Natural fence lines

[chiefbkt]

I am going to try and put up some natural fence lines this year by using North Privet.  They are a shrub that grows 24"-36" per year, so it should give quick cover.  Has anyone planted these or have these on their property?  My reason for choosing this plant is for its quick growth, hardiness (suitable for zones 4-, year around fullness due to its leaves, resilience to deer, and affordability.  I am going to need around 50 plants (or more) to achieve my goal so price was a concern.  I didn't want to buy something that the deer would kill and then I'd be out a few bucks.  

 

Ideally, it will provide privacy on several pieces of my property that are visible from the road.  I want to put in some food plots in these areas and don't want passerby's to have visual access to them.  It will take a couple years for them to get to the height I desire, but when they do, I think it will definitely provide a nice privacy screen for the deer.  

[LetEmGrow]

I looked in to them to thicken up a property border with a neighbor but I went against them simply because they can get out of hand and become invasive.  I am not saying it is going to happen but I feared it could.  It has a higher probability of happening if you don't keep them pruned.

 

10 or 20 years down the road you might regret it.  Why not a nice mix of norway spruce, white spruce, red pine, white pine, red cedar, and scotch pine? Mix em up and plaster em in there.  If they grow well (and get too close together in a few years) there is always a chain saw and Christmas   
Just my .03. 

Little more info if you are interested
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privet_as_an_invasive_plant 

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/there-form-ligustrum-not-invasive-89419.html

[chiefbkt]

Thanks Grow! My concern with the pines is the deer devouring them at a young age. In order to get a tree that will sustain the abuse it would cost me quite a bit. I'm not too concerned about the invasiveness of the privet as they will be planted along field edges that are maintained annually. I literally have 300-400' of field edge I'd like to hide.

[growalot]

Chief...go with something that will be of use to you and the deer...if it is a field edge(one you plan on working(this will root prune or mow the shrubs)...go with a wild plum the deer love them pretty fast growth...aronia bushes or seaberries.....then you have quince bushes and blueberry. Hazelnuts(slower growth) Osage orange were the original prairie fence and Old English fence for cattle. You can go with a good crab apple low growing branches with a spreading canopy. white spruce deer will not touch and they handle trimming well..wht pine they have eaten every one I planted(oh most pine losses due to buck rubbing)

I have all of these and I maintain both honey suckle shubs and the Russian olive (yes they are manageable) Mulberry trees are great as well as Chinese chestnuts...they are wide wide canopy and can maintain low branches If they get too big...cut and they stump regenerate. Now I plant corn along those plantings as they grow...just 8.00 seed corn and some nitrogen. Broadcast and disc in, easy low cost, great attraction and cover...plant thick and it is good cover for most of the season. Switch grasses...

[chiefbkt]

Grow, most of the fields where the trees will be planted have fruit trees in them already. Two of the fields have apples, pears, and peaches. The other field is a rotating ag field that will have corn this year and has apples along 2 sides. I wouldn't mind adding more trees that serve a duel purpose, but I'm trying to keep my cost down and put something in that will grow rather quickly. My main goal is to provide screening and not forage as I'll have forage behind the trees/shrubs. Come to find out, my neighbors are not very trust worthy and I noticed an increased amount of "slow driving" around my fields at dusk so I'm trying give the deer a little added protection. Thanks for the input!

[BBDEric]

Grow, most of the fields where the trees will be planted have fruit trees in them already. Two of the fields have apples, pears, and peaches. The other field is a rotating ag field that will have corn this year and has apples along 2 sides. I wouldn't mind adding more trees that serve a duel purpose, but I'm trying to keep my cost down and put something in that will grow rather quickly. My main goal is to provide screening and not forage as I'll have forage behind the trees/shrubs. Come to find out, my neighbors are not very trust worthy and I noticed an increased amount of "slow driving" around my fields at dusk so I'm trying give the deer a little added protection. Thanks for the input!

We used larch . ..pine that looses it's needles grows supper fast. Made a big hedge row and 3 years later it's 5 fts high and deer are all over in the field.

[Berniez]

Do not rush into your decision. Red cedar though heavily browsed in NJ has little nutritional value for the deer.  Also there are three rust diseases: cedar-apple rust, hawthorn rust, and quince rust. All three fungi spend part of their life cycle on the eastern red cedar and are ... The hosts of cedar-apple rust are leaves and fruit of apple and crabapple trees.Severe leaf infection and defoliation may make trees susceptible to winter injury. Severe defoliation reduces fruit size and quality, and infected fruit is deformed, sometimes very seriously.  So is a plant with no nutritional value to deer worth the possible damage to your apple trees?

You can do a lot better ...this is the time to read and ask lots of questions......and Hope you get it right.   If you want hedgerows at little to no cost ....disc up/ disturb the length and width of the row. String a single  wire or rope the length of the hedgerow.  Birds will sit on the wire and deposit lots seed. Throw rotten apples/or cores and seeds from berries (even from the grocery store) and seeds collected from local bushes into that disturbed area.  In no time you will see a natural hedgerow from seeds that grow in that area. In the meantime before spending lots of money on stuff that can affect what habitat you currently...read and ask lots of questions.  

I've been doing this for 30 years and have wasted a lot of money on nonsense fads.  SO my best advice is do what you want success or failure can be the best teacher you'll ever have.  Good luck and have a great New Year.   

[chiefbkt]

I'll take some pictures of the field edges I'm talking about so there is a visual aid for people to work with.

[growalot]

You have to know by now how cheap I am...most of these I got for as little as a 1.00 a plant...deer do not eat the leafs off off Quince , bush cherry,hazel nut, mulberry,osage orange ,aronia,nor the plum...they will eat the fruit but not just them turkey. I manage for all wild life.

 

Burniez is vary right about being careful of disease...but if you alreay have goose current and wht pine...you more than likely have rust ...cherries blk. knot ect ect...natives will usually be able to handle these introductions not.

 

But going with a good tall switch grass or any tall native grass and wild flower...would help

[Dingler]

What about willows? You can buy a few, then every year root your own clippings=free. Doesn't seem any better than that. plus buck like to rub on them which is good cause it keeps them pruned for you=free. Another plus is they grow fast. 

[chiefbkt]

Willows are too weak and would get too big for my liking.