What to do with this Thuja Occ.

I started working on a Thuja Occidentalis 2 weeks ago (that was before I watched that video about nursery stock plants by Ryan from Mirai). I started with no endresult in mind so basicly I just cut away some branches near the trunk and applied some wire to the tree. I think I'm going to take it all off again but right now I have no clue what I can make of this tree. Next to the trunk there are 2 big branches going straight up, it's like there are 3 trunks. Again, no clue on how to handle that.

Any advise is appreciated. Thanx!

I'd let it grow.

Fertilize, sun and water. They back bud quite well.

Every year Thujas have some die back. Instead of letting them choose which frawns will die back, make the decision for it, and cut back growth that is too far away from the trunk. Just don't cut back all of it. you still need some green. Bi-forkation!

If you're happy with the length of your branches, you just need to let the trunk thicken up. Personally I'd put it in a bigger pot even...

If you don't like your lengths, you have to help promote back budding.

and also remember, thuja foliage isn't ambidextrous (for a lack of a better term). Make sure you wire it right side up. If you wire it the wrong way, it will burn and die.

To promote back budding. Feed it heavy and give it lots and lots of sun. and a fair bit of water.

as for your triple trunk. Pick one and jin/shari/cut off the rest.

It takes time. Best to let it be and get 30 more trees to experiment on.

I'll just put it in a bigger pot and let it be then.

Would it be an option to make a 1st branch out of 1 of those trunks (next year that is)?

Fonz said:

I'll just put it in a bigger pot and let it be then.

Would it be an option to make a 1st branch out of 1 of those trunks (next year that is)?

Click to expand...

You could probably even slip-pot it into a bigger one right now.

You can even make branch selection now. Spring is best time for hard pruning, but you can start setting a first branch now, sure I don't see why not.

I'm no Thuja expert. I have a few of my own, and am learning as I go as well. I am very fortunate though that a number of club members have some outstanding Thuja specimens that I can learn from. I don't go and prune them, but I learn via their techniques. It's a wonderful, highly underappreciated species. I'm glad more and more people are starting to pay attention to them.

The other thing is that they are very resilient, and bend well. Don't take extreme bends off of the table. Although it was recommended to me to do those big bends in the spring.

Have fun!

Forgot all about this thread.
I put the thing in the ground in 2018 and it's still there. Probably still will be in 25 years

Damn, that's some smooth wiring