Designing and Planting Green Barriers
There is a difference between privacy screens and other barriers. A windbreak is an effective border or screen, but is several rows wide, and should be composed of several varieties of trees and shrubs. This is very different than a fenceline border, or privacy screen, which are
basically planting single trees in one or maybe two rows.
Here is an important factor. Understandably you want it now, but save yourselves the headaches, expense, and future hassles by selecting the right trees for the purpose. Cost is always a factor, not just buying big trees versus small ones, but also
planting, watering, and upkeep costs also. The other thing to consider is the outcome. What will you achieve, and what value have you added to your property.
Trees and plants for the home (or wherever), are an investment.
Fenceline trees, which also work as solid screens, are the Ameri-Willow, Lombardy Poplar, other fast-growing hardwoods, the Arbor-Vitae, Norway Spruce, Cryptomeria, and most
of the conifers. They hold a tight or fairly tight shape, and will be solid. The willow and poplar will grow really fast, but lose
their leaves in the fall. The conifers will stay thick and green year-round, but are much slower growing.
If space is more available to let the trees spread out, then the Leyland Cypress and Hybrid Poplar, and others make effective screens. These grow fast, and the cypress stays green, while the poplar drops its leaves in the Fall. By planting a row of fast-growing hardwoods, and a row of slower-growing evergreens, you can have year-round screening, and fast growth!
For thick, year round screens and borders, firs, spruce and cedars do well. Douglas-Fir can grow fairly fast, about 1 to 3 feet a year, but the others will grow about 1 foot a year. Here is that time factor, but the outcome is impressive.
For value and beauty, lines of birch or aspen really are spectacular. They don't make thick effective screens, but for increasing value to a property, how can you beat a driveway or fenceline with these? Colorado Blue Spruce is also a choice for
"valuable"
lines. Here again, consider combining the hardwoods and evergreens for a year-round green barrier.
There are other trees and tall shrubs that can be used in lines, like Sweetgum, Catalpa. Tulip Tree, maples, and oaks, the pines, and others. They are fine, but the project depends on your needs and desired outcome. Think about it...
Spacing, is a factor of available space and the trees' normal shape. The general rule of thumb is 6 to 10 feet apart. Slower growing and more narrow shaped trees can be planted closer together so the line fill in sooner. For faster growing or wider-shaped
types, then planting can be spaced wider. Planting two staggered or offset rows can change the spacing also. Instead of planting a poplar (for example) six feet apart, two offset rows can be planted at eight or ten feet apart. The effective spacing is
then four or five feet apart. It helps to draw your plans on paper and try different arrangements and types of trees and shrubs.
Planting is easy, but planting a long row or several rows can make for a long day! Dig a hole a little bit larger than the roots are wide (when spread out). Place the tree in the hole so the roots can then be covered completely. Scoop the soil back into
the hole. Water it, and that's basically it! You can mix in organic materials or bagged soil mixes, but this is not needed unless your soil is very heavy clay or rocky, or very sandy. Do place a layer of mulch around the trees to help conserve water, suppress weeds, and help insulate roots from weather
extremes.
Do not fertilize. Let the trees get settled in for a month or so before sprinkling a light fertilizer on the soil surface. Water the fertilizer in. Later in the season and following years, yes, increase your fertilizing plans.
A water basin around the trees can be helpful, but also not needed. The mulch layer will be effective in conserving water, but also plan on some type of watering system. Depending on your set-up, there are many ways to add water, a hose, sprinklers, a
drip tube set-up, or even the bucket method.
Lines of trees can block out wind, unsightly neighbors, or just add an attractive boundary marking. The lowest cost and most beneficial form of fencing and green barriers is to plant trees.
...Happy Planting!
Empire National Nursery, LLC - America's first 24 hour On-Line Nursery. Our greenhouses are packed with tree seedlings, shrubs, and other landscaping plants. Our business is to promote the planting and distribution of tree seedlings, for home, farm, gardening, and reforestation tree planting projects. We invite you to browse around, and learn about our growing selection of trees and other nursery plants.
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Learn more about the fast-growing trees like the Hybrid Poplar, Quaking Aspen, and others 
We grow the Lombardy Poplar hybrid, called the "Theves Poplar"... longer lived, more resistant, and very fast growing. 
Berry Plants - Blackberries, American Cranberry, Elderberries, and the Aronia Berry, and others...
Interested in the firs, spruces, pines, Leyland Cypress, or Dawn Redwood? Then 
For a limited time, we are giving away a Free $5 Gift Certificate. This is our way to get to know you and for you to learn who we are. Use this gift to Plant a Tree! To learn more about this special, 
