The thuja turned yellow after winter. The thuja has dried up, can it be saved? Measures necessary for caring for thuja

A change in color of thuja leaves can occur due to a huge number reasons. And the sooner the correct one is determined, the greater the chance that the plant will continue to delight with its beauty for quite a long period of time. To do this, you need to carefully examine the tree and try to establish why this happened.

Causes of yellowing of thuja

The main reasons why thuja turns yellow are:

1. Natural processes.
2. Changes in color according to the season.
3. Mistakes made during landing.
4. Problems in care.
5. Animals.
6. Diseases.
7. Pests.

Natural causes

There are times when the yellowness of thuja leaves appears closer to autumn. This happens because their lifespan is coming to an end. Most often, 5-6 years after the shoot appears, it loses its chlorophyll grains, after which it turns yellow and eventually dies. He is replaced by another. In this case, individual thuja branches turn yellow and gradually fall off. This happens in internal parts crowns around the trunk. This process is absolutely natural and nothing can be done about it.

Seasonal color changes

Such types of thuja as western and folded, in winter period years acquire a golden-bronze color. At the same time, the thuja varieties Holstrup, Brabant and Columna become only slightly brownish. In turn, very lush crown Thuja variety Smaragd remains richly green even in the most severe frosts.

Such changes in plant color are completely natural, since they represent a reaction to changing climatic conditions. But as soon as spring comes and the movement of juices begins, the thuja again acquires its former shade, beginning to please the eye. But if this change does not occur in the spring, you should be concerned. This means that the tree is not feeling well or is missing something.

Mistakes made during landing

Unfavorable conditions, which can result in yellowing of leaves and their subsequent falling, as well as drying out of the lower tier branches and even death of the plant, are:

• planting thuja in soil rich in sand, due to which all nutrients very quickly go deep into the soil;
• planting a plant in clay soil. Its structure is dense, there is little humus, as well as oxygen. In this regard, the roots of the thuja cannot develop as they need;
• choice for planting thuja in fairly low areas with peat soil where water stagnates. In this case, the plant will quickly become soggy and begin to rot.

The best soil for growing thuja is considered to be well-drained, but fairly moist soil with the addition of sand and peat.

Errors in care

The most common mistakes when caring for thuja are:

• insufficient watering. If you choose the right mode of moistening the plant, it will regain its former crown color;
• high level groundwater. Suffering from this phenomenon root system plants, due to which its leaves turn yellow;
• deepening the base of the trunk and branches of the thuja. Due to this, drying out may occur, accompanied by subsequent falling of the leaves.

Animals

If dogs regularly mark thuja, a black coating appears on its bark below. In addition, animal urine can also cause quite serious harm to the plant. Moreover, we are talking not only about the bark, but also about the color of the crown. Its yellowness may appear if the plant is in a place where a large number of animals mark it.

Diseases

Brown snow mold, or brown schutte, can be found on young thuja specimens in early spring as soon as the snow melts. A black-gray cobwebby coating of mycelium will be noticeable on the leaves, after which point fruiting bodies of the pathogen will appear. Due to this, they do not fall off for a long time, and thin branches will soon die off.

It also happens that certain fungi settle on the branches of the thuja, which destroy the bark tissue and infect the surface layers of the plant’s wood. In this case, the tree initially turns yellow unevenly, but over time the shade becomes the same everywhere and very dull. Then the entire affected shoot turns brown. However, these symptoms are not characteristic of this disease. To confirm the diagnosis, it is necessary to detect fungal spores, which appear in the form of dark dots, as well as tubercles with a diameter of 1-2 mm.

Pests

• stem;
• sucking.

The first type can be detected by entrance holes in the bark, as well as very weird shape on the wood itself, located under the bark. The plant should be saved from this type of pest immediately, since otherwise it will often die.

Sucking insects cause thuja leaves to turn brownish and become dull. And if the crown is covered with a black coating and hordes of ants crawl along it, this is the first sign that sucking pests have appeared on the plant.

Thuja owes its popularity to its evergreen lush outfit. This plant is a real decoration for

estate plot, park area, city squares. But what to do if your favorite tree turns yellow? How to save him? First you need to figure out why this happens.

Causes of yellowing of thuja and control measures

Thujas themselves are unpretentious, but if the needles begin to lose their color, then it’s time to save the plants. What can cause yellowed needles?

Natural processes

The life of each needle ends after about 5 years. At this age, chlorophyll ceases to be produced, and individual branches or parts thereof begin to turn yellow. This is a natural process. The branches gradually die and fall away, and others come to replace them. In this case, you don't need to do anything. If you don’t like the look of individual shoots at all, then the yellowed parts can be carefully cut off.

Seasonal changes

During winter cold some varieties of thuja turn slightly yellow. The change in needle color may be slight. This is due to the fact that the plant adapts to a lack of light and extreme cold. In the spring, when the process of sap flow begins and daylight hours increase, the color of the needles is restored. Another reason for spring yellowing of thuja can be sunburn.

Possible mistakes when planting thuja

If the thuja turns yellow after planting, it means some mistakes were made. For example:

1. The plant is planted in sandy soil. In this case, moisture is not retained in upper layers. The cause of yellowing may be its deficiency.
2. Thuja lacks nutrients ah because of the density of the clay soil.
3. Peat soils with stagnant water can cause the roots of thuja to rot, causing the needles to begin to lose their color.

If you were able to figure out why your recently planted tree is turning yellow, then it would be a good idea to replant it in suitable soil. The ideal composition for planting thuja contains sod land with the addition of peat and sand. And don't forget about the drainage layer.

Improper care

If quite a lot of time has passed after planting and the plant suddenly begins to lose color, then the cause could be improper care. Please note the following points:

1. Thuja turns yellow from lack of moisture. Properly organized watering will return your plant to rich greenery.
2. Groundwater located close to the surface of the earth can cause soaking and rotting of the root system. To save the plant, it is better to transplant it to another place.
3. Exposing or deepening the root collar during planting can cause the bark to die and the entire tree to dry out. The first signs are yellowing of the needles. This reason can be easily eliminated if you dig in or, conversely, release the root collar so that it is located flush with the surface of the earth.
4. If the distance between the trees is not maintained during planting, then from constant contact and lack of space they will turn yellow and crumble.
5. If a thuja is transplanted from a dense planting directly to a sunny place, then from burns it will begin to turn yellow immediately after planting. It must be remembered that this plant loves shaded places.
6. The cause of yellowing can be an incorrectly selected fertilizer or its excess, as well as reagents or salt that is sprinkled on the paths during icy conditions.
7. If individual shoots turn yellow, the cause may be a lack of iron. A properly selected fertilizer complex will save your plant.

Animal influence

Plants can be seriously affected by dog ​​and cat marks. First of all, the root system reacts, and only then the problem manifests itself as yellowing of the needles.

Diseases and pests

1. After winter cold, thuja needles are often affected by brown mold. Its name is Schutte Brown. The plant needs to be treated with Bordeaux mixture or carticide. It is recommended to treat thuja several times, maintaining an interval of two weeks.
2. Treatment with Rogor-S or Actellik will help cope with aphids.
3. To treat fungal diseases, use HOM, commander or cartocide.

If you were able to correctly determine why the thuja begins to turn yellow, then the plant can be saved and it will long years delight you with lush greenery.

Thujas look very impressive in landscape design, but they need to be properly cared for. Very often gardeners are faced with a problem; they ask the question: the thuja has turned yellow after winter, what should I do? Let's figure out what could be the reasons for the yellowing of the thuja crown, and how you can cope with this scourge.

Sometimes the thuja turns yellow inside. If you move the branches of the needles apart, you can see this yellowing. We can say that this is the norm, since the needles change every season. Old branches that are located inside the crown are aging. You should not touch dried branches before winter, and in the spring you need to manually clear the thuja from such branches. It is better not to use a tool, otherwise you may damage the plant. And any microtrauma will lead to infection.

In autumn, some types of thuja can change the color of the plant crown to yellow-green, and sometimes brown-green. Therefore, if your thuja has changed color, do not immediately panic. You may have Thuja cuspidum or Thuja occidentalis growing in your garden. In the spring, when the snow melts, the soil thaws, and sap flow begins in the trunk and branches of the tree, the needles will turn green again. Many coniferous trees prefer to change color, this is a kind of protective reaction of trees from the spring sun. For pine needles, burns received in the spring can be disastrous.

Severe frosts can cause yellowing of the needles. If the winter has little snow and frosts reach 30 degrees, cracks form on the trunks and the needles on this side turn yellow. It is difficult to insure against this. In regions with harsh winters, it is better to cover thuja every year, and not just in the first year.

Other causes of yellowing of the crown

Thuja needles may turn yellow for the following reasons:

• Excess or lack of fertilizers.
• Sunburn in spring. Young thuja is very sensitive to the sun and changes in weather.
• There is a lot or little moisture in the soil. At large quantities moisture, the top of the thuja turns yellow.
• Diseases and pests. Yellowing can be caused by false scale insects, as well as Fusarium disease.

Reasons for blackening of thuja after winter

After frosts, sometimes dark, almost black spots can be found on the thuja. There are two reasons for the problem:

1. This may be due to a fungal infection. If the spots are few and small, you can limit yourself to treating the fungicide. It is carried out twice, taking a break of two weeks. Areas that the fungus has managed to infect must be removed. If a large part of the thuja is affected, the tree should be removed, otherwise it will infect the rest of the plantings.
2. If the black spots are concentrated on the lower level of the tree, pets defecating on the arborvitae are most likely to blame. If large areas of the tree are affected, the thuja will die and must be removed.

How to make thuja look green again

After finding out the reasons for the yellowing of thuja needles, you need to begin resuscitating the plant.

Incorrect landing

Why does thuja turn yellow after planting? Beginning gardeners often make mistakes when planting thuja seedlings. It is necessary not to bury the seedling too deeply; the root collar should remain at soil level. When planting, you need to remember that after a few rains the soil will settle and the tree will sink a little more.

If the thuja suddenly begins to turn yellow, you need to check whether the planting site has been chosen correctly. Perhaps the thuja grows in a damp place, or it is too dry. Drying out, as well as excess moisture, can destroy the plant.

If there is a lack of moisture, you must immediately water the plant, and additionally spray it. If the sun constantly hits the thuja, it needs to be shaded a little. After this you need proper watering, it is recommended to spray with Epin-extra.

What to do if there is stagnant water in the area? Drainage grooves can be dug to allow water to drain away from the planting hole. But this is possible if the slope of the site allows it. If it is not possible to arrange drainage ditches, create raised beds onto which the thujas are transplanted.

Fertilizer shortage

• For the proper development of thuja, you need to maintain a balance of micro and macroelements. Yellowness can be caused by a lack of manganese, copper, potassium or nitrogen. If yellow areas are detected on the needles, it is necessary to analyze all the fertilizers to determine whether all the elements are sufficient in these fertilizers.
• The leaves become pale green, the shoots stop growing, which means that the thuja does not have enough nitrogen. Impaired nitrogen metabolism can cause potassium deficiency. Ammonia accumulates in the crown, which leads to yellowing and further death of the shoots.
• With a lack of copper and iron, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted, thuja needles lose their green color.
• Leaves may turn yellow due to chlorosis caused by manganese deficiency.

Diseases and pests

Many pests can cause thuja shoots to begin to turn yellow. Thuja aphids and moths are especially annoying to the plant. When the first signs of damage to the thuja are detected, it is necessary to apply insecticides.

Schutte and tracheomycosis wilt sometimes lead to the death of trees. And it all starts with yellowing of the needles. Then it becomes gray and brown. It is necessary to destroy the plant, otherwise the fungal spores will spread to other plants. The soil should be treated with a fungicide.

To prevent fungal diseases, you need to spray with Bordeaux mixture in the spring. If there are signs of disease, the entire garden is sprayed every 15-20 days.

Sunburn

If spring burning occurs, the needles turn brown. Beginning gardeners don’t even always notice this right away. At first, the tops of the shoots simply dry out a little. But in May the seedlings become distinctly brown. It becomes clear that the thuja is burnt. The spring sun is too bright; it begins to shine and warm when the roots of the thuja are still in the frozen soil. The plant does not receive sufficient quantity nutritious juices, resulting in a burn.

Even covering with spandbond or lutrasil cannot always help. Sometimes such shelter only causes harm, because due to lack of air the shoots begin to rot. As a preventive measure, you should thoroughly water the thuja in the fall. In spring it is recommended to water the plant lightly warm water, no higher than 40°C, this will help awaken the roots of the plant.

Why do thujas turn yellow? Perhaps every second owner of evergreen shrubs faces this question. There may be several reasons for the change in needle color. To find out the truth, you will have to carefully observe the plants. This way you can determine exactly what happened to fluffy beauties and begin a “rescue operation.”

Natural yellowing of needles

Yellowing does not always indicate a serious problem. Sometimes this is a completely normal process. The fact is that every needle has a lifespan. On average - 3-5 years. After this period, the needles lose the chlorophyll grains responsible for their green color, turn yellow and die. After some time, a new needle appears in place of the old one - fresh and green.

If you notice that on inside crowns and individual needles fade and fall off, then most likely nothing bad is happening. The thuja just changes its “coat”.

Some varieties also change color with the arrival of autumn. Thus, thujas Holstrup, Brabant and Columna are painted in a light brown shade. Color change is a response to a decrease in temperature, allowing it to adapt to new conditions. In spring everything returns to normal and the crown becomes green again. If this does not happen, then the reason is different.

Thuja variety Columna hedge

Errors during planting and care

The second most common cause of yellowing needles is errors when planting seedlings and subsequently caring for them.

Soil characteristics are of particular importance. Planting thuja on sandy soil, which is unable to retain nutrients, results in discoloration. Dense clay soil contains little oxygen necessary for the full development of the root system. Weak roots cannot absorb essential micronutrients in sufficient quantities, which also leads to the appearance of dry needles.

Peat areas with stagnant waters are not the best place for landing. Roots that are constantly in wet conditions, begin to rot, and this again affects appearance thuja - it fades, turns yellow and crumbles. When groundwater flows superficially, the installation of a drainage cushion is mandatory. Otherwise, tarnishing of the needles and “balding” of the branches cannot be avoided.

Yellowed thuja branch

In addition to the above, the following causes yellowing:

• excessive deepening of the root collar during planting, or, on the contrary, exposing it - the root collar should be flush with the surface of the earth;
• too tight fit. The distance between individual shrubs must be at least 1 m. An exception is when thujas are planted to form a hedge;
• a sharp change in growing conditions. If the bushes for a long time grew in the shade, and for some reason you decided to transplant them into the sun, then get ready for the fact that the green “cap” may not become as bright as before;
• abuse of fertilizers. Uncontrolled application of complex mineral additives is harmful - the needles turn yellow and become loose;
• lack of moisture. Insufficient watering has a negative impact on general condition thuja. It starts to hurt and turns yellow.

Thuja changes color when there is a lack of iron in the soil. First the needles turn yellow, then white.

Great harm coniferous plants caused by pets. When cats and dogs regularly mark shrubs, this leads to damage to the root system and the appearance of a red coating on the shoots.

Another common cause of yellowing needles is sunburn. Many varieties of thuja are sensitive to the spring sun, and if they are not protected with covering material, the end of winter will be marked by the appearance of yellow-orange burns on the branches.

A thuja seedling that died from sunburn in the spring

Pests and diseases

If you have ruled out natural yellowing, improper planting and care, then proceed to a careful inspection of the bushes. Perhaps pests have settled on them.

The most common sucking pests are thuja false scale insects and aphids. The first is a small brown insect, no more than 3 mm in size. You need to look for it, or rather for them, on the underside of the shoots. Aphids also live on the lower parts of branches. But they have a grayish color with a slight waxy coating.

Thuja branch affected by thuja false scale

Of the pine-eating pests, the ones you should be most wary of are the moth and the gray leaf roller. The moth is not difficult to spot. The caterpillars do not even try to hide and openly gnaw passages in the tissues of the plant. The danger of infection with the leaf roller is manifested in the fact that the thuja not only loses its decorative effect, but also dies if treated carelessly. You can get rid of such “guests” with the help of drugs containing pyrethroids and sanitary pruning.

Another enemy of the thuja is the click beetle. The larvae of this insect feed on the roots of the bush. It is noteworthy that the process can last several years. At first, tiny larvae eat small roots of thuja without causing significant damage, but after 3-5 years they become capable of gnawing thick roots. The needles quickly turn yellow, dry out and fall off. Digging the soil and treating it with diazinon-based products will help defeat the attack.

Click beetle larva

Yellowing of needles may be associated with fungal diseases. The tinder fungus and Phytophthora cause not only a change in the color of the needles, but also a softening of the bark, cessation of growth, drying out of the shoots and rotting of the roots. Fighting fungal infections is difficult. Diseased shoots are cut off, the “wounds” are treated with drying oil paint, the bushes are sprayed with preparations containing copper, but if the affected area is large, then it is recommended to completely destroy the plantings and disinfect the soil.

Root system affected by late blight

Now that you know why arborvitae turn yellow, it will be easier for you to determine the true root cause and take conservation measures. natural beauty this wonderful plant. Let your evergreen “wards” remain bright and unusually beautiful!

A very sad sight in spring or autumn is the yellowed, browned, sometimes covered with a grayish twigs of evergreen thuja. You should respond extremely quickly and responsibly to such an obviously painful condition of a beautiful coniferous tree. Our article will tell you how to understand the causes of the illness of everyone’s favorite, the unpretentious “tree of life” during the warm season and how to help it.

Why did the thuja begin to lose its decorative effect and began to turn yellow?

The loss of its decorative value by the thuja - its yellowing, as a rule, occurs due to a whole range of reasons. It may be neglect and lack necessary care behind the plant itself, which is why the conifer developed a deficiency of nutrients in the soil and began to have problems with the root system of the plant. It is possible that the plant is sick or has been attacked by pests, as well as its bad influence may be initially incorrect .

Note! Thuja needles may turn yellow in the fall natural cause- because of her loss chlorophyll, a substance that provides nutrition to the needles. Thus, they turn yellow, dry out and die, and then new green needles appear in the same place. This is normal natural life cycle, which occurs with thuja every 3-6 years.

Also, at the end of autumn, thuja needles may turn yellow due to natural protective reaction of the conifer to cold weather, then she herself will turn green again.

Important! Whatever the reason causes the yellowing and drying of thuja needles, all affected branches must be ruthlessly cut out. In this case, it is enough to simply remove only the dried “leaves”, since greenery will still grow on the branches. Do not leave yellow needles, if you want to save the tree!

Video: why thuja turns yellow and how to save it

Insufficient or improper care of thuja

Thuja most often dries out and turns yellow due to lack of moisture in the crown and root system of the conifer. Therefore, on sunny, hot summer days, the needles must be regularly watered by sprinkling (showering), and also pour a sufficient amount of water into the tree trunk itself, which must be mulched so that the moisture can linger longer.

True, everything can be the other way around: thuja receives too much moisture, which stagnates due to poor drainage. In this case, you need to either transplant it or correct it in some way. drainage system, otherwise, due to stagnation of moisture, the plant may become ill with one of the fungal diseases.

Sunburn needles appear as a result of lack of moisture during the transitional winter-spring period. A very bright spring sun can simply burn a defenseless thuja almost to the very trunk. Therefore, at the end of winter - beginning of spring (February-March), you should shade the conifer using, for example, a simple white material(sheets), camouflage net or lutrasil (throw it directly over the plant and do not remove until April).

Advice! If the thuja is still damaged by the sun, then spray it with a growth stimulator, for example, epin or zircon. However, it is generally quite useful to do such treatment every spring.

Video: why thuja dries in the spring, what to do in this case

Also, yellowing and drying of thuja needles is possible due to the fact that The roots of the plant do not have enough room to grow. As a rule, this happens 5-7 years after planting the seedling in open ground, when it grows sufficiently and outgrows the previously made planting hole. The only way to save the tree is to transplant it to a new location.

If you planted thuja too close, then they may begin to turn yellow due to the fact that they will take away scarce nutrition from each other, and due to poor air circulation, they may rot out.

Another reason for yellowing (or rather, drilling, the needles begin to take on a rusty tint) of thuja is deficiency of nutrients in the soil. Therefore, do not skimp on liquid fertilizing with special fertilizers for conifers if you do not want them to lose their decorative qualities. For example, if there is a lack of iron in the soil, it turns yellow or white, and a lack of phosphorus can be expressed in the appearance of a reddish-purple hue.

It is very important to carry out correct formation of thuja: If you prune too harshly with a blunt instrument, this can also cause yellowing (even browning) of the needles.

Note! An unexpected cause of yellowing and even blackening of the lower part of the crown may be urine of domestic animals, namely the marks of dogs and cats.

Video: the main reasons for yellowing of thujas

Thuja diseases

If fungal diseases For thujas that have caused its yellowing, it is urgently necessary to do sanitary pruning, and then spray the tree crown for a long time various kinds fungicides, such as acrobat.

By the way! It often happens that the cause of thuja fungal disease is lawn. Most likely, in this case, the ephedra caught fusarium, which often occurs both in the grass and, indeed, on the conifer itself.

Newly planted thujas may be affected after winter when the snow melts brown shutte. The needles acquire a brownish tint, and then a gray-black coating appears on it. As preventive measures in early spring the ephedra should be treated .

Pests of thuja

It often happens that they settle on thuja ticks, the presence of which on the needles of a tree can only be determined using a magnifying glass. So, if you see small red insects, this means that you have ticks on your tree. The solution to the problem is to spray the conifers with Fufanon or Actellik.

Thuja can also be attacked by sucking insect pests such as thuja aphids, thuja false scale insects, juniper scale insects, mealybug, moth moth and bug. Because of this, in the spring the plant’s needles may also acquire a reddish-brown color and even become covered with a grayish coating.

Thuja aphid

To completely destroy these pests in early spring, treat the thuja Karbofos, and then in the summer additionally spray the ephedra as a preventive measure Rogor or again Actellicom.

Thuja false scale

The following pests are no less harmful and dangerous for thuja:

To destroy these insect pests, in late spring and early summer, conifers should be sprayed again with Fufanon or Actellik, although a preparation such as Confidor is also suitable.

Note! Treatments against diseases and pests of thuja should be repeated 2-3 times a month with an interval of 1 week, and it is better to spray in the morning or evening. In addition, it is imperative to follow all safety measures, performing all manipulations in a protective suit and a mask with a carbon filter.

Thus, there are several serious reasons behind the yellowing of thuja needles, including the natural age-related reaction of the conifer in the fall, and in the spring and summer, improper care of the tree and seasonal attacks of diseases and insect pests. We hope that our sound advice and recommendations will help you prevail over all the enemies of the thuja.

Video: reasons for yellowing of thujas

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