![]() Regardless of the variety, make sure you thin the tree/shrub periodically. How you approach trimming arborvitae depends on the type and the look you want to create or maintain. Only prune it off if it is severely damaged. Removing the top creates a very flat appearance since the shrub will no longer grow upwards after the central leader is removed.Īvoid taking the top off when trimming arborvitae if you are only thinning your tree. The tops of arborvitae trees are often cut off when the height becomes problematic, or people want to prune the tree into a hedge. Discard the cut branches away from other trees or plants never put diseased branches in a compost bin. In extreme cases, remove the branch altogether, cutting it where it comes off the trunk. Start by cutting slightly below where the needles are dead continue moving down the branch, making cuts, until you reach green growth. Prune dead or diseased branches back to healthy wood. When a dead or diseased spot does appear, it’s best to prune it out quickly. Removing Dead PortionsĪrborvitae trees are quite resistant to pests and diseases, which is why they are so popular. Take off any clubbed growth these are the twigs appearing as v-shaped shoots at ends of limbs. Remove any branches that grow into the center to allow sunlight to filter into the plant’s middle and improve air circulation. Using your cutting tools, remove vertical shoots that shade lower branches, leaving three leaders per branch. Trimming arborvitae annually or every two to three years, depending upon how manicured you want the tree’s form. To keep them from looking overgrown and help maintain their health, you may need to prune them back periodically. Thuja trees are continually putting on new growth. It slows the process down but ensures you only cut into the young, “green” wood and not the old. If your thuja trees need severely pruned, cut off one foot of growth yearly from the branches’ ends and the top. If you cut into the old wood, new growth won’t occur. Their growth habit makes it essential that pruning cuts aren’t too far back on the branches, removing the buds. ![]() Avoid cutting horizontal branches of your tree.Īrborvitaes are conifers, bearing needles instead of leaves these fan-like spreads of needles only grow from the buds on the ends of new, green wood. Work in sections as you cut your tree to make less mistakes. Also make sure to only cut into green, young wood. Make sure not to remove more than 30% of the tree’s foliage. To trim arborvitae properly, trim the terminal tips of the foliage. This prevents the spread of disease between landscape plants. At the bare minimum, always make sure tools are sharp and sterilized before starting pruning and after you finish. Realistically, this becomes very time consuming, and most people forego the recommendation. It’s recommended to clean the blades on your tools after every cut. Jagged cuts increase the chance of pest or fungal infection. Clean pruning cuts - i.e., those without ragged or torn edges - are critical to maintaining healthy plant tissue. Make sure to sharpen your tools are regularly, so the blades cut quickly and smoothly through the branches. Pruning or bow saw for branches thicker than 1” in diameter.Lopping shears for branches ½ to 1” in thickness.Hand pruning shears for branches less than ½” in diameter.As always, wear appropriate personal protective equipment too. Basic cutting tools will suffice depending upon the size of the branches. When it comes to trimming arborvitae, there isn’t a need for fancy, expensive tools. Make sure they are cut back before mid-summer to give them recovery time before temps drop in the fall. To shorten hedges, wait until they finish flowering in late spring or early summer to tackle the project.Once spring temperatures rise, the new growth will cover pruning cuts, making them less visible. If you need to prune your plant heavily, do it before it breaks dormancy, and active growth begins in the early spring.This timing allows the arborvitae an opportunity to put on new growth before winter. To maintain an ornamental shape, remove overgrowth in the spring and then wait until mid-summer to fine-tune the form.It’s best to trim thuja trees between early spring and mid-summer the specific timing depends upon how hard you need to cut back its foliage. When working with a living plant specimen, you must consider their growing habits when performing basic care. If you will be trimming arborvitae trees, it’s essential to learn the right way, avoiding the common mistakes people often make. Once planted, they are sometimes left to grow into a natural shape or trimmed to maintain a neat, tidy appearance. Many landscape designs include planting arborvitae because of their easy growing nature, low-maintenance needs, and overall good health.
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