Thuja Smaragd is a relatively undemanding tree of life that is cultivated as a hedge or, even better, as a solitaire in the garden. Although it requires sufficient nutrients, over-fertilization must be avoided at all costs. How to properly fertilize Thuja Smaragd.

When fertilizing the Thuja Smaragd applies: less is more

Fertilize Thuja Smaragd - beware of over-fertilization

When fertilizing Thuja Smaragd, you can quickly do too much of a good thing. This is especially true if you rely on mineral fertilizers. Over-fertilization occurs quickly with these fertilizers.

It is better to use organic fertilizers.

Immediately after planting the Thuja Smaragd, you only need to fertilize if you have planted bare-root Thuja. Baled goods are sufficiently supplied with nutrients for the first year.

Suitable fertilizers for Thuja Smaragd

Suitable fertilizers for the tree of life are:

  • conifer fertilizer
  • compost
  • horn shavings
  • dumped crap
  • blue grain
  • Epsom salt (magnesium deficiency)
  • Calcium (manganese deficiency)

The best time to fertilize

The first fertilizing of Thuja Smaragd occurs in spring. When using long-term fertilizers, a single dose is sufficient.

With short-term fertilizers such as blue grain, you can fertilize again until the end of July. Later in the year, fertilizing no longer makes sense, since the new shoots stimulated by the nutrients no longer harden before winter.

If compost or horn shavings (€32.93) are used as fertilizer, over-fertilization is not possible. These materials release the nutrients slowly.

Be careful when using mineral fertilizers

When fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, you must strictly follow the instructions on the packaging. Thuja Smaragd as a single tree needs less fertilizer than if you take care of the tree of life in the hedge.

Avoid allowing the mineral fertilizer to come into direct contact with the needles, stem or roots, otherwise burns will result. The affected shoots then turn brown and curl.

When is fertilizing with Epsom salt useful?

Regular fertilizing with Epsom salts is often recommended. However, this fertilizer only makes sense if the Thuja Smaragd suffers from a lack of magnesium. It manifests itself through brightening, yellow needles.

Before administering Epsom salts, have the soil examined by the lab. In this way you can be sure that the needle discolouration was actually caused by a magnesium deficiency and not by fungal diseases or pests.

Fertilize with a mulch layer

It has proven to be particularly useful to protect Thuja Smaragd in the hedge or as a solitaire with a mulch layer.

The mulch material releases nutrients as it decomposes and at the same time ensures a sufficiently moist soil climate.

tips

If the needles of the Thuja Smaragd turn black, a lack of manganese is responsible. It occurs in compacted soils that are too moist. The substrate can be improved by adding lime, so that the tree of life can better absorb the manganese from the earth again.

Category:

Trees