Help IDing right evergreen for 2 story 'privacy hedge' for Zone 6, clay soils

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TechieTechie

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2023
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
NE Ohio-Zone 6
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



Summer2022Overhead.PNG
 

Attachments

  • 20220827_103738.jpg
    20220827_103738.jpg
    5.6 MB · Views: 0
  • Summer2022Overhead.PNG
    Summer2022Overhead.PNG
    4.5 MB · Views: 0
BTW, I don't mind spraying to keep deer away, if a tree is otherwise a good fit. And, I'd prefer something that can grow at least 20+ feet to block the first and 2nd story of the neighbor's home...currently they have 12 foot wide view into my living room right now.

Other privacy fences in town (that visually work for me...though many are not tall enough. I really like the 2nd pic, not sure what this tree is (and if it can grow tall enough)
 

Attachments

  • 20220527_172721.jpg
    20220527_172721.jpg
    4.7 MB · Views: 0
  • 20220527_175231.jpg
    20220527_175231.jpg
    4.5 MB · Views: 0
  • 20220527_172113.jpg
    20220527_172113.jpg
    4.5 MB · Views: 0
Clay is tough egg to crack… I would recommend you get a soil test done by your local extension office. it’ll definitely help give you an idea of what the actual growing media your trees will live in. The extent staff may be able to give you recommendations as well.

If the pH is higher than 6.4 or so white pines will struggle. Adjusting pH is possible but the effects are not permanent.

Yes, Arbs are prone to breaking - if they aren’t cabled with arbor tie or adjust-a-ties. But that is a simple fix. But, I would say that even though there are cultivars advertised as tolerant to wet feet, it’s been my experience that they still do suffer just as badly as their non tolerant neighbors. if you have a clay hard pan just under a top soil layer you may find you have a bathtub effect. Taking a core samples in the spring after it’s been raining could give you a good idea of how much water is actually draining over time.

Do you have irrigation? I would stay away from most spruce as they can suffer from needle cast fungus that thrives in the consistent wet conditions. just by the way, even though you didn’t mention spruce.
 
white pines will struggle
Sorry I read white pine rather than white spruce. I have had decent luck with white spruce, good resistance to most pests. Tho spuce gall can quickly make their sparse canopy (for spruce) even more evident. I have planted a few in places where sitting water on clay pan was an issue with relatively good results.
 
Back
Top