We planted a cedar hedge last year but about one third of them died. The only thing we can think of is we didn't water them enough. They simple turned brown and crispy over time. We re-planted the one's that died, and now the one's that survived from last year seem to be going to seed. Is this o.k? And should we be watering them a lot? Is it possible to over water them? Thank you, hope someone can help us have a successful hedge.
They do like a lot of moisture. So you're probably right about the cause of the problem. I don't think it would be easy to overwater them, since the species grows naturally in soil that remains wet for much of the year (like my backyard). Producing seed is, on the one hand, kind of normal behavior for any tree, hence nothing to worry about. But if these plants are going prematurely to seed -- i.e. flowering at an unusually early age -- then that could be a response to environmental stress. Again, I'd say that plenty of water might be the answer, at least until the roots get better established. Heavy mulching would help keep the soil from drying out.
Many posts on the internet about problems with new hedges of 'Smaragd' and others. Field-grown stock may have dried-out root-balls due to careless handling before planting or textural differences between soil in root-balls and soil on new site. Other problems are possible, but unsuitable soil moisture conditions probably the most frequent. Heavy cone production is one of the limitations of Thuja occidentalis as an ornamental.
