Emerald Green Arborvitae Care: Tips, Removing Brown Needles, Fertilizing, Privacy Tree Fence

[@sfgal5716]

Thanks for the tips on how to do this. I have 20 trees, I did the first 10 without gloves now I will finish the rest with gloves because like you said they are itchy!👍🏻

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Well they break me out in a rash

[@sylvierossignol9757]

We were recommended to use a fertilizer especially for trees, shrubs and evergreens. Manure is also used in addition to the fertilizer. We mulched them too. They are already looking better than this Spring. We had a lot of snow and they had separated, we tied a few limbs. It worked great and now they look normal. But I will go clean out the dead bit. Thanks for showing this, I wasn’t sure if I should.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

You don’t have to but I’m glad I do.

[@SouthCarolinaTransPlant]

Excellent video! I just fertilized our 14 arborvitaes with Plant-Tone. I will be spraying with Captain Jack's in a few weeks. We really learn as we age! I remember seeing those bag worm cocoons years ago on another property we owned. Not knowing any better; I thought they were dead pine needles. Almost all of our Spartan Junipers were decimated. You live and you learn. Thank you!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Yes we do.

[@Claribel42]

Thank you so very much for the tips and for showing the amount of fertilizer I need to use for them. I love this trees and I had planted a bunch of them. Last year I have the problem of bag worms which I never had before and I was looking on how to prevent them and I found you to give me these great tips ❤. Thank you 🙏 for so a nice and very simple video without so much talking but straight to the topic👍👍

[@jim-od8pv]

I planted 10 emerald green 2.5 gallon a week ago at 4 feet apart and getting 10 more next week. Thanks for the video.

[@tinaknutsen]

I bought 7 thuja arborvitae early spring. It is 7/21 and I still don’t have them planted. We put in a fence that took longer than expected and we wanted to get it stained before planting up. Plan on planting them up even though we are in a drought because I think they’d be better in the ground than in the nursery containers. We have about 50 established arborvitaes on the other side of our property and every spring we spray for spider mites along with our weeping junipers. My neighborhood was built in the late 60’s early 70’s and about every other house has a weeping juniper and I noticed in early summer they would all start to turn brown. Had a arborists come and he told me it was a spider mite problem. Since I started treating I am the only house that has a beautiful bluish green weeping juniper in the summer months for the last 7 years. My neighbor across the street just asked how I am keeping it green because he said he waters all the time. So now he is treating his yard.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

@@tinaknutsen spider mites are no joke. They can definitely kill a tree.

[@dmb4500]

Writing in Sept 2024. Planted 35 trees in lower Mich 1 year ago. Was very alarmed to see the brown inside my trees and now I am very relieved! One question; can “overwatering” make the tree brown out? What could constitute overwatering? I have a trickle hose set up. I have mulch. Was watering 15m/ day and was told that could kill the tree. (We lost 3 as the year progressed). Appreciate any feedback 😊

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I think it’s a blessing if you are into 1 year. I think if they were going to struggle it would be the first year. These trees are so tricky. You have to have enough but not too much. The water meter to see how much moisture in the ground worked well for me. If too much water I would think it would brown on the outer edges not in the middle. And not planting them too deep. If they have good drainage it shouldn’t be an issue

[@gardeningonthewestforkwith8994]

Love how particular you are cleaning the plant adds such a good look I agree the tree is saying thank you 😊 love the plant tone for everything . Great products. Very nice video today I’ve had bagworms but have controlled them . Prevention is best!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Thanks Teresa

[@reneeschroeder5583]

Thank you I just extra of the plantone

[@charitysmith108]

Thank you for such informative videos! I’m a complete garden newbie (in zone 7b) & I’ve learned so much from you already! So glad I stumbled across your channel! 💗

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Awe thanks. So glad I have helped.

[@slackburngirl8593]

Thank you for your video! Spent the last three days all day doing just this which you are doing in your video . My neighbors think I’m crazy for sure ! There are brown rows of arborvitae all over town and why spend the money if you are just going to let them turn brown and die. Mine are about 7-8 feet and newly planted(10 large from a local nursery and were robust ) and, were very lush until about 3 weeks ago they started to (and did !) turn brown all from the middle out. I didn’t even notice because I wasn’t out there enough and am now alarmed. I figure it is transplant shock as I don’t see any bugs or yellow at the top. 8 more are also small(5 feet and skinny ) or possible they got too much water with all the rain and the strange storm we got a month ago with high winds .leaf blight maybe … I have a guarantee for a year but know how that might play out ., there is new growth that is dead on the inside of sone and tiny new growth that is bright green and definitely alive on all of them; some more than others . I am about to fertilize and wondering about the Biotone and drenching them or not. It’s making me crazy ! You are great I loved your video !!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I know I definitely said some prayers over mine. I planted some twice before I got them to root in and take off.

[@slackburngirl8593]

I ordered the miticide and the other type of food that you showed .. I also put biotone down in holes that I made with a deep stake all around then flooded the holes..the man who planted these ( first time I used a helper in my life :((( ) did not throw any root starter in the holes . On my others I dug like mad for hours and cleared every rock for miles flooded the holes first added the Biotone mixed the native soil in added manure etc etc. i also got the burlap for winter .. :/(/( I figure I will cross off all the boxes and hope for the best … they do have all new little shoots of green sticking out at the bottom branches even; it’s as if something attacked them suddenly and they immediately saved themselves ( lol ) because they were so healthy. It has really hit me by surprise . I know they were definitely taking water in because the very top of the tree is not yellow on any of them. They are only 3 months since planted and were not in direct sun for too long on any days because there is a loose shade cover from one direction above as the sun archs over my property; in a strange way and they are on the side … so they definitely didn’t fry up . Honestly I’m wondering if my neighbor sprayed something but I don’t dare ask since he is constantly watching every move I make on my own property:((( very upsetting ! Will definitely keep watching your videos … love the way you deliver information it is very straightforward and thorough.

[@beMay-v9y]

You are very pleasant and easy to listen to as well as informative--thank you! But I have this brown bags in my arborvitae and don't know what to do or how to treat them... Any ideas?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

They will destroy you tree. Try Captain Jack Dead Bug. I would remove all that you see with your pruners and put them in a plastic bag. Do not use in your composter if you have one. The are Bag Worms. Can also just Google what will kill them. I’m glad you saw them.

[@rockyk9316]

Arbovitae needles are very good natural mulch for garden soil. Dig a hole, dump them and use for soil later or cover soil around other plants

[@Luckingsworth]

Depends on what you are growing. The needles lower the soil pH. Some plants prefer more alkaline environments.

[@richardbotha777]

Thank you. You hit every topic. Please advice how to spray for spider mites.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I use Captain Jack Dead bug in a big sprayer. www.amazon.com/dp/B001VJBYMC/?tag=backyardbloom-20 I need to spray soon. It will be in a Come Garden With Me video.

[@thepracticingguitarist]

Thank you for this video. We have a group of 10 pretty mature/tall arborvitae in our backyard -- over 10 feet tall. One got bagworm last spring/summer. I caught it around August/September and tried to get them all. But since our AV are so tall, it was hard to collect all of them. Now that we've made it through winter, I've sprayed my AV with Bacillus Thuringiensis to counteract any remaining bagworm issues -- I also removed some more this weekend. This particular AV is brown near the top and still green in the middle/on the bottom. I hope I can save it. Next week, I am going to put down some Plant Tone and, thanks to this video, remove the dead needles in the middle. Any other tips/recommendations to try and save my infected AV? My other AVs seem to be in pretty good shape, so hoping these treatments will serve as preventive maintenance. And another question: when the needles fall to the ground, how do you remove them -- just pick them up or blow them out with a leaf blower?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I removed my needles and disposed because I don’t like the look. Spray for spider mites in May and august. I use Caption Jack Dead Bug.

[@mathspecialistsllc9519]

Thank you for the informative video. I just( last week) had some Arborvitae 3 ft shrubs planted. ZONE 7b. Western North Carolina Winston Salem area. How often should I water them. About how many gallons of water per tree.? I do not mind the extra work. How do I protect the leaders from the wind and very cold Temps. (temp range ????). Thank you.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

The temperature should be fine. I did nothing they are much more cold tolerant. It’s the heat the don’t like in 7b. I have drip running to my bed so it’s hard for me to tell you how much to water. I would think the need a deep watering right now at least 1 to 2 a week. Get a monitor to tell you if the soil is to wet or too dry and use that as a gauge. A slow drip to them is best at the root. A sprinkler will not work.

[@mathspecialistsllc9519]

@@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM Ok . Thank you very much.

[@toronto690]

They look amazing! Im planning to plant some in the next 2 weeks. We have clay soil here in Ontario, Canada. How should we plant them? What earth to add? Fettilizer?

[@SouthCarolinaTransPlant]

I'm actually plugging this video in my next video due out this weekend, 7/6. Thanks for this informative video!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I’ll keep a lookout.

[@SouthCarolinaTransPlant]

@@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM Okay... Please do! Thanks!

[@gregdean1538]

Great education video and I appreciate you sharing this. I do have a question, if your type of fertilizer is not available then what is the mixture so that I can try to apply something similar? Again Thank you for sharing.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Amazon has these products. Links are in my description. Lowe’s usually has Holly tone or plant tone.

[@gregdean1538]

@@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM thank you for your quick reply. I want to take as good care of my arborvitae trees as you do yours.

[@FireInDisguise]

When do you fertilize with Plant Tone? Spring? Also, if it’s Fall, should you clean out the inner brown dead zone or wait until Spring to do it?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I did mine in spring but will probably continue to loose needles in the winter. I’m zone 8 so I fertilize the end of March or beginning in April

[@jaymz0074]

Hi Kim. Thank you for the great video. Do you have a recommendation for soil i can purchase for growing these trees in pots while they are young ? Thank you.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I have always learned that plants are actually happier in the ground. If you still want to put in containers I like Proven Winners. Espoma has a good one also.

[@jaymz0074]

@@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM thank you very much 😊

[@worlduandi3487]

Where’s the link for drip irrigation that you said you were add in the comments. I’m planning on switching to drip irrigation completely, and it would be of great help. Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

When you click on the video you see my description of the video. Hit more. Then scroll down you will see all the links to the parts I used for drip. Can order them on Amazon.

[@bettypaulino3616]

Thank you for all that information 🤗💝🥰🙏

[@ICUTGRASSLLC]

Can you use that plant-tone on the emerland greens in the late fall?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I don’t think it will hurt them. But they are about to go dormant. Early spring would be ideal. It’s slow release so it will not hurt.

[@wayneisken347]

Could you take a leaf blower , and with eye protection on, stick the nozzle in the arborvitaes and blow all the dead needles out?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I guess you can try. I have also seen people take a water house and get them out also. I didn’t want to make a mess

[@63MGB1]

I've tried the leaf blower and it wasn't powerful enough.

[@lisaturnage4900]

We recently planted 11 of these a month ago. They were at Lowes and very dry at the time we bought them. I've been trying to water them but not when I think it's going to rain. I have started seeing some brown areas (outside of the tree). They weren't like this when we bought them even though they were very dry. We did have dead leaves to fall from the dryness but they weren't brown on the outsides. Do you think they are not getting enough water? I'm getting concerned that they will die. I am also in zone 7-near Greensboro NC. Should I cut off the dead areas? I don't think it's the whole limb just some leaves that are noticeable on the outside when you look at the tree. I am new at getting these types of trees. Thank you for this video

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I would leave it. If the whole tree looks bad I would return them. I actually liked the Monrovia ones. They did better in my garden.

[@ibizablonde]

I’m in zone 7a Okla and have a difficult time with these. Can you tell me how long your watering? Do you experienced wind much. My hedge has been decimated 2x now. I’m debating on if I should try again or not. I love them so much but can’t bare to have such loss over and over again.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I had a hard time the first time planting. You have to use at least 80 percent original soil or the will get root rot, amend no more than 20 %. I have mine on a drip for 30 to 40 min a day in the 90 degree heat. Less than than in the spring and fall. We have a good amount of wind. Buying a good reputable tree form like Proven Winners or Monrovia. And buy a larger root ball of about 30 gallons or so. Fertilizer every spring. And plant early spring or fall. Hope all this helps. Good luck.

[@ibizablonde]

@@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM thankyou so much for your reply! This info def helped. I’m going try 1 more time. I came across your Chanel for the first time yest. Keep it up. You might have just saved a disgruntled Arb lover. 💕

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Let me know what they look like. Weather it’s too much water or not enough. Actually I probably had to much water

[@Fred.pSonic]

Try again if you're growing them for a privacy hedge, they're definitely worth the effort when done right. Plant them early spring to lessen the chances of transplant shock. A common error is burying the root ball too deep, the very top should be just barely above ground level, like an onion bulb barely peeking above the soil. Remove the burlap surrounding the root ball otherwise your roots will struggle. If you have clay soil like I have don't turn the soil too much, opening up hard soil with a garden fork is good enough. I amended my dirt with lots of top soil then after planting added aged compost and finishing with a mulch, all of this while avoiding contact with the trunk. I fertilize (a handful around the trunk, not too much) in mid-March and mid-September with Vigoro Tree Shrub & Evergreen, my arbos love the stuff. Most important is a consistent watering schedule (1/2 inch drip irrigation system w timer), watering deeply in the morning and doing so more often during heat waves. Based on your climate (I'm 8b in Tacoma WA) you'll have to experiment early on with how often to water. If the lower part looks faded/yellowish and feels a little dry back off the watering, healthy trees will have a waxy feel. The leading tips at the very top are a big indicator on whether or not it's happy and healthy. You can do this--good luck!

[@esedman157]

How tall were these when you planted them? I started with the small ones about 1.5 feet max and I’m regretting it!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Mine were about 4 feet or less yes I think if you can afford them at 6 ft it’s best. I wish I bought larger as well. And a larger root ball at 20 gallon at least

[@jackiejones5037]

Excellent information!! Will you be doing a video on the care and fertilizing your bermuda grass? I hope so!!!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Yes I will I had a video on winter care. Did you see that one ?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKWmnaxoeLWAisU

[@jackiejones5037]

Yes I did 😀. Thanks so much!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

@@jackiejones5037 I do have a few videos on this. I use Anderson’s PGF Complete

[@millermelissa23]

When I mulch do I put any at the base of the tree ?

[@JG-cy2wf]

I love your pop up bag for garden waste. Can you share where you got it?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

www.amazon.com/dp/B076TP9ZLZ/?tag=backyardbloom-20

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

This is the link. I bought off Amazon

[@Luckingsworth]

You can plant them closer than 3 ft if you want complete coverage. They will turn into a hedge.

[@reneeschroeder5583]

I was confused do you use it on Hydrangea as well?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

You can. I use plant tone on my arborvitae and rose tone on my hydrangeas.

[@barbedmundson2398]

what kind of mulch should go under the cedars?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I don’t think it matters. Just don’t build up a lot of mulch next to the bark of the tree

[@toronto690]

Are they 28" apart from centre?

[@dougmoore224]

Hmmmm........could you come over to my yard and take care of the 15 arborvitaes i just planted today.....

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Pray. Lol make sure they are not planted to deep. Give them a deep watering. Spray for spider mites at least 1 a year. Now is a good time. Give them plant tone once a year.

[@ettietti8533]

great video thank you 😊

[@AG34273]

Do you know if pruning these will promote growth like other threes. I wan't them to encourage to grown in the direction I want but too afraid to trim/prune them because they grow so slowly. And any way to expedite the growth?

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Definitely don’t prune the tops. I would just fertilize them

[@danielstromgren5388]

From experience- you want to prune the tops if you want them to grow wider

[@50hellkat2]

Leaf blower works.

[@00563535ra]

I use my blower

[@stampinndahood]

Mine were toasted in 9B...so upset!

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

I honestly don’t think they like the heat past zone 7. I’m a zone 8 but I had mine on drip

[@mrjuhbenny]

AR-BORE-VY-TAY

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Honestly Jay why do they spell it that way when it’s a -tee. I’m trying to remember to say it the other way. But you know what I mean. lol

[@kennethflynn2469]

Umm I did research and these can grow to 60 feet with a 20 foot wide spread

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Umm that is the Green Giants. 😅

[@IreneNevins]

There are too many leaders. Should have been pruned to one leader when younger. Prevents storms from splitting them.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Any idea on how to trim. I did trim some down when they were younger. The ones from Home Depot were a bit bushier. I like the ones from Monrovia.

[@SouthCarolinaTransPlant]

Our landscaper said to when they grow more than 1 leader to prune the dominant (from main trunk) back to the trunk.

[@eb4676]

Put a plastic bag underneath would remove faster.

[@BACKYARDBLOOMSWITHKIM]

Yes I do that when I do trimming of boxwoods. I new I was going to mulch though. But yes a good idea for people

[@sterlgirlceline]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@melodymorrison6280]

cant hear you!!!!!