Wrapping Medium Sized Evergreens? - Knowledgebase Question

Auburn, CA
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Question by seamist7
February 22, 2001
My mother has several5 ft. high, and approx. 4ft diameter lovely evergreen shrubs. I'm sorry I don't know their specific type. Their branches are soft evergreen, and during the winter, with wind, snow, and rain, sometimes the branches begin to droop. Her neighbors wrap some of theirs with fish line, or wire, to keep their shape, and not lose brances. I've noticed that others trim around this line wrapping. Now, she wants me to wrap hers. I don't know how, and I don't even know if it's the right thing to do. All she knows is that her neighbors look real nice that way.
HELP! I'm willing to wrap if it's best for the shrub.
Thank you. Leslie


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Answer from NGA
February 22, 2001
Some arborvitae have upright branches that can, and will, collect snow and sag - or even break off. You can prevent this type of damage by wrapping the plants with soft cotton twine or other pliable string. I'd avoid fishing line as it has a tendency to cut into plant tissue. I loosely wrap my arborvitae by starting at the base of the plant, securing string to the trunk, then wrapping it in a spiral fashion all the way up to the top. The trick is to keep the branches in the same position they were growing before wrapping. If you snug things down too tightly, the plant can be damaged. Be sure to remove the string when threat of snow is over for the season.

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