Trees for wildlife

[benjamins]

So I am planning on building a house in the next 5 to 10 years on some land along a river. The problem is there is only trees along the east side. So I want to get a jump start and plant some trees, esspecially on the north side. There are a lot of deer around the area but I would enjoy them in the yard as well as any other critters. Each row will be 600 feet long and was thinking of planting 9 rows. I talked with a lady from the NRCS and this is what we came up with starting with the northern most row.
1) chokecherry and plum (alternating)
2) Apricot
3)Bur Oak
4) American Linden
5) Male Cottonwood (seedless)
6) Black Hills Spruce
7)Black Hills Spruce
8)Little Leaf Linden
9)Amur Maple

Any thoughts on the choices? Some I should add or remove?

 

[3Roosters]

I would think you would want to get your house built and check out the sight lines from your different windows and such so as not to have to cut down your recently planted trees because you are finding out they are not planted where you wish you would have planted them.

 

[dean nelson]

I would put in some lilacs.

 

[benjamins]

Its an 11 acre piece so there should be plenty of options for house and yard placement since I will only have about 1 acre of actually grass/lawn. I just wanted to make sure to get trees on the north side to cut the wind in the winter.

 

[Phill Latio]

U can't go wrong with ash. I'd trade that for the lindens, regardless of which one u choose I'd be careful how close u plant a bigger shade tree to those oaks. The oaks grow so damn slow ud hate have them get "shaded" out if they're north of the other trees. Liliacs are always great for the outside row cause of how dense they can be. Ponderosa pines are always attractive looking too. No matter what you do if ur planting that many and there's deer already down there ur gonna have a hell of a time keeping them from doing some major damage unless u have a full time watch dog down there. You delfinitely have a unique line up. Ur gonna have a fun time watering em all!

 

[Dad]

I agree with lilac thought. Ash are good but disease is coming, linden are just as good and no concern of ash borer in future. Ponderosa do little in winter to stop wind, black hills are much better.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Looks like you have a pretty good plan , The only change I would make is raspberry juneberry for spruce spruce.

 

[USMCDI]

I'd keep those fruit trees away from the north side, put a few rows of spruce or pine on the outside. I have a horseshoe around my yard 25 rows by 300 yards per leg and I've lost many fruit trees on the north side, my juneberry trees got smoked last winter without the snow cover. Plus you want the deer to be able to duck in there and vanish. Put a lot of thought into the spacing and keeping dipshits from doing drive by's and being able to scope the deer in your yard. I have a constant battle with road hunters doing the indy 500 in front of my yard, big antlers bring out the worst in people.

 

[BDub]

Overall the plan sounds good. Diversity keeps diseases at bay. Like was stated earlier do not plant ash trees. It may not happen but the emerald ash borer is on the way. It devastes ash trees.

 

[ndhuntfishtrapperman]

I would put a row of lombardy poplar around outside because the grow fast , then two tight rows of colorado blue spruceNext a row of beautifull fall amur maple, then in the yard i spread out scotch pine & ponderosas, & apple trees

 

[SupressYourself]

First off, thank you for doing this. It’s a huge investment, but every tree helps.

I think you want to start with a bush of some sort on the north side to catch most of the snow. Then two rows of BHS offset will block the wind and hide your deer. A row of BHS on the inside will also help your deer feel hidden and keep them in there when everything else thins out. If you’re set on 9 rows, I would do something like this:

1. Lilac or Dogwood
2. Black Hills Spruce
3. Black Hills Spruce – Offset with the first row of BHS
4. Male Cottonwood (seedless)
5. chokecherry and plum (alternating)
6. Bur Oak
7. Apricot
8. American Linden
9. Black Hills Spruce

As was mentioned previously, you’ll want to put guards around all of the deciduous trees if possible. I only have a fraction of the trees you’re talking about and I’ve lost a few good ones to rubs.

 

[benjamins]

So lilac definitely sounds like the most favored for the north side. Thanks for the advice everyone. I had landed on the order I had because that nrcs lady said you want to do a pyramid shape as in tallest trees in the middle which i thought was odd. In my head the tallest trees should be on the north side except for some shade tollerant bushes right? And any advice on row spacing? I have the room to do whatever spacing I want but I want it dense enough to hold critters but not too close where they wont grow to their full potential. I was thinking about 15 feet?

 

[duckman1302]

I would think about sustituting the inside row of spruce with ponderosa pine because they grow faster. They will just give you a little jump start on your shelter.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I like Lilacs also, and turtles.... How about some Siberian Crabs?

 

[benjamins]

I do like the idea of ponderosa's because of how fast they grow but they dont seem as dense and as good at stopping wind. I think I will add in some lilcas. I will let you guys know how it turns out...in 10 to 20 years.

 

[Lycanthrope]

maybe look into some of the Canadian dwarf cherry bushes, they are very hardy and produce edible fruit.

 

[benjamins]

I have never heard of them but they would be pretty awesome. Do you know if the soil conservation agency or forrest service carry them? And am I going to have the worst bee problem every with all of these berries and fruits?

 

[Hamm's]

From my own experience, lilacs do great. Any reason they didn't suggest a row of cedar on the outside? They make a wonderful windbreak planted 5' apart.

 

[Phill Latio]

I disagree with everyone saying beware of the ash because of the ash borer, now if u were planting in town I'd say yeah don't do it but if u are pretty isolated in the country u should be fine. Another thing to be aware of is the drainage and or low spots, the cotton woods will thrive in lower areas where it's more wet, I lost 75 three year old lilacs on the outside row of one of my belts due to being in a low area, I replanted dogwoods mixed in with cottonwoods this year in that year an they're both thriving. The siouxland (seedless) cottonwoods were planted at a height of 12" this spring and are now up to my face at 5'9"

 

[USMCDI]

So lilac definitely sounds like the most favored for the north side. Thanks for the advice everyone. I had landed on the order I had because that nrcs lady said you want to do a pyramid shape as in tallest trees in the middle which i thought was odd. In my head the tallest trees should be on the north side except for some shade tollerant bushes right? And any advice on row spacing? I have the room to do whatever spacing I want but I want it dense enough to hold critters but not too close where they wont grow to their full potential. I was thinking about 15 feet?

i would double the spacing you are planning on, I keep my rows black for at least five years and depending on the tree, 15 feet will turn into a weed nightmare. When they grow together you won't have enough room to even walk through with a backpack sprayer much less a Ranger or something with a boom or weed roller. I seed grass between the rows with a ten foot grass drill. I had to tear out a row of sandcherries that lived their life and had about enough room to drive a backhoe through when I was done and they were planted 15 feet apart, should have had a 30 foot gap but not the case. If you have the room, do a few at 50 feet and plant cover crops between the rows if you really want deer and critters, deer are going to be your enemy for the first 5 years of your plan. Peppermint oil was a waste of money, get the dried cow's blood and hose it on those young trees.