How to Choose Young Trees for a Privacy Screen

Regardless of size or style, a new home can often look bare and even naked without proper landscaping considerations, but adding trees to a new home shouldn’t be a haphazard process, there are important considerations to keep in mind with regard to tree planting, size, type, shape and purpose. For instance, do you want the trees you plant to offer home privacy, and if so, then you also need to think about growth from the moment of the planting of the young trees.  

Before You Start

Sure, you can plant a tree just because it “looks beautiful” but there are also other considerations to make when adding this to your landscape design, especially if the overall purpose is to add privacy. Consider these factors before you start.

• Purpose – What is the purpose of this tree?
• Growth – How long will it take to grow?
• Caring for the tree -What maintenance or grow issues will I need to deal with?

Choose the Right Tree

Not all trees work for all locations. You need to plant trees that work in your geographical area. Gardening experts have created hardiness zone maps and divided trees into this zone classification based on climate and soil conditions. For example, an Eastern Redbud won’t do well in Florida and Live Oak does not work well in Minnesota.

Moreover, you also need to determine whether you want a deciduous or coniferous tree? That is, do you want trees that drop their leaves in the fall or trees that stay evergreen in the winter? Obviously, these decisions are a personal matter, determined by your location, the style of your home, the neighborhood, the care involved, but more importantly, the type of privacy you want.

Plan It Out

Take your time and choose trees that work well in your region. Do some research to remove potential problems. Consider the area where you will be planting the young trees, the texture of the trees, the growth times and heights.

Texture

Is this simply a privacy tree or do you also want it to provide flowers and texture to your outdoor area? Or will these trees simply add greenery that emphasizes your flowering shrubs and trees. Some privacy trees offer rich greenery throughout the year, such as evergreens, while others are deciduous and lose their leaves in the winter. Decide on the texture and type of tree you want. Ask yourself, “Is it important that the tree have greenery throughout the year, or do I want trees that will change with the seasons of the year?”

 

 

Area

Another important factor is the area where you plan to plant the tree. How many feet of privacy do you need? How many feet do you have to plant trees?  This will determine the number of trees you need. You should also consider your yard size as this will help determine the size of the tree you choose.

Note that dense privacy screens will need smaller trees to be planted about 2 ft. apart and larger trees about 5 ft. apart.

Tree Care

Caring for new trees can be complicated for some trees, as they require special watering and maintenance needs. Ask a local expert like the pros at Tree Removal Lawrence MA. Check the growing requirements and maintenance needs for the types of trees you are considering.

Bottom Line

Selecting trees for a privacy screen does take some thought. The best way to choose the trees that fit in with your home is to make a list of possible tree options then take note of their growth and care needs. Eliminate the trees that have requirements that seem too difficult for your lifestyle, and then imagine what these trees will look like on your property.  When you do visit a good tree provider like tree service Framingham, be sure to ask for the proper care instructions and be sure to find out how to water new trees as there are different watering and maintenance requirements for different tree species.