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Privacy Screen - Year Round - Zone 4a

13 years ago

I've been looking for a good year round privacy screen tree. They would be boarding a 4 acre lot and could grow to be very tall. The faster it gets to 15 or 20 feet the better.

Everything I have found so far has issues with snow weight, the cold weather, or they drop foliage in the winter.

With how many I would need to plant I will need to start with young (cheap) seedlings or seeds.

Note I spend the last hour trying to find answers using the search function, but had no success finding anything for my zone or colder and my requirements. Please don't attack me for posting something related to a common question.

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Comments (8)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
13 years ago
Your University of Minnesota Extension Service has both Forestry and Soil and Water Conservation groups (both at the link below). Contact them for both cheapest and best solutions.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: U of Minn Ext
wisconsitom
13 years ago
Hi Jplay. Do look at what the Conservation folks have. But one tree that would be ideal, IMO, would be Norway spruce. Fast-growing, easily able to keep their lowest branches provided they're not too close together, tall at maturity, and a haven for numerous bird species, they're just great trees. They'll handle whatever weather throws at them too.

+oM
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You might post on the Conifer forum and get some responses from people who are more knowledgeable about conifer varieties. It is an interesting request! Also, there is a new book out on conifers that is getting terrific reviews. The title is CONIFERS FOR GARDENS: AN ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA. The author is Bitner. It is 448 pages long. It is $37.77 (US) at Amazon. Best of luck to you!
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Just getting back to this now. The plant on he left is a wonderful thriving but unruly-looking lemon tree. I’m not sure the variety but it has been producing delicious juicy lemons since December (all our friends and neighbors have been well supplied!). I’m not sure whether I should prune it for appearance since it’s thriving so well. The green “stuff” on the right is a big mess of things - in winter we discovered a nice flowing quince behind, covered with brambles, an old grape vine, and underneath some aloes and some yucky invasive species. There’s some kind of fruit tree in there maybe peach or plum but it’s gone wild, and an apple tree sapling planted in front. All in about 10x10’. We removed some of the brambles and invasive but for now left the rest so we don’t have to look at the neighbor’s deck there. We ended up planting a toyon, a coffeeberry and a Ray Hartman along that fence line. The lemon tree will stay but I hope to gradually prune back the sad stone-fruit tree and remove it as the toyon replaces it, and I should probably transplant the apple tree and the grapevine to a more suitable location this fall after they go dormant. We had too much more pressing to do on the house last fall/winter. Will I likely kill them if I try to transplant?
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jplayland
Original Author
13 years ago
I think I decided on Norway Spruce and White Pine. I plan on doing two staggered rows. Should I do every other in each row, or one type of tree for each row? I am also thinking that I will attempt to grow from cuttings this year. I am experimenting with growing from cuttings (for the first time) from a White Pine at my parents house. I can't quite seem to find any info on how fast they will grow for the first few years though.
whaas_5a
13 years ago
Keep in mind Pinus strobus doesn't fair too well in open areas...the needles brown and seem to thin out in this condition.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
white pine in my z5 MI.. have serious snow and ice load issues .. IN THE WORST OF STORMS ... not your every day stuff ... yet scots/sylvestrus dont ...

google musser forests for bulk young plants ...

NEVER go with all one kind of anything in a large project ...

3 or 4 different pines.. some abies .. some picea... etc ... diversity rules ...

you might want to also look into thuja green giants.. but insist or make them single leader ... i think they are OK for z4 ... check that ....

ken
gardener365
13 years ago
Abies veitchii, Abies x phanerolepis, & Picea abies... all strong, all fast, and all hardy.

Dax
gardener365
13 years ago
Here's a link that may be of interest. 25 of a kind are how they're sold or 25+ any amount of each.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Treehaven Evergreen Nursery 2011 Order Form
botann
13 years ago
Cuttings are probably going to be difficult with Norwegian Spruce or white Pines. I defer to the experts here though.
I have rooted Dwarf Alberata Spruce, but that won't work for what you need.
Mike

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