"Privacy" trees

[rjsats]

Happy new year. I’d appreciate some advice on privacy trees. I’m in Eastern PA, right on the edge of zone 5 and 6. The property setup is as follows: ~ 30 acres, the driveway comes down from a road where the house is not viewable. However, a different road comes past the house on the west side of the house. There’s approximately 175 feet between the house and the road, with the land declining from the house to the road, dropping 25 feet or so. The total distance I need to plant them through is ~ 350 feet (of road frontage), and would expect I need something that will grow slightly taller than 50 feet when mature to block the house entirely. It’s quite rural there and I don’t think arborvitae trees would at all look normal. I have definitely considered and like the option of Norway Spruce, along with several others, but am no expert.

I plan on buying 5-6 foot trees that will eventually grow to provide good blockage from the road view. What species do you recommend? What other factors should I consider? What am I not thinking of?

Factors I care about:
+ Amount of blockage achieved.
+ Amount of consistency in the tree. It seems to me when looking at some species, perhaps all, there’s a high degree of variation when mature. Obviously since it takes a long time to grow, I’d prefer something that will have a consistent outcome.
+ Cost

Thank you very much!

 

[ATH]

#1 needs to be soil type. Different species will thrive in different conditions including texture (clay, wilt, sand), soil pH, nutrient availability, etc. There isn't much better than local expertise to help with that.

I'd also suggest you might miss in some smaller bare-root seedlings that will cost closer to a dollar or two per tree. In 10-15 years they'll be practically the same size as the trees you are talking about buying will be, but you'll have a lot more money in your pocket.

Also: do you have a plan to protect the trees from deer damage? They can destroy about any planting if their population around you is high...

 

[AGoodSteward]

I like to advise folks in your situation to consider 2 sets of trees. Set 1 is a row of fast growing trees like poplar or elm. Planted alternating w/set 2. The intention is to gain privacy quickly and to shelter set 2. The understanding is that faster growers are inherently weaker and shorter lived.
Set 2 would be something slower growing like oak, walnut or spruce spaced appropriately far apart. Once they acheive size enough to serve as the barrier you cut down Set 1.

Disclaimers:
I don't know your budget.
I'm in zone 2-3 so you have choices I don't.
Removing a row of trees may be beyond the homeowners ability. (Or illegal without a licence?) Thus preclusively expensive if a contractor is required.
Don't plant under wires.
Contact a local nursery (or 2).

 

[bayard]

bamboo, you can transplant in spring .most times you can get it for free. 20 to 25 feet tall. look around for it. it will stay green in most winters.

 

[AGoodSteward]

bamboo, you can transplant in spring .most times you can get it for free. 20 to 25 feet tall. look around for it. it will stay green in most winters.

OP desires 50' height. I like a spruce for density and uniformity.

 

[ATH]

You can get it for free because people want it GONE once they have planted it!!!

Depending on what your soil type is, your "privacy tree" and fast growing tree may be one in the same. Norway spruce regularly grow 18" in height per year around here. White pine on its best soil will go over 2' per year (but they aren't often dense enough to make solid "wall")...but if you have 2-3 rows, they may be adequate. If it doesn't work out that way, planting the 2 separate species is a good suggestion.

 

[JimMorrison]

I would not get too carried away with trying to find the perfect tree. Plant something that is proven healthy and robust in your area. Look around at similar spots and see what grows well there. You say it's a 25' drop from the building site to the proposed plot. How wet is it, soil types, PH? Take some soil samples.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Bamboo ?!? What did the OP ever do to you?

 

[unclemoustache]

I've always wanted some bamboo. Yellow Groove grows well around here, and I was planning on putting in a barrier of some kind to keep it from spreading. Never did it, but maybe someday.....

Anyway, I don't think it would grow well in PA. Too cold, but there are some hardy varieties. None that would make a good screen, though.

I'd recommend Arborvitae. I don't know it's zone requirements, but it grows in Montana just fine. Very thick and steady.



EDIT - just read the WHOLE post by the OP. I guess he doesn't want Arborvitae. Don't know what else to recommend. Lombardy Poplar will grow tall, but they are not very long lived trees and die off pretty easily. Maybe some kind of spruce or evergreen would do it. Whatever you plant will be "natural" - it's a tree!

 

[Jason Douglas]

I would recommend species diversity generally speaking but I've found Norway spruce to be a pretty adaptable and dense screening tree provided adequate drainage.

Me personally, I like a mix of hardwoods with great fall color against a nice background such as dark green spruce.

 

[rjsats]

I don't understand the bamboo recommendation at all, especially given the drop I have, but really just in general. Makes no sense, isn't natural to my area, isn't tall, etc... Hardwoods don't make much sense to me either because it's a long winter with no leaves. In fact, I have a good amount of hardwoods along that long strip that I'll harvest for firewood and replace with the softwoods.

ATH thank you for the reco on bare root, this is DEFINITELY the more economic and sensible approach. Am I crazy to just plant a TON of them and whatever survives the deer, great. Or will nothing survive if I don't spray them or fence them in. I definitely had thought about fencing them in, but after seeing how cheap these bare root are, maybe why bother if say there's a 60% survival rate. Perhaps I'll fence in a few critical areas where it's a thinner gap from house to road, to reasonably ensure survival there, and in the other areas I'll just plant a lot. Also, tend to agree on the slightly diverse approach. I do know Colorado blue spruce will grow, have a few of those nearby.

 

[BC WetCoast]

You running a meth lab, that you need all this privacy. At 30 mph, people are only going to have a peek a boo view of your house, if they are even looking. You will do better with a mix of species, conifers and deciduous. Get better growth and less monoculture problems.

How do I survive? My house is 30' from the front street and my neighbour's house is 8' from mine. But I got my assessment yesterday. Worth 5x what I paid for it.

 

[ATH]

..... Am I crazy to just plant a TON of them and whatever survives the deer, great. Or will nothing survive if I don't spray them or fence them in. I definitely had thought about fencing them in, but after seeing how cheap these bare root are, maybe why bother if say there's a 60% survival rate. Perhaps I'll fence in a few critical areas where it's a thinner gap from house to road, to reasonably ensure survival there, and in the other areas I'll just plant a lot.....

Depends on how bad the deer pressure is where you are. Is there an existing understory in the the surrounding area woods now or is that all ferns? (ferns are about the only thing the won't eat....). If there are other small trees and shrubs that are thriving, then you can probably get away with minimal or no protection. If the deer are bad there, you'll want to protect the trees. It seems crazy to spend 3-4 dollars to protect a $1.50 seedling...but once you have planted that same spot time 5 times, you look back and realize that you are $7.50 into your $1.50 tree and 5 years behind...suddenly $3 per tree starts to sound reasonable at the front end. giant rats...that's all they are! Might not be a bad idea to do like you said: protect some, but not others. If they kill every tree that is not protected, you know what you up against. If they only kill 40% of them, then it probably makes sense to just plant a few more every year.