I live in Toronto, a short block away from Lake Ontario. I have quite a few emerald cedars on my property that were planted between 2 and 5 years ago. They are alive but never appear to really be thriving. Some are in full sun and some are in mostly shade with partial sun. They are all looking like they are half alive (the tops look green and full but in the middle it is not dense and slightly brown. I’m fairly good at keeping them watered. I haven’t fertilized them on a regular basis. I’ve been told because of our climate, the cedars will never really thrive – is this true? For the ones I bought and planted, I purchased them from a garden centre that said they were raised in a colder climate (not like some that are shipped from B.C. or some other area in the U.S. where it is not nearly as cold as southern Ontario). Is there any hope for these trees or should I give up and consider planting another type of tree in their place? I’ve planted a few blue spruce shrubs and they are doing fantastically well.
Thank you for your time!
Emerald cedars seem to have their share of difficulties. That being said, your comments indicate that your trees are not in extreme distress. Your light conditions are fine and it appears your watering habits are conducive to good growth. This link by Toronto Master Gardeners provides excellent guidelines for keeping your cedars healthy:
https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/emerald-cedars-in-distress/
As an aside, Toronto’s Hardiness Zone is 6a – 7a as rated by Natural Resources Canada.
Please consider giving these trees another season of your watchful gardening!