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Arborvitae Care

Posted on by Urban Eden Landscaping

Arborvitae is an incredibly popular tree, often planted in landscapes throughout Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver, Washington. They are hardy and require little effort when cared for properly. This blog will discuss how best to care for arborvitae.

What Are Arborvitae?

Arborvitae is coniferous, evergreen tree from the genus (family) of thuja. The word arborvitae is derived from the Latin term for Tree of Life. Their shoots are flat, their leaves are scale like, with small cones that grow at the tips. Arborvitae are ornamental and are often grown as hedges for privacy. Deer are quite often attracted to them as a source of food.

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Planting Arborvitae

Arborvitae should be planted in well-drained soil to accommodate for their roots which grow deep into the ground. When planting arborvitae, ensure that they are spaced correctly, at roughly five feet apart. They do best in full sun but will withstand some shade.

Watering Arborvitae

When arborvitae are first being established, they should be watered daily, and the soil should be kept moist. After about 2 weeks of daily watering, roots should begin to become more established, and you can begin watering every other day. After about a month, you can begin watering them two to three times a week. After about two months, once the plants have become somewhat more established, you can cut back watering them to once a week. When they have reached this point, do not over water them; the soil should be dry by the time you return to water them for the week.

Pruning Arborvitae

Oftentimes, arborvitae will maintain their natural triangular shape but can be pruned to encourage this type of growth as well. How you prune arborvitae will depend on the look you are trying to achieve. However, cutting away any broken, dead, or diseased portions of the plant should be done whenever necessary. The bulk of pruning should be performed in late fall or early went, preferably. Pruning in late spring or summer can often shock plants and is discouraged unless absolutely necessary.

Fertilizing Arborvitae

Arborvitae should be fertilized annually with a slow-release fertilizer. Arborvitae loves nitrogen but using a general fertilizer with a mixture of nutrients is best. Fertilizer should be applied in early spring before new growth begins to form. Fertilizing is most important when growing arborvitae in close proximity to each other as they will have to split the soils nutrients between them.

Urban Eden Landscaping has an abundance of experience in planting, pruning and caring for arborvitae. If you are looking for help with caring for your plants or with any other landscaping tasks, contact us today or fill out a FREE estimate request. 

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