I live in Missouri and we are having a very dry and very hot summer. I planted 29 5-gallon sized trees about a month and a half ago. I have been watering, soaking the ground around the trees with a hose, then have a 5-gallon drip bucket that I also fill with water but wonder if I am watering properly and placing the bucket at the right place. All trees have grown about 6 inches taller but not in diameter as much on some. Should I be watering more the rootball or the ends of branches (dripline) at this point? How much and where should I be directing the water?
The rule of thumb is that the roots of the plant will spread out as far as the canopy does. When watering, it is best to make sure you water out to the outer edge of the root system.
If you are laying a drip line though, I would do in between the trunk and the outer edge.
If you are seeing active growth with no browning, you are providing enough water.
Hello. We just noticed a few weeks ago that one of our 10 arborvitaes appears to be dying - it happened very quickly. After some online research, we discovered the tree is infested with bagworms. I have read a lot about them & now that it's August, it appears it is too late to spray them. We have hand-picked over 200 of these bagworms & it appears we have gotten most of them. They have moved to the adjoining arborvitaes & we, hopefully, have gotten them all off of those as well. What else can we do at this point? Anything? We have to spray in early May/June correct? Can the arborvitae be saved? It has some growth, but looks over 75% dead.
It sounds like you have done about all you can thus far. Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) products sprayed in the spring can be successful in the control of bagworms. In addition to hand pulling, power washing the 'bags' off the plant may be an adequate form of control. Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/treatment-bagworms.htm
We have not lived in Oklahoma too long, so we are learning about growing plants here. We had an arborvitae tree growing at the corner of our house which has turned brown. I'm assuming it died due to this summer's intense heat. We want to pull it up and plant another. WHEN is the best time to do that and can you give me any tips on how to plant it so it will thrive?
Fall is likely the best time for this in your area. You may want to consider planting another where it will receive some afternoon shade, which will offer some relief from overly hot temps and scorching sun. You should also water the tree more during these higher temps, at least twice daily if over 85. degrees F.
In September a landscaper planted 5 arborvitaes. They were about 6-7 feet tall. We watered them regularly. They really looked great. Early spring we had some wind and ice. A couple of the trees took quite a beating. I talked to the landscaper and he suggested I tie them to support them. That seemed to work to bring them more back together. They had lots of seeds on them. Looked nice and green. And then the seeded areas just turned brown. They look horrible. Although it is only mid-March, they look like they came through the winter pretty good...so far. However, they still do not look as healthy as when they were planted. Based on what I have told you, any suggestions?
The browning does sometimes occur where it produces seeds, but it sounds like you are getting a lot of seeds on the plants, so it makes them look rather bad. They typically seed more when they are stressed. I would give them some fertilizer and keep them watered for the spring. The extra seeds may have been a result of the bad winter they experienced. Give them this year to get back into shape and give them extra TLC to help them do that.
Do I need to give an annual/spring feeding to my row of arborvitae that were planted 20 years ago? If so, what would you recommend?
Mature trees are more equipped to resist disease, pests and fuller, dense foliage than younger ones, so fertilizing shouldn't really be a concern for yours unless it is beginning to show signs of stress. As long as it looks healthy, I would simply let it be.
The water line is about 2 foot deep.
Arborvitae are not considered a species with invasive roots, and the plumbing should be safe. Make sure to consider mature size in selecting a variety. This article will tell you more about growing healthy and beautiful arborvitae: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/arborvitae/growing-arborvitae-trees.htm
What is the best thing to feed mature green giant trees?
Is the tree showing any signs of a nutrient deficiency? Are there any fertilizers that are being added to other areas of the landscape (i.e. lawn) and, if so, how much? Many times, trees will tell you if they need more nutrients. A soil test will let you know for certain if anything is actually missing. In general, mature trees benefit from fertilization every two to three years. One way to fertilize a tree is to broadcast granular fertilizer evenly over the area under the tree, extending to the drip line. Be sure to apply the fertilizer to moist soil or water it in immediately after application to avoid fertilizer-burn damage to the roots. Use a specially formulated evergreen fertilizer when feeding your Thuja Green Giant, assuming this is the mature green gaint you are referring to.