Does the Thuja Green Giant bronzing in winter include crispiness?
bhpeters
9 years ago
We are zone 5 in southern nebraska. We have 60+ thuja green giants we planted in mid april 2014. They were 3 yr old trees when planted. They grew beautifully through the summer, many of them almost 2 feet which I could hardly believe. However winter seems to have hurt them. They have all bronzed, but still have some green parts, and the trunks are green underneath. But even the green foliage is crispy dry. We could not water them when the ground was frozen, but we did water them during the warm periods we had during the winter (January offered a few 70+ days and then went back to freezing). Feb and March have done the same. We watered during those warm times. We had some bitter cold winter winds. But nothing got colder than the literature says these can take except for 2 nights in january that got to -15F. They had mulch all winter. Maybe the rapid change in temps from freezing to 70 to freezing again was too much for them?
I dont understand why all the foliage is dry. Maybe that's normal, but it doesn't seem like it. We are watering again now like crazy, being careful not to drown them. Weather is warming up, temps ranging from 50s to 80s during the day. Nothing in the area seems to be greening up in a big hurry, but these trees are my babies. Every one of them looks the same. I have attached pictures.
Thoughts? Are they all dead? Trunks are still a healthy bright green underneath, but if they are still alive does this mean the entire tree will have to start over with foliage? I expected the bronzing, but not the crispy foliage. How long does it usually take for the bronzing to turn back to green? And did yours stay soft all winter?
Thanks for your help
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (7)
wisconsitom
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Thuja Green Giant & Red Maple Emperor I
Comments (25)alright Kimcoco, sounds like you are determined to plant a Thuja Green Giant in your space. Then here is a closer response to the advice you requested. Green Giant grows by sending up a thin shoot with very sparce branching, then takes time to fill-in as the season progresses to the fall. By the fall the new growth will have filled out moderately and another new shoot will grow from the top. That is once the tree has developed and established enough root system, which can support its above ground structure. What will that mean to you? It means no real privacy for you for at least 5 years or more after planting the tree. That is unless you plant a 12 to 15 foot field grown Thuja that was balled and burlaped. Such a tree and the crew to plant it could end up being quite expensive. A solution to that issue would be for you to obtain the tallest Sport cultivar of the Thuja Green Giant that you can afford. I mean the Thuja 'Steeplechase' sport cultivar of Green Giant. this sport would benefit you in the following two ways. One: Steeplechase's top growth is considerably more filled out and consistant with the overall look of the tree's older growth on it's lower trunk, when compared to Green Giant Two: This Steeplechase cultivar still grows big enough for your expressed needs, but would not need as much pruning as the green giant would need. I mean, because the Steeplechase cultivar is reported to not grow quite as tall and is reported to spread only 6 - 8 feet instead of the 12 feet that is the Green Giant's reported potential. If you still want to plant the Green Giant, please realize that if you plant a 6-10 foot tall one at the start, the tree could take at least 5 years to establish its root system well enough to begin showing the great growth rates reported with this tree, and when it starts that growing each initial seasonal growth shoot will be very thin and will offer no extra privacy. until maybe the same time in the following year. One good thing that Green Giants growth pattern will do for you is that such a growth dynamic while not being good for privacy issues, it is good for making easier the top pruning you would have to do to keep the tree within the height range that you desire for it to not exceed. As far as the spreading issue goes, this tree has the potential to spread 12 feet. How do you plan to keep that within bounds. I ask that because I have seen Green Giant trees hyper-focus their growth power to spreading faster when whatever has prevented the tree from reaching it's height potential. By spreading faster, I mean the trunk thickens massively, and so do the branches this makes the tree spread out and look very stout. That would make pruning away the spead much more difficult. But above all please do not take a hedge clipper to this tree. Such a pruning job would end up producing such a disappointment in how the tree over all appears. Thats because, then it's fan shaped leaf needles loose their draping beauty, and cause the branches to increase density to the point where the tree hardly retains any of the beauty, which it naturally would display....See MoreThuja Green Giants (Goldish/Brownish Tips)
Comments (5)Drip watering systems seem to work well with that many Thuja 'Green Giants.' That is, if you monitor the drip system enough to ensure the trees receive enough consistant water, but also that the soil at no times becomes soggy. When I first plant my trees, they let me know if they are not getting enough water by first turning tan. If I begin to to keep them better watered at that stage, they are much easier to correct. Do not let any big dogs urinate on your trees. If that happens, it does not take long for the branches to turn the color you described. In the winter, if the trees receive a south and southwest exposure, of drying sun and winds, they may turn a brownish burgundy color, and not green back up until they begin growing better in the following Spring. These trees are also hit hard when they are planted in slow draining soil, like clay, and there has not been anything done for them to drain off the excessive water in the soil. When this happens I have seen the leaves turn goldish brownish at the start, but then turn completely brown. The cause of this problem, often occurs when their fairly fine textured roots have become unhealty due to too much water in the soil suffocating them. If left in that state, long enough they will die, or if a sudden day or two of dry soil event follows their previously begun suffocating roots condition; they will not be able to compensate, and these trees usually die. Especially before these trees establish and when they are only 6 feet tall or less, if rain runoff which collects and puddles a little over their rootballs occurs, that will signifcantly stress them at first exposure, and even kill the trees in a very short time if the situation reoccurs several times within a period of few months....See MoreThuja Green Giant planting times
Comments (24)JFW432, it should be much easier on you, and you will not have to wait all that long if you wait until this hottest part of the Summer's heat breaks to plant those trees you posted in your photo on July 14th. If you plant them when daily high temps exceed 95 degrees,and if your soil is well draining they will need much more watering. Or if you plant them now, you might not see much growth out of them for several more years than if they were planted in your early fall months, or whenever the daily high temps do not climb above 98 degrees F. at those times in your area. Another thing to remember, is that GGs will change color in the winter if they are exposed to more winter sun and and wind. Planting them in a more sheltered area like with a north western exposure that where they are sheltered from large trees or buildings and fences directly to thier South and East, these GGs would be sheltered enough to avoid the winter browning problems mentioned above. Or even planting them where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade will help them out in your area. So in summary try to avoid planting them in area where they will be exposed to Southern or direct western and Northwestern exposure. That is if you agree it will bother you to see them change to their redish bronzy brown color that the other people are complaining about. In sandy soil at any location, use a non-burning slow release Osmokote type fertizer and water your trees daily for the first 2 weeks after planting. Then begin to slowly decrease the watering until you are only watering them twice a week. Keep watering them twice a week for about then next 6 months if your area is not getting regular rain events. after than your trees should be fine if you gradually slow down on the watering frequencly until you get find they are still doing Okay when you water them only once a week. Continue that weekly watering Unless you enter a period of frequent and sufficient rains, so much so that you can decrease the watering, or at such times in Summer of 2010 when the heat returns and the tree might need to again be supplimentally watered at least twice a week or more depending on how quickly draining the soil in in their planting bed. Osmokoke usually is sold in 3,or 4, and if I remember right even longer effective durations each per application. In my are I would only need to apply the Osmokote in late march and early September. Since your growing season is probably long than in my area, you might need to apply it 3 times or even 4 depending on how well draining your soil is. If your planting bed is slow to drain, then ignore the above suggested watering and feeding schedule, and test your tree's planting bed for their moisture level before giving them any more water. I say that because these trees roots will suffer signicantly is they are planted in clay soil which drains slowly and leaves the soil where they are planted saturated for extended hours of time. In moderate to heavy soil beds your goal would be to only keep the soil slightly moist and make certain that soil has become fairly dry before supply another application of supplimental watering. Also if the soil is clay do not add amendents soil to the back fill when planting the trees. If you want to give your trees the benefit of good compost soil, apply that compost as a mulch on top of your planting bed, and cover that compost with a thin layer of with a shredded ceder mulch if your need to prevent errosion from occuring in the planting bed or beds. Just keep both the compost and the mulch about 4 to 5 inches away from the trunks of your trees. Then here's another suggestion, keep in mind that on GGS any branch that you cut back to the trunk will remain bare. I mean, that no new branch will grow to fill that area of the trunk in. So if you want to do any pruning on your GGS never cut deeper than the green leaf folliage. Even if for any reason some of the the lower branches of your trees go dry and drop their leaves do not cut those branches off. You can instead simply water the tree more appropriatly long enough and the tree should at the appropriate time award you with growing new leaves on that previously dead looking branch. Oh almost forgot. The branches on these trees will die if large dogs are allowed to spray them. Such constant applications of the high content ammonia will begin to show signs of making the leaves turn red and then black just prior to when entire branch will die. If the soil is in the tree's planting bed is saturated with such high contents of ammonia all season long then in the next most stressful season some of the worst affected trees will be more prone to die no matter how much you attempt to care for them....See MoreThuja Green Giant Hybred
Comments (48)Hello EVERYONE!!! It has been a long winter here in Wyoming. I am posting today to get some more helpfull input on these trees I am trying to get growing in my yard. We had a very cold snap in early November and a blizzard came through and burried most of the trees in snow drifts. The drifts stayed all winter long. The last little pieces of ice dissappeared about 2 weeks ago. As the snow melted, I could see that, not only the exposed parts of the trees had turned a rusty brown, but all of the trees' branches had also turned. I noted that at the very bottom of all the trees, there was some green. I am not sure if this green was frozen into the tree or if had begun to come back from brown. After a couple weeks, watering on only the warmest days, I cannot determine if the green I am seeing is increasing, or if I am just, hopefully, optimisticly observing. I am beginning to think that maybe they did NOT survive the Wyoming winter AGAIN. :-( These latest pics were taken on March 16... Do you think these trees are dead??? I think I am noticing more and more green, BUT if I am seeing that, it is happening VERY slowly. As stated before, I may just be hoping to see more green and therefore, I am. I will take more pics in late April and compare. Any green that I do see is limited to the bottom and nearer the trunk. I have also noted just today, that at the base of the trunk, on all trees, the "bark" has split vertically, 4 to 6 inches up from ground level. Is this a bad sign??? Any opinions you experienced guys have to offer is greatly appriciated!! Here's the pics.........See Moreken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years agobhpeters
9 years agobhpeters
9 years agoMike72
9 years agowisconsitom
9 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Thuja Occidentalis ‘Bobozam’
Sculptural, diminutive and low maintenance, Mr. Bowling Ball arborvitae works hard in small spaces
Full Story
LIGHTINGSo You Bought a Cave: 7 Ways to Open Your Home to Light
Make the most of the natural light your house does have — and learn to appreciate some shadows, too
Full Story
TASTEMAKERSPro Chefs Dish on Kitchens: Michael Symon Shares His Tastes
What does an Iron Chef go for in kitchen layout, appliances and lighting? Find out here
Full Story
EDIBLE GARDENS7 Edible, Pretty Wonders of the Plant World
It's OK to like them just for their looks, but these flowers, trees and greens have a tasty side too
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGGrow a Lush Privacy Screen
No need to wait forever for patio privacy the green way. These 10 ideas will get your screening up and running in no time
Full Story
COLORPantone Unearths Emerald as Its 2013 Color of the Year
Whether you dig a natural version or go for one with polish, Pantone is predicting you'll treasure emerald green at home over the next year
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDES10 Popular Home Design Trends — Timely or Timeless?
Weigh in on whether these of-the-moment decorating elements will have staying power or become a memory of these times
Full Story
MOST POPULARMeet a Lawn Alternative That Works Wonders
Carex can replace turfgrass in any spot, is low maintenance and adjusts easily. Add its good looks and you’ve got a ground cover winner
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGBreezy and Bug-Free Modern Porches
Screening keeps pests out of these diverse porches across the U.S., while thoughtful designs keep them visually appealing
Full Story
FUN HOUZZHouzz Call: Tell Us About Your Dream House
Let your home fantasy loose — the sky's the limit, and we want to hear all about it
Full Story
Mike72