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Dying weeping blue atlas cedar

8 years ago

We had a tough winter and many/all of the top branches of our weeping blue atlas cedar turned brown. The bottom branches appear OK still. Should I cut off all the top branches? I've already trimmed many of them off. What should I do at this point? I've tried to give the tree deep watering a few times each week recently, but not sure what I can do. Suggestions? Thanks

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Comments (7)

E C
Original Author
8 years ago
Here's a photo. Help me save this. I water with a pencil-thin stream for about 30min
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
its a conifer ...

see what i just wrote at the link .. perfect watering ..

you will probably end up cutting the top off.. and having to train a new leader up ... and you could learn about that in the conifer forum ... i would not make this decision until spring.. to see if the top buds out ...

you havent given us any info about anything ... if you want us to speculate on why it happened ... i suspect you planted it like a perennial/annual.. and that might be part of the problem ...

you could also convert to the latin name.. in google.. then flip to the images side .. and find out.. it might be 5 to 10 feet too close to the house and railing ... massive potential ... though you will get a few extra years.. in it dying back ...

ken

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/3268363/thuja-emerald-green-occidentalis-arborvitae-dying?n=2
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
BTW .... where are you .. this plant didnt last long in my z5 MI ...

ken
E C
Original Author
8 years ago
We are in metro Boston. This was planted by prior owner many years ago (at least 4+, but I'm not sure how long). Cutting off central leader would be a pretty thick cut with a saw? Or should I keep it there as a structural support and begin to wind one of the smaller ones tied with it for now...
E C
Original Author
8 years ago
This is the first time we had this problem possibly due to harsh winter?
User
8 years ago
Regarding its eventual size, I shot this picture on Long Island last weekend.

You could have a wedding under it
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
you would spend ten bucks on a tree saw .. and just do what you have to do ...

once the new leader is trained up ... it will eventually.. in tree time... hide the cut ... like a couple years minimum ...

it is a prime suspect for moving.. in fall or spring ... as based on its potential ...

sorry boston doesnt mean a thing to me.. i know parts of MA are z5 ... and parts are warmer.. and the city is always warmer... but the fact that it lived 4 years.. means its, at min.. borderline hardy .....BUT ...

i have seen plants looking like this.. that basically died back to snowcover ... didnt boston get blasted last winter... and freaky cold ... and where do you pile shoveled snow.. or worse.. does it get snow blown???

ken

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