1. There was a lot of prep work to do before planting. Honeysuckle, debris and other plants that had been left unattended had to be removed. Once the area was clear, we had a much better idea of the area. 2. An old, rusted chain link fence was not on our property so we decided to hide it. We measured the distance and decided to use a combination of lattice and plants to create the privacy.
3. When we were choosing our plants, we needed to think about how tall we wanted the border to be. We determined that a maximum height of 10' would be more than enough for our border. We also wanted privacy year round, so most of the deciduous shrubs were eliminated.
4. Evergreens, or coniferous shrubs, are the most popular and most effective plant to use as a privacy screen. As the name implies, they will be green year round and their foliage is dense, making it difficult to see through. Here are three varieties:
Juniper species: There are a wide variety of Junipers from which to choose. The Hetzii Columnaris and the Blue Point are just a couple of examples. Each grows about 10' tall and is quite dense.
Yew or Taxus: They prefer slightly alkaline soil. It is dense and comes in a narrow columnar shape.
Arborvitae: A variety of heights, many are no taller than 10'. Most are compact and narrow and have fan-shaped foliage. This is a slow grower that needs moist, well-drained soil. They are very popular as a border or screen. Because they grow tall and narrow, we decided to use the Arborvitae.
5. Local building code allowed for only 6'-high fences. We had the local lumberyard cut 8' lattice into 6' lengths. We didn’t paint the lattice. We wanted to keep the natural look and allow the naked eye to be drawn to whatever shrub we chose.
6. We laid a string along the final position of the lattice, then marked and dug holes 2' deep for the 8' posts. As we added gravel around the posts, we checked them for plumb.
7. Once in position, we put dirt around the top 2". The final step for the privacy fence was to screw the lattice to the 2x4s using 1" screws.
8. When the lattice was in position, we put the shrubs in the ground. A time-release fertilizer was added to the top of the soil. We looked for a 10-10-10 mixture. That’s 10 parts nitrogen, 10 parts phosphorus and 10 parts potassium. As the shrubs mature, the combination will change to a 16-4-8 mixture to increase its need for nitrogen.
9. Depending on the sun and shade, water and a variety of other factors, it may take up to five years before they reach their maximum height.
Tip: Limit the pruning of conifers to correcting problems or cutting branch tips for shape. Arborvitae should be pruned before new growth sprouts in the spring.
10. We added a strip of hardwood mulch along the bottom of the shrubs. That will help control weeds, retain moisture and provide some nutrients as it decomposes. Everything looked great!
