Why are they planted almost on top of other trees? They are far too close and are most likely suffering from root competition.

They are 3 - 4 ft in front of the big trees but one is a pine. the three trees on the right are next to a pine tree and i had a tree cut down and grinded there too. my local landcaping where i bought the tree they said could be root competition.

There are a few possibilities why the arbs are doing poorly:

• root competition as previously stated
• more shade than is optimum for healthy growth
• amending of individual planting holes can lead to improper water percolation down through the root zone
• inadequate watering practices
• congested or girdling root system that was not loosened satisfactorily before planting

For that site with great existing mature trees, I think you need a new landscape plan, not based on creating an arborvitae hedge right there.

i think your last comment is spot on ...

and btw.. i have NEVER fed nor fert's any of the hundred of so arbs ive planted on this property over the last 25 years ... they are trees.. aka.. conifers.. they are not children that need to be fed.. nor clothed.. nor educated.. thank god..

NEVER feed a new transplant.. you have higher odds of burning off already stressed roots.. rather than helping the transplant..

water when a plant.. of any kind.. needs water .... dig small holes.. and FIND OUT.. when they need water at root depth.. a hand trowel.. or tablespoon is all you need... and you will find out.. that some plants under certain trees need more water than others... ergo.. its not a drip line thing ...

those trees could have been damaged by handling before they got to the store you bought them form.. tree time is counted in decades.. and damage can take a year or two to show up .. so its either improper watering.. or damage ... i suspect big box.. not the highest quality plants.. but the usual volume supplier ...

if you want to learn about plants that have a hard time under trees.. just ask in the hosta forum about planting under tree like yours...

lets see some pix of the entire yard om that side... go 20 feet past the arbs.. and take some pix back towards the house.. and lets see if you cant accomplish your goal.. by planting a few small trees or flowering shrubs in the lawn.. like redbu d ...magnolia stella... other mags.. etc ..

and with those trees.. you wont need the abs way out there presumably at the property line.. you might be amazed.. how 2 or 3 trees will block that view and probably being in more sun.. do it much faster ...

give us a location.. big city name...

and NEVER rely on soaker hoses to water trees ... you need more art in that equation.. rather than science... if you get my point...

ken

There are several misstatements in the previous post that should be clarified. Arborvitaes are not hostas and one cannot make the same comparison re: planting situations. The roots of trees and other woody plants extend much farther than that of most perennials and are able to compete well for water and nutrients among their larger cousins. They are also less likely to show stress from this close proximity.

And avoid any gardening statements that includes the word "never"!! Trees can need supplemental fertilization just like any other plant and soaker hoses are an excellent method of irrigation, delivering water slowly and deeply into the root zone. It is up to the gardener to determine how often and for how long to run the soaker, as every garden and every garden soil will be different.

If I were to guess at a reason from only these pics and you saying 3'-4' from the existing trees, I would bet money that the existing tree root structure didn't allow you to dig a full-sized or shaped hole (both circumference and depth) to plant these 2 specific thujas (especially near the pine with a lot of small roots). Because of the half-dieback, and not appearing fully encompassed (and no interior shedding), I would zero in on gardengal's last bullet point from either cramming one side of the thuja root ball/not opening it up, and a compacted area around the dig (roots + compacted soil) exacerbated both the first bullet point of root competition and may had sitting water and some root rot.

With thujas sometimes raising the root ball is beneficial not only for poor draining soils, but may help alleviate initial root competition til it's better established.

some great advice here thank you. ill try watching the watering for those 2 trees specially now im watering them consistently going into year 2. i will dig the trees up and see if the home was too narrow or see if there any big roots that are keeping it from staying healthy. ill also try raising the root ball on the new ones i plant.