Regular pruning is essential for encouraging a dense growth habit. Prune lightly but frequently during the growing season to stimulate branching, which results in a fuller hedge. Avoid heavy pruning, especially on older cedars, as they do not regrow well from old wood.
If you want your trees to grow taller and wider, provide things that encourage growth like fertilizer (if a need is indicated), irrigation and mulching. Encourage the trees with nurturing instead of attacking them with pruners and saw.
Fertilizer
Feed your cedar hedge in early spring, using an organic-based tree and shrub plant food with an NPK ratio such as 18-8-8. Water the hedge thoroughly, as fertilizing dry soil can burn the roots.
Removing Dead or Diseased Branches: Cut back dead or diseased branches to the nearest healthy part of the tree. This will prevent the spread of disease and promote healthy growth. Shaping and Thinning: When shaping the tree, follow its natural form. Avoid drastic changes to its shape, as this can stress the tree.
With emerald cedars like this any dead branches will basically never be replaced, so any dead part will take an extremely long time to fill in.
Pruning dead branches encourages new growth and can help shape a tree for better balance and form. Over time, particularly in the case of young trees, proper maintenance can direct and stunt the growth of roots and branches in ways that will support a strong and resilient structure as the tree matures.
Cedars do not like to be drenched by heavy watering. Once established, cedars are very drought-tolerant. New plantings need to be watered regularly for at least the first couple of years.
Horticultural researchers argue that Epsom salt will only help plants that are suffering from deficiencies of magnesium and sulfur, the minerals in Epsom salt. It can be used on evergreens in moderation, but may not improve the health or appearance of the plants if they are not deficient in magnesium or sulfur.
Warm spring temperatures can be an overriding driver of bud break, to an extent. Growing degree days are the days above a certain minimum temperature threshold. Each species requires a certain number of degree days above their temperature threshold to trigger growth.
Pruning makes sense when you want to encourage growth and branching at a specific point. If your tree is starting to hit the ceiling or lean under their own weight AND you can stomach cutting off a piece, pruning is your best bet!
Deep root watering slowly carries water into the ground instead of getting the surface wet, which helps improve tree growth rate. This will save you time and money, all while making your tree grow at an impressive rate.
Uncoated, weathered cedar can often be restored to its original color by applying commercial products called cleaners, brighteners or restorers. Although intended primarily for restoring horizontal wood surfaces, they generally work almost as well on vertical surfaces.
Dieback of cedar hedging in the landscape is a common prob- lem. In most cases, it is not possible to pinpoint one single cause. Death is usually the result of a combination of envi- ronmental stresses, soil factors and problems originating at planting. Disease, insect or animal injury is a less frequent cause.
For pyramidal and columnar cedars, you must prune the top not more than ¼ inch off the tree's height. Always ensure you only top branches that are part of the main tree trunk. For topping off more than ½ inch, ensure the branches are placed in an upright position.
Staining will prevent fading of the color and help preserve the natural beauty of the wood. It is also advisable to use oil-based paint to furnish your cedar. The oil-based paint has a high pigment content so that it will last longer than water-based paints.
Certain oils work best with specific wood types, and the preferred oil for cedar is linseed oil. This slow-drying oil gives cedar a luxurious shine that subtly avoids that overly glossy look. It sinks deep into the wood creating a rich, supple finish. Teak oil is a popular runner-up for cedar.
Meanwhile, try helping your cedar in the same way that you'd help any stressed tree. Give it water during times of drought—long, deep, once-a-week soaks to mimic rainfall. “Use a hose with low water pressure near the base of the tree and move it around within an hour's time,” says Anderson.
Fertilizing Cedar Trees
As mentioned before, when you plant, you will want to make sure that phosphorous-rich fertilizer is included. This will immensely help during the first year of growth. Once the first year is up, you can add a topping at the beginning of May, June, and July.
No Growth: Dead trees do not produce new shoots, leaves, or branches. Hollow Trunk: The trunk of a dead tree may become hollow as the wood decays. Brittle Branches: Branches on a dead tree are fragile and can break easily.
Another time to start cutting back cedar trees is when you see damaged or dead branches. Prune out dead wood with sterilized clippers.