Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Fast Impressions With Thuja Green Giants

By Scott Bailey


Need a privacy fence, a windbreak, or an impressive border for your long driveway? Thuja Green Giants are hard to beat. The Green Giant is a well-shaped tree, tapering gracefully to a height of 20 feet. It grows like a weed (up to 5 feet a year), has soft, dense, evergreen foliage, and is virtually care free.

These beautiful trees can be planted 5 to 6 feet apart in rows and will grow to a uniform height and width. The row will look both formal and impressive, making a wonderful privacy shield for a development home or a striking statement on an estate. A line of these majestic trees evenly spaced along a drive, forming a dense barrier, is truly a sight to see.

These vigorous evergreens need space to grow, although being in a row limits their height to about twenty feet and their width to about eight. As a single specimen, they can tower higher than a house and spread twenty-five feet around. They should be planted at least four feet from the property line or a fence, and not closer than fifteen feet to a septic field. Their roots will spread a little farther than the tree itself.

Thujas are evergreens in the cypress family. They are also known as arborvitae, a name which may be more familiar. The hybrids adapt to almost any soil, are insect and disease resistant, and don't need fertilizer once they are firmly rooted in place. Even bagworms leave them alone, as do deer most of the time. Although they are Heat resistant, they do best with regular watering during hot, dry periods. Because the best trees are grown from cuttings, they all look alike.

Best known as a privacy fence or a windbreak, these trees also make excellent sound barriers. They keep heavy-metal laden air pollution out of your yard; research shows that a dense hedge can shield vegetables and herbs from as much as ninety percent of the effects of near-by traffic.

One of the parent trees for this hybrid is native to the Northeast United States. Giants are hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit and are not prone to damage from wind or snowfall. Growers can recommend the best planting time in Georgia. It's important to follow these recommendations, in order to give your trees the best start. There is a lot of information about choosing trees, sizes available, prices, and shipping costs. You will also find culture tips and customer testimonials.

The best deal seems to be a well-rooted tree in a roomy container. A 6 to 7 foot tree can come in a one gallon pot or in a 7 gallon container, depending on the nursery. Buying direct from a grower means you may get a great price - no middleman - and can save even more if you can pick up your trees rather than have them shipped. Evaluate the prices carefully, making sure to factor in shipping costs, if any. Some nurseries offer free shipping.

Who would have thought that one day people would order trees online that are taller than they are - and have them shipped to their door? Crazy. Or have a well-established hedge (if you can call something 20 feet tall a hedge) in three or four years. It's like magic!




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