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thinning arborvite

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From: Carolyn Melillo City: Westfield, NJ
Hello - my neighbor has several very tall arborvite separating our properties. Some of them are very thin on our side of the property and it is looking ragged. What can I do to thicken them up or what can i plant that will grow to fill it in?
	Extension Message From: Richard Hentschel Extension Educator, Horticulture DuPage/Kane/Kendall Unit hentsche@illinois.edu
Older plants will naturally begin to thin and often the lower branches, perhaps due to less sunlight over time. If allowed a very light pruning can stimulate new buds, yet if sunlight is the problem the result can be disappointing. If sun is not the issue, I am sure those older plants could benefit from fertilizer. If sun light is the problem anything planted will suffer the same fate and likely sooner. the most shade tolerant evergreen is Canadian Hemlock.
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