"Comb-Over" for evergreen bush bald spots?

[ERD50]

Inspired by that thread about whether to talk to the guy with the comb-over:

The previous owners let the globe arborvitaes get over-grown and grow into each other. I'm trying to get them trimmed back into shape, which isn't easy as they also suffer from what I call "hedge trimmer disease" - they've been trimmed at the surface w/o cutting out branches to get light inside, so when you try to cut them back, there's just nothing a few inches down. And these types tend not to sprout new buds on old wood.

So after I trim them back, there are some pretty bad bald spots. There's also some wind/dog/salt damage on one, leaving a bare/bald spot.

So I was wondering about trying to train some of these branches, sort of like a bonsai, and try to tie/wire them over the bald spots, and also trying to train some the long branches over to the inside of the bush, so those can fill out the inside a bit, now that they can get some light.

I've tried web searches, haven't really come up with anything.

Thoughts?

This is the type I'm talking about, and how they should look:

I trimmed back a lot of the plants here last year and some this spring, often very drastically, after reading up on when it can be done for that variety, and I've had good success, they are growing back nicely. These evergreens are trickier, and I get conflicting info. If this doesn't look better next year, I'll have them dug out and replaced. I'm too old to wait years for a plant to rejuvenate (though I still buy green bananas!).

-ERD50

 

[kgtest]

Yes you should be able to train them with wire. I will admit, sometimes it might be quicker to just remove them and plant new ones. I know people don't like to hear that but that's only recommended for people who want quick results. Nothing lasts forever and it sounds like these bushes have seen there day.

 

[aja8888]

I recommend a rip out and new shrubs!

 

[Dash man]

We had a similar Issa few years ago. We ripped out everything and started over. We paid someone else to do it. [emoji4]

 

[ERD50]

Yes you should be able to train them with wire. I will admit, sometimes it might be quicker to just remove them and plant new ones. I know people don't like to hear that but that's only recommended for people who want quick results. Nothing lasts forever and it sounds like these bushes have seen there day.

I'll give it a try, not much to lose.

I recommend a rip out and new shrubs!

We had a similar Issa few years ago. We ripped out everything and started over. We paid someone else to do it. [emoji4]

I won't be surprised if I go that route. However, I did another round of trimming today, and there are a lot of buds coming in now, at the lower points of the green growth. I've been carefully trimming back branches to just above that lowest bud (when I can do it and still leave the bush looking OK). If a branch just doesn't have a bud lower down, I cut it off if I can do it w/o making it look too bare, or maybe save it for a 'comb-over'. That should put more energy into these new buds. I'll water these once a week, so they have time to grow and harden off before winter. I'll probably wrap them for good measure.

If I do decide to rip them out, I will definitely pay someone to do it. I went through this some years ago in our previous home, and was super careful since I have a bad back. After getting out a dozen yews with deep roots ( a couple I was able to just cut at the base, since the they would be in-between where the new box woods were going), always thinking about my back, I was fine. Then, the very last foot of putting in the edging, I swung that pick-ax, and threw my back out. Misery. For months.


At our old place, the deer became very tame, and while they nibbled at the farthest corner of the yews when we first moved in, over time they became brazen and would sit right in front of us and chomp on the yews, were not afraid of us at all.

Deer don't like boxwood, so that's all I planted from then on (and deer avoid daffodils, but deer love tulips). Our new place just doesn't seem to have deer, I don't know why, we have lots of wildlife, maybe the coyote population is higher here? Though we routinely heard them at our old place, and sometimes saw them. One morning we woke up and the snow in the back yard covered in blood and a partially eaten deer carcass. The deer had a party that night (and the next few days, as they came back and dragged the carcass around until there was just enough left for the turkey vultures.

-ERD50

 

[TheWizard]

For those arborvitae, green spray paint should work for time being...

 

[JoeWras]

I can't comment on training.

For hedge trimmer disease, I spend about 2 to 3 years fixing it by cutting back about 15% of the plant each year. It leaves a bald spot, but also provides light for the plant to grow from inside. After 2 or 3 seasons, you are good to go with a full plant and not just a ring of green on the outside. Not shearing it and only pruning a small amount also doesn't weaken the plant.

This worked for 30 years. My Japanese and Chinese hollies are now over 40 and simply suffering old age and decades of being unnaturally pruned. I'm going to move to some other species that is more native to my area.