ForumGarden

Hi! It is me...the girl who only comes by when she needs advice. Sorry about that. I swear in real life I'm not the type who just goes to visit the grandparents when she needs money. I just know where to find great minds. Okay guys...I planted twelve Thuja Green Giants three years ago. They were so tiny they fit into a little plastic thing together. They are now (some of them) about 7 feel tall. I have lost two of them. The two that died devleoped splits in them and were gone within weeks. I now have splits in about 5 more of them. I have emailed every expert I know. I emailed some national tree foundation...the place where I got them...and nobody will offer a single suggestion. I have been chasing my tail for about 6 weeks now. Do any of you have suggestions? Is there anything you can think of I can do to save these trees? I love them so much! Anybody who can save my trees gets a BIG present from me!









Here are some pics...



http://i1.tinypic.com/1zq4pht.jpg



http://i4.tinypic.com/10efqt4.jpg



http://i2.tinypic.com/1zq4qr6.jpg



http://i1.tinypic.com/1zq55dh.jpg



http://i2.tinypic.com/1zq573b.jpg



http://i1.tinypic.com/1zq59fk.jpg

Hotsauce, I need to know where you live... climate etc.... Looks like 2 things to me.... Borers.. or damage done to trunks. Are those trees cryptomeras?

Give me more info.... tell me exactly what the trees are. Where did you buy them? etc.... Ill look into it.

Weeder to the rescue! I knew you would be helpful. I hope you can shed some light on this mystery. I can't get anyone to help me. I want to know if there is anything I can do to the ones that have the splits and see if I can prevent it from happeneing to the others. If you need more pictures I will be happy to take some more. I live in Missouri. I think that is Zone 7? This is the exact place I bought them from. These are the trees...thujas....





http://www.botanyshop.com/





Also, the weedwacker hasn't been anywhere near the trunks of these trees (that is what everyone thinks it is). We have a chain fence....nothing has been stripping the bark...in the one piccy it does look like something has made a hole in the trunk. that is the ONLY tree that looks like that...the rest just has splits. thank you so much, in advance!

ArnoldLayne wrote: Hiya Hotsauce Howsya bin ?



I reckon this is one for Weeder. She will know if anybody does



Or Bez, she's got green fingers too


hiya! i've been great! i'm tan and rested....just got back from vegas. :-6

I don't know a thing about trees but I think that the little girl in the pink in the second picture is a real cutie!

*Peg zips her lip, sits on her fingers, and backs away from this thread*

Hotsauce, Your trees are Aborvitaes. They are in the cypress family.

The splits are caused by many reasons.. they usually are not fatal if they are treated. Diseases enter through the splits, so I dont know if it is too late. The splits were probably inside the young trunks, and expanded from cold followed by rapid thawing. Look on google. There are exact pictures of the splits on your trees and how to treat them. Too much for me to copy here. If you lose the trees a good replacement would be Leyland Cypress. You wont have this problem with those. Your trees have very soft wood. The wood used to be used to make rope. Go to/// Diseases of Aborvitaes. Click on plantclinic.cornell.edu/treesshrub aborvitae. A full explanation is there.

oh weeder thank you thank you! i have been so busy! i am going to check out every bit of that information. thank you for taking the time to help! you are a doll!

Let me know that you made out ok. The information is all there including pictures of the exact problem you are having.

haha....how did that picture sneak in there!? she is much prettier than the mangled trees!





okay at 1:00 a.m. finally catching up here!



yep, found the link. looks like that splicing can be a little tricky. cutting into my trees may not make them cry....but i sure might cry!





something i found interesting is the trees that have grown the most got the splits. there just doesn't seme to be much i can do right now. the man at the botany shop finally returned my phone call. (he got a mean email from me.) he said he had never had any trouble (of course) with these trees like this. he also said he would give me trees that are 7 feet for half price. i think i will switch if i lose these though...i may opt for something that grows a little slower and harder wood. don't you think? like the tree you suggested....is it a harder wood?

Glad you found the info. Cornell is THE school for horticultural studies. The man who sold you the trees would not have known, if there were splits inside the baby trees. I am thinking that you planted the abrovitaes as a screen... the Leylands would be a good replacement choice. They grow fast.. are disease free ( generally) around here a 3 to 4 foot tree would cost you approx. 20.00$ each retail. Hemlocks are also often used as a screen or in a row... they however, get aphids and really need to be sprayed every year. You also would be wise to wait for cooler weather to plant anything else. Good Luck.

Six.. I didnt receive a photo file from you. Im happy your ok. Weeder

Thanks again for the help, Weeder! I will wait and see how they develop. I will let you know if I decide to take them out and plant something new.

Hey Stranger nice to see you around.

I have been chasing my tail for about 6 weeks now







Well I dont know much about trees but I really dont think chasing your tail is going to help.