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Arborvitae – Plants for The SoleburyPa. Area
Whenever someone asks me for suggestions on EZ to plant treesand shrubs for the Solebury Pa. area, I always begin withArborvitae.Arborvitae are commonly used evergreen shrubs or trees useful inurban areas where low maintenance and durability is needed. Manycultivars with forms such as being globed in shape, columnar, ornarrow pyramidal, tend to be near buildings, doors, andwalkways. Other forms which are larger are used for screens andbuffers that are planted in rows. The form of arborvitae issmall, medium, or large depending on the cultivar. Some reach50′, others only 3′. Most prefer full sun to partial sun.Planting in dense shade conditions should be avoided. A moist ,well drained, loamy soil in full sunlight are ideal conditionsfor growing healthy arborvitae. These plants will toleraterocky, clay, urban conditions of heat drought and pollution. Themost important pest we have is bagworms which must be controlledto prevent complete defoliation. Some cultivars have multipleleaders which also prove to be a detraction for the plant.Pruning out multiple leaders in some cultivars is a simpleremeady. Our most popular Arborvitae is the Emerald Greenarborvitae. Many people prefer to spell them Arbor Vitae . It isa bright light green color and narrow in shape. It makes adistinctive and impressive natural fence. It is easy to grow,plant, and keep in shape. The Hetz Midget arborvitae is a dwarf globe variety. This is agood choice for along walkways and gardens. This is a toughplant that is easy to install and not going to cost a lot. Itwill maintain its color in the winter and will withstand snowloads well. We carry these plants in 2 and 3 gal. pots. Theprices on these dwarfs vary from $15 to $30 depending on sizeand quanity ordered. Another small arborvitae that we grow in pots is the Rheingoldarborvitae. This is a small globe shaped plant that has a goldengreen cast to it in the summer and a bronze winter color. Wealso have the American Arborvita known as “Tiny Tim”.Thisarborvita grows in zone 2 – 7. Its is a needled evergreen in theCupressaceae Family. It will grow in height from a half a footto 1 foot tall. Its spread will be about 1 to 1.5 feet. This isa plant that requires little work. Selecting quality arborvitaefor the home landscape : When you get to the nursery or gardencenter where you will buy your arborvitae, pick out thehealthiest, most robust plants that have no evidence of diseaseor insect damage. The potting medium should be moist, but notwet, and the roots should well dispersed in the medium.Arborvitae that have roots growing from the drainage holes orcircling the top of the pot are less desirable. Many peoplechoose to buy arbs from a mail order company, which is perfectlyacceptable. However, realize that most woody plants purchasedfrom mail order catalogs will be shipped dormant and bare root,that is, without any soil attached to the root system. Suchplants may be smaller in size because of the expense ofshipping. It is important to plant such material immediatelyupon arrival. Generally it is best to purchase one-year-oldmaterial from mail order companies since this material is morevigorous and will transplant better. The larger material that isoffered is often composed of the less vigorous plants held overfrom previous years. Most large sized arbs are balled andburlaped. Don’t buy any arbs bare rooted over 3′ tall. Any plantlarger should be balled and burlaped. We have thousands of arbs and always have hundreds ready for youto pickup. From 2′ to 15′ we have inventory balled and burlaped.Don’t worry about driving long distances to get to us. We areeasy to get to near Phila., on a major road, Rt. 313 inFountainville Pa.. We want to move our stock and will make surethat you go home a happy camper. If you are coming from a longdistance, we will give away free inventory that is surplus toour needs. One of our fields is being converted into ball andsoccer fields and work will begin Nov. 25 2005. Stock in thisfield will go cheap. We will stay open til the last dog dies orwe sell out. I think we have more stock than what we possiblycan sell. You can see our web sites at: http://www.seedlingsrus.com http://www.highlandhillfarm.com http;//www.zone5trees.com
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