Emerald Cedar Spacing Guide: How Far Apart Should You Plant Emerald Cedars?

Emerald Cedars are one of the most popular choices for creating privacy hedges in Toronto, North York, Markham and surrounding areas. Their dense evergreen foliage, narrow upright shape and year-round colour make them ideal for backyard fences, property lines, pools, patios and other areas where additional privacy is needed.

One of the most common questions we receive at Z Force Farm is:

How far apart should Emerald Cedars be planted?

For most residential privacy hedges, we generally recommend planting Emerald Cedars approximately 2.5 to 3 feet apart, measured from the centre of one tree to the centre of the next.

However, there is no single spacing that works for every project. The ideal spacing depends on the size and current width of the cedars, how quickly you want privacy, and whether you prefer a continuous hedge or a more natural look where each tree maintains its individual shape.

At Z Force Farm, we carry Emerald Cedar trees in a range of sizes, including larger specimens for homeowners looking for more immediate privacy.

Recommended Emerald Cedar Spacing

As a general guideline:

2 ft centre-to-centre: Best when you want a very dense privacy screen and faster coverage.

2.5 ft centre-to-centre: A good choice for creating a dense privacy hedge while still providing reasonable growing space.

3 ft centre-to-centre: One of the most common choices for residential privacy hedges, providing a good balance between privacy and growing room.

3.5–4 ft centre-to-centre: Better suited to larger and wider Emerald Cedars, especially when you want to maintain more of the individual cone shape of each tree.

These are general recommendations. The actual width of the trees should always be considered before deciding on the final spacing.

Should Emerald Cedars Be Planted 2 or 3 Feet Apart?

Both spacing options can work, but they create different results.

If your main goal is to achieve a dense privacy screen as quickly as possible, planting the trees approximately 2 to 2.5 feet centre-to-centre can help the hedge fill in sooner.

If you want to give the trees a little more room to develop naturally while still creating a continuous privacy hedge, approximately 3 feet centre-to-centre is often a good choice.

The size of the cedar also makes a big difference. A smaller Emerald Cedar may be relatively narrow when planted, while larger Emerald Cedars can already have substantial width. Larger and fuller trees generally do not need to be planted as tightly as smaller trees.

How Far Apart Should Large Emerald Cedars Be Planted?

When planting larger Emerald Cedars, spacing becomes particularly important. Large cedars already provide significant coverage at the time of installation. Planting them too closely can cause unnecessary crowding as the trees continue to develop.

For larger and fuller Emerald Cedars, approximately 3 to 3.5 feet centre-to-centre can often provide a good balance between immediate privacy and long-term appearance.

If you prefer to see the individual cone shape of each cedar while allowing the lower branches to eventually touch, slightly wider spacing may create a more attractive finished hedge.

You can view our current Emerald Cedar selection and available sizes before deciding which size and spacing will work best for your property.

How Many Emerald Cedars Do I Need?

A simple way to estimate the number of Emerald Cedars required is:

Length of planting area ÷ desired centre-to-centre spacing

For example, if your planting area is approximately 30 feet long and you plan to space your cedars approximately 3 feet apart, you would need roughly 10 Emerald Cedars.

For a 60-foot planting area at approximately 3-foot spacing, you would need roughly 20 trees.

For a 100-foot planting area, approximately 33–34 trees may be required at 3-foot spacing.

These numbers are estimates. The exact quantity can change depending on the actual width of the trees, where the first and last cedars will be positioned, gates, corners, existing plants and other site conditions.

How Far Should Emerald Cedars Be Planted From a Fence?

Emerald Cedars should not be planted directly against a fence. The branches need enough room to develop, and leaving adequate clearance also makes watering, trimming and future maintenance easier.

The appropriate distance from the fence depends on the current width and expected growth of the cedar. Larger trees generally require more clearance than smaller specimens.

When planning your hedge, consider both the distance between each cedar and the distance between the cedars and the fence or property line.

Is Closer Spacing Always Better for Privacy?

Not necessarily. It is easy to assume that planting Emerald Cedars as close together as possible will create the best privacy hedge, but closer is not always better.

Cedars still need adequate room for their roots and branches to develop. Planting them unnecessarily close together can increase competition for water, nutrients, root space and sunlight.

The goal is to create enough overlap for good privacy while still giving each tree enough room to establish and grow properly. This is why we recommend considering the actual width and fullness of the trees, rather than choosing spacing based only on their height.

What Size Emerald Cedar Is Best for Privacy?

The right size depends mainly on how quickly you want privacy and your budget. Smaller Emerald Cedars are generally more economical but require additional time to develop into a tall and established privacy screen. Larger Emerald Cedars provide a much more immediate effect.

For many residential projects, 6–7 ft Emerald Cedar trees provide a useful balance between height and ease of establishment. Homeowners looking for more immediate screening may choose larger trees such as our 8–9 ft Emerald Cedars, subject to availability.

How Long Does It Take for an Emerald Cedar Hedge to Fill In?

The amount of time required depends on the starting size of the trees, their spacing, growing conditions, watering and ongoing maintenance.

Trees planted closer together will visually connect sooner, while trees planted farther apart will take longer to create a continuous hedge. Larger Emerald Cedars can provide substantial privacy immediately, particularly when the trees are already wide and full at the time of planting.

Regardless of the size you choose, proper watering after planting is extremely important. Newly planted cedars need consistent moisture while their root systems become established.

Need Help Planning Your Emerald Cedar Hedge?

Not sure which tree size, spacing or quantity is right for your property? Browse our Emerald Cedar trees to compare available sizes, or learn more about our professional Emerald Cedar installation service in Toronto, Markham, North York and surrounding areas.

For installation projects, our team can help determine the appropriate number of trees and spacing based on the length of your planting area, cedar size and width, desired privacy level, existing landscape conditions, grading and fence or property-line location.

Emerald Cedar Spacing FAQ

What is the best spacing for an Emerald Cedar privacy hedge?

For many residential privacy hedges, approximately 2.5 to 3 ft centre-to-centre is a practical starting point. The final spacing should also consider the actual width and size of the trees.

Can I plant Emerald Cedars 2 ft apart?

Yes. Approximately 2 ft centre-to-centre can create faster visual coverage, particularly with narrower trees, but closer spacing is not automatically better for every property.

How many Emerald Cedars do I need for 100 ft?

At approximately 3 ft centre-to-centre, a 100 ft hedge may require roughly 33–34 trees. Final quantity depends on endpoint placement, tree width, gates, corners and site conditions.

Do larger Emerald Cedars need more spacing?

Often, yes. Larger and fuller trees already have more width at planting, so they may not need to be positioned as tightly as smaller cedars.

Shop Emerald Cedars & Professional Planting

Z Force Farm supplies Emerald Cedars for privacy hedges and landscaping projects in Toronto, North York, Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Scarborough and surrounding areas.

Shop our current Emerald Cedar selection →

For customers who want a complete hedge project, you can also learn more about our Emerald Cedar delivery and professional planting service.