I am thinking of planting a visual screen right next to a 3 rail split rail
fence, which is 14 years old and rotting somewhat. The hedge will probably be
something tall like arbor vitae, so will blow in the wind. I might plant the AV
about 2 feet away from the fence, and then trim the grass behind them with a
weed whacker, or put down mulch.

My question is : even with a new strong fence, are there problems with planting
arbor vitae right next to a wooden split rail fence ? Roots, rubbing,
interference, etc. ?

Thanks

I've got a very similar setup, arborvitae about two feet away from a split
rail fence, with bark mulch underneath. I've got a lot of fence line, and
in some places it's just arbs, and in others it's arbs mixed with other
shrubs and perennials. There have been no problems of any kind. The
arborvitae doesn't really blow around all that much, and having just been
through Isabella I feel qualified to make this statement! I have several
varieties--some stay in a neat pyramidal form, and some grow more
vigorously, and I do some light trimming of those each spring, and keep them
topped at about 8 feet tall.

My advice would be to shop around and spend a few dollars more for some of
the newer named varieties that have better winter color, a nicer shape, etc.
If you do plant the type that grows vigorously, it's important to keep them
trimmed and somewhat compact. Last winter we had heavy snow and ice storms,
and arborvitae that had been left to grow to 20 feet had their tops bent
over.

Cheers,
Sue

--

Zone 6, South-central PA

"Lecher9000" wrote in message
...
I am thinking of planting a visual screen right next to a 3 rail split
rail
fence, which is 14 years old and rotting somewhat. The hedge will
probably be
something tall like arbor vitae, so will blow in the wind. I might plant
the AV
about 2 feet away from the fence, and then trim the grass behind them
with a
weed whacker, or put down mulch.

My question is : even with a new strong fence, are there problems with
planting
arbor vitae right next to a wooden split rail fence ? Roots, rubbing,
interference, etc. ?

Thanks

If you do plant the type that grows vigorously, it's important to keep them
trimmed and somewhat compact. Last winter we had heavy snow and ice storms,
and arborvitae that had been left to grow to 20 feet had their tops bent
over.

Cheers,
Sue

--

Sue, Thanks. I want the living visual screen to be tall, so maybe AV are
not the choice if they're going to break off in winter. I get lots of snow and
ice here in Pa.

Maybe some pine trees of some sort.

I hate all the needles and dead grass under pines though. hmmm....

Well, as I said, the tops of them usually don't usually break, they bend.
The problem is, at least visually, that they don't bend back. And the
Christmas day storm that did that kind of damage around here was unusual--it
could be twenty years before those same kind of conditions occurred again.
On the other hand, it could be a few months.....

I have some Hinoki cypress that (knock wood) seem to handle snow and ice
well, and I have let them get quite tall. For some reason all I ever see in
the nurseries lately are the dwarf versions, but the tall ones are quite
beautiful and worth searching out, or at least putting on your list of
things to research.

Cheers,
Sue

--

Zone 6, South-central PA


"Lecher9000" wrote in message Sue, Thanks. I want
the living visual screen to be tall, so maybe AV are
not the choice if they're going to break off in winter. I get lots of
snow and
ice here in Pa.

Maybe some pine trees of some sort.

I hate all the needles and dead grass under pines though. hmmm....

In article ,
"SugarChile" wrote:

Well, as I said, the tops of them usually don't usually break, they bend.
The problem is, at least visually, that they don't bend back. And the
Christmas day storm that did that kind of damage around here was unusual--it
could be twenty years before those same kind of conditions occurred again.
On the other hand, it could be a few months.....

I have some Hinoki cypress that (knock wood) seem to handle snow and ice
well, and I have let them get quite tall. For some reason all I ever see in
the nurseries lately are the dwarf versions, but the tall ones are quite
beautiful and worth searching out, or at least putting on your list of
things to research.

Cheers,
Sue

One of the greatest gardenable evergreens for snow country is the Alaska
cedar. They are natural "weepers" with very slippery pleated needles, so
very little snow even adheres to the branches which have evolved
specifically to handle heavy snowfall without losing branches.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/