Hi,
I'd like to get advice on choosing a shrub. I'd like to plant a privacy hedge that will be at least 5 feet tall, and whose roots will not impinge on my vegetable garden about a foot away. I'm in zone 10. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Delia
Privacy shrub for vegetable garden
Well, I am a huge fan of blueberries, & Plant Files states some varieties can grow in zone 10. Don't know about the roots, but I grow mine about 2 feet from the foundation of my house. The oldest one is about 5 feet tall now. I am planting a new variety this year to extend my harvest!
I agree that blueberries would be a good choice if they work for your area. They require acidic soil. If your soil is alkaline, maybe pomegranates would work. Another choice might be trellised grapes or blackberries. All these things could be kept in bounds with an annual root pruning. In your zone there are probably many more choices of tropical fruits that I'm not aware of. You could probably get lots of good input on the Fruits and Nuts Forum.
Twiggy - Trellised fruit vines are a GREAT idea!! Genysis - whatever you choose, it would be great if it could be something "productive" in addition to functional & attractive! Keep us posted on your choice(s)!
I discovered personal size cantaloupes this year, that can also be grown on a trellis, as well as greenbeans and cucumbers. These could be grown as a temporary screen until bushes grew in.
This message was edited Mar 5, 2010 7:32 AM
Rosemary can also be planted as a hedge. I have one shrub that is about 5ft x 5ft. I haven't pruned it (naughty me ;~'). Add plus, deer don't like it at all.
What typ of hedge are you looking for--besides height?
PS. I think the trellised veg and fruit would be very cool!
Thanks for the suggestions, all! I like the idea of planting fruits or vegetables as a screen, but would they work as privacy fence? I guess here's some more specific criteria:
- Evergreen, so it'll block out the neighbor's yard all year
- 5 ft tall at least
- Non-invasive roots so they don't get into the nearby vegetable garden
And optional perks:
- Keep pests away from the vegetables
- Be productive (fruit or veggie!)
- Flowering would be nice
The soil around that area is neutral, around 6.8. I'm new to this whole gardening thing and am learning about different plants as I go! I posted a pic of the fence behind the garden that I want to cover up. Thanks for the advice :)
Genysis - nice DIRT!! Great garden spot! My nephew & his family live in San Diego - they have a fabulous garden - what a beautiful climate you have!!
If I was in your zone I would plant a mixture of citrus trees.
Orange,lemon,tangerine,satsuma,grapefruit and lime are evergreen and would produce a heavy screen.as well as producing expenive fruit
That's a great idea Hemental. I think citrus can be pruned for both shape and size. I'd rush right out and buy a blood orange if I lived in San Diego.
Genysis, I hate to be a dampener on your enthusiasm; but frankly I think you're asking for too much. In particular something five feet tall and evergreen that doesn't have invasive roots. I'd settle for a nice wooden fence if I were you.
Pat
I love the citrus idea, but I think they'll take up more room than you have. Can you espalier citrus?
I think passionflower would work great where you are. I've seen them growing in south Florida thoroughly covering chainlink fences like yours. They have beautiful scented flowers and they make fruits.
Thanks for the compliment on my dirt :) I do feel very lucky to be in San Diego. While the rest of the country was freezing a few weeks ago, it was 70 degrees and sunny here most days.
Pat, I think you might be right about me asking for too much. I might just have to put up a fence there. Or maybe grow some vines in containers and border them along the fence, maybe? I've looked into citrus trees, passionflower (very invasive, from what people say!), and some shrubs, but I don't think their roots will stay in that small of space. In looking them up though, I found out what a passion flower vine is and am now trying to figure out if there's anywhere else in my yard where I can stick it, as it really is a nice looking plant! I already have a mandarin orange tree and I just got a dwarf lemon tree today, which I'm putting elsewhere in the yard. I just moved into this house; it's nice to have a clean slate to start with!
I grew the native passionflower when I lived in south Florida. There was a butterfly whose caterpillars ate it (fritillary). It would get seriously chomped and then come roaring back. You might have some butterfly there whose kids would like to eat it also. One person I knew had the vines growing up her shutters. It looked great. I had mine on a trellis, which it quickly outgrew. I never noticed it invading anything, though, especially compared to the balsam pear some idiot had planted in my yard. I would say passionflower is vigorous rather than invasive. It can get very big, but it's easy to pull apart if there are no caterpillars around to help out.