Windbreak

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Windbreak
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:28 pm Post subject: Windbreak

OK my Alnus cordata (Italian Alder) is near enough extinct, looking at replacements, I've been recommended these by various people:

Hybrid Poplars
Fast growing, broadleafed, BUT prone to snapping in high winds. Also according to some needs a lot of moisture (although others say it'll do OK in drought)

Silver Birch
Fast growing, broadleafed, BUT a windbreak??? The guy who recommended this says lots of Herefordshire orchards use it as a windbreak. Hmmm....(If it works I'd love it, fit in much better than any of the others)

Western Red Cedar
Fast growing, decent timbr, but a conifer....

Lawsons Cypress
Even faster growing, but still a conifer.....

As always any help/advice appreciated.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: Windbreak

tahir wrote:

Hybrid Poplars
Fast growing, broadleafed, BUT prone to snapping in high winds. Also according to some needs a lot of moisture (although others say it'll do OK in drought)

We have a row of those that are doing well - OH plans to chop every other one down to about knee height next year to get the full windbreak effect. I imagine we get a bit more wind here than you are likely to have normally, and they have weathered that with no problems.
Not the most attractive tree though.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Windbreak

judith wrote:

Not the most attractive tree though.

No, in some respects I'd be better with one of the conifers. I think the summer dryness is going to be the biggest factor for me.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45472
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:42 pm Post subject:
birch is a great guard tree but maybe a bit hot n dry for it round your parts ,ace but likes wet ,acid soil . leylandii have good light timber ,harbor birds ,grow fast and are tough as triffids . poplar /ash are possibles . fast growing conifers will work but if it is really windy shrubs such as gorse or broom will protect the little trees

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:43 pm Post subject:
What's wrong with ash?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:45 pm Post subject:
We need something that'll get some hight, this is near the tp of a hill so has to protect some trees that are a little above it. The nurseryma told me that Silver Birch will be fine but not Downy. No idea meself.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:45 pm Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

What's wrong with ash?

Or indeed traditional hedgy stuff like hawthorn. Wouldn't that have the desired effect.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:48 pm Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

What's wrong with ash?

Ash needs some damp to establish. You really have to see how dry my ground is to appreciate the problem. even after a couple of weeks of on/off rain there are still 2" cracks in the ground.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:49 pm Post subject:

judith wrote:

Or indeed traditional hedgy stuff like hawthorn. Wouldn't that have the desired effect.

Height, I'd say.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:50 pm Post subject:
What about sycamore? Grows like a weed here & tops out at 30 to 40 ft.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:54 pm Post subject:
As for dryness. I've a row of basket willow that I'm establishing. Hasn't had any extra water this summer which has been dryer than 76 & they are all doing fine although not as high as if we had had a normal cornish summer.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:57 pm Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

What about sycamore? Grows like a weed here & tops out at 30 to 40 ft.

Be seeding every buggerdy where

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45422
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:57 pm Post subject:

TAVASCAROW wrote:

As for dryness. I've a row of basket willow that I'm establishing. Hasn't had any extra water this summer which has been dryer than 76
& they are all doing fine although not as high as if we had had a normal cornish summer.

Good as a windbreak?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:59 pm Post subject:
So will silver birch & the timber is useless. Nice bark though.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 06 12:59 pm Post subject:
& you can't coppice birch like ash or sycamore.

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