mrskaline i have 3 degroots spires and other types of arborvite. Im not sure about winter burn in your zone, because I live in 7a...Atlanta. However, all are planted in heavy red Georgia clay and are doing very well. I also have sky rocket thats doing very well also.

My primary concern is with degroots width....depending on which publication/opinion you read width is anywhere from 1 foot to 6 feet wide with time. I plan on keeping my rather narrow with selective pruning if needed.

thanks ken....i would like to keep mine at their current 1.5 feet wide also....will keep a look out for multiple leaders sneaking in

Here's a shot of one I have(middle one of the three thuja's) that has never thrown a secondary leader and I imagine that's a rather trait considering all the ones I see in the retail trade these days. I purchased this plant from Gee's a number of years ago and it's growing in soil that resembles pottery clay.
I have three others that have the tendency to throw in secondary leaders and some I trim out and some I leave. You need to be VERY selective when you purchase a Degroot - otherwise you'll end up with a wide plant. There;s a new mail-order nursery here in Ohio called Yellowwood Rare Plants that that sell a cultivar called Unicorn that supposedly stays a single leader plant. I know the owners well and I don't think they would advertise it as such if it would do otherwise. You can Google that name for their website.

'Degroots Spire' browns somewhat in Ohio, if you are just refering to the normal winter bronzing, ... its not too bad, other Arb types can get browner/uglier, so I wouldn't worry too much. Seem quite hardy also.

If you not so set on the thin tower just use some 'Emerald green'/'Smaragd'. Would take years to get too wide and are a nice green. Or use both.

If would try the 'Smaragd'. There are reasons why it has become so popular.

"There are reasons why it has become so popular".

They make a great filler plant at a affordable price. Big box stores sell them by the 1000's.

There are also reasons to not use them...

They are a multi-leader arborvitae that will splay apart under heavy snow/ice loads. Under extreme conditions I have seen them laying on the ground. Zone 5a is a great place for this to happen.

Dave
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I have two De Groot Spire Arbovitaes, and they have several leaders which go straight up next to each other without spreading. The plants are 6 1/2 ft tall, 16 in wide. Most of the leaders start at the bottom up, one each starts half way up. One has all day sun, the other has afternoon shade. Both had some small winter yellowing, none shows now any damage. I have never seen them bend under snow.

I could only leave the major leader on the Degroot Spires, but will probably tie the leaders together loosely with coarse rope. I also have 'Smaragd', but they are twice as wide and bend down under snow.

But then I also have two Juniperus communis "Gold Cone', also 6 1/2 ft tall, 16 in wide, but only one leader each, both in full sun, no winter damage ever, beautiful.

Bernd

Around here some people wrap burlap around Smaragd and similar cultivars... seems to work.. I don't think it's the cold that gets them... I've read it's the drying wind and sun combo... I am in the same position. I need to create a 10 to 12 foot wide privacy screen to block the view of some nosy neighbors who always seem to want to chat or see what we're up to when i fee like swimming and sipping on my beverage in private...

start your own post.. with some pix splaker .... maybe we can help ...

wrapping in burlap is fine ... if you only have a few to do .. but sooner or later.. as your collection or garden grows... it can become an overwhelming job ...

please go to your members page.. and add your location and zone ...

ken