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kimcoco

Thuja Green Giant & Red Maple Emperor I

kimcoco
14 years ago

We have so many ridiculous restrictions in our municipality about fence heights and other garden accroutements that offer privacy, the city would rather we all live in a fish bowl, basically, on our 1/8 acre lots. Never again. I need a quick fix for privacy from obsessed neighbors.

Is there any way to manage the width of Green Giant? I read you can manage the height with regular pruning, provided you get it smaller than desired height at time of purchase.

The pros are it's fast growing, reasonably priced for larger variety, evergreen, tolerates driveway salt.

It's a nook between my driveway and a walkway next to my house in full sun. So, it's driveway to the left, sidewalk perpendicular to that next to my house, and the tree where they intersect (house-sidewalk-tree in that order).

I need to make sure it doesn't grow too wide, expanding into my driveway, and that the roots aren't likely to damage my driveway.

I also have a lannonstone walkway that will go around the tree. The pavers weren't set in deep base, but it's something we could redo when we plant the tree so the roots are less likely to disturb the pavers. This is the least of my concerns.

We currently have a japanese red maple (Emperor I), two years new (going on the third growing season) in that spot, it suffered leaf scorch, leaves dried to a crisp and fell off. Was it potassium sulphate deficiency? I don't remember. We're moving the tree to a most sun, some shade location this spring provided we can plant an evergreen in its place.

I was originally considering a Canadian Hemlock for that spot, but they're just too expensive for only a 5 footer, slow growing, don't want to wait that long for privacy. Wooly agelid not here in Wisconsin as far as I know.

Thoughts???

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