CONIFERS

Conifers come in a wonderfully wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures and colors. They can be the bones of a garden or the entire garden. They’re durable, easy to maintain and mostly evergreen, providing a presence in the garden even in the depths of winter.

How to choose

The first step in choosing conifers is to evaluate your garden’s needs. Are you looking for a small plant for a rock garden setting or a huge one to screen you from a busy street? Pay special attention to the size you need as some conifers are very large and others very small. Do you want to frame a doorway with a pendulous conifer or plant an exotic specimen plant in a prime space? What colors do you want to work with—yellow green, chartreuse, blue green, green, variegated or anything in between? It’s also useful to read books about various types of conifers, we’ve recommended several useful books below. After you’ve decided on size, shape, texture and color, it’s time to look at all the plants available. This is the best way to decide the varieties you like and which will work best for you.

Where to Plant

Make sure you’ve chosen a large enough space to plant your new tree in so it won’t outgrow it. Conifers need plenty of air circulation for healthy growth, but also a large enough space so you can see the shape, which is one of the reasons you chose it. Most conifers are happiest in sunny spots with well-drained soil. Some, such as hemlock and yew, do very well in part shade. Almost all appreciate regular watering. Some species will tolerate drought, but may not grow as well as if they received regular watering. Remove lawn in the area under the tree and around the trunk, even going as far as the branches reach (the drip line); continue removing grass as the tree grows in size.

How to Plant

Dig a shallow, broad planting hole. Make the hole twice as wide as the diameter of the rootball and only as deep as the rootball. Take a fork and break up the soil in a larger area surrounding the hole. Tree roots grow outward like a pancake in the top foot of soil, rather than down like a taproot. Eventually the roots will extend out as far as the tree is tall. Breaking up the surrounding soil enables the roots to establish easily, more quickly. Remove the strings from the burlap, or the fiber pot and place the tree in the hole. Make sure the tree is high enough in the hole. The area where the roots spread at the base of the tree should be partially visible above the soil level. Straighten the tree in the hole and fill with soil, tamping gently as you go. Water well to remove large air pockets. If your tree is quite tall, twisted or planted in a very windy spot, you might want to stake it temporarily, until the roots take hold. It will develop a stronger trunk and root system if left unstaked. Mulch outward to the drip line with compost, leaving the trunk free of mulch.

Care

Fertilize once a year with rhododendron and evergreen food. Water regularly until established. Pruning varies widely depending on the species and variety you choose and how you want it to perform in your garden. Many conifers need no pruning at all. Consult pruning books or our staff for help. Keep adding mulch though the years taking care to keep it away from the trunk.

Supplies & Sources

• The tree of your dreams
• Shovel
• Fork
• Whitney Farms Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Food
• Compost
• Pruning shears
• Books:
• Trees & Shrubs for Pacific Northwest Gardens by John A. Grant and Carol L. Grant
• All About Evergreens by Ortho Books
• Plants That Merit Attention, Volume 1, Trees edited by Janet Meakin Poor & Nancy Peterson Brewster
• North American Landscape Trees by Arthur Lee Jacobson

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