The thuja plant does not necessarily have to be fertilized. Only at the beginning, when planting, can special fertilizer have a positive effect on growth.
Fertilizing is not a primary issue when planting Thuja. Whether and how intensively fertilization will be necessary depends not least on the choice of location, the soil conditions and the condition of the plant and its root system.
The following fertilizers can be used:
- Natural Fertilizer
- commercial plant fertilizer
- Slow release fertilizer
- Special fertilizer for thuja plants
When choosing the fertilizer, value should be placed on the ingredients. Fertilizers that have a balanced ratio of phosphate, potash and nitrogen and thus provide the plants with the optimal combination of nutrients are particularly suitable.
What should be considered when fertilizing?
If the choice of location was carefully considered and value was placed on loose and nutrient-rich soil, young plants can usually grow well. Targeted fertilization can have a positive effect on the growth of the plant.
Young plants in particular should be given small doses of fertilizer. Over-fertilizing with artificial fertilizers stimulates the formation of leaves, but at the same time weakens the roots, which should develop more and more, especially in the first two years. Over-fertilization can be recognized by yellowing of the leaves.
» Caution: During the winter months, fertilization should be avoided completely.
Spring and late summer are the best times to apply fertilizer. If you want to supply the thuja with fertilizer in midsummer, pay attention to the condition of the soil. It should not be too dry at the time of fertilization.
Use natural fertilizers to strengthen plants
The arborvitae can be fertilized before planting. For this purpose, the soil is loosened and upgraded with compost, manure, leaf mold or other organic material. The fertilizer can also be added to the dug planting hole during planting.
Natural fertilizer promotes root formation. Furthermore, nutrient-poor sandy or loamy soils are upgraded. The soil should be slightly damp, toodry soil can cause burns after fertilization. Always fertilize with caution. Over-fertilization can also occur with natural fertilizers. The result is chlorosis, easily recognizable for the hobby gardener by the yellowing of the leaves.
What does the ideal natural fertilizer look like?
To start with, some compost is put directly into the excavated planting hole. Horn shavings, powdered rock and calcium cyanamide are also mixed in. Then the plant is used. This organic fertilizer supplies the tree of life with iron, nitrogen, magnesium and calcium.
Fertilize thujas - not always a must
Whether the plants require fertilizer immediately after planting depends not least on the condition of the plant itself and the condition of the soil.
If the young plant is placed in moist, humus-rich and calcareous soil, it will find ideal site conditions and can grow well without additional fertilizer. If, on the other hand, the condition of the soil leaves something to be desired, a growth fertilizer can be used to help. This not only has an effect on the growth potential of the young plant, but you can still benefit from the growth basis created during planting years later.
If you buy container goods, the plants are usually already supplied with fertilizer and do not necessarily have to be fertilized again after planting. If the plants are bare-rooted, i.e. plants whose roots have been shortened a bit, they should also be fertilized with the planting.
» Tip: By applying mulch, the moisture stays in the soil longer and the plant is supplied with additional nutrients.
Fertilizing Thujas - Questions and Answers
❍ How much fertilizer does the thuja hedge need?
Hedge plants have a higher nutrient requirement than the plant alone. Due to the often very narrow stand, there is no guarantee that all plants can obtain sufficient nutrients from the soil. Therefore, fertilize more abundantly than with single planting.
» Tip: Thujas should not be planted too close together. A minimum distance of 40 centimeters is recommended.
❍ How much fertilizer should you use?
This cannot be answered in general. Also consider the location of the plant and the individual soil conditions. The information provided by the manufacturer applies to commercially available products. If blue seed is used, about a handful of fertilizer is sufficient for a one square meter areaPlant to provide fertilizer for a gardening season.
❍ Which nutrients are important for thujas?
When choosing the right fertilizer, the nutrient requirements of the plant should be taken into account.
Trees of life primarily need the following nutrients:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Oxygen
- iron
- lime
- Carbon
- Hydrogen
While the plants can provide themselves with oxygen, hydrogen and carbon from the air and from the soil, the remaining nutrients have to be provided by fertilization. A good plant fertilizer also contains the trace elements zinc, manganese and copper.
❍ When should trees of life be fertilized?
The ideal time for fertilization is spring. Long-term fertilizer should generally only be applied in spring. If you don't fertilize until midsummer, you risk damaging the plants because the nutrients are not transported into the cells in time. As a result, the plant sprout in late autumn and the young shoots do not survive the winter.
❍ Can I use compost instead of fertilizer?
Thujas gratefully absorb natural fertilizers. This provides the plants with an ideal nutrient composition. Furthermore, the humus it contains can prevent the moisture from escaping the soil too quickly. The compost is spread generously around the plant and then worked into the soil.
» Tip: The additional use of horn shavings creates a natural long-term fertiliser.
How should you fertilize?
Fertilizer is offered in liquid and granular form. Liquid fertilizer is added to the irrigation water according to the instructions. Granules are spread on the ground around the plant and then worked into the soil. It is important to water the tree of life well afterwards. Artificial fertilizer should generally not be brought into contact with the leaves of the thuja. This can cause burns. The fertilizer should always be dosed sparingly. With brown and curled shoot tips, the plants signal too much of a good thing.
❍ Which fertilizer is common for thujas?
- Slow release fertilizer for conifers
- Compost
- Barn Manure
- horn shavings
- Foundry Rock Powder
- Mulching
- Epsom S alts
❍ What do the individual fertilizers do?
| Fertiliser | Effect |
|---|---|
| Compost | natural long-term fertilizer for all soils provides trace elements and lime |
| Barn Manure | Loosening of the soil Sandy soils can store moisture better |
| Horn shavings | Slow release fertilizer Nitrogen supplier |
| Foundry Rock Powder | provides iron, calcium and magnesium |
| Mulching | Soiling up of the soil is prevented Good long-term fertilizer |
| Epsom S alt | helps with magnesium deficiency |