Do any of you long time followers remember this post, How to Plant an Evergreen in a Container? It’s a really great one and I in fact learned how to plant an evergreen with Mom’s help. So, if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to go and check it out first and then come back here and learn how to kill an Evergreen in a container. Yep, you heard right, I am gonna teach you a sure fire way to kill an evergreen in a container.
After we planted our two arborvitaes they looked so healthy and beautiful for several months. They were against our sidelights providing us with privacy and seemed to do really well. But then the landscaper came to start planning the front landscaping project and set fear and doubt into my little non-gardening self. He said, ” how long you had those arborvitaes?” I answered, “About 2 months.” He replied, ” They’re not gonna live much longer, they like the sun and need to be rotated if they are in pots.”
“Oh, no” I thought, but, also anyone that knows me, understands that I am probably one of the most hardheaded individuals on the planet. When someone says something won’t work, it’s like a challenge. So here’s how we solved the sun solution. We put the pots on iron casters. That way they could be rolled to the front of the porch which is very sunny and they could be turned everyday in order to get equal amounts of sun. Below is a picture of my healthy evergreen on casters. 
This evergreen has survived throughout the whole summer in 114 degree weather on a sunny porch here in Middle Tennessee. However, my other one was not so lucky. You see there is a sure fire, 100%, absolute way to kill an evergreen in a container.
Any guesses?
I bet all of you gardeners and green thumbs know exactly what I am about to say.
You see I asked my husband to do me a favor and water the porch plants one night and let’s just say they all got more than enough. I remember him specifically saying “Plants can never get too much water!” uhh, WRONG! After the first over-watering, the sprinkler had it’s turn on soaking the same one. The third time my son seriously over watered the poor thing. And now you could only imagine that there was no saving it. Now remember these beauties had no drainage holes. Instead of having a gorgeous green luscious plant like this…..
I now have an Evergreen that is not green at all….. It is Dead.
So there you have it, over watering an evergreen or virtually any plant that has no drainage is a sure fire way to kill the plant. And also remember that these plants do well in sun and placing them on casters really helps get them that equal amount of sun they need on all sides.
Do any of you avid gardeners have any other tips for container gardening? Please share!!
We have a lovely brown one if the front yard right now–though not in a container. It is the second that has died. I think they are really specific about how much sun and heat they really want. We’re moving on to another selection in the Fall.
Thanks for your tips on this! Juie at Simply Savvy
Oh no, Julie!!! They are pretty funny about what they like. My neighbor has 5 huge ones in her landscaping and they love where they are at. I think I will give it another go because I believe that it would have done great but the watering doomed it for sure… Luckily they aren’t all that pricey!
I got an aborvitae a while back at Lowes for $2 bucks on clearance. Since it was so hot they weren’t selling so they clearanced them out…anyhoo, I bought one with the thought about putting it in an urn/pot and so far one chunk at the bottom has died/turned brown. Will yours come back to life next year or do you think its gone for good? I am curious if these can be revived. I was hoping my dead spot would work itself.
Hi Jennifer, unfortunately, mine is gone for good. As long as you scored the roots and don’t over-water or under-water yours might be fine. A little miracle grow might be good as well. Thanks for the question.