Likelihood of moving mature arborvitae?

7 years ago

So I have about five or six arborvitae that are shoved in a really weird location of my property. I can tell the original owners or the builder wanted to make a line of arborvitae for privacy from the neighbors. But considering there's a ton of massive pine trees and brush that block out the right it's a REALLY weird place for them (see I don't even know how many I have this is how out of the way and weird it is). Our neighbor actually told us that about 10 years ago there was a line of Arborvitae going straight back all the way to the end of our property, which would have been about 30 trees. He said they all died one by one because they're in a bad location, which is why there's only a few left.
Not super concerned about privacy from the neighbor after I remove them. The pine trees and other brush make a good screen.
So I would like to relocate these last remaining Arborvitae to an area that gets more sun and where I will actually realize that I have them LOL. They're about 6 feet tall and approximately 3 ft wide each. Is it possible for me to lift these out and move them using only a shovel and my husband's help? (I was able to rip out a few huge rhododendrons with only a shovel and my tiny self haha).

Featured Answer

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

A six foot tree may need 2-3 strong bodies to hoick it about. How much room is around them to dig a proper root ball? If too close, you may only be able to move every other one. Any chance of a pic?

Also, pine tends to thin out on the bottom as they age and may not provide the privacy you have now.

" He said they all died one by one because they're in a bad location ..."

Did he say what made it a bad location?

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Comments (7)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
7 years ago
I would most likely check out current prices of smaller plants in nearby nurseries. IME once an arborvitae has been growing in adverse conditions, it won’t fill in well, even if conditions improve. Plus, trees that large will be heavy and will need a lot of care if they are to survive the winter.
Kali C thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
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Kali C
Original Author
7 years ago
Tsuga - I gathered it's because thale shade is far too dense. Seriously there's like 20 white pines in the area these trees had been planted. Plus I'm guessing they didn't get tended very often.

Babs - that's probably a better idea, I'd hate to do all that and then kill the poor thing
Kali C
Original Author
7 years ago

So you can't really see the pines in this photo but they're to the left (blocking morning sun), pretty dense and tall, on a slight hill
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
arbs are a full sun plants.. these are struggling because of reduced sun ... not as full as they should be ... and they are probably being out competed for water.. by the mature pines ....

but the problem is.. that reduced light.. is going to make it hard to plant other plants.. and have them grow with the requisite vigor ...

top pic directly above ... they serve a purpose.. leave them there ... dont fix what isnt broken ...

also ... since they are lacking vigor .... the stresses of moving them will not make it easy on the tree ...

and as junkie noted.. you would be needing 2 or 3 foot rootballs .... and though digging such is good exercise ... trust us.. actually moving them.. without a machine.. is very hard work ...

agree with babs .... if you want some elsewhere.. just go buy some new ones.. and leave these there ...

if you do want to remove them.. just cut to the ground.. apply stump killer ... and dont bother digging ... if you want to plant something else.. just move a few feet away ... no real need to plant in the exact spot ... imo ...

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
btw ... this might show you how the aggressive pines outgrew the arbs ... and caused their eventual decline .. the history from the neighbor might have been key .....

in other words.. back in the day .... they may have been planted in full sun ... and vigor went down as the pines outgrew them ...

i had pinus strobus growing 3 to 5 feet per year ... before i removed them.. because i didnt want a pine forest ....

ken
Embothrium
7 years ago
Actually in North America arborvitae are climax forest species that often grow up through other species of trees such as pines - that appear after a big fire or logging has removed the existing stand - to eventually replace them, if the stand is not disrupted again beforehand. So living in shade is natural for them. The problem in a garden setting is that significantly shaded specimens are not as dense and attractive as is usually desired.

Also in the particular instance asked about here a columnar form - very likely 'Smaragd' - with a resulting formal appearance that does not match the naturalism (wildness) of the immediate setting was used. (The white fence looks intrusive also).

If it were my place I would just cut them off near the ground, dispose of the tops.