TechieTechie
New Member
Hi,
Longtime lurker, first time poster, thanks for the pros who drop in.
Recently purchased a home in fairly dense suburban area, zone 6 w well drained clay soils, NE Ohio, about 5 miles Lake Erie. I'm in the 'snow belt' so we get 1 or 2 heavy wet snow events a year. Most often we get popcorn snow. I have a smallish lot, my side yard is about 40'w x125'long, but it's hard up against a neighbor's driveway and then, their 3 story house...so I'd like to plant a series of conifers that can block the view without intruding too much into the neighbor's driveway (or my yard) but can grow tall-ish and handle snow loads. Want about 60 feet of 'cover'. Trees do not have to be the worlds' fastest growers. I'm happy to buy 6 feet trees and either double row them or plant tall grasses for a few years (they are replacing rose of sharons, so anything is better than ROS). Prefer US native trees.
Seems in reading this lovely site, it like my options are:
Techny Arborvitaes: Pros: Very dense, right height, good coverage at taller heights, don't mind wet feet/clay soils, can handle snow loads. Cons: Deer and slowish growing. I'd have to 'deer spray'.
Eastern Red Cedar: Pros: Fairly dense, good coverage at taller heights, don't mind clay, handles snow, no deer. Cons: Slower growing, less dense than Techny, concerned width will be too big
White Spruce: Pros: Somewhat dense, doesn't mind clay, handles snow, deer resistent. Cons: Too big, a bit too open?
From what I've read, other arborvitaes aren't a fit (too flimsy). What other trees am I not considering? Is there one that can be shaped to not be 'too' bushy so that I can keep the majority of my yard (and my neighbor won't hate me)
First pic is rear portion of side yard and my previous 'hedgerow'. 2nd pic is current overhead. X are trees that sadly had to be removed this summer (either dying or planted waay too close to structures). Red circle is the new 'privacy fence' area). Please note, shed will be moved to make way for hedgerow.
Thank you for any/all help you can provide
Longtime lurker, first time poster, thanks for the pros who drop in.
Recently purchased a home in fairly dense suburban area, zone 6 w well drained clay soils, NE Ohio, about 5 miles Lake Erie. I'm in the 'snow belt' so we get 1 or 2 heavy wet snow events a year. Most often we get popcorn snow. I have a smallish lot, my side yard is about 40'w x125'long, but it's hard up against a neighbor's driveway and then, their 3 story house...so I'd like to plant a series of conifers that can block the view without intruding too much into the neighbor's driveway (or my yard) but can grow tall-ish and handle snow loads. Want about 60 feet of 'cover'. Trees do not have to be the worlds' fastest growers. I'm happy to buy 6 feet trees and either double row them or plant tall grasses for a few years (they are replacing rose of sharons, so anything is better than ROS). Prefer US native trees.
Seems in reading this lovely site, it like my options are:
Techny Arborvitaes: Pros: Very dense, right height, good coverage at taller heights, don't mind wet feet/clay soils, can handle snow loads. Cons: Deer and slowish growing. I'd have to 'deer spray'.
Eastern Red Cedar: Pros: Fairly dense, good coverage at taller heights, don't mind clay, handles snow, no deer. Cons: Slower growing, less dense than Techny, concerned width will be too big
White Spruce: Pros: Somewhat dense, doesn't mind clay, handles snow, deer resistent. Cons: Too big, a bit too open?
From what I've read, other arborvitaes aren't a fit (too flimsy). What other trees am I not considering? Is there one that can be shaped to not be 'too' bushy so that I can keep the majority of my yard (and my neighbor won't hate me)
First pic is rear portion of side yard and my previous 'hedgerow'. 2nd pic is current overhead. X are trees that sadly had to be removed this summer (either dying or planted waay too close to structures). Red circle is the new 'privacy fence' area). Please note, shed will be moved to make way for hedgerow.
Thank you for any/all help you can provide