Question From: W. Van Cook - Fishkill, New York, United States
Q: Purchased 6 Arborvitae last year. Two went in the ground and are doing superb. Four went into large containers and were doing quite well until recently. All plants did quite well over the winter. All of a sudden the braches on the container planted shrubs seem to have gotten soft and droopy. Plants are still green and otherwise healthy. All plants have been fed using long term plant spikes for evergreens according to label directions and have been kept watered.
Wilting arbs are not a good sign. Take photos to the place where you bought them for an accurate ID. The spikes may be part of the problem. They are high in salts that can burn the roots of the shrubs. The potting soil probably had fertilizer in it, so for the first season there was no need to add any. Fertilizer is not a food. It contains nutrients that stimulates plants to do things. In dry hot weather that stresses the plants. Hopefully they will come around as the weather cools. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
