Arborvitae Trees for Sale

Green Giant when you have room and want a larger, faster-growing privacy screen. Plan the mature width into your layout so you don’t end up forced to prune too hard later.

If you are interested in planting a Green Giant Arborvitae you should see about 1 foot of growth in the first season. Once established the trees are known to grow 3 to 4 feet per year. We offer affordable trees and the knowledge on how to plant them successfully.

Emerald Green Arborvitaes should grow about 6 inches in the first season. They are slower growing but are known for their compact dense foliage. 

Spacing depends on how quickly you want a solid screen and how wide you’ll allow the plants to get, but Emerald Green is commonly planted closer for a tighter hedge than larger forms. If you plant too tight, airflow drops and you can end up with more interior dieback and more frequent pruning. We recommend planting Emerald Green Arborvitaes 4ft on center. At first it will look like a lot of space but as the tree grows it will fill in nicely. 

Green Giant needs more spacing than Emerald Green because it gets much wider, and tighter spacing can force aggressive pruning later. We recommend planting the Green Giant Arborvitaes 5ft on center. Most of the time they are planted in a straight line. For more of an instant privacy the trees can be planted in a zig-zag pattern. 

Arborvitaes are best planted in New England throughout the spring.  Late March through the beginning of June.  That gives them time to adjust to your soil conditions before winter.  Plant in spring or early fall so roots can establish before summer heat or deep winter conditions, and avoid planting right before the ground freezes. If fall planting, keep watering until the ground begins to freeze to reduce winter drying stress.

Arborvitaes need to be watered 2 to 3 times per week for the first 8 - 12 weeks.

After the initial 8 to 12 weeks, water once a week until trees are established.

Once the trees are established they don’t need to be watered. By then they have acclimated to your soil conditions.

Planting location is a big factor to consider before planting the trees. If you plan to plant in a low section of your yard where you know water sits. You are going to want to build a berm to plant the trees into. Arborvitaes won't survive if they have wet feet. You will see them start to turn yellow from over watering. For more information please check out Planting Instructions.

If your tree is turning colors after planting it is typically due from over or under watering. Please check out Planting Instructions. Dropping / Shedding is a normal occurrence in the fall, winter Injury also causes discoloration.  In CT/MA, a common cause is winter injury (drying winds, sun, frozen ground limiting water uptake), which can show up as browning or dieback as plants come out of winter. Drought stress going into winter can raise the risk, so consistent watering into fall matters.

We recommend not fertilizing after planting. That gives the tree time to set its roots and adapt to your soil conditions. In your second year you can apply fertilizer to increase growth of your arborvitae. Fertilize arborvitae only if they need it (best confirmed with a soil test), and if you do, apply a slow-release, higher‑nitrogen fertilizer in early spring before new growth starts.

You will not have to consider pruning your arborvitaes for many years.  When they get to your desired height you can top them. Then they will use their energy to fill out.  If you prune too hard into old wood it will take a long time for the tree to send out a new branch.

Wrapping (or using burlap screens) can help in exposed, windy sites because New England winters can cause drying injury (winter desiccation), often showing up as browning later in winter or early spring. It’s most helpful for new plantings and sites with strong wind and winter sun exposure.

For a formal hedge, you can shear, but keep the top slightly narrower than the bottom so light reaches lower branches; this helps reduce lower thinning. If you “square off” with a broad top, the bottom can get shaded and lose foliage over time.

We can special order you trees that fit the mature height you desire. 

Heavy topping is generally discouraged because it can create awkward regrowth and often leads to multiple new leaders near the cut point. If you need height control, aim for selective reduction that preserves a natural outline rather than a flat “crew-cut” top.

Multiple tips often happen when the main leader is damaged from snow/ice, deer, handling or after topping, and the plant responds by pushing several competing leaders. It can be a cosmetic issue, and multiple leaders may be more prone to splitting under snow load than a single trained leader.

If you want a single top, pick the strongest, straightest leader and remove or gradually “subordinate” the others so one becomes dominant, reducing the chance of weak forks. Do this with restraint—arborvitae don’t reliably regrow from old bare wood, so avoid cutting deep into leafless interiors.

Deer commonly browse arborvitae including Emerald Green, especially in winter when other food is scarce, so protection may be necessary in many neighborhoods. Physical barriers and repellents are commonly recommended approaches, with fencing generally the most reliable where pressure is high.

Correctly watering your new trees is the most important thing you will need to do after planting. Please follow our Planting Instructions for Watering Timing - 

Consistent watering during establishment is key, because drought stress increases vulnerability to browning and winter injury later. Mulch helps conserve moisture, but keep it off the trunk to avoid moisture and rot issues at the base.