Anyone here have experience with arborvitae?

[moose13]

Bought a few emerald green arborvitae trees.
I have read a bit about them, any suggestions on fertilizer?
I am trying to grow a hedge so rapid growth would be nice.
Thanks

 

[5030]

The deer love to eat 'em in the winter.

 

[YesDeere]

My buddy the landscaper got me a bag of some high dollar fert for trees we planted at my dads. I'll be down there fri am. Let you know the name. Used by growers

 

[Code54]

Yep - the deer mowed mine to the ground in days..... Watch out if you have any deer around

 

[moose13]

Deer only in the winter?
I read about them waiting till winter when there is nothing else to eat?
I was planning on fencing and wrapping in burlap come winter time.
Should i fence now, as we are off to vacation for a week?
Would be pissed to come home to no trees.

Thanks for the replies!
Moose13

 

[moose13]

I will keep that in mind thanks!

 

[Carl_NH]

Get Plant Skydd (dry or liquid mix - i prefer the mix) and spray them up to about 4-5' high - it works. I use my Stihl Fogger to apply a gallon or so of the stuff on about 1000 hostas and 50 arbovitae every spring and fall.

Stinks for a day or two after but it works.. Its dried pigs blood and some other stuff the deer dont like. Whats interesting the deer gravitate to the non treated hostas at the neighbors and steer clear of our 6 acres now.

 

[5030]

Get Plant Skydd (dry or liquid mix - i prefer the mix) and spray them up to about 4-5' high - it works. I use my Stihl Fogger to apply a gallon or so of the stuff on about 1000 hostas and 50 arbovitae every spring and fall.

Stinks for a day or two after but it works.. Its dried pigs blood and some other stuff the deer dont like. Whats interesting the deer gravitate to the non treated hostas at the neighbors and steer clear of our 6 acres now.

You need to be a good neighbor and alert them to your cure as well......

 

[Carl_NH]

5030,

Indeed I have and they bought some for me to apply last fall but not this spring so the deer got some of their hostas.. its $50 for 5 liters so not cheap but for protection it provides its the most cost effective I have found and only need to do it 2x per year.

 

[Western]

I have the Oriental Arborvitae, I have used a granular 15-15-15 with good results. The trees where 12" when I got them 3 years ago, they are now around 4-5'. I have been fertilizing 3 times a year, Early Spring, mid summer (use less) and Fall. I also keep competing weeds and grass away as much as possible and have hauled water in drought months.

At planting I used about a tablespoon or so and for the 1st year. I have doubled it + each year since and will stop after this year. Have also same good results with the Eastern Red Cedars I planted at the same.

Biggest problem with deer for me is the rubbing the bucks do in the Fall, occasionally they bite off the top of the yearling trees, but the "rubs" are pretty terminal.

 

[Tompet]

A good substitute for the standard arborvitae (like Emerald Green mentioned) that are deer resistant are several varieties of thuja plicata (also cedars) with names like virescens, nigra, green giant, zebrina, etc.
What is good about these varietals are they are single leaders, fast growers, and will tolerate shade and deer don't like them. BTW, the virescens has the narrowest habit of those mentioned and the zebrina has gold highlights on the tips. At a glance they all look very similar to the standard arborvitae's like the Emerald green you see everywhere like at the big box stores.