Watering Concerns With the Emerald Green Arborvitae

Planting Site Preparation

• Make sure the intended planting site drains well. Test the drainage capabilities by digging the planting hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times wider. Fill the hole with water. Check the water level after 24 hours. It should be completely soaked into the soil. If the water is still standing, an alternate site should be selected. Scrape the sides and bottom of the hole with a small hand rake or garden fork before planting the shrub. This is especially important with heavy clay soil. Clay soil becomes glazed when the hole is dug, making it smooth, shiny and difficult for the shrub roots to penetrate. The glaze also holds water in the planting hole, causing the roots to drown.

Root Preparation

• Loosen the roots by hand and cut any roots found circling around the root ball before planting the shrub. This will encourage the roots to grow out into the soil rather than staying within the root ball. It also opens the root ball, making it easier for water to penetrate. When the root ball stays compacted, the center can stay dry even though the shrub has been watered adequately. This will cause the shrub to die slowly over two to three years after planting.

Planting

• Plant emerald green arborvitae with the top of the root ball about 1 inch above the soil. Back-fill the soil by hand, making sure it fills in under and around the roots. When the hole is half to three-fourths full, fill the hole with water. This helps settle the soil in around the roots. Allow the water to soak in, make sure the shrub is vertically straight, then finish filling the hole. Use left-over back-fill soil to create a 2-inch high water basin around the shrub about 6 inches away from the stems. Water it again generously until the soil is soaked.

Mulch

• Apply a layer of mulch about 2 to 3 inches deep. Spread the mulch across the entire root zone but keep it several inches away from the shrub stems. The mulch will help keep the soil consistently moist. If it is pushed right up against the stems, however, it can encourage shallow root growth, pest infestation and disease resulting in the death of the shrub.

Watering

• Water the shrub once or twice per week. Keep the soil consistently moist for the first year or two while the shrub becomes established. Water it deeply with a slow trickle for 30 to 40 minutes. Deep watering encourages the roots to grow deeper into the soil. A deep root structure will make it easier for the shrub to withstand periods of drought as it ages.