Dean wrote:
On Mar 13, 10:26 pm, Gus wrote:
What can anyone recommend for a screen along one side of our property?
I need about 250 ft of coverage.
I thought about native cedars, that would not need any maintenance at
all. The only thing is that it would take maybe 15 years for them to
grow to the ten feet or so needed, I think.
Dean

Andy comments:
I have used juniper virginianus (red cedar, in Texas) for many many
years as a screen, and for decoration, as they grow wild all over and
transplant easily if under 2 feet high. It takes about 5 years
after
transplanting to get to 8 feet high in Texas soils and weather. I
have
had very good luck with those I dug up in January, less so with other
times of the year, but around here they are free so I do 5-10 at a
time...

That being said, you might consider red tipped photinia, as they
grow
to about 12 feet ( In Texas soils) in around 5-6 years also, and don't
continue to grow.

The cedar must be trimmed after reaching the proper height, and if
you aren't able to transplant them yourself, you certainly won't be
able
to trim and prune a row of them. They will grow to 30 feet and spread
out otherwise. Beautiful trees, but must be "managed" to do a hedge.
I know from personally doing this. I am healthy, but don't look
forward
to the task much. Note that I am talking about juniper virginianus,
and
don't know your "local" name for them, and can't speak for any
"other" cedars...... But they are a beautiful tree for decoration as
you
can "shape" them into shapes with your hedge clippers and make
a very decorative yard..... providing you do this work about twice
a year...

Why not put up a six foot fence and plant cucumbers ? GGGG
( Forget about kudzu, that's a bad idea G )

Good luck. I know you are impatient, but that's the way things
usually work...

Maybe if you do a google on "fast growing trees" and "bushes
privacy
screens" you can come up with some good ideas for your area...

Oh.. one more thing.... Do NOT use arbor vitae. They do what you
want, but are susceptible to complete decimation by bagworms. (in
Texas )
Juniper virginianus are practically immune to this. Photinia get
some sort of fungus/blight if you are unlucky, but you can probly
spray for it......Spraying for bagworms only works BEFORE you see
bags on the foliage. Those little buggers must be picked off by
hand , IMMEDIATELY, or they will propagate all out of proportion.
I've spent dozens of hours picking them off a decorative row of
arbor vitae I had --- never again.

End of rambling on about gardeny stuff..\

Andy in Eureka, Texas