Proper Watering of Emerald Cedars

(Question)

Hi,

I’ve planted a row of Emerald Cedars in my backyard. The line of cedars is planted East to West and gets fairly full sun on a clear day.

My question is that I’ve set a soaker hose to run across East to West on both sides of the plant very close to the centre trunk.

Basically like this

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The soaker hose is about 1-2 inches away from centre.

I use one of those stick in probes (about 8 inches long) each day to check the soil moisture before turning on the soaker hoses for about 2 hours.

How do I know when I should water and when to stop? Should I wait for the roots to dry, then water fully? Or should I always maintain a “moist” condition.

 

(Answer)

Watering deeply and less frequently is recommended for moisture-loving Emerald Cedars –  at least once or twice a week after planting, depending upon rainfall.  This will help the roots to establish well. The use of a soaker hose is an ideal way to do this.  Soil quality is another important element in your young hedge’s overall health.  Here is a previous post that will provide you with some additional tips on how to make sure that your young cedars thrive:  https://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/emerald-cedar-turning-brown/