A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove) (06/26/91)
Recently purchased 500 acres (200h) and want to screen it off from prying eyes and strong winds. As the property is about 1.5 miles on each side, I am looking for something I can grow CHEAPLY and that are fast growing, and will produce a visual screen up to 5 foot at least. The land is steepish, well-drained, windy, a few mild frosts each year, and some salt spray from the ocean about 20 miles away. It presently is down to grasses and in the past cropped by sheep. The options that seem available are tree lucerne (tagastase) from seed and poplar (or willow) from poles or cuttings. Gorse is a pest here and cannot be used as it seeds too easily. I hope to plow a single furrow, spray once a few weeks later to hit germinating weeds, and then plant--with no further care. In a year or so with some shelter, I hope to plant more interesting trees with the protection of this shelter belt. ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS OR COMMENTS ? -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Arnold Chamove Massey University Psychology Palmerston North, New Zealand
alonso@hardy.u.washington.edu (Ernesto Alvarado) (06/26/91)
A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove) writes: >Recently purchased 500 acres (200h) and want to screen it off from prying >eyes and strong winds. As the property is about 1.5 miles on each side, I >am looking for something I can grow CHEAPLY and that are fast growing, >and will produce a visual screen up to 5 foot at least. >The land is steepish, well-drained, windy, a few mild frosts each year, >and some salt spray from the ocean about 20 miles away. It presently is >down to grasses and in the past cropped by sheep. > >The options that seem available are tree lucerne (tagastase) from seed >and poplar (or willow) from poles or cuttings. Gorse is a pest here and >cannot be used as it seeds too easily. > >I hope to plow a single furrow, spray once a few weeks later to hit >germinating weeds, and then plant--with no further care. In a year or so >with some shelter, I hope to plant more interesting trees with the >protection of this shelter belt. > >ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS OR COMMENTS ? >-- >----------------------------------------------------------------- >Arnold Chamove >Massey University Psychology >Palmerston North, New Zealand There is one tree that comes from Australia (or from that neighborhood) named "Casuarina equisitifolia", I've seen it forming thick windbreaks and it has been used for sand dune control in irrigated lands in semi-arid regions (in my hometown). It works also in controlling seashore sand dunes. I've seen plantations of it from the sea level to 2500 m, and from sandy to rocky soils. I don't recall seeing it sprouting, and at least in those places where I saw it, doesn't have an easy seed reproduction. Ernesto Alvarado
fore057@csc.canterbury.ac.nz (06/26/91)
In article <1991Jun26.045509.2707@massey.ac.nz>, A.S.Chamove@massey.ac.nz (A.S. Chamove) writes: > Recently purchased 500 acres (200h) and want to screen it off from prying > eyes and strong winds. As the property is about 1.5 miles on each side, I > am looking for something I can grow CHEAPLY and that are fast growing, > and will produce a visual screen up to 5 foot at least. > > I hope to plow a single furrow, spray once a few weeks later to hit > germinating weeds, and then plant--with no further care. In a year or so > with some shelter, I hope to plant more interesting trees with the > protection of this shelter belt. > > ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS OR COMMENTS ? Do you mean financially interesting, or visually interesting, or both?