What is the best time of year to prune arborvitae?
The best time for pruning arborvitae shrubs, generally speaking, is late winter or early spring. If you are using them in a hedge, you will perhaps want to shear them in late spring or early summer as well (keep the top of the hedge narrower than the bottom, so that the lower branches receive sufficient sunlight).
Can I cut the top off my arborvitae?
Removing the top creates a very flat appearance since the shrub will no longer grow upwards after the central leader is removed. Avoid taking the top off when trimming arborvitae if you are only thinning your tree. Only prune it off if it is severely damaged.
Can arborvitae be cut back?
Like most conifers, arborvitaes will not produce new growth on older bare stems, so they don’t tolerate renovation or hard pruning. Cut into the brown, and it will stay that way. To maintain plant health, don’t remove any more than one-third of the live foliage area per growing season.
How far can you cut back arborvitae?
Arborvitae Pruning Tips Remember not to remove more than 25-35% of the foliage or cut back beyond the last foot or so of a branch, if you want to see regrowth.
How do I make my arborvitae thicker?
How to Get Arborvitae Thicker
- Trim surrounding and overhanging trees that shade your arborvitae.
- Prune the scaly leaves on the sides of arbs with a hand pruner in early spring.
- Fertilize arborvitae annually with the same nitrogen-rich fertilizer you use for your lawn.
What is the best fertilizer for arborvitae?
Best Fertilizer For Arborvitae We recommend using slow release fertilizer that has 50% nitrogen and has a high first number, like a 12-6-4 or 10-8-6 mixture. Granualized fertilizer works the best because it helps prevent the roots from burning and allow you to only fertilize once per year.
How do you keep an arborvitae small?
Once again, the most aesthetically pleasing and healthiest way to keep an arborvitae short is to prune routinely. Usually, this is performed in late spring to early summer.
Are coffee grounds good for arborvitae?
If you want to try adding coffee grounds to your arborvitae trees soil, we recommend against it. Although arborvitae enjoys slightly acidic soil, adding coffee grounds can alter your plant’s pH balance, causing root and growth issues.
Is Miracle Grow good for arborvitae?
Best Fertilizer For Arborvitae We do not recommend using Miracle Grow on arborvitaes because it is designed for acid loving plants, not evergreens.
What happens if you top an arborvitae?
If you do top an arborvitae’s main trunk, it will grow no new additional leaders. This creates a boxy shape and means that the classic tall pyramidal shape of the arborvitae will never return. Further, topping arborvitae can lead to a bald or brown patch on the top of the plant.