If thuja is chosen as a plant for hedges, the gardener is concerned that the hedge grows as quickly as possible. It should ensure a sufficiently dense and high level of privacy protection as soon as possible. How fast does thuja grow and which variety grows fastest?
How fast does a thuja hedge grow?
Thuja growth varies between 20 and 40 cm per year, depending on the variety. The fastest Thuja variety is Thuja plicata Martin with an annual growth of up to 40 cm, followed by Thuja Brabant with up to 30 cm. For optimal growth, Thuja plants need a sunny to partially shaded location and good soil conditions.
How fast does thuja grow?
Not all Thuja species grow at the same speed. Some are very fast growing, while others take longer to grow large and dense.
Depending on the variety, the growth of the tree of life is between 20 and 40 cm per year. The prerequisite is a favorable location, a good planting substrate and the right care.
If a thuja is in the shade, for example, it will only grow very slowly and will not form a tall, opaque hedge nearly as quickly.
Accelerate thuja growth
Thuja growth can only be accelerated to a limited extent. As a basis, choose a good location and prepare the soil well before planting:
- sunny to partially shaded location
- somewhat sheltered from the wind
- deeply loosened soil
- maybe. Drainage to protect against waterlogging
- lime if the soil is too acidic
- Incorporate compost, manure and horn shavings
If these conditions are met, the tree of life will grow quickly.
Be careful with fertilizing
Many gardeners believe they can speed up growth by giving lots of fertilizer. However, this is not always helpful. The tree of life cannot tolerate over-fertilization.
If you use mineral fertilizers, a single fertilization in spring is sufficient. Fertilizing with Epsom s alt is only necessary if the soil is demonstrably deficient in magnesium.
To do something good for the thuja hedge, it is better to use organic fertilizers such as compost (€43.00 on Amazon), manure and horn shavings. This prevents over-fertilization.
Which thuja grows fastest?
Thuja plicata Martin is considered a particularly fast-growing variety. It grows up to 40 cm in height per year and can grow up to seven meters high.
The Thuja Brabant, which is most often planted as a hedge, is also one of the fast-growing Thuja species, growing up to 30 cm per year.
Other varieties such as the popular Thuja Smaragd grow up to 20 cm tall per year. It is considered a medium-slow growing Thuja variety and is therefore more suitable for care as a single tree than for hedges.
Tip
A mulch cover offers particularly favorable conditions for the growth of thuja. It releases nutrients and keeps the moisture in the soil constant.