I also have seen reports that 'Smaragd' Emerald Green do not go brown in the winter. There are some other arborvitae cultivars which are reported to brown in the winter. That person may have gotten the Emerald greens confused with those cultivars. It, also, could be that in your area the Smaragds get so stressed in the winter that they do turn brown. I have a screen of thuja 'Green Giants' which all winter stay a nice color for me situated on the north side of our neighbor's two story house. But my friend has a 3 foot high row of the same cultivar of my trees planted along the south side of her 7 foot tall privacy fence. Her trees while they were trying to get established did change color last year. Not exactly brown, but more of a burgundy shade. They greened back up the following spring and summer, and we are still waiting to see if hers will stay green over the coming winter.

If you google, you will find dozens of sites with rather specific information, all providing more or less the same information. And if you understand the reasons behind some of these instructions you can determine that they are not frivolous suggestions but have some sound horticultural basis behind them. I hate to state anything in absolute terms - everything has a context that may require some modifications - but the following are factors that will encourage rapid establishment of your new tree and increase its long term survivability. Avoid amending the planting hole. Studies have shown that planting in your indigenous soil and backfilling with the same is preferred. Altering the soil in the planting hole can lead to soil interface issues affecting drainage. If your soil is heavy clay, plant high and mound up to the edge of the root ball with your own soil or an organic mulch. A wide and somewhat shallow planting hole is recommended. The width (and 2-3 times the diameter of the rootball is standard) encourages the outward spread of the root system. Many folks are of the impression that all tree roots go down deeply into the soil, therefore they need to dig a deep hole. While trees will put down deeper anchor roots, the bulk of the root system will eventually be located just under the soil surface. And since many containerized and B&B trees have minimal or congested root systems on planting, they need that freedom to expand. Digging too deep a planting hole often results in settling and your tree will become too deep, a sure-fire way to an early demise. IME, watering of newly planted trees and shrubs is very misunderstood. You want to water in well when first planted, priamrily to remove any air pockets in the planting hole, but also to equalize the moisture level of the rootball and the surrounding soil. Make sure the rootball is adequately moistened before planting - it is pretty hard to rewet a dry rootball once it's in the ground. And you will need to keep the planting area evenly moist (but not wet) for 6-8 weeks. Even in winter this may require periodic watering if your weather is dry. Mulching lightly over the rootball (but keep away from the trunk) will help conserve soil moisture and reduce weeds that may compete. I've seen more new trees die over winter because the owner assumed periodic rainfall was adequate. Regular deep watering is also required through the first couple of growing seasons as well. It is only after this period of time of establishment that the tree will be more or less self-sufficient water-wise, except for periods of extended drought. Avoid fertilizing when planting. The activity of planting and related disturbance stresses a plant and you want to avoid fertilizing a stressed plant. Supplemental fertilizer may be applied later at the beginning of the growing season or next fall when it is most efficiently metabolized, but only if soil tests first indicate fertilizer is necessary. Trees generally require very little in the way of supplemental fertilization. Here is a link that might be useful: basic tree planting instructions

No one can advise you because we do not know your zone or soil conditions.

Duplicate. Here is the original. [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-some-help-picking-pine-trees-dsvw-vd~5037914?n=3[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-some-help-picking-pine-trees-dsvw-vd~5037914?n=3)