Privacy
Dead cedars
As soon as the lady opened her mouth about cedar hedge replacement, I didn’t even have to see the her front yard. I could tell she was desperate to get her privacy back, not to mention noise and air pollution.
Sadly, she was asking about round two cedar replacements. Which brings me to a question: why are the new cedar installs failing? Is it inadequate watering or are they suffocating with too much watering? Does it make a difference if you leave or remove the burlap cover on the root ball? Is the soil in good shape or do we amend it a little bit? Is the family pet burning the cedars?
So many questions and I don’t have ready answers.
Hedge benefits
The owner sounds desperate because she knows what was lost. Her yard faces a busy road and a sidewalk. Car noise and pollution go on all day; and passersby can easily peek in. I have seen studies from the UK showing how much different air pollution levels are behind the hedge, on the patio side. The hedges do work hard reducing both air and noise pollution.
Planting
I’ve seen newly planted cedar hedges die with and without burlap but, personally, I like to remove it. Nurseries insist on keeping it on; if you remove it, it could void your warranty, if there is one. Whatever you do, remove the top of the burlap so you can see the root flare. That’s where the stem turns into roots: this zone should be at grade or slightly higher if you suspect the tree will settle a little bit.
It’s important to plant into native soil but amending poor soils with a little bit of organic soil should help. If you backfill the planting hole with new soil, the cedar will joystick on you. Meaning it could topple over as water easily penetrates the new non-native soil. Be careful!
Putting some water into the planting hole might help; definitely water-in the new planting and keep at it. This is a long term commitment and I know people are busy. We need water down in the root zone.
If you’re not sure about your current moisture levels, just stick your finger in.
Timing
Now that the planet is heating up, timing is important. Fall planting is ideal. If you plant in spring when temperatures are also lower, it may not give the cedars enough time to get established before summer hits.
Top dressing
Top dressing your newly planted cedars gives you an instant good look and it should give the trees a nice “kick”. But be careful with the soil. Usually the soil you pick up from a landscape centre is hot because it’s sitting in a huge pile. If you install it on the same day, the hot soil could burn the roots. So check your top dressing soil and delay the top dressing if you must. It’s best if the new soil is cold.
Conclusion
If you’re missing several cedar trees in your yard and your privacy is gone, I feel for you. Some people give up on cedars and plant something else, like yews or Portuguese laurels. Others go with more cedars even if it’s a few rounds in. Privacy is no joke. I just wish I knew for sure why the new plantings don’t always survive.
