Best Time To Plant Arborvitae. It was a short answer, but like any case, there are many subtleties and nuances. This gives the arborvitae plenty of time to establish its roots and new growth before the winter.
For the first year, apply supplemental water as necessary to keep the soil cool and moist. For the best appearance of the plant, add fertilizer. It should not be planted in full shade since this greatly reduces the density of the foliage.
How to plant green giant arborvitae tree if your soil is very compacted, you should consider tilling before digging the individual planting hole(s).
This is the only time you should feed arborvitae because doing so at the wrong time of the year could help encourage the plants to put energy into growing instead of into the root system. The only regions where it struggles are the west coast, along the deep south and florida. Plant arborvitae in early spring for best results. This typically means late winter or early spring, depending on winter conditions and how soon the soil is workable (i.e., does the soil freeze or not).