Trees for privacy fence, buffer
We are trying to privatixe an arceage and want to hear from others who have had some success with certain trees or bushes. We are in the midwest, Iowa with snow and ice in the winter. We found some willow trees that grow fast and up to 60 ft and may start the first row with these then a row of trees and a row of headge bushes. Who has some ideas or experences?
Why Plant a Willow Hedge ?
- Living willow whips (or rods) or willow slips are relatively cheap.
- Willow is easy to grow - care is more essential than skill.
- Willow grows fast and will outgrow most other forms of hedging.
- Living willow can be coppiced easily to thicken the hedge.
- It can also be laid to form an even thicker more traditional looking hedge.
- Better still, plant the living willow rods at an angle and weave the whips in and out of each other. This can work well in a garden producing an unusual but effective willow screen. This is known as a fedge - a cross between a (FE)nce and a he(DGE).
- There are no nasty thorns to contend with, making it:
- Easier to trim.
- Easier to clear away.
- Safer - no infected puncture wounds.
- Lawn tractor friendly - no punctures.
- Easier to trim.
- The living willow hedge can be trimmed to form a low hedge or left to grow into a high hedge.
- You can use what you trim off the willow hedge for weaving, wood chips, planting stock or if left to grow a few seasons, wood fuel.
Reasons Not to Plant Willow
Please do not plant living willow near building foundations or drains as the roots are invasive and will seek out water sources. Plant at least one and a half times the eventual height of the hedge away from drains and foundations.
Its not really suitable for a formal hedge.
As living willow grows quickly it will need frequent trimming if you want to maintain a constant hedge height.
Willow is not evergreen and on the whole you can still see through it. However its screening effectiveness can be improved if the hedge is laid, coppiced, or planted as a wide hedge.
Willows might be the right choice, provided, you have enough land and water. Perhaps you might try something like the twisted willow
(Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa') even being deciduous during winter, its twisted shoots will create more privacy than the straighter growing types of willows. You may even prune some of the exfoliated shoots for some floristry outlets as a cash crop. Good luck.
I've seen some willow hedges in Indiana that were so thick, a bull dozer would have a tough time plowing through them. Of course these were ratherlow hedges. For higher privacy you might think about evergreens. Blue Spruce would be a great choice for summer privacy and winter beauty.
I thought I had me a great solution, ligustrum (spelled correctly?). However it turns out it is not native to Texas and so I prefer not to use it, but have been told it grows quickly, has pleasant aroma, but it can attract bees, so if you are allergic to bees, say no! If however you want to start a bee farm then this may work well.!
look at leyland cypress i planted them ( 32 ) around entire perimeter of back yard they don't start off fast but when they start to shoot up they do. i bought the one gallon size if a person can afford it buy the three gallon size. mine were a foot when i planted them two seasons ago now some are a little over three feet, i have some about 20 years old that are 20 feet and a neighbor who planted a row about eight years ago are probably ten feet and is a good fillerbarrier between our houses.
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