ocean wind damage - routine

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nvpd

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Joined
Dec 6, 2001
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Canada - P.E.I.
I have begun a landscape/nursery business and one of my first jobs was to install spruce trees (6 ft tall) exposed to a North wind on the North shore of Prince Edward Island - Canada. The aim was to provide a vision screen along one side of this property.

The trees are in the open, on a hill, and about 200 ft from shore yet they are doing very poorly(needles turning brown at thends of most branches). I believe they are being damaged by wind - not salt spray nor lack of water.

I have pruned the trees back yet I expect to relplace most this spring. Can you recommend a tree which can thrive in a windy environment? This customer needs something which can survive in a rather windy environment.
 
I agree with Jay, look around for native plants in the same envirnment. Here on the edge of the Lake there are some areas where only Juniperus comunus will grow well.
 
Spruce is very native to the area and the location. The existing trees near the house (new) are stunted/deformed and have few branches on the Northern side. I was hoping the addition of the house to the property would change the wind pattern enough to make a differrence - it may not have. I planted red or black spruce and I may have been better off with white spruce.

We do have Eastern White Cedar - but not much. The main focus of the Department of forestry over the years has been to promote re-forestation with marketable species.

Thank you very much for your quick responses.
 
If the plants were purchased there may be a regiuonal variety problem. The specimin you have is not from local seed soorce so it is not adapted to the harsh environment.
 
Thanks again. I dug these trees myself with my own spade- so I am totally responsible. They are from local seed.

I have recently learned that red oak will do well on the shore in a windy environment. I have also been told that Austrian pine will do well. I will not use the pine as it is not from the Acadian Forest. I think I will stick to white spruce and red oak - thanks again. This is a great forum:)
 
Perhaps rather than planting a single row you could plant a staggered double or triple row. The first row would be 'sacrificed' but provide some protection to the row behind it. Perhaps just enough protection for the trees to get established.
 

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