windbreak behind our fence........

My property sits up higher than the rest of the neighborhood. It gives us a lot of privacy, but it also gives us a lot of wind out of the west in the winter. You can actually feel the wind sometimes when it is really gusty. I have about 6ft x 60ft of space behind the fence along the alley. What can I plant there to create a good wind break that won't empty out my wallet? I have to be careful of the power line that runs along the fence. I would love something that requires minimal trimming/pruning and possibly looks good or flowers. I think an evergreen may work best, but I am having trouble finding any ideas.

Some possibilities:
azalea
weigela
arborvitae

Any suggestions?

A larger arborvitae may work (like 'Green Giant'), but azalea and weigela are not going to be tall enough to provide you with much benefit. You need something fairly tall, otherwise the wind will just go right over it. But that doesn't go well with the power lines, so I'm not sure how many options you have that'll be tall enough to block enough wind but not run into the power lines.

Thanks ecrane. This has me puzzled. I think just about anything will help slow the wind even if it is not very tall. I was looking at the arbor day website and found Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald'. It can get from 10 - 15 ft tall. That should be enough to stay below the power lines, right?

http://www.arborday.org/Shopping/Trees/TreeDetail.cfm?id=216

This message was edited Apr 3, 2008 12:18 AM

Only you know how high up your power lines are! LOL That would be short enough to be fine with the power lines I have right behind my backyard, but I've seen other places where the power lines are lower to the ground.

Short things will slow some of the wind...but something that's 5 ft tall won't have much impact unless all you're doing is trying to protect some 2-3 ft tall perennials that are right behind it. I just don't think when you're looking at the wind whistling across your property as a whole that you're going to notice much difference in the total amount of wind if all you have is some short shrubs at one end of the lot, you really need something taller.

My power line is fairly high up. I am not a great judge of height/distance. I suppose I never thought they would be lower somewhere else!! But it is definitely over ten feet up. If nothing else, they will have to come out and trim right? If we don't close the back door well the back door will actually fly open from the wind.

I think mine are about 20-30 ft off the ground, but in a neighborhood near where I used to live they were definitely lower than that, probably in the range of 15 ft or so. And yes, I would assume if your trees get too close to the lines they'll come out and chop them (although some areas may expect you to pay for it...check on your local regulations before you plant anything that gets too tall!)

I definitely feel your pain on the wind, I live in what is practically a wind tunnel 300+ days a year, half my plants are growing at an angle because every afternoon the wind kicks up and they get blown around. But I've also got the electric lines behind my property which is where the wind comes from most days, and there's also a view there I don't want to block so for me a windbreak isn't really an option. So I'm just figuring out over time which plants stand up well to wind and which get blown over all the time!

Oh, how I feel the pain! The wind where I am is just awful. I'm on 4 very flat and treeless acres. I've lived here 2 years and I have to say, if the 188 acres across the street from me and the 65 acres behind me weren't logged down, I wouldn't have any wind problems. I'm in a wind tunnel, too, ecrane3. I also bought some treelings from Arbor Day as start for my windbreak. I'm 61...I figure by the time I'm 75 I should have a decent windbreak! LOL Good luck to all of you on your journey to block the wind!