Arborvitae Privacy Rows: Planting and Care That Last

Arborvitae are popular privacy plants because they grow quickly and stay green. They also fail dramatically when planted in a tight fence against each other, buried too deep, or left to deer and bagworms.

Space for mature width, keep soil well drained, and water consistently the first seasons. Avoid shearing into unnatural shapes that brown on the interior. In deer country, protection or alternative evergreens may be smarter than a snack row.

A living arborvitae screen can replace or soften a fence when installed with realistic spacing and a maintenance plan. Empty brown sticks in a line are what happens without that plan.