Pruning Emerald Green Arborvitae leaders

12 years ago

I have 2 of everyone's favorite big box store tree...the Emerald Green Arborvitae...complete with 3 and 4 competing primary leaders.

They are around 5 feet high now, and I rather like them. I plan on simply making a ziptie ring around the current leader cluster for snow support in case they need some. For future growth however, I would only like to see 1 or 2 leaders going up. How could I accomplish this?

Should I just cut back the unwanted leaders? Will the trees then focus growth to the topmost leaders? How far down should I prune the leaders to effectly refocus growth? Does this sound like something that might actually work?

Thanks for any tips!

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Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
hey

i dont like zip ties... because they have a half life of a million years.. and sooner or later... you forget and kill things ....

you want one leader ... you need to start removing the others.. there is NO need to do them all at once ... make it 3 year plan

i would cut one back to at least half way .. by which point.. what is left should be pretty strong.. and not bend ... you will have to go back every few years.. to make sure it does not make a new strong leader ...

you WILL HAVE a gaping hole.. and the plant will fill that in next season ...

i would also consider cutting back another by 25% ... and next year.. shorten that one 50% .... and jsut work your way around ....

i would use twine on the exterior in nov.. and just tie at the bottom .... and wrap it around the tree.. its not torture.. it doesnt have to be all that tight .. you just want to hold the branches together enough.. that snow can not accumulate inside.. and start splaying them out ...

is this a major issue in your area??? have you seen others damaged??? i used to tie mine every year.. and simply gave up ... during particularly strong storms.. i just go out in the middle of the storm.. and knock snow off.. to not allow significant buildup ...

ken
SidewaysLS4
Original Author
12 years ago
I dont know if snow is such a big issue, just read it on the internet :). There is one house in the neighborhood with what I think is the same variety (but maybe 2x+ the size) and seems just fine.

So just slow trimming down, eh? Sounds like a plan. Do you think I should wait until they are fully rooted next year? I just planted them (7 gallon pot specials)
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its way beyond a CURRENT water issue ... but it was a PRIOR water issue ... those will crispify in august ... as carole king once said: And it's too late baby, now it's too late Though we really did try to make it Something inside has died and I can't hide And I just can't fake it now.. all that is my version of reality ... should you not have a warranty ... and wish to try the other suggests.. and get some exercise.. GO FOR IT!!!!! .. you have nothing to lose ... i just dont want you worrying about it all for the next 6 months ... gardening and worrying should not be in the same equation ... in my world.. warped as it is.. those things would be an irritant every single time i walked out the back door .. and peak my blood pressure... i simply could not cope with it every single time i walked out the door ... i wish you all the luck in the world... ken Here is a link that might be useful: very important link ..
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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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lol /... the heat of summer has hit ... this is common ... i mean.. thats when the problems show ... dig a 3 to 6 inch hole.. near the root mass planted.. AND FIND OUT if its wet or dry not only in the soil around.. but in the root mass planted... i suspect you are guessing at a watering protocol ... once you find out ... then adjust accordingly ... soaker hose is carp ... but it is usually a problem at the far end of the run ... in this case ... a middle one ... i suspect the digging of the large transplant cut off too many roots .. not that it will die.. its just struggling more than the others ... but it might die ... perfect watering.. and the rest should live.. then when we are sure the brown part is dead.. cut it out down low ... it will fill in.. but it might take a few years ... if you have a warranty... just replace it in fall when the temps drop ... nobody plants conifers in august ... in most areas of the country ... ken
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
true... remove no leaves.. on a recent transplant..

very leaf is a food making machine.. so as to encourage good root growth ... next fall would be a good time to start ...

if you want to tie inside... i used to use ALL COTTON clothes line ... yes.. you can still find it at the hardware store ... that way.. it will eventually rot off.. if you forget about it for a decade or two ...

do NOT get the stuff that is cotton exterior.. and plastic inside ... it will never rot off ...

the damage is usually associated with that once every 5 years.. or decade storm ... and is usually associated with an ice storm.. after a few inches of snow ... thats where the weight comes from .... these storms are unpredictable.. and you do years of tying.. just for that sporadic worst case scenario ... i just came to the conclusion i would remove them if the worst happened.. i am not in love with mine ...

ken
SidewaysLS4
Original Author
12 years ago
Sounds good, thanks for the tips!

Pruning Emerald Green Arborvitae leaders

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Pruning Emerald Green Arborvitae leaders

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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