# Tree selection for rural home



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

My daughter and husband are in the process of ordering trees through our local soil conservation district to border their home in a rural area.

They can afford three rows of trees and have selected Colorado Blue Spruce for outside row. She wants red and yellow fall colors for the inside two rows. I threw out Tatarian Maple and Common Hackberry for those colors. But would like any info on other species that would work well as a border/windbreak. Don't necessarily have to have certain fall colors, just hardy and relatively disease and insect free.

Soil is well drained silt loam.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The soil conservation personnel are going to be able to answer that question best.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

https://www.gardenguides.com/101105-var ... trees.html

Some of the birch trees are deep red in fall. Some have bark that peals, but some do not. The white bark is always an eye catcher. Normally they like moist areas so this maybe doesn't fit the well drained soil.


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

The lady at soil conservation is very young and very new. She has no training per se and learning on the fly so wanted some more opinions. The homesite is on the highest part of the quarter so naturally drains pretty well but will look into different types of birch. Didn't think about them.


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## oldfireguy (Jun 23, 2005)

Burr oak. Cottonwood. Amur maple.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Spend money early and get the trees off the a great start. Water properly, a good does of N-P-K-S will also go a long ways. Buy the fertilizer at a fertilizer dealer, not Walmart, it will be way cheaper.


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## 6162rk (Dec 5, 2004)

how do black hills spruce compare to blue spruce? i've been told that black hills spruce don't die out at the bottom branches like blue spruce. not sure if it's true something to research


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Thanks for the recommendations. I have not heard that about black hills spruce. I will have to research that. I have heard the same thing about juniper so it very well could be. I recommended they spend the money for weed barrier and the fertilizer and water recommendations are good info.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The pines and spruce take a few years to start growing good. They grow faster after they drop enough needles to change the soil to slightly acidic. Miracle grow recommends muriatic acid. Muriatic acid is simply a 14th century term for hydrochloric so that's what I diluted and sprayed under my spruce. Get a cheap plastic sprayer because it ate the crap out of the brass parts on mine. I noticed at Minnards the other day they had muriatic acid in quarts, and cheap. A quart should give you five gallons of mix and do about 50nto 100 small trees depending on your soil alkalinity. Just remember to always pour acid into water, not water into acid. You don't want a blast in the face.


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Thanks plainsman. I have the adage burned into my brain from high school chemistry class. "Always do as you otta, and acid to water".


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Do a soil sample in the area to see what the soil pH is, CEC's, soluble salts, and what you have available for N-P-K-S are. Yes evergreens need an acidic soil. Most trees don't handle high salt loads.


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

I will do that. It shouldn't be a problem though as in another part of the yard(north side) there are rows of blue spruce and Scotch pine that are doing very well. Another thing I've thought about but maybe it is not an issue is problems with planting the spruce in one row and other species in a row paralleling them. Will the acidic environment effect them by causing growth rate problems? I don't think so, as my yard has several spruce that parallel lilac with no ill effects but maybe other species are less tolerant.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Only the area where the needles fall will become acidic.


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## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Will have to be aware of distance and spacing. Thanks so much for everyone's expertise!!!


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

Used to be a member here who was sending me shipping money for Acorns. His group then were planting them letting them grow to a certin size then placeing in shelder belts there.

Kind of late this year but I would be happy to ship For cost by USPS flat rate box Acrons. They once old enough provide deer food, leaves get a brillant red.

I can also collect sugar maple seeds in the spring and ship per flat rate. They seem to grow good in about any soil and have a brillant yellow color in the fall with some reds mixed in.










 Al


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