Greetings all, I live in Zone 5 (Catskills Region of New York State).
I'd like to plant 4 to 6 10 to 14 foot spruce trees on my sdie lawn for screening.
The side lawn gets plenty of sun.
Will trees of that height take as transplants?
What kinds of spruce trees would be appropriate?
Any URL's would be helpful.
Thanking all in advance.
Eddy Long
When planting some trees here is information I would desire to be aware of. Best I can do for you.
Hi neighbor!
Sure, if you can afford them... and who will plant them for you... nice specimen quality trees that size might cost $1,000 each and will have a root ball that weighs about a half ton, might cost $500 each to have professionally planted
Colorado blue spruce would be nice. Norway spruce cost less and grow faster. I would plant smaller trees (about 2'-3') that you can handle on your own and wait for them to grow... you will be able to shear/ shape them better... for privacy/wind break you will need at least a double row, staggered.
"long eddy" wrote in news:_Y2tj.4145$ snipped-for-privacy@news02.roc.ny:
screening from what? wind? neighbor too close? outbuildings? how much lateral area do you have (how wide is your side yard)? where is your septic system?
how much do you think is "plenty"? all day? half day? morning or afternoon?
yes, if you can afford trees that size & the heavy equipment to plant them.
blue, white, Norway. blue makes the best spruce beer though. if you want them for screening or a wind break, two staggered rows are better than a single row & you're talking a width of
20 or more feet. leeHow about spruce trees at a height of 6 to 8 feet - not 10 to 14 feet.
What would be the cost per tree?
Also, how many inches would they grow per year in Zone 5 with partial to full sun?
Many thanks, Eddy Long
How about spruce trees at a height of 6 to 8 feet - not 10 to 14 feet.
What would be the cost per tree?
Also, how many inches would they grow per year in Zone 5 with partial to full sun?
Many thanks, Eddy Long
Cost per tree? Please don't expect anyone to do your homework for you. Call some local nurseries and ask. If anyone here quotes you a price, they're giving you history that probably won't apply to you. Maybe not even close.
Sun has little to do with it, that spruce trees need full sun goes without saying... but they also need decent soil and moisture.
You seem to be in a big hurry, how old are you that you're racing old father time? Trees take time to grow, they are not instant. And even if you plant mature trees they will not grow at all the first 3-5 years as they will be in shock from being dug up, and some may not make it. Were it me I'd plant young potted trees, and plant extra.
I have many thousands of Norway spruce on my property, all sizes as hundreds are from reseeding over the years. I wouldn't attempt to move any myself that are more than about 2' tall. You can figure that Norway spruce will grow betwen 6" and 2' a year, weather plays a big part. In forty years a 2' tree will reach between 50' and 70'. Colorado spruce will grow about half as much. I think Norway spruce make a better screen/windbreak, they do much better packed close together than Colorado spruce. Norway spruce also hold up much better to heavy snows... with Colorado spruce you'll have to be out there many times during a heavy snow with a broom sweeping the branches or they will break off.
An excellent source for trees and information near where you live:
Eddy inquired about using spruce trees as a screen from prying eyes....
Remember this about trees of most varieties, especially spruce: that as they grow up they also grow out. We have lived at our present address for 13 years. When we moved here there were three beautiful 15 ft. tall Blue Spruce trees between our house and garage. As they gained height they spread out thereby blocking the sidewalk and driveway with their not-so-soft branches. We had to make a choice of either removing the lower branches or removing the whole tree. We trimmed them so that a 6 ft. tall person could walk under them without losing their hat. Grass does not grow well under them either due to a lack of sun and water or the mulching effect of shed needles. To add to this they seem to be losing a battle with a fungus that has thinned out their once thick needles making them look more like "overgrown Charlie Brown Christmas trees". It is easy to treat them when they are within reach but they are now nearly 30+ ft tall and hard to handle. The placement should be made with consideration of their future height and diameter. Fran
Not quite sure what point you're making, obviously all plants need to be placed with consideration that they grow. It seems that's exactly the OP's main concern, he is desirerous of rapid growth.
When spruce trees are planted densely in groups as for privacy screening/windbreaks it's only the exterior perimeter portions and very tops that receive full sunlight that will grow outward, the interior portions will barely branch out at all and what branches formed previously will die and fall off the trunk... yet they'll still grow well as that's precisely how they grow naturally in forests. Whenever you see a perfectly shaped lone spruce tree growing in a lawn it should be obvious that it was specifically planted there as a specimen tree, in nature spruce does not grow solitary.
Norway Spruce:
New York State has an excellent land grant University called Cornell. Search for the Cornell Cooperative Extension in your county and they can tell you exactly what to plant, how and when. A good wind break should be made up of several species, spaced properly so if any fail you won't have huge gaping holes in the screen. Do not be tempted to use fast growing trees of any kind and seek the moderate growers. Much stronger. Also look for your local chapter of the Native Plant Society in your region.
Had you read the original post carefully you'd note that the OP is only wanting to plant 4-6 trees, for *privacy*, not a hedgerow/ windbreak as one would want for seperating farmland acreage/pastures. With only 4-6 trees desired it should be obvious that there isn't space to plant what you suggest... and he'd like to live long enough to see his trees grow... often reality and practicality usurps theory.
I happen to live in the same area as the OP, I know from my own personal experience that for an *all year* privacy screen in this locale no other tree will do the job nearly as well as the Norway spruce. Mixed evergreens don't do well, and deciduous trees offer little to no privacy and in time will likely kill off the evergreens. For a privacy screen I would definitely chose all one type of spruce; Norway and Colorado cannot coexist in close proximity, in less than ten yers the Colorado spruce will become smothered to death. Of the two Norway is heartier and faster growing, it also will achieve twice the size, so if there is a space limitation I would then go with the Colorado. I'm sure there are other choices but as is often the case with usenet long eddy appears to be gone, so there is no way to discuss details regarding his property.
Sheldon expounded:
And yet you've decided you're the bottom line expert on the situation. Uh-huh.
Unfortunately, you just left out approximately 100 or more species which would do the job. He asked for opinion, and I gave it. No need to get the snot up.
You must be Ann's alter ego... from 100 you offer not even ONE!
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