How to Care for an Emerald Green Arborvitae

The emerald green arborvitae is probably one of the most popular forms of "green screens" (also called privacy hedges) available to homeowners. These lush, thick bushes stand upright with a naturally rounded shape and maintain their dark green foliage year round. Emerald green arborvitae are low maintenance plants, but they do require a little bit of tending.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears Measuring tape Leather garden gloves Horticultural oil

Instructions

1. Plant your emerald green arborvitae so that the centers of the trunks are two feet apart. You can eyeball this or measure it using a measuring tape, but they need this much room so that they can grow to their full potential.

2. Prune only along the very tops. Emerald green arborvitae do not need to be trimmed on the sides. They grow relatively slowly and will actually appear healthier and thicker if left alone on the sides.

3. Clean out the dead branches. It is normal for some branches to die each year. These small branches and possibly leaves and materials from other trees accumulate in the bottom branches of emerald green arborvitae. Wearing garden gloves to protect your hands, pull this dead debris out of the tree and dispose of it.

4. Spray your emerald green with horticultural oil to protect it from spider mites. Spray once in November and again in April -- the beginning and end of the trees' dormant season.

5. Keep your trees watered. An emerald green arborvitae that goes for three days without any water in its first year is likely to die. As the tree matures, you can forgo the watering.

References

• Information on emerald green arborvitae

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish