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Horticulture 101 -
Shrubs
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Page 2 of 2
The dense leafed "Emerald Green" variety is also sometimes called "Thuja" after its botanical name. They are evergreens in the same family as cyprus. The plants grow to 12 to 14 feet tall and are 3-4 feet wide at maturity, but they take well to pruning and can be kept trimmed to whatever size you want. Cut them back in the spring before new growth comes on to minimize the amount of trimming you have to do. The Emerald Green arborvitae needs to be kept watered in dry summer conditions and mulch helps keep the moisture in the soil. This tree can be planted in rows for living fences or can stand alone as a specimen.
Arborvitae bushes don't need extremely good soil, but they do need soil that drains. If you are putting one in an area that does not drain, add some peat moss to the soil to make it lighter. To plant arborvitae, dig the holes two feet deep and two feet in diameter. If you are making a privacy fence, plant one every five feet. Add peat moss to the soil from the hole, and plant the roots whether they are balled in burlap or bare root. It is important not to plant arborvitae deeper than it was previously planted. Form the soil around the stalk into a dish shape and water the plant well.
The best mulches and fertilizers to use are those that are designed for acid loving plants. Pine mulches complement evergreens like arborvitae.
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Plants / Shrubs 
