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My husband planted a spiral arborvitae 2 years ago which has never been pruned and looks like a regular arborvitae. Can it be pruned now? Thank you. Carol

Answer

Hi Carol,
Yes, the arborvitae can be spiral pruned again. Before pruning, separate the new green growth and find the woody stems coming off of the trunk of the tree. Look very carefully and you will see the original spiral branches that were originally left on the tree to form the spiral. They will be thicker than the new growth from the last two years. Follow and keep the old spiral pattern and remove the remaining new growth around the trunk from top to bottom. Good Luck.

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About Linda Lillie

Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.

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