How to Care for an Arborvitae in the Pacific Northwest

Arborvitae are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest.

Most varieties of arborvitae are native to the Pacific Northwest, which makes caring for them in that locale quite simple. Because arborvitae grow in the wild in the Pacific Northwest, they can grow to become big and healthy with minimal amounts of maintenance and care. Despite their reputation for being drought-resistant and low-maintenance plants, you should still consider a few things to ensure that your plant stays happy and healthy for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Burlap
• Pruning shears
• Pruning saw
• Rubbing alcohol
• Bleach
• Horticultural oil

Instructions

1. Water your arborvitae once a week for the first two to three years. This will assist in getting the tree established in your yard. Water during the regular growing period, which is between early to mid-spring and the end of autumn. The soil should be moist to a depth of about 3 inches.

2. Wrap your arborvitae in burlap every winter for the first three years after planting. Since arborvitae are native to the Pacific Northwest, there's a good chance your tree can withstand the winter without the burlap, but most arborists will still recommend that you wrap it until it establishes itself.

3. Prune your arborvitae every year around early spring. With arborvitae, you don't have to do much in the way of cosmetic pruning, but you will need to remove any dead branches. Sterilize your cutting tools between each cut with rubbing alcohol or a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water -- this is especially important if you are caring for multiple trees. Sterilizing the cutting tools will prevent spread of disease in case one of your trees is infected.

4. Spray your arborvitae with horticultural oil every year, once at the beginning of spring and again at the end of autumn. This will prevent infestations of spider mites, which are quite prevalent in the Pacific Northwest.

Tips & Warnings

• Soil amendments are generally unnecessary for growing arborvitae in the Pacific Northwest because this is their natural habitat. If you are concerned that your tree is not getting the right nutrients, however, take a sample of the soil to your local university's cooperative extension service for a soil test. Once your results come back, you can request further information for how best to amend your soil.

References

• North Dakota State University Extension Service; Questions on Arborvitae; Ron Smith
• SavATree: Arborvitae Tree Care, Pruning Tips, Signs of Diseases or Other Problems
• Nursery Trees: Everything You Need to Know About "Emerald Green" Arborvitae