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digsdahlias

Green Giant Thuja- Is it True how fast it grows???

digsdahlias
17 years ago

Hi there, we recently moved and wanted a privacy hedge , and finally decided on thuja, smargard. We bought the larger 10 gal. size because we wanted it to grow fast!! Now I've heard different rates of growth for it from 6"/yr to 3'. Anybody know what the actual growth rate is??? Also, we have another side yard we wanted to put thuja along and have since seen a lot of advertisements for Thuja Green Giant, with wonderful claims about growing 3'-5' per year. Anybody tried Green Giant before and do you like it and are the claims about growth rate accurate?? As you might guess, we have a neighbor problem --- an obnoxious noisy kid who screams at the top of his lungs while bouncing on the trampoline or aiming his airgun at our house. We also invested in fountains and they've helped a lot :) Thanks for your help! Kathy

Comments (99)

  • justaman
    14 years ago

    I think the Green Giant is a great tree, just don't by it from thujagardens.com. The trees they send are about 1/4 the size of the tree they show in there sample picture. The Better Business Bureau give them a giant F with a warning. Look them up at the BBB by their phone number. I support the tree. I just don't want anyone to make the same mistake I made. I think the Green Giant is a great tree, just don't by it from thujagardens.com. The trees they send are about 1/4 the size of the tree they show in there sample picture. The Better Business Bureau give them a giant F with a warning. Look them up at the BBB by their phone number. I support the tree. I just don't want anyone to make the same mistake I made. I am trying to spread the word. Has any one else been cheated by this company. They will not answer email or phone messages after you pay.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    14 years ago

    Justaman,

    You should enter your comments on Garden Watchdog. That would be the most effective way to spread your message!

    You should also check Garden Watchdog BEFORE placing your orders. Thuja Garden's rating is OK but not super. Next time order from a nursery with a great reputation. There are plenty of them out there.

  • limom
    14 years ago

    i am in LI, NY, south shore and I need to get some privacy in my backyard the sooner the better. I am reading a lot about the Green Giant and the Thuja Steeplechase trees.

    the backyard is completely open. i need to plant the trees along the north side of my property.my neighbors both have a deck from their split ranch and look right into my backyard. i also want to make sure the trees are providing the screen throughout the winter.

    any suggestions on the better tree for my situation and where to purchase?

  • ktroy
    14 years ago

    Limom I would recommend the Murray cypress or thuja green giant for the quickest and most hastle free screen. Nellie Steven Hollies are great too but are hard to find! I have no experiance with Steeplechase.. cannot find any available. If you go with green giants just remember to plant 4-5 feet apart. The Cypress are wide and 6 foot apart is great. Avoid leyland cypress and buy Murray cypress in the 1 gallon pot from sunsetgrowers.com. He sells the Murray for 5 bucks a pop in the 1 gallon with free shipping. Just email him.. great trees!

  • lithnights
    14 years ago

    Hello all,
    I am new to this site but I love it! Anyway, my neighbor behind me is building a huge garage that is 10 feet from my property line. It is thus far at least 12 feet high and the roof will probably add another 6 feet or so. It is what I look at from my the back of my house and patio and thus I want to screen it. I am attaching a link that hopefully will show a picture of my view.

    I have read hundreds of posts thus far on this site regarding leylands, little giants, white pines, excelsa cypress etc. but I wanted to present my unique situation (how much coverage, location, timeframe etc.) and get feedback.

    I really want something fast growing which has led me to the trees above. Leylands look pretty (from pics) but also scare me (from some of the pics you all have posted!). Thuja little giant seem to be a good choice and I haven't seen any real drawbacks except they won't grow as fast as Leyland? White pine was another fast grower I've seen but I'm not as crazy about the pyramid shape (less coverage up top which is where I need it.) Excelsa Cypress was something I saw but I don't really know much about it.

    I will run the trees at least 30 feet wide along the property line to cover the garage from various angles but will likely want to run them another 30 feet to the left along the fence to cover up their house and backyard and pool area. I am willing to pay for at least 6 footers (maybe more) since the view is so bad. So based on the fact that I want fast screenage at least 18 feet tall, I live in PA zone 6, and I don't care what they look like 20 years from now, what would be your suggestion? Thanks!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:373399}}

  • lithnights
    14 years ago

    Whoops, sorry for the dupe post. I created a new thread instead. Sorry!

  • bloodlet
    14 years ago

    I just purchased a dozen of these green giant trees. My intentions are to plant them on the back side of my fence as a privacy screen. I just got to thinking; some of these trees will be planted only about 10 feet from my septic lines. Is this a problem? I know some trees, oaks for example are ok to be by septic lines, since the roots go deep, I am unsure about these green giant trees. An accurate response is greatly appreciated.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    14 years ago

    a new post would also be appreciated ....

    i would not plant a tree that can get 50 feet tall within 50 feet of my septic

    you can research the accuracy of said comment yourself .... why would i waste time giving you an inaccurate answer??? lol

    ken

  • mike_gg
    13 years ago

    Two years ago I purchased 150 GG on line. When the one box showed up I was a little dismayed. It appeared to me someone was sending a box, with what could only contain a dozen roses to my wife, and it was not me. I was happy when I opened the box and did not find roses or a card ~disappointed when I realized it was my complete 150 GG order that resembled a box of small green bare root feathers.

    Now 2 years later only one has died and the others do vary in size even though they were all treated equally. The average height is mid-thigh and they are thin but healthy looking.

    Last fall I gave them their first dose of 10-10-10 and just recently gave them a dose of 12-12-12. I am hopeful that they are now "established" and ready to deliver the anticipated growth spurt I am longing to see . I planted the trees as border trees on a clear cut lot that gets lots of sun and wind. The soil is sandy but I prepared the border planting areas w/ loam and mulch.

  • pmacg
    13 years ago

    I planted 9 of these that were about 3' tall in October 09. None months later they have grown a few inches. The first year they are growing roots to become established. I have a drip irrigation system and mulch around the base. Hopefully they will start growing faster next spring 2011. I'll check back in. I found the green giants at seedlingsrus.com, Bill was very helpful and knowledgeable about how to plant etc.
    Also, I noticed home centers discount shrubs around the end of Sept if you have a way to pick them up.

  • uptightbuyer
    13 years ago

    Nobody has posted in this thread for some time, I hope someone sees my message.

    We planted 2 8ft. Green Giant thujas 18 months ago. They were planted properly following all instructions. They are about 4ft. from the neighbors fence which gives them protection. Ever since they were planted they have been nursed along with loving care, I did give them a bit of fertilizer 14-14-14 slow release in March last year, but this year I will feed them properly measuring the trunk as to how much they need exactly. They were watered properly and no weeds have been allowed to grow for three feet all around them.

    BUT, wait for it.... They have not budged an INCH in growth!!

    They looked very healthy all last year, but now after the winter they have browned a little, more of a brown sheen, not withered, (although they don't look as full as they did in summer) the leaves are still very shiny, almost waxy looking. Like everyone else we were hoping for rapid growth for privacy, this is very disappointing. Any tips please?

  • pmacg
    12 years ago

    Update on the Thuja Green Giants. Mine did have some browning during the winter. In MA we had enough snow to cover the shrubs and I did nothing to them. My neighbors lost their american arborvitae because they split from the snow. The brown fell off by late spring and with some watering they have grown to 7+ feet measuring the wispy top.
    Starting with 3 foot plants in October 09 they grew less than a foot the first year but have grown about 3 feet over the last year. I hammered some vigoro tree and shrub stakes in the ground a few feet away and between them the last 2 springs. Watering is important and if you have many then drip irrigation is the way to go.

  • mkopec1
    12 years ago

    I purchased 14 Green Giants online in spring of 2010. They were all about 5ft tall when planted in spring along a SE fence about 4 ft apart and 5 ft from fense. They were all planted on a knoll I built up because of drainage problems in the spring. The knoll was about 2 ft tall and 5 ft across running the length of the fence line. The soil is pretty much all heavy clay, but I added some topsoil to the knoll that I had delivered from a local supplier.

    In the first summer I noticed very little growth but they did fill out some at the base. The second spring, 2011, I was worried because we got more rain than usual, pretty much torrential rains in the spring. I had flooding problems in the back of my yard but the knoll I built seemed to help because they all made it through pretty much the worst wet season I have seen here.

    Midway through the second summer now, 2011, and I have to say Im impressed. I was also skeptical as to their supposed growth rate, but all of them pretty much shot up 2-3 ft of new growth. I water them about 1-2 times a week because it has been dry here lately, and I have sprayed them down with some miracle grow once as well. I will check back in in a few years.

  • spruceman
    12 years ago

    Green giants should be watered for a couple of years after planting to make sure they are well established. After that, they seem to be rather drought resistant. I have good deep soils here, and last year here we officially had an "extreme" drought, and it was long-lasting. I did not give my Green Giants a speck of water and they did fine.

    But continued watering will probably help them grow faster, but these things are tough, and for their overall health, they don't need any water here, even in extreme drought conditions. Also, the eight hottest days here averaged 100 degrees, with one day up to 103--no observable adverse effect on these trees.

    Mine have averaged about three feet per year for the first 6 years or so, but since they have slowed down. If they kept on growing at 3 feet per year for 30 years, they would be 90 feet tall. If they eventually get that tall, or anywhere near that tall, it will take a long time.

    --spruce

  • oikos
    12 years ago

    I'll add my experience. Since I live in NC close to them I drove over and bought 20 GG from Thuja Gardens in March 2011. Mine were the 2-3' tall ones which means they were actually 18" once you account for the height of the pot. Anyway I planted mine along my back fence in partial shade conditions with a few hours of late afternoon sun. I added 3 more slightly larger plants from Lowes in early June. All were planted in holes ammended with Black Kow.

    Since planting them I have watered them about once a week and added a handful of 10-10-10 in late May. So far they have done very well averaging about 14" of new growth in 3 months. Based on everything I have read and my experience I would say that regular watering is critical to establishing them and getting good growth rates. Some growers suggest that you cannot overwater these trees. I also read that they are only semi dormant in winter and will grow anytime the temps get above 55 degrees so make sure they have water then or expect winter kill desiccation.

    They should also be pruned to have only one main leader and also to help them fill out more. Don't let them get too leggy and always fertilize in the spring never the fall--nitrogen added late in the season will result in too much late growth that will not harden off in time for winter and is likely to winter kill.

    A lot of folks here have written of problems losing larger trees due to transplant shock and my neighbor behind me has just gone through that. She planted 22 6' tall GG in June and has lost 7 with more developing brown tips. She doesn't water often enough and when she does she mainly just sprays water on them, not enough to even get down through the mulch layer. A lot of folks seem to think that larger trees have more roots and dont need a much water but the reverse is true since they have a lot more leaf area to lose water from. Enjoy your GGs and remember they are thirsty little buggers!

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    12 years ago

    Oikos,

    For future planting endeavors, don't amend your backfill soil with Black Kow (or, if you do so, amend very very lightly). I know it sounds like you are doing them a favor, but you really aren't. It has been widely demonstrated through numerous studies that backfill amendment, for trees and shrubs, almost never has a positive effect and frequently introduces root system development and drainage problems. Whether you are planting in pure sand, pure clay, or something in between, amendment is probably not the answer.

    Also, I wonder why you are fertilizing your GG's. Unless you have done soil tests and found that your site is short on all three major nutrients, you are probably wasting your money and possibly even making conditions a little worse for your trees. The legginess you mentioned may be one indication of improper fertilization.

    GG's are more tolerant of overwating than many other trees, but they are not swamp trees and should be watered and sited with that in mind.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    12 years ago

    I forgot to add, you might find the link below helpful...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Planting a Tree or Shrub

  • oikos
    12 years ago

    First, I have a PhD in biology, majored in botany for my BS, managed a greenhouse in college, worked as a research scientist for the Dept Interior for over 30 years and have more than a passing knowledge about plant growth. In addition I followed the growers suggestions for amending the soil specifically with Black Kow which is a composted cow manure that provides increased organic matter to the root zone and acts as a very slow release fertilizer for the plants. My soil is sandy loam and can use additional organic matter. As for the small amount of added fertilizer, if you want to get the type of growth rates that GG is capable of then you need to feed them--every nursery I've ever seen them at has added fertilizer to the soil/potting medium. A good slow release fertilizer added in the spring will provide the needed nutrients that may or may not be there in most soils, especially on subdivision lots that have been stripped of their natural organic layer and true soil. Just don't add fertilizer after July as this can cause too much new growth which won't have tome to harden off in the fall before freezes hit and can be killed back. As for water, I would bet you that more of these trees die from lack of water than too much except in rare cases where they are planted in poorly drained soils in low areas where water collects.

  • oikos
    12 years ago

    PS--my 20 trees have grown an average of 14" during the first 3 months of their first year and there isn't a brown or yellow tip on any of them. I also have 3 leyland cypress planted among them that have been treated the same way for over a year and they have grown over 3' in a year.

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    12 years ago

    Wow Oikos! I'm surprised that with all that education you don't seem to be more familiar with all the studies and research on soil amendment. Surely your aware of Whitcomb's work, which is just one of many studies addressing this topic. His work, as well as the work of many others, consistently show no benefit to soil amendment, including in sandy soil. Even in the initial first year (which shouldn't be one's only concern when planting trees for themselves or long-term customers), the vast majority of studies don't show any benefit from amendment of backfill soil.

    I also find it odd that you confuse fertilizing containerized plants with fertilizing plants grown in the ground in natural soil. The comparison is not just apples and oranges, but apples and....well, plastic fruit. It's not even close to being the same thing!

    Growers suggestions are frequently not worth the paper they are written on. This is pretty widely understood in the horticultural community. Some growers actually do try to keep up with the science available to the industry, but many simply rely on the myths they've heard over the years and never bother to really check to see whether what they've heard is worth passing on to others. Some people believe following grower's instructions are important from a warranty standpoint, but I suggest that if the grower insist on a detrimental practice, it's time to look for another grower. Short-term warranties are not really the answer to long-term enjoyment of a tree.

    I'd bet you are correct about the relative amount of GG's that die from over- and under-watering, hence my statement in that last post. Guess you could say too much of a good thing is almost never good.

    BTW, I noticed your screenname. Do you have any connection to Ken A, or is the screenname coincidental?

  • dan442
    11 years ago

    when freshly planted do they need any fertilizing?

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    dan.. if you started your own post.. the replies would come back to you.. and not the OP..

    NEVER FERT A RECENTLY PLANTED CONIFER OR TREE ... ever!!!!

    ken

  • DavidLavalley
    10 years ago

    A couple years ago I read this thread while looking for a privacy screen solution.

    I decided to give the green giants a try and planted 3 to cover up my shed on the side of my house. Since I really couldn't find a documentary on growth per year, I decided to take a photo each year and post it on my blog. See link below.

    I will be updating this information next month and will provide the latest growth results for the 2012-2013 year.

    So far, they are growing at a moderate rate but I expect growth to increase in the next year or so.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Growth of the thuja green giant

  • oikos
    10 years ago

    Seems like time for an update on my GG's. During the firt year I watered them weekly, about 2 gals each. That year they grew an average of 22". Not bad for a first year since they had to establish a root system and adjust to the site conditions but the regular water and Black Kow seemed to help. 2012 was a slow year due to drought conditions but I did provide some supplemental water when things got real dry in late summer. They only managed an average of 9.8" that year. 2013 was a pretty wet year but growth only picked up a little over 2012--they put on an average 11.3". So for the 3 year period they have grown an average of about 46" or about 15"/yr. Most are now about 5' tall with a couple over 6'.

    Obviously that doesn't come close to the 3'/yr claims you see, but my trees are not in full sun and for the last couple years have had to depend mostly on mother nature for their water. I also suspect that had they been plants with fully developed roots instead of recently rooted cuttings their growth would have been greater. I strongly believe that the supplmental watering I provided the first year resulted in not losing a single tree out of the 20 I planted. As a side note I also have 3 Leyland cypress that I planted in the same area in 2010 which have now grown about 9' since planting--2 are over 12' tall now. If it weren't for all the problems associated with them I would have planted more and they do seem to be able to outgrow the GG's under the same conditions in my back yard.

  • lawrdent
    9 years ago

    Last year after doing some homework on a privacy screen, I decided to give the GGs a shot. I called the nearby nursery (live NW suburb by Chicago), they wanted $300 dollars for each 4 foot GG. I was shocked at the price. I needed roughly 100 to surround my back yard. So I bought 27 online (small ones) initially in late spring June of 2013) and decided to see how hardy and fast growing. In the fall of 2013 we decided to buy the rest and plant them as well. I was a bit surprised at how small they came--4 to 6 inches tall and everyone laughed after I planted them. We had a VERY hard winter with record snowfall and most seemed to have survived. The GGs that we planted in the spring have doubled in size--roughly all of them are at least 12 inches tall. I plan on putting some pics on this site at the one year anniversary (end of June). When we planted and one year later.
    I did not expect any growth for a year since I read that their roots have to get established, so am happy so far at any growth. I am hoping that by 2016 I will have a privacy fence of about 9 feet. I would love to let them grow and top them at around 15 to 20 feet. I will keep you posted.

  • silver78
    9 years ago

    Our home is about 14 years old and we have three green giants on our property. They are huge now. Perhaps 30 feet tall. Additionally several of our neighbors bought either Leyland Cypress or some form of Arborvitae as screens around the neighborhood. Most of them were planted between 10 and 14 years ago. Some general observations follow.

    One of our neighbors (the rich one) bought big ones that were planted by a local landscaper. While they are fine now he had a lot of trouble with them in the early years as some of them fell over in severe weather. Based on my observation I think that smaller is better when transplanting this type of tree. I think conifers are more likely to have tipping issues than say a maple or oak. Thus having a well established root system is very important. Another neighbor planted really small ones. They were only two feet tall when she planted them. While they were no effective as a screen in the early years I was surprised at how they popped up after they were well established. I think it took 3-4 years so it wasn't instant screen but they did not have any tipping or maintenance problems and it looks great now. Most of us bought something in between - say 6 to 8 foot tall BnB specimens. They worked fine. There were a few examples of tipping in the first year or two but not like the guy who planted big ones. In the end I think I would lean to the smaller side if I had to do it over again unless you have the bad neighbor problem like the original poster. But if you do plant bigger ones perhaps consider staking them because unless you are very lucky you will have some that tip over in severe weather.

  • virginia_mike
    9 years ago

    I planted 11 Thuja's. 6 at 3 foot and the rest were those 12" starters. It's been 7 years now. The 6 three footers are now about 15 feet tall and the five 12" ones are about 10-12 feet tall,

    I planted the 6 in front as a privacy screen, but only 4 feet apart, and they do make a great wall now, but I'm thinking I planted them too close together? Does anyone know if they will stop growing soon because of this placement?

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    hey

    the post is about GGiants

    you say you have thuja ... and based on the growth in seven years.. i doubt yours are GGs

    you may or may not be talking about the same plant ..

    if they are not GGs ... then you should have started your own post...

    regardless .. conifers as trees ... NEVER stop growing .. EVER

    if they do.. they are dead ...

    ken

  • Gardengrl65
    9 years ago

    Virginia Mike Lemme take a shot at this...
    Hey.
    Thank you for posting your experience with the thuja's. Based upon the growth rate, it appears you trees may not be GG. If you can verify that they aren't, I'd suggest posting your question on a new thread as you may not get the right answer on this thread. Good Luck!

  • virginia_mike
    9 years ago

    This is where I bought them.
    www.fast-growing-trees.com/Thuja-Green-Giant.htm

    And they DO look like the picture they have shown.
    Why? Are they growing to slow here?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Green Giant Thuja

  • lawrdent1
    9 years ago

    Update from my last post in June of 2014. I planted GG that were roughly 4 to 6" tall in june of 2013. I did not think they would survive because they were not what I was expecting. So did not really give them much thought. Planted them around grass and left them. To my surprise they lived and started to grow. At the end of Oct. 2014 they are all about 28 to 32" tall. I will see how this growing season goes, but so far so good......

    After I started seeing this growth, I ripped up the grass and added mulch to give them a chance to grow even faster and stronger. So the growth you are seeing was 1.5 years.

  • Embothrium
    9 years ago

    'Green Giant' produces a tree of some size, hence the name. That strip of bed right next to the fence isn't going to be nearly big enough.


  • Mark Leach
    9 years ago

    Have a lot of land that I don't plan on using for at least 5 years thought that it makes sense to buy the cheaper small GG instead of the more expensive 1 gallon trees. will these 12 inch plants establish roots faster?

  • bengz6westmd
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mine were 10-12 inches at first. After 10 seasons avg ~15-20' tall'. More compact and better behaved than Leyland cypresses. Below they line the road behind the VA pine:

  • wisconsitom
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mark, the general answer is yes, smaller transplants suffer less transplant shock and often go on to establish themselves faster. Other factors can come into play. Sometimes, if you're working in a very weedy, wild and woolly environment, slightly larger starter plants can make sense. That's the case in some of the native restoration work I do-the site will never receive the level of maintenance of say, someone's yard, and it seems to help to get whatever it is you're planting up above at least some of this weed layer to begin with. And there's no accounting for happenstance-you can do everything right but you may not be able to control some factor which shows up later, skewing the results. But yes, in general, smaller is better.

    All that said, conifers, and certainly arborvitaes, move easily in larger sizes. Their normal root system architecture is flat and wide. So there's no reason not to plant larger, if it serves some specific need of yours, say, faster screening, etc.

    +oM

  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago


    Benj: Thanks for your photo you give me great hope. How big were they after about 5 years?

    Well I just received and planted 40 GG thujas from Towne Creek Nursery (TCN) out of Georgia. They came in 3 inch pots and were very well packed and everyone of them were very healthy with nice dark green color. They averaged about 12 inches in height. I actually bought 75 and gave the extras to my son and daughter to split up. My son in-law is an excellent landscaper so I am using him for watering tips. I added about a tablespoon of slow release fertilizer to each tree. I bought the fertilizer from the folks at TCN who by the way seem to be great people and very accessible for questions. My morning routine now includes watering my new hedge and my son's hedge. I have a 55 gallon drum in the back of the pickup truck and just give them a morning taste to keep the ground moist while they develop. I will be cutting back on that in a couple of weeks.

    Total cost of the 75 trees and fertilizer including shipping $225. Now how can you beat that for 3 large privacy fences? Mine covers 160 feet. I planted a double row with offset spacing.


    Should I add more slow release fertilizer later this year or next spring?

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    8 years ago

    i started with 6 inchers... on sand... and have never fert'd them ...

    they are trees.. not children ...

    i am not sure about burying time release either ... since it is temp related release.. one might wonder.. when it will get warm enough.. below grade.. for the release ... but i woulndt worry about it now.. presuming you just put a little in there ....

    i wish you luck

    ken


  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago

    I was told by the folks at Towne Creek to just sprinkle it on top of the ground around the trees. So hopefully it will work correctly.

  • wisconsitom
    8 years ago

    Yes, that directive is correct. Feeder roots of trees are typically just under the surface, often pointing upwards. Nutrients at ground level need only rain or irrigation to place them in exactly the right zone.

    +oM

  • nora1953
    8 years ago

    Need privacy fence fast. Using Green Giant arborvitae, not sure what to plant 4ft vs. 7ft. What grows faster, help anyone.

  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago

    So far my little saplings seem to be taking hold nicely. I was wondering if adding some miracle grow to there watering might help them flourish faster. I have already put down a time release fertilizer when I planted them. I just don't want to over nourish them. Any thoughts?

  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago

    Nora: I am a newbie to the GG world but from what I have read both will do fine I guess if money is not an object starting with the 7 Ft tree will give you a more immediate result in terms of being a privacy fence.

  • terrene
    8 years ago

    I really like privacy and have been working for years on 15 foot +/- wide privacy borders on both sides of my lot. They are mostly a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees. (Some of the plants were already there). Within those I've planted rows of Emerald Green and Dark Green on one side of the yard, and a mixed row of Dark Green/Green Giant on the other side (just last week). I usually use the rows of arborvitae as a green back drop for flowering trees and shrubs in front of them.

    My standard treatment after planting is to water abundantly 2-3x per week the first year (I water by hand) and at least 1x per week the 2nd year, if it doesn't rain. After the new plantings settle for a few weeks, I spread a couple inches of compost and then mulch. Rain/watering will cause the compost to seep into the root zone. I never use additional fertilizer for trees - just compost and other organic matter.

  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago

    Terrene: Thank you for the advise. I am going to try that. They have been planted for three weeks now so tomorrow I am going to spread some compost and cover that with peat moss and water. I have been giving them a morning hand watering everyday as we have not had any rain for a month.

  • Embothrium
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Water whenever there has been less than an inch per week of rain - after new plantings have rooted out well into the soil beyond the original root mass. Otherwise if most roots have not grown out yet plants may need to be watered about as often as if they were still in the pots. Mulch at planting time to greatly assist in maintenance and establishment. Fertilize based on mineral content of soil at planting time and not when planting occurred or whether the plants are woody or not - both are irrelevant. If a plant is in a condition or a situation where it needs mineral supplementation there is no advantage to starving it for any length of time. And plants brought home from retail garden centers may look pretty green but actually be in a seriously mineral deficient condition, slip away after planting if not promptly fertilized - to root out well and benefit from the new situation a plant has to be strong enough at planting time to be able to respond well.

  • terrene
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Mark Leach, I usually use wood chips left over from tree work or shredded/partially decomposed leaves as mulch. Bark mulch would be okay but I don't like to pay for mulch and wood chips and leaves are free. I mulch beyond the root zone to preserve moisture and inhibit root competition from other plants. Not sure that the peat moss is a good idea as mulch, because I've read that it tends to be hydrophobic when it's dry? It could hinder water from seeping into the ground.

  • Mark Leach
    8 years ago

    Thank you Terrene,

    I noticed when I was applying the compost that even though I was watering daily the soil seemed pretty dry. I have increased my dosage amounts and I must say the trees seem to be gaining color since I made the application of compost / top soil mixture. I had a thought of poking four holes around the plant about 3 inches deep with a round plant stake so the water can find its way down and around the new root. Any thoughts on that? It has been real dry and windy this spring on the Cape so maybe that hasn't helped either.

  • wmdearmon
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I planted 50 leyland's 3 years ago. They were in the 5 gallon buckets, about a foot tall each.

    Now they are 12 to 14 feet tall. Not one has died, gotten cancer or been toppled.

    I live in Northwest Georgia. These trees have seen the most extreme weather our area has seen in years.

    Let me give some unsolicited advice, with all due respect.

    1. Whether they are green giant or leyland or arbovitae of any kind: Make sure you know your soil, make sure you know your frost level, and make sure you PLANT AND WATER AND FERTILIZE them appropriately. If you don't have time to manage them, then don't plant them.

    2. Plant them far away from structures you don't want them to grow into. i.e: fences, buildings, septic tanks, neighbors who hate their shade etc.

    3. plant them double their pot width, ONLY to the top of the pot you bought them with and with 1/2 native soil and the other half conducive to your local weather and environment. Be prepared to tie them off with rope that have maybe some cut pieces of garden hose around the rope to keep them from choking and which will help keep them level in high wind times if you are in a high wind area.

    4. Applying water and appropriate nutrients is huge, but easy. GG's and Leyland demand alot of water if on a slope with hard clay or dense soil. Down south if you are in red clay, then water them morning and night for the first month or two. If you are up north or in moist soil, once a week watering with any spronkler system is going to be ok, just dont overwater at night, stick to early mornings. I applied 10/10/10 in a circle about 1 foot out from the tree bole in early spring, and then again early summer, because my red clay is very acidic, hence the 10/10/10. Nice basic nutrients.

    5. Don't flip out about the cancer issues that you might tend to google; you are planting a long term resource for shade and beauty and perhaps privacy, so pay attention to your trees....daily. If the branches are browning on the outside but green on the inside, that ok, it's just growth. If you see a ring around the trunk, then do some research, I won't go into detail here.

    Just watch your trees, and remember, if you are planting in a row or around fences/property, your soil may be very different from one side to the other.

    The pic below is a recent one of my Leyland's after 3 years. They started out at about a foot. This is in PACKED Georgia red clay with lots of rocks. You may experience some growtg difference, but if they look healthy, they are healthy. I must say: Your initial soil preparation is huge. Plant them well. The GG's and Leyland's have a tap root that if given proper care, will grow deep and delve for nutrients.

    Out of 50 planted not one has died or had a problem.

    I am not a tree doctor nor do I play one on TV.

    I am...a lover of oxygen.

  • ania_wisniewski
    7 years ago

    I planted those green giants 4 months ago and I got them from http://thujagardens.com/ there were nicely packed and great health Im in zone5 the growth is incredible! as you can see on the pics :)

  • lexiedog3
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Two years ago we planted 240 7" thuja Green Giants that we ordered from Anything Green in Alabama. They were potted in 3 inch pots and were in great shape. We planted them in February. There is some variation in size but most are healthy and 5-6 feet tall. Some are 3.5 to 4 feet tall but most are larger. We were careful to mulch and fertilize . We had to water them in the summer under the very hot Alabama sun. We bought 54 acres next to a city softball park so we needed a barrier. We are pleased with the Green Giants and hope they will grow in their third year as they have in the previous two.