Anybody Have Experience Planting Eastern White Cedar?

[Natty Bumppo]

Here in NW Mass. I am right on the southern edge of the range of Eastern White Cedar. Because of my elevation though my place does feel ecologically more like northern Maine and NH. I am thinking about trying 100 white cedar plugs on the edge of a spruce/fir swamp that I just had logged.

Sounds like deer absolutely love it though. Wondering if anybody has any experience planting white cedar. Don't really have any interest in caging 100 plugs. I have a low deer density. But I don't want to waste my time and money if they will just wipe it all out.

 

[bwoods11]

I think the deer will find them .

 

[bigboreblr]

Medium deer denisty when I planted mine. Deer ate it right up. Look into what your getting white cedar can be ll over the place far as cultivars.

Got 3 home depot christmas shrub speciials in my plot edge in cages. Wwre on clearance for 5 bucks each and looked dry, but lived. Planed n december 2023 maybe 2022.

Dump some branches around it. Rabbits will take a swing at them too.

 

[Telemark]

One of the best trees you can have. Very easy to propagate as well.

Try SD's fencing technique. Plant them dense. You can always go back and thin them as needed.

 

[BuckSutherland]

Here in NW Mass. I am right on the southern edge of the range of Eastern White Cedar. Because of my elevation though my place does feel ecologically more like northern Maine and NH. I am thinking about trying 100 white cedar plugs on the edge of a spruce/fir swamp that I just had logged.

Sounds like deer absolutely love it though. Wondering if anybody has any experience planting white cedar. Don't really have any interest in caging 100 plugs. I have a low deer density. But I don't want to waste my time and money if they will just wipe it all out.

I have low deer numbers in north central MN. I have planted about 100 northern white cedar that last 5 years. Every single one of them is in a cage. Every single one of them is alive and thriving. They MUST go into a cage. I have them mostly planted in clumps for bedding. All of mine have a weed mat with mulch. Very very pleased with their growth rate and drought tolerance when they are given premium care. So glad that I took the time to protect and start planting them.


Instead of planting 100 plugs and walking away and hoping for the best go buy 10-20 trees in pots and put them into cages with weed mats and mulch. 10 trees in cages will outperform 100 random plugs with no protection 100% of the time.



The 2 cedars in this picture were 2 gallon pots planted in spring of 2021. Picture was taken November of 2024 and they are 7-8 feet tall already. They have been through 3 seasons of severe-extreme drought. These are planted on upland sites, but do just as well in standing water. Any upland cedars that I have found in the Chippewa National Forrest ALWAYS have good deer sign around them, especially buck sign. Its why I started planting them.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I think the deer will find them .

Medium deer denisty when I planted mine. Deer ate it right up. Look into what your getting white cedar can be ll over the place far as cultivars.

Got 3 home depot christmas shrub speciials in my plot edge in cages. Wwre on clearance for 5 bucks each and looked dry, but lived. Planed n december 2023 maybe 2022.

Dump some branches around it. Rabbits will take a swing at them too.

One of the best trees you can have. Very easy to propagate as well.

Try SD's fencing technique. Plant them dense. You can always go back and thin them as needed.

Thanks guys. Good input.

I have low deer numbers in north central MN. I have planted about 100 northern white cedar that last 5 years. Every single one of them is in a cage. Every single one of them is alive and thriving. They MUST go into a cage. I have them mostly planted in clumps for bedding. All of mine have a weed mat with mulch. Very very pleased with their growth rate and drought tolerance when they are given premium care. So glad that I took the time to protect and start planting them.


Instead of planting 100 plugs and walking away and hoping for the best go buy 10-20 trees in pots and put them into cages with weed mats and mulch. 10 trees in cages will outperform 100 random plugs with no protection 100% of the time.



The 2 cedars in this picture were 2 gallon pots planted in spring of 2021. Picture was taken November of 2024 and they are 7-8 feet tall already. They have been through 3 seasons of severe-extreme drought. These are planted on upland sites, but do just as well in standing water. Any upland cedars that I have found in the Chippewa National Forrest ALWAYS have good deer sign around them, especially buck sign. Its why I started planting them.

Thanks for the response. I like your idea better. Think I'll forgo the 100 plugs and just get some plants as you suggested. I can cage 10 or 20 plants.

Appreciate it.

 

[Bill]

Are bag worms a problem up there? If not don't sweat it. If they are, they do rather enjoy eating and breeding in these.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Are bag worms a problem up there? If not don't sweat it. If they are, they do rather enjoy eating and breeding in these.

I've never even heard of bag worms...so I am assume they're not a problem. But I'll do some research.

Thanks Bill.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I think bag worms = tent caterpillars. Not 100% sure.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Googled bag worms, they're different than the tent caterpillars. Never saw them before. Tent caterpillars by me tend to go after fruit trees. I get them in the cherry trees by my cabin and use permethrin spray in the tents and on the trees to kill them, neem oil works too.

 

[Bill]

I think bag worms = tent caterpillars. Not 100% sure.

Different bugs. Bag worms build a single cocoon that look like a little pine cone for camouflage.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Googled bag worms, they're different than the tent caterpillars. Never saw them before. Tent caterpillars by me tend to go after fruit trees. I get them in the cherry trees by my cabin and use permethrin spray in the tents and on the trees to kill them, neem oil works too.

Different bugs. Bag worms build a single cocoon that look like a little pine cone for camouflage.

Thanks for this info. Learned something new.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

I recently learned that white cedar isn't a true cedar (juniper), so it doesn't cause CAR in apples.

 

[BuckSutherland]

Thanks guys. Good input.



Thanks for the response. I like your idea better. Think I'll forgo the 100 plugs and just get some plants as you suggested. I can cage 10 or 20 plants.

Appreciate it.

Here is a picture of my white cedars from 2021. These are the same ones from the photo above. Got them to grow that much since 2021. I have been buying mostly 2 gallon pots from our local NRCS. Price is currently $17-18 each.



I use 4' welded wire fence. 14 gauge. 10 cages out of 100 foot roll. Hold the cage down with 2 electric fence post. I immediately put a weed mat and mulch down. They are absolutely necessary for excellent growth like I have in my pictures. I have also fertilized them a few times with triple 19. Usually inject about half a pop can worth into the soil just outside the cage. Mine have been through lots of harsh drought. Cant imagine how good they would look if we got a few wet seasons.


Never once have I regretted the cost, time and effort to plant these trees. Have an end goal of 200+ trees in the center of my property. Should be there in about 4 more years.


DO NOT SKIMP ON THE WEED MAT AND MULCH.

 

[Telemark]

I recently learned that white cedar isn't a true cedar (juniper), so it doesn't cause CAR in apples.

Even juniper aren't true cedars. Our ancestors did us a major disservice throwing Old World names around when they got to North America.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

Even juniper aren't true cedars. Our ancestors did us a major disservice throwing Old World names around when they got to North America.

Interesting, as junipers are what causes CAR from what I understand.

 

[Telemark]

Interesting, as junipers are what causes CAR from what I understand.

You're exactly right. Junipers cause "cedar apple rust". In Europe it's called juniper apple rust.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Eastern Red "Cedar" is a juniper. Juniperus virginiana is the scientific name. White "cedar" - commonly known as arborvitae - is a thuja species, not a cedar, and is entirely different from junipers. White "cedar" does not host CAR fungus, so not a problem for apple trees.

White "cedar" likes light. It grows wild along swamp edges and clearcuts in Maine where they get the most light. I had one planted on the northwest side of our house until it outgrew its spot.

 

[Brian662]

You see lots of white cedar wind breaks at homesteads in the country side. Often they're 20-40' tall and the bottom 5' is bare from deer coming right up to the homestead and browsing.

I have done some planting/caging just like @BuckSutherland has done and they're growing out the sides of my cage with minimal browse pressure so far. They have excelled in my upland setting, most already having central leaders above 8' with trunk diameters approaching 2". Very impressive growth.

I'm undecided on if I'll just leave my cages up or expand them as the tree gets bigger. I don't think it matters what you/we/me do, whenever they go unprotected, they'll be toast at or below the browse line.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

You see lots of white cedar wind breaks at homesteads in the country side. Often they're 20-40' tall and the bottom 5' is bare from deer coming right up to the homestead and browsing.

I have done some planting/caging just like @BuckSutherland has done and they're growing out the sides of my cage with minimal browse pressure so far. They have excelled in my upland setting, most already having central leaders above 8' with trunk diameters approaching 2". Very impressive growth.

I'm undecided on if I'll just leave my cages up or expand them as the tree gets bigger. I don't think it matters what you/we/me do, whenever they go unprotected, they'll be toast at or below the browse line.

Funny, I was just driving through a rural hamlet nearby and notice some cedars in the front yard just as you mentioned...pretty tall and tree-like....but not a single brach below 5'.

A lot of the Maine hunters I follow are always talking about tracking deer into cedar swamps, and I really wasn't sure what they were talking about as we don't have it growing wild locally anywhere. Went down the rabbit hole so to speak. My land is very Maine-like in almost every way and I wondered if I could get it to grow.

In researching eastern white cedar I discovered that it is disappearing from its range it's thought mostly due to higher deer numbers.