Anyone know about Arborvitaes?

[pattytastik]

A customer wants me to install 2 Emerald Green Arborvitaes. Her last 2 died after being watered a lot everyday. She wants to wait to put them in until spring when it is cooler and more rainy. Is spring the best time to put in these kinds of trees?

Thanks!

Josh

[ArenaLandscaping]

You can plant Arborvitaes in the spring or the fall with no problems.

Here are a few links about Arborvitae-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuja
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-149.pdf
http://www.aboutarborvitae.com/arborvitae_care.shtml

[pattytastik]

Originally Posted by ArenaLandscaping R.I.

You can plant Arborvitaes in the spring or the fall with no problems.

Here are a few links about Arborvitae-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuja
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-149.pdf

Thanks! Could it be better to plant in spring rather than fall?

[Smallaxe]

Fall is best, Spring is second best... if they were watered everyday, I would be very careful to find out why? they died... If they were b&b I'd be willing to bet why...

[RAlmaroad]

Arborvitaes died often because of the mite or spider. They suck the life out of the plant. Keep them sprayed. I'm not sure of this but check into the pH of the arborvitaes' soil. Something in the back of my mind tells me that they need a acidic soil condition. They must be pruned correctly; else they split and grow multiple trunks which catch snow and droop and break from which they never recover. They smell fantastic and are very stately. We have a lot of them in Italy only second to the cypress.

[Smallaxe]

Spider mites become a poblem for heavily fertilized landscape, but otherwise we have never had a problem here... Technys are the most popular variety in that they are fast growing and have a wider habit than the Emeralds therefore better hedges...

Yes, acid soil is preferable , but we never treat for it... RAlmaroad makes a good point in that hi pH soils may just be too much of a problem...

My guess is still the plant dried out and burnt in the heat of this summer. They are partial to shade and may suffer dehydration during winter....

[lukemelo216]

They dont need to be watered everyday. Probably poor planting along with too much water and thats why they died. If you pulled out those trees, I would bet the hole is full of water, or the soil is at least very very wet down there which isnt good at all.

When you plant, dig your hole 2-3x's the width of the ball. And then however deep it needs to be so the root flare is at the soil level or just above about 1". Cut away ropes and entire cage, and then back fill 1/2 the hole with organic soil, water the tree in. Really fill the hole up so that soil settles good. Then fill in the rest with the soil you dug out. Mulch around the tree. Make sure you dont volcano the tree either. The mulch should go up a little then down to where there is actually no mulch touching the root flare.

After that, for the first year, she should be watering those trees 1x per week for about 2 hours. Put the hose right by the root flare and put the hose on a slow-medium stream and water in for 2-3 hours and the tree will do fine.

I would plant them now/ in the fall. Fall is the best planting time, longer range of cooler temps, more rain so she doesnt have to water as much (make sure to mention that to her if it rains good she doesnt need to water as soon.)

[Smallaxe]

Arborvitaes are of the cedar family and they grow naturally in swamps... Unless you have a soil that hold too much water in that it promotes root rot, drowning trees by manual watering is very unlikely...