All About Arborvitaes | Ask This Old House

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3 жыл бұрын

In this video, Ask This Old House landscape contractor Jenn Nawada explains some of the basics of selecting and caring for a couple different species of arborvitae.
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Jenn Nawada talks all about thuja occidentalis-also known as arborvitaes. Arborvitaes are fast growing evergreens with thick, textured needles that are drought resistant and low maintenance. Jenn enjoys using them in her designs and she shows her two favorite species of the tree: the green giant and the emerald green. For smaller spaces she explains that the emerald arborvitae is a good choice as it grows tall but not wide. They can be great for privacy screens and marking the edge of a property. The green giant, also known as the western arborvitae, has the ability to grow very fast and get very wide. Jenn likes putting this variety along a natural border. Unlike the emerald green, the green giant is deer resistant, a major plus in woodland communities. Jenn explains one of the major attractions of using these plants is the lack of maintenance it needs to still flourish, but still shares some tips on how to keep your arborvitaes in the best condition.
Emerald Green Arborvitae
* Grows tall, not wide. Good choice for smaller spaces.
* Can be great for privacy screens and marking the edge of a property.
Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae
* Has the ability to grow very fast and get very wide.
* Good along a more natural border.
* Deer resistant.
Arborvitae Maintenance:
* Take out all deadwood.
* You shouldn’t have to prune it unless there’s a branch bothering you.
* If you want to prune it: cut at the V.
* Choose if you want a formal or informal look.
* If you would like a formal look, shear the whole side of the arborvitae in early spring, before any new growth emerges.
* If you would like informal, let the plant grow naturally.
Where to find it?
Jenn discussed two types of arborvitae-a green giant and an emerald green-which can be found at most home centers and nurseries.
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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All About Arborvitaes | Ask This Old House
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Пікірлер: 64

@mlindsay1003 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, so much information in just a couple minutes! Thank you! I love TOH and ATOH!!

@Queenie_Francie 2 ай бұрын

We have 3 huge thuja as a screen about 50’ tall. They’re beautiful and make a great natural screen.

@jamesec1949 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Jenn, you’re looking well. I love arborvitae. Especially cedar and on the opposite end, Golden Globe. Stay safe, Jim

@jebprendergast101 3 жыл бұрын

These’ll look great in the yahhd!

@SillyGoose2024 3 жыл бұрын

red sox suck

@talktomn 3 жыл бұрын

Lots of dead landscaping trees here in TX after the February freeze. We could use some help choosing replacement trees and shrubs that are more resistant but can still handle the summer heat.

@pufthemajicdragon 3 жыл бұрын

Don't feel too bad, arborvitaes die here in Colorado, too. While you were experiencing freezing temps, ours hit between 10-20 below zero along the front range where it's generally pretty temperate. I've got a neighbor up the street with a whole row of dead trees. But I agree, some more cold hardy options would be nice to see on this show.

@michaelthomson5101 2 жыл бұрын

First of all, Thank you all for the many years knowledge you share with the world over the years. I need help. I've got a row of thirty Emerald Greens, 12 -15" tall (never topped) Snow fell and bent several of them. What is the proper procedure for straightening my Arborvitae?...

@mrboneman4354 3 жыл бұрын

i love those

@seemas5811 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this informative video! I’m planning to get evergreen trees for privacy/screen for my backyard. It’s not a huge lot (about 0.34 of an acre) and I was thinking of planting emerald green until I watched this video, that emerald green arborvitae are not deer resistant! I don’t think our yard is meant for thuja green giant because of it’s size at mature height and width. Please let me know which evergreens would be best that are deer resistant (we live in NYS) and that won’t drop needles.

@rameshkaranam 3 жыл бұрын

Great Information .. thank you. I have two Little Giant Arborvitae in our garden bed planted about 4 years ago (Central NC - Zone 7b) .. they are about 4ft tall. Just curious to know what is the optimal height as at 4 ft they seem too big for the garden bed. And is it OK to prune/shear now before hot days in summer ?

@allencrossland1973 3 жыл бұрын

I'm looking to plant steeplechase Arborvitea along my property line at my camp in north central Pa. For privacy. I'm told its deer resistant and grows to about 20 feet and 6 to 8 ft. wide. How long would it take a newly planted 4 to 5 foot tree to grow to 8 foot? Would you recommend any other tree that grows to about 15 to 20 feet and not to wide, plus be deer resistant?

@antoniobrown3219 Жыл бұрын

Hello! Do they do anything to dampen sound, like road noise? Thank you!

@tanktexas 2 жыл бұрын

I'm planting Taylor juniper is there any advice on those

@JleeA314 10 ай бұрын

You mentioned the back property line: how many feet did you plant it away from property line?

@andresvelasquez9666 2 жыл бұрын

How often do you have to water these trees ?

@cromanxx1 6 ай бұрын

If you live in high wind areas consider anchoring your Arborvitaes.

@anniesworld2091 Жыл бұрын

can the emerald green be planted next to a house? how close?

@Mike81438 2 жыл бұрын

can I plant green giants around apple trees

@tedstryyker374 Жыл бұрын

I’m trying to determine the type of arborvitae we have in our back yard - could I please contact you with pics for your assistance in identifying it?

@rednhrailroad 2 ай бұрын

Can arbor vitae wood be used for anything? Shakes? Shingles, firewood,

@agaan1897 2 жыл бұрын

wow they are big 😋

@veeleeproductions5154 3 жыл бұрын

I had Emerald green Arborvitae put in last summer and though they seemed to be doing well i have about 5 that are looking dead now a year later. They aren’t as durable as I had thought.

@insolventsolver 3 жыл бұрын

hmmm......everyone says it's durable, but you in particular have discovered that not to be the case....I'm gonna go ahead and say you probably did something wrong. I have 7 arborvitae that are doing just fine with limited light and water.

@orlandob9958 3 жыл бұрын

9 out of 10 times it's water ....too much or too little.

@andresvelasquez9666 2 жыл бұрын

How often do you have to water them ?

@jesussaves7973 Жыл бұрын

@@andresvelasquez9666 idk but once in the ground.. in upstate SC, I never watered them

@mplslawnguy3389 3 ай бұрын

In cold winter states, they do terrible in exposed locations. I had to move mine to the back of my house where they don't get as much sun, but are somewhat protected from winter burn and they are thriving, probably 10' tall from little 1' plants just 7 or 8 years ago. They say full sun on these, but mine do fine on just 3-5 hours/day.

@brocktonma.1816 25 күн бұрын

Deer love these. Big hassle especially in winter. If you have deer and don’t wrap them they will get eaten.

@crystalchamberlain1271 2 жыл бұрын

what do you use to fertilize green giant trees?

@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane 2 жыл бұрын

If you want to go a cheaper route, use a basic high nitrogen fertilizer around the dripline of the tree (a lot of grass fertilizers are high in nitrogen). It's the first number of the 3 numbers you see on the fertilizer bag... so you want that first number in the sequence to be the highest of the three. Fertilize in the early spring after the ground thaws and scratch it into the ground with a rake. Organic fertilizers are best, because they are less likely to burn or run off like chemical fertilizers can do. I use Espoma Evergreen Tree Tone organic fertilizer for evergreen trees on mine and they have greened up and grown a lot! It is more expensive, but also more balanced and less likely to burn your trees. Organic is always best.

@kolourblind3124 2 жыл бұрын

How far away from a fence should you plant an emerald green? I plan to keep it high and tight when pruning

@therapywithisabel 2 жыл бұрын

I wish my neighbors had asked. I had to replace my fence because their arborvitaes rotted it out. They didn't offer any consideration either :/

@kolourblind3124 2 жыл бұрын

@@therapywithisabel my thoughts exactly, it’s a wood fence and I don’t want to encroach on anyone’s property ....but I also don’t want to see you every time I step outside or listen to your music so I think this will make a great sound barrier as well. 24” seems to be recommended distance but I’d consider a bit further like 30” seeing as how the base can grow up to a 3’ dia and spacing between trees is usually recommended at 30”

@IvesFam 3 жыл бұрын

@gm20230 2 жыл бұрын

My Green Giant Arborvitae are starting to get to 9 feet and I would like to top them so they stop growing tall … without looking chopped at the top?

@DaruDhillon Жыл бұрын

You can trim the top of your Arborvitae once it reaches the height you want to give it a natural shape while keeping the leader slightly taller than the rest. 👍

@rcasper4700 Жыл бұрын

Is there any way to tie the shrub together so the snow doesn’t split them during winter time

@LOSportsVideo Жыл бұрын

Two things. You can use "arbor tape" or burlap.

@mplslawnguy3389 3 ай бұрын

Do you really want to do that every year? Look for plants with single leaders or prune them while young into single leaders. I made this mistake on my first row of arbs I bought, Wintergreens. They don't look great, but are getting very tall, so I leave them. If I had to do it over again, I would have never planted them, they had multiple leaders that will all break off under load. Once they start getting big, who wants to deal with tying them or wrapping them. Screw that. I will not plant anything that requires that level of OCD. After a few years, I want my trees to survive on their own.

@Yourmomonmy 9 ай бұрын

Can you please help me figure out what is going on with my green giant?

4 ай бұрын

I’d love to April.

@maskedfisherman333 Жыл бұрын

Her: "Arborvitae"... "Arbobitee".. "Arbobuddies".. "Ourbuddys".. "Ourbuttees" 🤣

@Ur2ez4me81 2 жыл бұрын

Little maintenance? These things shed like crazy

@annmotley9889 6 ай бұрын

How do I know what type arborvitae I have.

@mplslawnguy3389 3 ай бұрын

Just ask it.

@chrisstratton6293 3 жыл бұрын

CEDAR

@trankt54155 3 жыл бұрын

What happened to the yard guy? What's his name? Kevin??? I have not seen him....hope he is still alive....God bless his soul..

@jamesec1949 3 жыл бұрын

Roger Cook. K & R Landscape.

@mplslawnguy3389 3 ай бұрын

That guy hasn't been on there in years I don't think.

@berryconway4296 3 жыл бұрын

Yep, the deer love emerald green, the one I planted last year completely eaten over the winter. What a waste.

@mplslawnguy3389 3 ай бұрын

They also do terrible in exposed locations, which contradicts the fact that it's a "full sun" plant. Truthfully, they don't need full sun, but if you have a deer problem, I'd skip these.

@justayoutuber1906 Ай бұрын

Even a little road salt will kill them. So be careful where you plant them.

@anthonyfabbricatore1384 2 жыл бұрын

Good video but green giant is not 100% deer resistant. In the winter the deer will destroy them if they are not protected in the beginning years of growth. When they are established they may can be deer resistant.

@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane 2 жыл бұрын

True!

@blackpine6693 3 жыл бұрын

Deer candy they will chew the bottoms off as high as they can reach.......dear resistant.......right ....the dear are so prolific in winter they starve and will eat anything.......

@IAmKyleBrown 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, and then add in the squirrels and rabbits. I love arborvitae, but once the animals decimate they never really recover