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How To Plant A Privacy Fence

Resources: Community

Privacy fences and hedges have a lot of benefits and many homeowners like to utilize them in their landscape. Privacy fences can provide seclusion from street traffic and neighbors, create a sound barrier to reduce noise, act as a windbreak to protect against harsh winds, and block off the view of eyesores. But most homeowners are at a loss when it comes to how to plant a privacy fence and what type of trees/shrubs they should use.

Step 1: Choose The Right Trees/Shrubs

Choose for Height

Before planting a privacy fence it’s best to decide how tall you want it to be. If you want a fairly short fence you may need to look for shrubs that can be grown and pruned to resemble trees.

  • American Arborvitae: ranges between 40 feet and 60 feet tall
  • Green Giant Arborvitae: a fast-growing tree that can grow up to 60 feet tall.
  • Emerald Arborvitae: ranges between 10 feet and 15 feet tall but can be trimmed shorter.
  • Nigra Arborvitae: ranges between 20 feet and 30 feet but can be trimmed shorter.
  • Rose of Sharon: a shrub that ranges between 8 feet and 12 feet tall. Can be pruned into a single-stemmed small tree.
  • North Privet: a shrub that grows between 8 feet and 12 feet tall.

Choose for Health

Leyland Cypresses are a go-to for privacy screens; however, they only do well in full sun/well-drained soil and often have health issues. Opt for the tree species below if you’re looking for a hardy, easy to manage privacy fence.

  • Arizona cypress for dry sites in full sun
  • Green Giant arborvitae for moist, but well-drained, soil in full sun
  • Japanese cedar for a tall screen in a partly shady area.
  • Savannah holly, Foster’s holly, and the Aqupernyi hollies (Dragon Lady, and Carolina Sentinal) are great for narrow areas.
  • Lusterleaf holly and Nellie R. Stevens holly are good for less restricted areas.
  • Cultivars of Southern Magnolias such as Alta, Bracken’s Brown Beauty, and Edith Bogue are great for tall and narrow privacy screens.
  • Little Gem Magnolia for medium height and a compact look.
  • Sweetbay Magnolia for moist soils.
  • Henry Hicks and Santa Rosa Magnolias can be used in most situations.
  • The Fragrant Tea Olive is great for tall privacy screens.
Little Gem Magnolia
Little Gem Magnolia Privacy Screen

Give Enough Space

Planting trees and shrubs too close together causes root crowding and creates competition for sunlight, water, and soil, limiting growth potential and causing severe health issues – often death. To avoid root crowding and the health issues that come with it make sure your trees/shrubs are planted at least 12 inches to 24 inches apart. Measure this distance from the center of the tree’s trunk. This range is a good rule of thumb, but the actual amount of space you need will depend on the species.

  • Junipers and Cedars: 6-8 feet between trees
  • Pines and Spruces: 10-12 feet between trees
  • American Arborvitae: 3 feet between trees
  • Emerald Arborvitae and Korean Boxwood (or other narrow species): 2 feet between trees.
  • North Privet: 2 feet between trees
  • Rose of Sharon: 2-3 feet between trees
  • Mid-sized evergreen shrubs: 3-4 feet between trees

Plan it Out

After you’ve determined how far apart to plant your trees it’s time to plan out where they will go. To keep them evenly spaced and on a straight line, we recommend following the steps below.

  1. Put a stake at each end of your planting area.
  2. Tie a string to each end of the stake.
  3. Starting at the first stake measure out the distance you determined above. Place a sprinkler flag there. Keep measuring the same distance and marking the spot with a flag.
  4. Plan to plant your trees where the flags are located.

Often privacy screens are planted along property lines, so don’t forget to take that into account. Privacy screens planted too close to property lines could cause issues with your neighbors. Branches extending into your neighbor’s yard can be trimmed back by the property owners. Plant well inside your property line to ensure your tree stays healthy and intact.

Plant Your Trees

Give your trees the best chance of survival by following our planting guidelines below.

  • Prepare an area two to three times the width of your tree pot/tree ball by digging and breaking up the soil. Your goal is to make an area of looser soil that young roots can penetrate easily in order to quickly establish their root system.
  • Remove weeds and stones larger than your fist from the planting area.
  • Water your tree’s in their pot or burlap the evening before.
  • Dig holes the same depth of and a little wider than the pot/root ball.
  • For potted trees/shrubs remove the pot/container gently and place it in the hole.
  • For burlap-wrapped trees/shrubs place it in the hole then cut away and remove the burlap.
  • Water the trees while they are in their holes.
  • Fill the holes back in with soil. Make sure to cover the top of the root ball with very little soil – no more than one inch.

Aftercare

The first few years of a tree/shrub’s life are critical for long term survival. To keep your newly planted trees healthy you will need to provide them with a little TLC.

  • Bio-stimulant: Bio-stimulants will give your privacy screen the nutrients it needs and help it establish a strong root system.
  • Water: New trees cannot rely on water reserves during dry periods like their mature counterparts do. To combat this water your tree regularly.
  • Mulch: Mulching fertilizes the soil and holds in moisture, giving the newly planted trees/shrubs time for them to absorb these essential resources.

Read our Young Tree Care blog for more info.

Need help with your privacy screen? Give us a call at 703-573-3029 or schedule a consultation with one of our Certified Arborists through our online booking system.

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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