On 8/17/2013 2:41 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Plenty of info on arbor vitae on-line to answer your questions. For
example, just in case -- some people think they should fertilize
upon transplanting. No, no, no! Give them a chance to get their
root systems going before you give them a jolt of fertilizer.

Not so. Mix some high-phosphorus fertilizer into the soil at planting
time to encourage root development. It's the best time in the plant's
life to fertilize it.

BTW - what's actually wrong with having the plants showing a little
through the picture window? Matter of taste, of course, but could
be attractive.

I once attended a lecture by a landscape architect who opened with a
slide presentation of the design mistakes he'd made over the years,
the point being that even pros can screw up. He then continued with
slides of successful installations from early in his career that were
now hideously overgrown and unsightly. Those were used to illustrate
an important point: Most foundation plantings are not meant to be
permanent. They provide a certain look for a certain period of time.
When they no longer provide that look due to size or age or
appearance, you should replace them.

Arborvitae tend to be somewhat slow growing. Plant them, enjoy them
for a decade or so, but when they finally outgrow the location, just
replace them.