The most important thing to consider is to make sure that the root
system has lots of water in it at freeze-up. As a general rule cedars
like it wet all year round.


Right, they naturally grow in swamps so they like lots of water.

If I had just planted a row of them I would probably be more concerned
about making sure that they are mulched at the base for the first year
to help them with the winter freezing and then to hold the water
better in the summer. After that they are not that fussy. Most of them
will do okay if you do nothing but if you have a whole row and dont
take a little extra care the first year one or more may get a lot
die-back but still live. That will stagger their growth for a couple
years and make them look wimpy compared to the others. So, I still
think extra care to mulch the first year is worth it. Maybe it is just
the Maine climate/ ice age.

Similarly, I planted a row of privet for a hedge. They take a couple
years to establish and then you spend all your time cutting them down
after that. Because they require so little care in the long run it is
easy to forget that that in northern areas they can get wacked down by
the winter if you dont hold their hand a little the first year. I had
a couple die back to the ground and then throw up new growth so I
never replaced them but when you only have three months of growing
season a year it really gets you out of sync if that happens.

Also, more than other evergreens, those cedars will brown out on you
in the winter and then recover their color in the spring. Its just the
way they are. Doesnt mean they are dying or anything, in case you are
not familiar with them.

Dennis