Arborvitae Screens: Spacing, Deer and Long-Term Density

Arborvitae can form a dense evergreen boundary, but the familiar “instant wall” approach creates problems when young plants are packed together without considering mature width, sunlight or deer.

Choose the spacing by the goal

For a solid screen, many arborvitae are planted roughly 3 to 5 feet apart; a looser windbreak may use 6 to 8 feet. The correct number depends on the species or cultivar’s mature width. Spacing should be measured trunk to trunk and adjusted before digging—not guessed as the plants go in.

Keep foliage from the ground up

Arborvitae needs adequate light. Heavy shade or crowding can thin lower foliage, exactly where a privacy screen needs density. A staggered double row can provide depth without forcing every plant into a single tight line, but it requires more total width.

Plan for deer before planting

Deer readily browse many arborvitae. Repellent alone may not protect a new screen under heavy pressure. Temporary fencing or individual barriers can preserve the lower branches while plants establish. Deer resistance should never be promised for arborvitae.

Establishment care

• Water the original root system and adjacent soil deeply.
• Use mulch to reduce weeds, keeping it away from stems.
• Check winter soil moisture before the ground freezes.
• Do not shear back into old bare wood.
• Replace failures early before neighboring plants grow into the gap.

A mixed screen can be more resilient than a single-species wall. Where space allows, combine evergreen structure with flowering shrubs or native habitat plants suited to the same soil.

See our Arborvitae deep tree plugs.