Here are pics of my Thuja GG, opinions please

16 years ago

Here are a few pics of the TGGs we planted 2 or 3 years ago (husband and I can't agree when they were planted LOL). As posted in another thread, the only water they've had is rainfall and whatever they get from nearby creek. We have had very strict watering restrictions here so I'm just glad they've made it this long.

They are currently about 6-7 feet tall, so they have grown a foot or more since being planted.

As you can see one has a brown section on top, what is this?

{{gwi:665959}}

A view from our fence, our fence on left, neighbors tennis court on right.

Here's a pic of the ones at the far end that get more shade. Am I right that the shade is not making them happy?

Thanks all for any input.

Annette

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Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
number of thoughts ....

THEY LOOK GREAT.. what is your problem??????

rotflmbo ....

first.. if you plant 10.. expect to lose one.. 20.. two .. etc .. you really didnt think they would all prosper .. did you???

next.. first pic ... is the leader dead.. or is that a spring oak with leaves hanging on still .. if not oak .. trace the leader down.. and prune just above the last green branch ... it already looks like it has a new leader trying to get going ...

next .... looks like some branch browning from rough handling... trace those back ... and prune again ... once you remove all the brown.. you will be amazed how much better they look ...

next ... too much weed competition ... roundup the weeds and add some mulch ... it will last a few years .. until the trees can be free range .. yeah .. its work .. and it will cost money .. but your trees will be better able to handle the drought ...

finally .... buy a few to replace the dead ones in fall ... too late now ... or buy them now.. and keep them potted in the shade.. with the pots sunk .. where you can give them some TLC until fall planting ....

the new ones may seem out of size... but in 5 years.. you wont be able to tell which were replacements ...

ken

PS: one foot of growth ... by the second year after transplant .. in total drought... geez o petes ..... this is one workhorse plant ... you should be reveling in them.. not complaining ... you really didnt buy the hype of 3 to 5 feet per year.. did you???? they might do that... but it will take a few years to grow the roots to support that kind of growth rate ... and it will take water ... they are fine.. relax ...
Annette Holbrook(z7a)
Original Author
16 years ago
Well, ken, after seeing the pics of yours....LOL.

I will spend time tomorrow and trim off dead stuff. Hopefully we will get some rain this year.

The rough handling makes sense. The property line is somewhere between the 2 fences and the neighbors tell their boys to mow it if they are mowing around their tennis court (nice people, just not very careful). We try to get there first and mow, but we don't always win! It is actually fescue grass, but the neighbors mow it way too short. We can't seem to get it through to them that it will be happier a bit taller. If you can see through the fence, the grass on our side is green and happy even in the drought. It is all the same seed, so just goes to show that mowing fescue short is not good.

I'm hoping to get a few loads of woodchips delivered soon. I would love to mulch the entire area, but with 12 acres, we have to mulch where we can get it.

I will replace the scrawny ones in the fall. We are going on a mass tree purchasing binge this fall anyway. We need more shade down there!!
Here's the view of the TGG from the far end of our training field.

Thanks for all the help,
Annette
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well .. in 30 seconds.. i found out that the GG zone is 5 to 8 .. you are in zone 9 .... so your first problem is that you are zone pushing .... return it for a refund if you were led to believe that it would be problem free in your zone .. if you are an experienced gardener .. you should have known this might happen ... bugs attack stressed plants ... un-stressed plants fend for themselves... being able to withstand most bugs .... in my experience... spraying with chemicals may kill a highly stressed bush finally .... the damage looks nearly exactly like sunburn and desiccation i get from winter damage ... you dont know what winter is in z9 .. lol ... but it looks like the sun burn i get which occurs when it is sunny in winter.. and it is reflected off snow.. double impact ... was the tree.. properly hardened off to sun exposure ... ???? you have to be careful to know if it was in a shade house or greenhouse ... then shipped... it may need acclimation to your blistering sun ... i would discuss such with the seller ... selling a zone inappropriate plant should make them liable for the problems .... unless you accepted the risks good luck ken
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wisconsitom
16 years ago
Annette

Ken's advice is right on, as it usually is, but unless I'm unaware of something about planting trees in your area, I fail to see any reason why you HAVE to wait 'til fall to plant replacements. Provided you can at least water them in at planting, potted and balled-and-burlapped nursery stock can be installed any time the ground is workable. This is the chief advantage of these two forms of landscape plants.

Am I missing something?

+oM

Here are pics of my Thuja GG, opinions please

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Annette Holbrook(z7a)
Original Author

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Here are pics of my Thuja GG, opinions please

Comments (3)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Annette Holbrook(z7a)Original Author

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wisconsitom

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Annette Holbrook(z7a)
Original Author