Thuja Green Giant Trees Problems (With Proper Care And Maintenance)

There are no serious drawbacks as those trees are resistant to lots of adverse conditions and pests. However, people do face some Thuja green giant trees problems.

Those problems may appear in many forms. Yet, some think it’s the overwatering or underwatering issue and so on. 

But figuring out the right cause and failure to take proper care may result in a worse situation. 

So, I will talk about those problems and later in this article, I will share the proper Thuja green giant care and maintenance guide.

Common Problems With Thuja Green Giant Trees

For privacy or landscaping purpose, such giant arborvitae is second to none. However, homeowners face several problems during the growth of these trees and when they are fully established.

Let’s talk about those problems.

• Bagworms Problems

Unlike pine trees and hemlock, thujas like Green Giant and Emerald green trees are not prone to bagworms. But bagworms may affect them nonetheless in some rare circumstances.

The bagworms first eat the foliate of the thuja once they affect the trees. Your trees will have slower growth and may also die!

Unless the problem has spread on a larger scale, do not use any pesticides to solve the issue. Instead, you should remove the pupae holding white & silky bags whenever you spot them.

Along with removing those bags, clip the infected foliage as well.

• Problem With Scale Infestations

There are multi-facets problems with scale insect infestation. First, they are very difficult to spot as they are very tiny. Second, they produce a sweet liquid that mold and mildew love lot.

So, instead of spotting scale insects, you should look for the mold and mildew developments on your trees. 

If you can find them, you can fairly assume, the scale insects also invaded your trees too. 

You should take it seriously because scale infestation will stunt the needle growth and lead to other problems like browning and defoliation. You need to treat your thujas ASAP!

As it’s difficult to visually identify them, apply any good insecticide on every affected area of the trees to remove them

• Root Rot Issue

When water those trees without ensuring proper drainage, those trees like any other trees may develop rot. This happens mostly when those trees are still young.

You can tell whether your Green Giant trees are having rotting problems by observing their dropping leaves. They will look thirsty even when they got plenty of water.

It becomes nearly impossible when the root rot has already been invaded. 

However, if the rot issue appears as mold or mildew forms on the leaves or branches, you can remove them by rubbing the clippers with rubbing alcohol or any sterile pruning techniques.

You need to rub every clip and sterile them one by one and dispose of the debris in a garbage bag. That should give your thujas a second chance.

• Winter Damage

For newly-planted thujas, winter damage is real for their leaves. The foliage can become haggard and brown.

The only way to fight this problem is to prepare your thujas against harsher weather by reducing the supplemental water. Instead of encouraging new growth, this strategy will make them resistant to such winter damage.

• Overwhelming Size

Of course, everyone is aware of the fast growth rate and massive size of Thuja Green Giant. That’s what makes them ideal for screens in large areas and windbreaks.

But not everyone is aware of the fact that soon they can dwarf their homes and other plants. If not trimmed timely, it can quickly overwhelm your backyard.

Instead of sudden shearing, homeowners should trim and maintain those trees year after year in a regular manner. 

Sudden shearing will result in twiggy and bare branches and they won’t be filled anytime soon!

You can take a few steps to solve this problem. 

As thuja cultivars come in various sizes, you need to pick the right one from those sizes considering the backyard and other plants you have there.

Take into consideration the future size of the surrounding plants as well. Also, plant your thuja trees keeping an appropriate distance from the fences, power grid lines, and other structures.

Thuja Green Giant Care And Maintenance

Being aware of the basics of Arborvitae can prevent all those problems mentioned above. 

Most of the time, people face those problems because of planting the Green Giant without having the basic knowledge about them.

Follow these below-mentioned maintenance and care guides for Green Giant trees:

• Plant Them At Right Distance

For a proper root system, the thuja green giant needs to be planted at a minimum distance of 5 feet from each other if you are installing a hedge. If possible, you can also keep a 10-15 ft. distance as well.

This will leave enough room for the root system to develop. As a rule of thumb: the more room you allow for the roots, the healthier the trees will be.

• Don’t Let Them Get Too Tall

For outdoor privacy or for a beautiful backyard – whatever the case may be, don’t let them grow taller than what you need. 

The taller they get the more difficult and dangerous it will become to shear. Most of the time you don’t need them taller than 8 feet high. So, make sure to keep them top there every year.

Pruning the green giants on a regular basis is good for the trees themselves as you will be cutting the leafy growth instead of cutting the large woody parts. 

That will prevent the decaying on the top of the trees from the large cuts. 

Pruning is important to keep your trees trouble-free. So, if you find that difficult, you should hire a trimming service to do that for you.

• Careful Irrigation

You Green Giants need irrigation but you do not want to keep the soil wet as they don’t prefer wet soil. So, wherever you plant those trees in your backyard, make sure water won’t be laying there for a long time.

But as I said, those trees need their water. So, you need to provide water and ensure the root system is moisturized during the drought season.

• Beware of Diseases and Pests

As you have seen above, such arborvitae face challenges with different pests like bagworms, leaf miners, and so on. 

Diseases like tip blight may also attack. So, when such trees are young and stressed, it’s a good idea to fertilize them on a regular basis as a proactive measure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Closing Remarks

Despite having some Thuja Green Giant trees problems, they still worth ensuring privacy and for a beautiful landscape. With the proper care as mentioned above, those issues won’t be a big problem.

Let me know your thoughts about your own experience with Thuja Green Giant in the comment box. 

Den Hicks

Traveler, food lover, interior designer, and blogger. I love gardening a lot! I designed my home myself with the help of my beloved wife. You are welcome!

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