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You can green up arborvitae by addressing the underlying cause of discoloration and providing proper care.
If your arborvitae have turned brown, yellow, or dull, the solution isn’t a single magic trick.
Instead, greening up arborvitae usually involves correcting issues like watering problems, nutrient deficiencies, pest damage, or environmental stress.
Many homeowners wonder how to green up arborvitae when they notice their once‑vibrant evergreens looking sad.
The good news is that with a few targeted steps, you can restore that rich green color and help your trees thrive again.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly how to green up arborvitae, from simple fixes to more involved care routines.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know.
How to Green Up Arborvitae – Understanding the Basics
Before you jump into treatments, it helps to know why arborvitae lose their color.
Understanding the root cause is the first step in learning how to green up arborvitae effectively.
Most cases of browning or yellowing trace back to one of a few common problems.
Once you identify the issue, greening up your arborvitae becomes a straightforward process.
1. Check Your Watering Routine
Improper watering is the number one reason arborvitae struggle to stay green.
Too little water causes drought stress, turning needles brown from the tips inward.
Too much water leads to root rot, which also discolors the foliage.
If you want to green up arborvitae, make sure the soil stays consistently moist but never soggy.
During dry spells, give them a deep soak once a week rather than frequent shallow sprinklings.
For newly planted arborvitae, consistent watering during the first year is crucial for greening up arborvitae long‑term.
2. Evaluate Sunlight Exposure
Arborvitae thrive in full sun to partial shade.
Too much shade can cause the inner foliage to thin out and turn brown.
If your arborvitae are planted in a spot that gets less than six hours of direct sunlight daily, greening up arborvitae may be slower.
Consider pruning back overhanging branches from nearby trees to let more light through.
On the flip side, intense afternoon sun in hot climates can scorch the needles.
In that case, a little afternoon shade can actually help you green up arborvitae more easily.
3. Test the Soil pH and Nutrients
Arborvitae prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
If the pH is off, your arborvitae can’t absorb nutrients properly, leading to yellowing.
A simple soil test kit from a garden center will tell you if the pH needs adjusting.
Adding sulfur can lower pH, while lime raises it.
Nutrient deficiencies, especially nitrogen, also cause discoloration.
Applying a balanced slow‑release fertilizer formulated for evergreens can work wonders for greening up arborvitae.
Look for a product with an N‑P‑K ratio like 10‑8‑6 or 12‑6‑6 and follow package instructions.
Spread it around the drip line, not right against the trunk.
Common Reasons Your Arborvitae Turned Brown
Sometimes even with good care, arborvitae still lose their green glow.
Knowing what else can go wrong helps you green up arborvitae faster.
Here are the usual suspects.
1. Winter Burn
Winter burn happens when cold winds and bright sun dry out the needles while the ground is frozen.
The roots can’t take up water to replace what’s lost, so the needles turn brown.
This is especially common on the south and west sides of the tree.
To prevent winter burn and help green up arborvitae, wrap your trees with burlap in late fall.
You can also apply an anti‑desiccant spray to the foliage before winter sets in.
If winter burn has already occurred, wait until new growth appears in spring.
Prune out the dead, brown tips and the tree will often recover on its own.
With consistent care, you’ll see greening up arborvitae gradually over the growing season.
2. Pest Infestations
Spider mites, bagworms, and arborvitae leafminers can all cause browning.
Spider mites are tiny and create fine webs, while bagworms make spindle‑shaped bags from twigs.
Leafminers tunnel inside the needles, causing them to turn brown and drop.
If you spot any of these signs, treating the infestation is essential to green up arborvitae.
Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap works well for mites and leafminers.
For bagworms, hand‑pick the bags or apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in early summer.
Always follow label directions and treat at the right time of year.
3. Fungal Diseases
Several fungi cause needle and shoot blight on arborvitae.
Symptoms include browning tips, cankers on branches, and dieback from the inside out.
To prevent fungal issues, avoid overhead watering and improve air circulation by thinning crowded branches.
If you already have a fungal problem, trim out infected areas and dispose of them in the trash (not compost).
Apply a copper‑based fungicide according to the label as a preventive measure.
Combining good cultural practices with treatment gives you the best chance at greening up arborvitae after disease.
Actionable Steps to Green Up Arborvitae
Now that you know the likely causes, here’s a simple action plan to green up your arborvitae.
Follow these steps in order.
Step 1: Do a Thorough Inspection
Walk around each tree and look closely at the needles, branches, and trunk.
Check for pests, signs of disease, mechanical damage from lawn equipment, or dog urine spots.
Identify the extent and pattern of the discoloration.
This inspection will tell you what’s needed to green up arborvitae in your specific situation.
Step 2: Adjust Watering Immediately
If the soil feels bone dry, give the tree a long, slow drink at the base.
If it’s waterlogged, hold off on watering and let the soil dry out a bit.
For most mature arborvitae, about 1 inch of water per week (including rainfall) is ideal.
Consistent moisture is key for greening up arborvitae over time.
Mulch with 2‑3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips to help retain moisture and keep roots cool.
Step 3: Fertilize at the Right Time
The best time to fertilize arborvitae is early spring, just as new growth begins.
A second lighter feeding can be done in early fall, but no later.
Too much nitrogen late in the season can encourage tender growth that gets damaged by frost.
Use a fertilizer specifically designed for evergreens or a general‑purpose 10‑10‑10 formula.
Spread it evenly under the canopy and water it in well.
Proper feeding is one of the fastest ways to green up arborvitae.
Step 4: Prune Carefully
Remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches with clean, sharp pruners.
Don’t cut into old wood that has no green needles – arborvitae don’t regrow from bare wood.
Light pruning to improve airflow can also help with greening up arborvitae by reducing humidity stress.
Always prune in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.
Avoid heavy shearing that stresses the tree and encourages interior browning.
So, How Do You Green Up Arborvitae?
You can green up arborvitae by first identifying the cause of the discoloration.
Then take targeted action – whether that’s adjusting your watering, improving sunlight, correcting soil pH, controlling pests, or treating disease.
With consistent care and a little patience, greening up arborvitae is very achievable.
Most trees bounce back within one growing season once you address the underlying issue.
Keep an eye on your arborvitae throughout the year and respond quickly to any new signs of stress.
That’s the real secret to keeping them lush and green for years to come.
Hopefully this guide has shown you exactly how to green up arborvitae and given you the confidence to tackle the job yourself.
Your evergreens will thank you.