GOOD DAY.
PLEASE HELP,
MY BEAUTIFUL EMERALD CEDAR TREES NEED HELP, I SPENT NEARLY $8,000 LAST FALL 2019 AND HAD THEM PLANTED FOR PRIVACY ON PROPERTY LINE IN FRONT OF HOUSE, A ROW OF 20 BEAUTIFUL 5″ TREES. I PAID THE GARDEN CENTRE EXTRA TO BURLAP THEM BEFORE THE FIRST MINUS ZERO TEMPERATURE IN DECEMBER AND I UNWRAPPED THEM BEGINNING OF APRIL 2020. THE TREES LOOK HORRIBLE ALMOST DRY AND DEAD.
PLEASE HELP,
WHAT CAN I DO TO REVIVE THEM?
WHAT KIND FERTILIZER?
MORE TOP SOIL OR TRIPLE MIX?
SO SAD, DIDNT EVEN ENJOY THEM?
I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE, THANK YOU.
It will not be much consolation to know that you are not the only homeowner to experience problems with Emerald Cedar hedging. Although it is a popular and reasonably priced alternative for hedging, these plants can experience stress on transplanting, and can be vulnerable to a few insect pests and diseases, as well as to extremes such as cold drying winters and drought in summer. If you bought your trees at a reputable nursery, they should be guaranteed for a year, and you should be able to return them.
Here is a link to a similar question to Toronto Master Gardeners and the answer which should cover your questions in more depth.
https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/dying-emerald-cedars-3/
This is a brief overview of some of the issues that may be causing your cedars to turn brown; if you search on our “Ask a Master Gardener” website using the word “emerald”, you will find several other posts answering questions on Emerald Cedars on a variety of topics.