Thuja as hedging

I have been told that buying Thuja is a good alternative to Leylandii. Thuja is slower growing so needs less cutting during the growing season.

What I would like to know is should I buy small plants of about 60cm high or buy the bigger 125+cm high plants? I would really like the higher ones so that I don't have to look at my neighbours 'building site' garden.

However, I have been told that the younger 60cm plants will get establish quicker and grow faster in time.

What should I buy?

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

Thuja is better than Leylandii in all respects - except the initial speed it grows at (which as you rightly point out means less cutting for every year forever thereafter!)

Thuja can regrow, to some extent, when cut back into old wood. Leylandii won't.

Thuja makes a very smart hedge when clipped "tight". Leylandii will do too, but its a lot of work to keep Leylandii that "tight".

IMHO you should only buy plants that are true to the cultivar Thuja Plicata Atrovirens - there is lots of "Western Red Cedar" Brand X about, I recommend you are more fussy than that.

I think the 60cm / 125cm thing is a bit 6-of-one ... You need to be planting potted plants now, its too late for bare root / root balled. Plants grown in pots often have contricted root systems, and the larger the plant the more it is "stalled".

I think it will have more to do with how well the ground is prepared. If you are in a hurry not to see your neighbour's garden :D then make sure you have dug the tench well, lots of muck / compost worked in, and some bonemeal when you plant them (don't get it in contact with the roots), and then mulch and water well during the summer. I reckon they will be well away this year.

I've used both these suppliers, but I haven't bought Thuja from them (first one does not explicitly say "Atrovirens", and most of their stuff is Bareroot, so may not be suitable for now) but both companies are knowledgable and helpful, might be worth phoning them for a chat)

Ashridge Trees
Shrubs Direct

 

Actually if you are in Suffolk it might be worth looking at Glebe Farm Hedging - they are near Colchester and I believe they are a very big outfit. I've spoken to them on the phone, and they were knowledable and helpful, but I haven't bought anything from them

 

Hi Kristen, I will investigate the Atrovirens type. I will also call Glebe Farm Hedging. I have no knowledge at all about Thuja so your help is much appreciated. You mention not to get bonemeal in touch with the roots of the plants. Why is this? Surely when you put the plant in the ground, it must come in contact with the bonemeal already there that has been dug in!

 

"You mention not to get bonemeal in touch with the roots of the plants. Why is this?"

I believe it burns the roots - so bad idea to sprinkle it on the root ball :D I'm sure if there is some already in the soil that the roots come into contact with that's too small a problem to cause any harm- and if the bonemeal has been there for a while (hours perhaps, for all I know) the nutrients will have already leached into the soil and not be so "strong"

 

O K Kristen. Thanks again.

 

Would you think Thuja Plicata Gelderland would be OK instead of the Atrovirens type?

 

"Thuja Plicata Gelderland"

Not come across that one before, and a quick Google looks like it is prevalent on the continent (lots of sites in NL and DE).

But a named variety from a reliably supplier is what you are really looking for, rather than some any-old-Western-Red-Cedar potted up!!

Some particular reason you fancy that cultivar?

 

Hi Kristen,

I found a website who were selling the Thuja Plicata 'Gelderland' at a very good price. I need about 50 of them. I now realise that they are a bright green as opposed to the darker green of the 'Atrovirens'. I think I prefer the darker one.

 

I would prefer the darker green. I wonder if that is why they are more common on the Continent - perhaps they prefer the light green over there ...