cac0fae8c8f092b7d7e32f10d5d4e9c220d2969b My Health Is My Life: Fast Impressions With Thuja Green Giants

Fast Impressions With Thuja Green Giants

By Scott Bailey


Well, maybe not instant gratification, but as close as you can get in the real world of botany. Thuja Green Giants are probably the fastest growing ornamental evergreen you can buy. A hybrid developed by crossing an American thuja with an Asian variety, this gorgeous tree tapers gracefully to a majestic height, achieves a uniform width, and grows up to five feet a year after getting established. It is also renowned for being maintenance free.

The basic drill is to plant them five to six feet apart in a row. In a remarkably short time, you'll have an unbroken line of year-round greenery, made up of identical trees. They are easy to prune to keep them at the exact height you need against a fence or along a lot line. Planted on an estate, these beauties can shield a home from the road and make a magnificent statement at the same time.

They require room. Growers say they should be planted at least four feet from a fence or property line. Their spreading roots reach out farther than their branches, which will spread at least eight feet. They should be no closer than fifteen feet to septic fields. Planted as a single specimen, they can reach forty feet in height and twenty-five feet in width. Their soft foliage is easy to prune, if you want to limit their height more than close planting does.

The thuja is a member of the cypress family; the name arborvitae may be more familiar. These hybrids combine the hardiness of a tree native to the northern half of the west coast United States and the speedy growth of an Asian variety. They are not attractive to deer or bugs - even bagworms - so never require spraying. Soil type does not seem to matter, and they don't need fertilizer to grow rapidly. Hardy and heat tolerant, they do need regular watering in very dry areas. Trees started from cuttings share the same gracefully tapered shape, height, and width.

A dense row of these trouble-free evergreens provides privacy and protection from the wind. It also is an effective noise barrier. If you live in a high traffic area and want to grow vegetables, a hedge like this will shield your yard from up to 90 percent of heavy metals from air pollution.

One of the parent trees for this hybrid is native to the Northeast United States. Giants are hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit and are not prone to damage from wind or snowfall. Growers can recommend the best planting time in Georgia. It's important to follow these recommendations, in order to give your trees the best start. There is a lot of information about choosing trees, sizes available, prices, and shipping costs. You will also find culture tips and customer testimonials.

Trees are sold bare-root, with a burlap wrap around their pruned roots, or in containers. You will find six foot transplants in one gallon containers, but other nurseries might sell them in much larger tubs. Growers sometimes sell direct, which keeps the price down. Don't forget to factor in shipping costs when you compare prices, and look for free shipping offers.

These trees that look like royalty and grow like weeds can transform your property in such a short period of time it seems almost magical. It's unreal that you can have six or seven foot trees shipped to your door and have a majestic row of them in as little as four years. However, it's true.




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