Earlier this winter, two ice storms wreaked havoc on an arborvitae hedge on the east side of our house. The hedge was already looking rather sad and appeared to be declining, with lots of bare areas and several large pieces dying and breaking off. I wondered if it was diseased or had some kind of bug. I googled, and learned about bagworms. I didn't see any. Before the ice storms the hedge was still upright, except for one tree I staked after finding it leaning last summer.
Now the staked tree is the only one standing. I hoped, but didn't expect that after the ice melted the arborvitaes would right themselves. They didn't. Friday I decided to take a closer look.
Now the staked tree is the only one standing. I hoped, but didn't expect that after the ice melted the arborvitaes would right themselves. They didn't. Friday I decided to take a closer look.
George came along to commiserate with me.
Some of them are fractured at their bases, others haven't snapped yet but are badly leaning. It's not pretty, nor is the prospect of losing more of our backyard privacy. I suppose we could try to stake the ones that aren't broken. That would probably be at best a temporary solution for a couple of them, considering the shape they're in aside from the leaning. The broken ones are gonners. Arborvitae means 'tree of life' - looks more like Hedge of Horror to me.
