Thuja occidentalis Brabant – planting, spacing and cutting

The best time to plant the Brabant Tree of Life is early autumn in late August or early September. Then the young roots will have enough time until the first frost to grow in the chosen location.

Quality characteristics of purchased young plants
In tree nurseries and garden centers, Thuja Brabant is offered either as a container plant or as a bale product. The more developed the roots, the greater the chance that the tree of life will grow without any problems. In the container, the Brabant was used from the start and was subject to constant conditions. In any case, you should take a look under the plastic pot. If the roots are already growing out of the drainage holes, this is a sure sign that this plant has been waiting for a buyer for a long time. In such a case, there is also an increased risk that the roots will be damaged when potted. A bale of Thuja Brabant is sometimes a bit more expensive to buy because it was raised in natural soil, dug up for sale, wrapped in a ball of cloth and additionally wrapped with a wire mesh. If the plant is to be transported for a long time after purchase, it should definitely be covered with a damp cloth.

Site conditions

The Thuja occidentalis Brabant is characterized – in addition to its frugality – above all by the fact that it is unusually resistant to diseases and pests. The prerequisite for this is that the hobby gardener offers him the opportunity to grow into a strong, robust plant. The location plays an important role and should have the following modalities:

• sunny to partially shaded
• well-drained, slightly sandy soil
• also tolerates calcareous potting soil
• no risk of waterlogging
• not too acidic soil
• pH 6 to 7 is ideal
• no use of road salt in the vicinity

Whether the elegant conifer should come into its own as a solitary plant, in a group or as a hedge; Since it will spend many years, if not decades, at its location, experienced hobby gardeners make the effort to determine the pH of the soil beforehand. Complete sets are available in specialist shops, which can be used to quickly and easily determine whether the acid content of the potting soil still needs to be influenced. If the soil turns out to be too acidic, it can be treated by adding lime or pure wood ash to improve the value.

Soil preparation and plants

If the quality of the site meets the requirements of Thuja occidentalis Brabant, the preparation of the soil can begin. First of all, the area is thoroughly cleared of weeds and stones. Then the gardener picks up the rake and loosens the earth deeply. The planting itself is carried out in the following steps:

1. The young Thuja Brabant is placed in a bucket of water until no more air bubbles rise. Meanwhile, a planting hole is dug that is about twice the size of the root ball. The excavated earth is piled up either in the wheelbarrow provided or right next to the planting hole. There your well-rotted garden compost and a few handfuls of horn shavings are mixed in.
2. To prevent waterlogging, the bottom of the hole is loosened and covered with a 5 cm thick drainage made of crushed potsherds, expanded clay or perlite.
3. A weed film or a water and air permeable garden fleece is spread over the drainage, which prevents clogging by the substrate.
4. After some potting soil has been spread over the fleece, the pot is removed from the root ball of container plants. In the case of bale goods, cloth and wire mesh remain on the root ball because these materials later rot. The Thuja occidentalis Brabant is placed in the center of the planting hole and surrounded with the substrate mixture that is trodden down. A slight slope from the edge to the center ensures that irrigation and rainwater are directed towards the root ball.
5. Finally, the tree of life is watered for a long time and extensively, a measure that is repeated several times in the following weeks so that the young roots grow well. A generously dimensioned layer of bark mulch keeps the vital moisture in the soil longer.

During the winter, experienced hobby gardeners also regularly give their freshly planted thujas a dose of water; however only in frost-free periods.

distance

When planting several Thuja Brabant as a hedge or in a group, the average distance is only 40 cm to 50 cm, as they do not grow particularly in width with 70 cm to 120 cm. If you want to keep the planting distance as precise as possible, take into account the height of the conifers purchased:

• Delivery height: 40 cm to a maximum of 125 cm
• Distance: 3 plants per running meter
• Delivery height: 125 cm to 250 cm
• Distance: 2 plants per running meter

These distances apply equally to container goods and bale goods.

Note the distance to the neighboring property and the house
In addition to the correct spacing between the Thuja occidentalis Brabant plants in order to obtain a perfect hedge, the distance to the neighboring property or the street is also important. In order to avoid disputes in this regard, it is advisable to observe the legal regulations. In Germany, it is up to the federal states to determine the necessary distances. As a rule of thumb, plants that reach a final height of more than 2 meters must be planted at a minimum distance of 2 meters from the neighbors or the street. However, the hobby gardener only receives final security when he is informed about the regulations that apply to his federal state. With regard to the distance between the hedge and the house, there are of course no legal regulations, because these are set up by Mother Nature. Since Thuja occidentalis Brabant is a shallow root, the deep main root forms a widely branched root system, a distance of 2 meters and more to the house should be maintained in order to prevent structural damage. Garden friends who still want to place their Thuja occidentalis Brabant closer to the house dig a rhizome barrier 70 cm to 80 cm deep. This is a thick and root-proof film that is often used in pond construction. It prevents the roots from spreading towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. the deep main root forms a widely branched root system, a distance of 2 meters and more to the house should be maintained in order to prevent structural damage. Garden friends who still want to place their Thuja occidentalis Brabant closer to the house dig a rhizome barrier 70 cm to 80 cm deep. This is a thick and root-proof film that is often used in pond construction. It prevents the roots from spreading towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. the deep main root forms a widely branched root system, a distance of 2 meters and more to the house should be maintained in order to prevent structural damage. Garden friends who still want to place their Thuja occidentalis Brabant closer to the house dig a rhizome barrier 70 cm to 80 cm deep. This is a thick and root-proof film that is often used in pond construction. It prevents the roots from spreading towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. to prevent structural damage. Garden friends who still want to place their Thuja occidentalis Brabant closer to the house dig a rhizome barrier 70 cm to 80 cm deep. This is a thick and root-proof film that is often used in pond construction. It prevents the roots from spreading towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. to prevent structural damage. Garden friends who still want to place their Thuja occidentalis Brabant closer to the house dig a rhizome barrier 70 cm to 80 cm deep. This is a thick and root-proof film that is often used in pond construction. It prevents the roots from spreading towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. that the roots spread towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants. that the roots spread towards the wall of the house. Then the hedge can theoretically be planted closer than 1 meter to the house. However, after a few years at the latest, there will hardly be enough space for cutting behind the plants.

To cut

Compared to deciduous plants, the garden enthusiast receives an evergreen hedge plant with the Thuja occidentalis Brabant, which not only offers an opaque privacy screen, but also serves as a safe haven for numerous animals. Above all, the birds can raise their offspring here without a cat or other hunter being able to disturb them. Before cutting the thuja hedge, environmentally conscious gardening enthusiasts examine the inner area of ​​the plants, because there could be bird nests near the trunk. If this is the case, the hedge trimmer rests until the boys have flown out. The more regularly the hedge is trimmed, the denser and more compact it will grow. This means that a Thuja Brabant hedge can and is even advised to be pruned while it is growing.

• Do not cut on frosty days.
• Do not cut in direct sunlight.
• Do not cut when birds are breeding in the hedge.
• Don’t cut into the old wood.

Experienced hobby gardeners who value the wisdom of their ancestors carry out the pruning on St. John’s Day, June 24th. This date not only plays a role in asparagus cultivation, but also has a meaning for almost all plants in nature – and also for Thuja occidentalis Brabant. From this date there are at least 100 days until the first frost. The young shoots, which then still grow after the pruning measure, have gathered enough strength to withstand the influences of the cold season. In addition, growth takes place under slightly reduced conditions during this time, so that the wounds that have formed on the hedge plants heal evenly and safely. In the spring there is nothing to prevent you from making a more lush cut before the young shoots force their growth.

Advantageous trapezoidal shape when cutting hedge

Even the densest hedge will bare from below if the inner areas are not supplied with sufficient light and air. Therefore, the experts advocate the trapezoidal shape. This means that the hedge is wider in the lower part than in the upper part. Resourceful gardening enthusiasts who do not want to rely solely on their sense of proportion stretch cords between two posts and in this way created a good orientation aid for an accurate trapezoidal shape. If you only trim it at the top, you will get a hedge that grows shapelessly in width. If it is only cut on the sides, it goes up unstoppably and unevenly, which does not benefit a neat look at all. Ideally, the Thujas Brabant are cut during growth in such a way that that between the previous and the new cut 20 cm to 30 cm remain. Once the hedge has reached the desired height and width, every further cut is made just above the previous cut.

Topiary for solitary plants

Although the Thuja occidentalis Brabant is ideal as a hedge plant, many gardeners prefer this vigorous variety as a decorative specimen or group plant. From the harmonious spherical shape to creative own creations, even the inexperienced hobby gardener can transform his Thuja Brabant into small works of art of nature. With the help of a wide variety of templates, which are inexpensive to purchase in specialist shops, garden centers and on the Internet, all you need is the right cutting tool to create a creative garden element. Incidentally, with the help of the appropriate templates, round or curved tops are also possible for hedges.

Conclusion
From the Occidental Tree of Life, the Brabant variety in particular is the ideal plant for a decorative hedge, picturesque group or creatively designed solitary plant. The Brabant not only scores with an extremely dense growth, but also with a rich green color all year round. If the most important criteria regarding the planting and the distance are observed, the garden will be enriched with an attractive design element for many years to come. An important part of care is conscientious and regular cutting. In this way the health of the conifers is preserved and an always well-groomed appearance is guaranteed.