Problem with a Green Giant Arborvitae - Ask Extension
Had 27 Green Giants planted 2 years age. 2 of them are not doing as well as the others.
Not sure what the problem is, to much water? not enough?
Do...
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Problem with a Green Giant Arborvitae #838535
Asked July 01, 2023, 11:34 AM EDT
Had 27 Green Giants planted 2 years age. 2 of them are not doing as well as the others.
Not sure what the problem is, to much water? not enough?
Does not seem to be a mite (checked on white paper)
2nd tree (next to it) has a lot of new sprouts that non of the others in the entire yard have
What should we do? Is the one or both hopeless?
Howard County Maryland
Expert Response
It can be difficult to tell what is going on from a distance. Both overwatering and underwatering can be a problem for plants.
Do we understand they were planted 2 years ago, or the plants themselves are 2 years old?
This year has been very dry, with drought conditions in many parts of Maryland, including Howard County until just recently.
If they are recently planted (even 2 years in the ground they can still be establishing), the lack of water could be a stressor, particularly given that those 2 little ones have some stiff competition for water and nutrients from the large mature trees close by.
This page from our website can help you to know the best way to water your trees, and to make sure the water is getting where you think it is:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs
There could be other issues as well. Sometimes some specimens are just not as healthy as others. There could possibly be differences about or in the soil in that spot- some buried debris etc.
Look closely at the lower part of the trunk for signs of gnawing by wildlife. Give it an upwards tug and see if it easily lifts, which can be a sign of voles (not moles) feeding on underground roots.
This is a good Iowa State Extension page that will be helpful to read through:
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/decline-newly-planted-trees
Finally, while we think that the brown tree is beyond saving (these trees can't grow back from brown, dry wood), all is not lost.
It looks to us that the young tree is planted much too close to the mature one. These are fast-growing trees that ideally would be placed 5-6 feet apart for screening, but if you lose a few they will fill in over time.
In general, we recommend not using all of the same type of tree for screening so if an issue arises (pest, disease or otherwise) you don't lose the whole thing at once. It is also better for interest and biodiversity. More about that here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/plants-mixed-privacy-screens
Christine
Do we understand they were planted 2 years ago, or the plants themselves are 2 years old?
This year has been very dry, with drought conditions in many parts of Maryland, including Howard County until just recently.
If they are recently planted (even 2 years in the ground they can still be establishing), the lack of water could be a stressor, particularly given that those 2 little ones have some stiff competition for water and nutrients from the large mature trees close by.
This page from our website can help you to know the best way to water your trees, and to make sure the water is getting where you think it is:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs
There could be other issues as well. Sometimes some specimens are just not as healthy as others. There could possibly be differences about or in the soil in that spot- some buried debris etc.
Look closely at the lower part of the trunk for signs of gnawing by wildlife. Give it an upwards tug and see if it easily lifts, which can be a sign of voles (not moles) feeding on underground roots.
This is a good Iowa State Extension page that will be helpful to read through:
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/decline-newly-planted-trees
Finally, while we think that the brown tree is beyond saving (these trees can't grow back from brown, dry wood), all is not lost.
It looks to us that the young tree is planted much too close to the mature one. These are fast-growing trees that ideally would be placed 5-6 feet apart for screening, but if you lose a few they will fill in over time.
In general, we recommend not using all of the same type of tree for screening so if an issue arises (pest, disease or otherwise) you don't lose the whole thing at once. It is also better for interest and biodiversity. More about that here:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/plants-mixed-privacy-screens
Christine
