I recently planted Emerald and white cedars in our yard, about 3 weeks ago.
I put some bone meal in the soil and have been watering them deeply every day. Ive applied mulch as well making sure to keep it away from cedar stem.
My question is…what’s next?… I a significant amount of time at every tree even if the soil is fairly moist, when can i start backing off?
Should I be looking into applying fertilizer either in the form of miracle gro or those stakes i see at the store?
Thanks as always!
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners,
The work you have done and are doing will establish your Emerald and white cedars for the future. Watering is the most important and it is required for the first year. You do not need to water them everyday. You do need to water deeply weekly, and water especially during dry spells. Once established you can water when it is necessary, usually the second year. Adding compost as a top dressing in the spring (next year) will aid the soil health under the cedars. Compost at any time will provide a more gentle fertilization that will help protect soil conditions for the life of the tree.
Our Toronto Master Gardeners Website has information on planting and maintaining shrubs, Planting and Maintaining Shrubs