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Planter size for emerald green arborvitae tree as privacy screen

11 years ago

Hi, I live in NYC and have a roofdeck. I'd like to create a privacy wall using arborvitae (although open to alternate suggestions). I would need to plant them in a planter and was hoping for some suggestions as to sizing. Assuming our "wall" is going to be 8 feet long and we want the trees to grow to 9-10 feet, would two of the 48 inch planters here work?

http://www.simplyplanters.com/planter-boxes/planter-boxes/rectangleroadtreebox.cfm

Are these planters large enough to support an emerald green arborvitae? Each tree would get about 23 inches by 17 inches for the roots and 20 inches of height. Thank you for any of your suggestions.

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
your general link.. does not go to a 48 inch box ... so its hard to conceptualize ...

and how big of a tree are your starting with ... as i dont understand how you could take a large one and transplant it.. with no solid ground to stake it in..

what is the wind on the roof ... hard?? .. constant????

more facts please..

ken
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
11 years ago
I don't think 23x17 is nearly large enough for long term success.
I'd want at least a half barrel size and larger would be even better.
Enormous concrete pots would be best and would last forever.
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Have you stuck your fingers in the soil around your arborvitae periodically to know what the soil moisture conditions are? It really does sound like a root problem. If the berm is very narrow, soil in the berm could be drying too quickly. Otherwise, it's likely too wet. The only way to know for sure is to to look at the condition of the roots (healthy roots should be firm and have tan-brown outer covering, with creamy-white interior; rotting roots would be more uniformly brown and perhaps very soft) and to investigate the soil drainage. Arborvitae can tolerate periodic soil flooding, but not lengthy, prolonged wetness. I have seen some instances of Techny and Emerald Green arborvitae planted in low berms over wet, heavy clay soils in the Chicago area appear quite healthy for 1-2 years and then fail over the next couple of years as their root systems extend beyond the berm into the surrounding wet clay. Do you live in a subdivision built after the 1960s? If so, then poorly-drained, compacted clay soil may likely be the problem.
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I have to backtrack a little and explain that when I planted the first set of trees, I was a COMPLETE newbie. I did not even have the soaker hose down at that point. I was watering them by hand about once a week thinking that would be enough. The soaker hose is that flat fabric kind and I've got two of them connected to a "Y" at the edge of my house...one length that goes down the side of the house is 25 feet, the other length goes toward the yard 50 feet. Together they make a 75 foot run and I read that a length under 100 feet should not be an issue where equal pressure is concerned...am I wrong? There is no "incline" along the length where the water ever has to go uphill, that is an optical illusion. From where the water enters the hose it only goes downhill slightly. I've been using this soaker hose all summer and it seems to do the job well, although I had to use it every day since I did not have time to put mulch down until this fall. I am thinking the reason the first batch died was from obvious lack of water before going into winter and then drying out by spring. Also not having mulch might have been a factor since we got down to -5 last winter. I have a hunch that the drying winds knocked out most of them, since my few survivors were the ones next to the house where they are somewhat protected. Which leads me to another question... What do you think of Wilt-Pruf? Could I prevent some dessication by using it? I was going to go with burlap but that is an awful lot that I would need to wrap...do these even need protection from wind if they get enough water before winter? I think in the spring I will move the one arb with the dead branch to the end of the line and replace it so I can keep the height I have going in that area (I need it there! I don't think want a window in my hedge..haha).
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
even if i bought wood.. to make it last.. i would have them potted in plastic and insure there were a lot of drain holes in the wood ... so it stayed as dry as possible ..

so determination of the planter size.. would be a function of the pot size ... if that makes sense ...

so.. at a min.. i would be thinking about a MINIMUM of a 25 gallon black pot ... see link.. no clue if that is a good price.. i got most of mine from recycle bins .... but i dont use them decoratively ... and that one is already 25 inches wide at the top ....

any even in nurseries.. plants of the size you want.. BLOW OVER.. wind and stability are going to be your BIG PROBLEM ... especially if you buy them big ...

and i should also point out.. that conifers have very specific potting media issues.. and what you fill the pot with will also be very important.. and its not going to be your standard bag of potting media ....

i am sure you can do it.. but i doubt you are going to find the info you need here.. with the specificity you wish .... i simply dont think us tree peeps are going to have a lot of specific info for you ... other than to list the variables ....

good luck

ken

ps: winter storage will also be an issue ....

Here is a link that might be useful: link -- you shop price.. i am just showing the pot
WxDano
11 years ago
Far too small. And you won't keep them at 9-10 feet for long. 3-4-5 trips up the ladder in 2 years to keep them subdued into a "pleasing" geometry will disabuse you of that notion.

So you want a surface area of minimum 48 sf for that plant each, and a total cf volume of roughly 145 cf for how big they will get.
Starship
last year
Can you update on what you end up using? I’m trying something similar and would appreciate your experience.

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