?
Watering a Thuja hedge is especially important if you are planting during the summer or a dry period. For watering, we recommend using leaky hose (sometimes described as porous pipe) which can be connected to your existing hose pipe and will slowly leak water onto the roots of your hedge in a controlled manner to ensure that it soaks in and your hedge becomes properly watered. Leaky hose is cheap, easy to install and very effective. See our Accessories page for more details on leaky hose.
Is Thuja tolerant of different soil types?
Thuja will tolerate most soil types (including dry sites) but do not like being in waterlogged soil.
Does Thuja like full sun or shade?
Thuja will grow extremely well in full sunshine and also in shady spots.
During the winter we supply larger sizes of Thuja as root-balled plants as well as supplying container grown plants all year round.
For more information on our availability of Thuja or if you have any questions or queries about existing Thuja hedges or need advice about planting a new Thuja hedge, please call us on 01252 714552 or email sales@hedgesonline.com