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How Far to Plant Arborvitae from Fence? (Quick Answers)

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As a gardener, it’s always a good idea to make sure that there is no clash between the plant you desire and the fence that will keep it safe.

How far to plant arborvitae from the fence?

The ideal distance to plant arborvitae is to place the plants about eight to ten feet away from any structure, including fences. The distance is maintained to let the plant grow freely without damaging any part of the structure. This can also ensure the normal and healthy growth of the plant.

Arborvitae plants require a lot of space t fully grow. If there is a fence near the growth range of the plant it can be damaging, both for the plant and the fence. While planting you should be careful about the distance.

Emerald green arborvitae:

These types of arborvitae need at least a 3 feet gap from the fence otherwise their growth could be shunned for good.

For the plant to be fully grown, there should be a good gap of 3 to 4 feet from the fence structure. This will keep the fences safe as well.

Green giant arborvitae:

Just like their name, this variety of the plant grows very fully and large. Which is why they require more space than the usual arborvitae plants. Around 8 to 12 feet of a distance is usually required for the green giant arborvitae.

American arborvitae:

This type of arborvitae tend to be very tall, with expansive branches. Plants of these type require a lot of space to grow. About 8 to 10 feet of distance from the fences.

Most of the times this amount of distance should encourage a healthy growth of the American arborvitae.

Japanese arborvitae:

After this variety of the arborvitae reaches its’ full growth, it can grow up to 30 feet.

So it is natural for the plant to require a decent amount of distance from the fences. You should place the plant at least six to eight feet away from the back yard fence.

Korean arborvitae:

The Korean arborvitae is similar to the Japanese arborvitae, in term of size and growth.

So they also need about 6 or 8 feet of distance from the fence. This minimum distance allows the plant to grow in a healthy manner without risking the damage of the fences.

Sichuan arborvitae:

This variety of the arborvitae requires a good amount of space as well. 8 to 10 feet should be good enough for the Sichuan arborvitae to grow naturally.

The plants can be heavy with expanded branches, it can damage the fences if kept too close. Which is why a minimum of 8 feet distance should be maintained.

Can you plant arborvitae against the fence?

It is best not to plant the arborvitae plants near or against the fences. The plants are heavy growers. They also have very expanded branches.

Large plant like that should not be planted against the fence. Maintaining the minimum distance from the fences will help you in the long run.

Arborvitae plants have very shallow roots and they are always on the surface level. As the plant grows the roots can expand more and further. They can even touch the fences to the trees planted near the structure.

And a collision between your tree and the fence is not desirable at all. Which is why The tree should not be planted against the fence or even near the fence.

Another good reason to not send the arborvitae trees fences is to ensure a healthy growth of the tree. If the tree hits the fence at an early age may not grow properly.

Do arborvitae have invasive roots?

The roots of any arborvitae plant is considered noninvasive. The roots are more on the surface level and shallow, rather than downgoing.

Though the trees are very large in size, their roots are not so much invasive. The roots mostly spread around their main trunk instead of going further down.

Arborvitae plants are known to have fibrous root. Which means the roots of the trees of this kind do not go downward, inside the ground. Instead the roots spread over the ground. It is a very surface level system. Plants and trees With roots of this kind are not considered invasive.

Although the arborvitae trees are large in size, their roots are not really invasive. Rather the roots are fibrous, which are a more spreading system of roots. The roots are shallow and will spread along the surface but they will not go deep inside the ground that much.

What happens if you plant arborvitae too close to the fence?

Arborvitae plants are large trees which require a lot of space to grow. These large plants need a lot of privacy otherwise they cannot grow properly and in a healthy way.

It is always a good idea to plant the trees far away from fences or any other structures. If not it can be damaging to both the land and the fence.

There are many things that can go wrong if you plant an arborvitae tree near your fence. Some of the most common problems that you might face are-

Damaged fences:

The arborvitae plants have roots that grow on the surface level. Still the roots are quite strong. If you plant a tree near your fence the growing root can harm the base or the foundation of the fence. This could harm the fences and make them loose and wobbly.

Expansive branches:

The branches of an arbor vitae plant can expand a long way. If you have a fence near an arborvitae tree that expanded branches can damage and harm the fence.

There is a chance that the land and its branch will go beyond the fence or go over the fence. You have to be careful of this situation as well.

Shunned growth:

If the arborvitae plant is not given enough space they will not grow in a healthy manner. Their growth will be shunned at an early age and they will not be as large as they are supposed to be. This is not required and ideal for the plant.

How far apart to plant arborvitae for privacy?

For privacy, it is best to keep the arborvitae plants 3 to 4 feet apart. The trees might need more space for privacy depending on their size and growth. For quicker privacy you should plant the trees 2 feet apart. But ideally it is best to keep them 3 to 4 feet away.

The adequate amount of space and privacy Depends on the size and growth rate of the arborvitae plant. It Can be somewhere between 2 feet or 3 to 4 feet. A larger tree can require more space, it depends on the variety of the arborvitae plant.

If you keep the plants 2 to 3 feet apart it will grow beautifully and in a healthy manner you can set the plants up to 4 feet apart as well just to be safe. Larger varieties of the arborvitae plant need more space from each other, so the roots do not get tangled.

How do you plant arborvitae fences?

If you want to try something different for your garden you can always go for a living fence. The giant arborvitae plants are the best for this kind of a structure. The trees are large in size so they can cover the garden area properly and as they are strong they can hold the boundary well.

With a few easy steps you can make your own living fence an Arborvitae plant very effortlessly-

  • Measure your fence border. Keep about one and a half inches just in case. The plant has a good growth rate so it is best to leave gaps for safety.
  • Make sure the location has access to a lot of sunlight.
  • Plant the trees three to four feet apart. Also make sure to keep the plants at least 6 feet away from the property line.
  • Mark the planting row. Use a spray paint and a hose pipe for this.
  • Carefully loosen the soil around the marked planting row.
  • Along the planting row, dig a trench.
  • Now you can place the arborvitae plants in the trench, maintaining the one and a half inches width of maturity.
  • Fill the root balls of the plants with natural soil, up to the tree.
  • Add another layer of mulch around the roots, it should be about 2 to 3 inches thick.
  • Give loads of water to the plant instantly and also frequently.

Final thoughts

Arborvitae plants are desired because of their large structure and growth. But They require a lot of space. A distance of 8 to 10 feet from the fence should be enough to encourage a healthy growth for the plant. The distance may vary depending on the variety and the size of the plant.

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