Windbreak

[RobertBrown]

We plant hundreds of these at our school sites and with irrigation I have seen them reach 40' within 10 years. I have a lot of experience with them and they do well out here.

Yes, I doubt that they will reach 80' but they do get substantial.

At what point (in the life cycle) can you discontinue irrigation?

 

[orezok]

At what point (in the life cycle) can you discontinue irrigation?

Probably never. The trees rely on the irrigation and probably never develop roots deep enough to reach ground water. Five hundred feet at my property.

 

[socallly]

Orezok,

I live in the HD as well, these trees grow very fast, attached are two pictures the first showing my trees at three years the following at six.

I've seen no less than three feet a year from these things, I fertilize every march and water three times a week for 15 minutes.

Crape mrytles do very good also

 

[AHNC]

I don't think advanced degrees are necessary for this kind of work,

 

[AchingBack]

A good wind break will have several layers of trees at differing heights and distances. You want to have wind and sun protection in the summer, but sun in the winter can be a positive. So the close ring having deciduous trees (at least up north here) is most common.

Good point. A well designed wind break will have at least three rows. As the wind hits the first row of large shrubs or small trees, it sweeps up to encounter the next row of larger trees where it is further buffered. By the time it hits the back row with the largest trees, the forces have been greatly diminished.

In most cases, one row windbreaks are not very effective. The link below provides very good planning information. Shelterbelt/Windbreak Implementation on the Farm

 

[Western]

WOW, good buy on the trees. I bought 30 seedlings from our state nursery (Afghan Pines) like $1.50 for 12"-18"

 

[orezok]

WOW, good buy on the trees. I bought 30 seedlings from our state nursery (Afghan Pines) like $1.50 for 12"-18"

They were selling just about every 15 gallon tree they had for $10. The nursery was 40 acres and had thousands of plants. The economy caught them short and it would have been costly to move many of the plants to 24" boxes and there is no market for them either right now. The owner told me that their water bill right now is $12,000 per month. Less product means less water.

Many of the 15 gal Afghan Pines were 2 1/2" caliper and 18' tall. That should have been in a 24" box. I chose only those that were still appropriate size for 15 gal as I didn't want root bound plants.

I plan to double row these with an offset between rows.