Spacing on cedar screening?

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Any suggestions, lessons learned, etc on spacing of cedars for screening? I'm looking at moving as many 1'-3' cedars as I can find this spring. In the past I just went 3 steps...about 10'. That was based on a "that looks about Right" assessment and nothing scientific.

Thanks.

 

[Forestryguy]

Are you going for a solid "wall"? If so I would go to 6'-8', you can always thin if needed. Other option would be to stagger trees so you end up with two rows in a checkerboard fashion.

 

[Daver]

FWIW, I agree with the 6'-8' idea and thin as necessary. Another thought to keep in mind is to take steps to prevent the cedar blockade from ever getting swept up in a burn. You may want to mow around the perimeter of the plantings if you anticipate any fire in the area.

 

[Forestryguy]

FWIW, I agree with the 6'-8' idea and thin as necessary. Another thought to keep in mind is to take steps to prevent the cedar blockade from ever getting swept up in a burn. You may want to mow around the perimeter of the plantings if you anticipate any fire in the area.

c'mon... Those are awesome to watch torch. There s a reason they are called prairie candles.

 

[Daver]

c'mon... Those are awesome to watch torch. There s a reason they are called prairie candles.

I once watched a neighbor's coniferous plantings do just that...burn like a candle! I was very glad it wasn't me that sparked that blaze and I felt sorry for him while watching the spectacle. For once...I learned a valuable habitat lesson not by making the mistake myself, but by watching another hapless chap do it to himself.

 

[LoessHillsArcher]

I like 6-8ft as well. And I really like cedars... transplant a few hundred out of our pasture each year! When we first started doing habitat management on our farm we burned every grassy brome area we could thinking prairie grasses would "magically" show up and become this thick prairie... not the case. In the process of burning we burnt up 100s of awesome 6-15ft cedars and just wiped out some awesome whitetail habitat and were left with even healthier brome fields that now had a few spots of prairie that was so thin it couldn't hold a single deer. Anyway, what I mean to say is Daver hit the nail on the head stating to be careful if you plan on burning near your cedars! We leanred to pick where we want cedars/trees to get established and where we want prairie. One gets fire and the other we keep fire as far away as possible (this doesn't mean we won't burn mature timber to regen some oaks thought)

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Thanks..... I'll go with 6-8'. Not worried about fire... Strictly worried about screening and they will be protected accordingly.

 

[Hardwood11]

I like 6-8ft as well. And I really like cedars... transplant a few hundred out of our pasture each year! When we first started doing habitat management on our farm we burned every grassy brome area we could thinking prairie grasses would "magically" show up and become this thick prairie... not the case. In the process of burning we burnt up 100s of awesome 6-15ft cedars and just wiped out some awesome whitetail habitat and were left with even healthier brome fields that now had a few spots of prairie that was so thin it couldn't hold a single deer. Anyway, what I mean to say is Daver hit the nail on the head stating to be careful if you plan on burning near your cedars! We leanred to pick where we want cedars/trees to get established and where we want prairie. One gets fire and the other we keep fire as far away as possible (this doesn't mean we won't burn mature timber to regen some oaks thought)

Cedars are very underrated! I've planted cedars on a farm in MN, they are now 12-15 feet. Rows next to switchgrass, great bedding for deer and pheasants are thick in it!!