Central Washington. The smoke was so thick, Vince and I had to buy three Hepa filters just to breathe. We didn't take our boat out on the lake once. Eventually the smoke infiltrated all of the Pacific Northwest, so there was no place to escape. We weathered the hot summer inside. Of course, California was far worse and we all know how tragic that became. Suffice it to say, summer 2018 was no fun.
I'm thankful for the wet spring we have had thus far. As I mentioned in "Being Firewise, Part I," dry evergreen shrubs can be real fire torches, especially the popular arborvitae. Before I continue, let me say how much I love these evergreens. Well-groomed and not allowed to grow too tall, they beat back the wind and provide privacy naturally. We have a dozen or so on our property!
Sadly though, once ignited they burn extremely hot and fuel those dangerous fire brands (sparks) that travel in the wind during a raging wildfire. This is no different than burning sagebrush, which burns hot from the oil in its scale-like leaves. Furthermore, the dead growth that accumulates in the interior of arborvitae is perfect kindling.
There are approximately nine species of Arborvitae. Most of us know them as Thuga (those tall shrubs that grow 15 feet or more), Juniperus (the large low-growing shrubs), and Cedrus (these are trees). Best to keep this evergreen at a good distance from the house, should you choose to plant. Maintenance then becomes critical, especially during fire seasons.
The best rule of thumb is probably “awareness.” Know what to watch for in a fire if you have this evergreen. Don’t let your arborvitae or similar evergreens dry out. If one dies, please cut it down. This advice applies to all pines and firs. Meanwhile, clean out any dead leaves accumulated underneath the plant and power hose the interior to remove other dead residue.
Next, prevent your arborvitae from becoming too tall. Snip the new growth on top and the sides every spring. There are also ways to prune a too-tall Thuga without destroying its shape permanently. This can be done by cutting the top and tying the sides to form a cone shape on top, although it might take a couple of years to reshape.
Here’s a helpful link that explains: http://www.gardenatoz.com/what%27s-up!/big-mistake,-big-lesson/arborvitae-too-tall/#overall.
Other evergreens to avoid when planting near the house are pine, fir, larch, spruce, yew and hemlock. Shrubs include bitterbrush, sagebrush, mugo pine, and yew. Grasses include pampas grass and cheat grass. After hearing this recent advice at a Master Gardening class I admit I was pretty discouraged. In the end it helps to remember Voltaire’s famous saying, “perfect is the enemy of good.” Well, I will do just that, because we can only do so much. If nothing else, I can always plant flowers!
Happy Gardening Everyone!
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