Fast Growing Trees and Hedges

Fast growing trees are popular if you need to get wind breaks in place on a new property. Several types of tree are available. Empress trees, if nurtured, could reach 50 foot high in three years as the rate of growth can be 17 foot per annum. Poplars will grow 10 foot every year and there are many different types of poplar but usually they are planted in long rows delineating property boundaries. Poplars at maturity can be 70 foot high. Willows are another tree type that will grow quickly and provide shelter.

Speedy growing trees

Oaks and Eucalyptus have speedy growth even if the fail to reach the heady heights of those trees mentioned above but they can reach 40 foot high. The Eucalyptus, however, will struggle in severe winter conditions and might even perish. The Sycamores can get quite tall at 70 foot but they grow slower at about 6 foot per year. The Autumn Blaze Maple will grow at 3 foot a year and may reach 40 foot high but its beauty is its fantastic red color in the Fall.

Tree Celebration: Sometime a new tree will be planted to celebrate a birth, marriage or other special occasion and I would recommend the Autumn Blaze Maple.

Leyland Cypress Trees

Leyland Cypress Trees are evergreen and fast growers and can adapt to almost every soil condition. These are best bought in batches and the more of them you buy the cheaper they are. They can be bought at different stages of growth from just 1ft to 6 ft tall. The smaller ones will be cheaper, expect to pay between $8 and $10 for them.

Quick privacy

Leylands are the most popular of the privacy tree varieties. They grow extremely fast in a long blanket fashion and provide screening cover which is second to none. They can be as high as 70 foot tall.

Leylands can be pruned easily when small but can be shaped to grow whatever way you want them to. Mostly they will be used for windbreaks and shelter and they provide very good protection from the elements.

Tree and hedge planning ahead for your garden

One of the mistakes I made was to plant a nice ’little’ tree within 20 feet of the house. It was a Paper Birch and it grew and grew and before too long it was too big. I was afraid it would fall and hit the house. I was extremely reluctant to remove it (kill it) because I liked it so much with its papery bark peeling away as it grew. Even after a year or two I would have had the opportunity to have uprooted it and placed it in a better position in the yard or garden. I had left it too late and had to do a bit of tree cutting instead.

Gardens with large trees

I did not consider garden maintenance when I planted the tree nor did I do any planning other than thinking that it would be lovely to have the tree there. It was only 15 inches high at the time. The trick is to try and visualize what the garden will look like in 2 or 3 years time. There are software packages available to help with planning and these programs will let you see a 3D representation of your tree as it ‘virtually’ grows.

Planting fast growing trees as a hedge for privacy

Leylands make a solid hedge when planted in a line with gaps of about 5 feet between them. When they fill out they will provide complete privacy. When planting make sure the hole to receive each tree is twice the size of the root ball. This will allow the root to expand and accommodate itself into the new soil. When filling in the hole match the top of the soil to the existing soil covering mark on the tree.

Planting tips

Firm the tree into position making sure it is straight. Water well as you complete the planting process and then water regularly in the first few weeks to ensure the tree has taken a good hold. Be careful planting fast growing trees because as the years pass they will become more and more difficult to remove should you decide you no longer want them or perhaps just need to thin them out.