On Monday, August 19, 2013 10:20:49 AM UTC-7, Moe DeLoughan wrote:
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.

I stand corrected/educated. I should have made clear the distinction between chemical and organic fertilizer application at planting time.

From Ehow:


Phosphorus Fertilizer Application & Time of Application thumbnail
Phosphorus fertilizer helps plants grow strong roots.

Phosphorus fertilizer comes in an organic form like bone meal or an inorganic form as a chemical liquid. Application rates and time of application vary depending on whether you choose organic or inorganic phosphorus fertilizer, how fast your plant grows and what type of plant you are growing.

Phosphorus fertilizer is used mainly to help plants develop strong root systems. In most cases, it is added to the garden at the beginning of the growing season or when you plant a new plant. Organic phosphorus fertilizers like bone meal stay where you put it, waiting for plant roots to find it and take it up. Chemical phosphorus fertilizers are added to water and poured into the soil. It leaches or moves through the soil when it rains and might require additional applications.

Annual flowers and vegetables grow fast. They need a lot of phosphorus fertilizer and water to sustain them. Spread bone meal under the soil before planting seeds or put it in the hole before planting seedlings. Wait until plants start to grow before adding chemical phosphorus fertilizer. Read the recommendations on the bone meal box and chemical phosphorus fertilizer box for application rates.

Read mo http://www.ehow.com/info_8062505_pho...#ixzz2cSItSzBd

HB



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.