How to Plant Cedars: A Complete Planting Guide

Key Takeaways

• Learning how to plant cedars correctly from the start prevents most of the problems that show up years later — poor growth, browning, or a lopsided hedge.
• Cedars need well-drained soil, consistent moisture in their first year or two, and enough spacing to reach their mature width without crowding.
• Timing matters: spring and early fall are the best windows for planting cedars in most climates.
• Proper hole depth and width matter more than soil amendments — planting too deep is one of the most common mistakes.
• New cedars need regular watering through their first one to two growing seasons while the root system establishes.
• If an existing tree, stump, or dead growth is in the way of your planting site, clearing it properly before you plant saves headaches later.

Why Cedars Are a Popular Choice for Hedges and Privacy Screens

Cedars — most commonly Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) in colder climates, or various arborvitae cultivars — are one of the most popular choices for privacy hedges, windbreaks, and ornamental plantings. They’re valued for their dense, evergreen foliage, relatively fast growth rate compared to many conifers, and their tolerance for the kind of clay-heavy or moisture-variable soil found in a lot of residential yards.

That popularity is exactly why so many cedar plantings underperform. A cedar that’s planted too deep, too close to its neighbours, or in the wrong season often survives its first year looking fine, then struggles visibly by year two or three — by which point the fix usually costs more than doing it right the first time would have.

Choosing the Right Cedar Variety

Before you dig a single hole, match the variety to what you actually want the planting to do:

• Emerald Green (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) — narrow, upright growth habit, popular for tight privacy hedges where space is limited
• Eastern White Cedar (native Thuja occidentalis) — hardier and more tolerant of local soil and weather extremes, often a better long-term choice in harsher climates
• Techny — broader and denser than Emerald Green, a good option where you have more width to work with
• Green Giant — fast-growing and large at maturity, better suited to bigger properties or windbreak plantings than tight residential lot lines

Buying based on price or availability alone is how a lot of hedges end up mismatched to their space five years later — a fast, wide-growing variety planted along a narrow property line eventually needs constant pruning just to stay in bounds.

When to Plant Cedars

Spring (once the ground has thawed and is workable) and early fall (giving roots six to eight weeks to establish before the ground freezes) are the two best windows for planting cedars in most northern climates. Both give the root system time to settle in before facing the stress of summer heat or winter cold.

Planting in the height of summer isn’t impossible, but it puts more pressure on the young root system to keep up with watering demands, and planting too late in fall risks the roots not establishing before the ground freezes solid.

How to Plant Cedars, Step by Step

1. Choose and Prepare the Site

Cedars generally want full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil — they tolerate a range of soil types but struggle in areas where water pools after rain. Walk the planting area after a heavy rain if you can, and avoid low spots where standing water collects.

If there’s an old stump, a dead or dying tree, or overgrown brush occupying your intended planting site, that needs to be dealt with before you plant, not worked around. A stump left in the ground can interfere with root development for years, and a hazardous or dying tree nearby can shade out or eventually damage a new cedar planting. If you’re in the Barrie or Simcoe County area and need a hazardous or unwanted tree cleared before starting a new planting project, working with an experienced Tree removal Barrie service ahead of planting day means you’re not fighting old roots or falling debris while your new cedars are trying to establish.

2. Space Cedars Correctly

Spacing depends entirely on your goal and the variety you’ve chosen:

Planting too close together might look full immediately, but it sets up long-term competition for water, nutrients, and light — often showing up years later as browning or dieback on the shaded, interior-facing side of each plant.

3. Dig the Right Hole

This is where most planting mistakes happen. Dig the hole:

• Only as deep as the root ball — the top of the root ball (where the trunk flares out) should sit level with, or very slightly above, the surrounding soil grade. Planting too deep is one of the single most common causes of a struggling or dying cedar.
• Two to three times as wide as the root ball, to give roots loosened soil to spread into as they establish

Avoid the temptation to dig deep and backfill with loose soil to “cushion” the root ball — that loose fill tends to settle over time, pulling the tree down below grade after the fact.

4. Loosen and Place the Root Ball

If the cedar is container-grown, gently loosen circling roots around the outside of the root ball before placing it in the hole — roots that continue circling in the ground can eventually girdle the trunk. For balled-and-burlap trees, remove as much of the wire basket, burlap, and twine as possible once the tree is positioned, since burlap left in place can restrict root growth even if it’s labeled biodegradable.

5. Backfill and Water In

Backfill with the native soil you removed, breaking up large clumps as you go. Avoid heavily amending the backfill with rich compost or triple mix unless your native soil is genuinely poor — an overly rich planting hole can actually discourage roots from spreading out into the surrounding native soil. Water thoroughly as you backfill to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets around the roots.

6. Mulch

Apply 2–3 inches of mulch in a ring around the base, keeping it a few inches back from direct contact with the trunk. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, moderates soil temperature, and suppresses competing weed growth — all of which matter more in a cedar’s first year than almost anything else you can do.

Watering New Cedars

Newly planted cedars need consistent moisture through their first one to two growing seasons while the root system establishes into the surrounding soil:

• Water deeply two to three times per week in the absence of rain during the first growing season, rather than frequent shallow watering
• Reduce watering slightly heading into the second season, but continue supplemental watering during dry stretches
• Established cedars (typically three-plus years in) are considerably more drought-tolerant, though extended dry periods still benefit from occasional deep watering

Browning cedar foliage is frequently a watering problem rather than a disease or pest issue — both under-watering and consistently waterlogged soil can produce similar-looking symptoms, so check soil moisture before assuming the worst.

Fertilizing and Ongoing Care

Cedars generally don’t need heavy fertilization in their first year — the priority is root establishment, not top growth. From the second year on, a slow-release, balanced fertilizer applied in early spring can support healthy growth, particularly in poorer soils.

Light pruning to shape a hedge can begin once plants are established, typically in the second year, but avoid heavy pruning into old wood — most cedar varieties don’t reliably regenerate new growth from bare interior branches the way some deciduous hedge plants do.

Common Problems When Planting Cedars

• Browning or bronzing foliage — often winter sun/wind exposure on newly planted cedars, or inconsistent watering; less commonly a pest or disease issue
• Uneven growth along a hedge line — usually inconsistent spacing, sun exposure differences, or drainage variation along the planting site
• Slow establishment — frequently linked to planting too deep, root circling that was never corrected at planting time, or insufficient watering in the first season
• Deer damage — cedars are a favourite winter browse for deer in many regions; young plantings may need protective fencing or repellent through their first few winters

Final Thoughts

Learning how to plant cedars properly comes down to a handful of details that are easy to skip and expensive to fix later: the right variety for your space, correct planting depth, adequate spacing, and consistent watering through establishment. Clear the site properly before you start — including any old stumps, dead trees, or hazardous growth — and give your cedars a clean start rather than working around existing problems. Get those fundamentals right, and a cedar hedge or privacy screen can reward you with decades of dense, low-maintenance greenery.

FAQs About Planting Cedars

How deep should cedars be planted?

The top of the root ball should sit level with, or just slightly above, the surrounding soil grade — never deeper. Planting too deep is one of the most common reasons a newly planted cedar struggles or dies.

How far apart should cedars be planted for a privacy hedge?

For a tight, solid hedge using a narrow variety like Emerald Green, plant 2–3 feet apart. Wider or faster-growing varieties typically need 3–4 feet or more, depending on their mature spread.

What is the best time of year to plant cedars?

Spring, once the ground has thawed, and early fall, giving roots six to eight weeks before the ground freezes, are generally the best planting windows in most northern climates.

How often should newly planted cedars be watered?

Water deeply two to three times a week during the first growing season in the absence of rain, tapering off somewhat in the second season as the root system establishes.

Why are my newly planted cedars turning brown?

Browning is most often related to inconsistent watering or winter sun and wind exposure on young plants, rather than disease. Check soil moisture first before assuming a pest or disease problem.

Do I need to remove an old tree or stump before planting cedars?

Yes, if it’s in or near your planting site. An old stump can interfere with root development, and a dead or hazardous tree nearby can shade or physically damage new plantings as they grow. Clearing the site first gives your cedars room to establish properly.