Kitchen Garden Forum

In the not so distant future we will be moving to a new location. It's very windy with peaty soil and not that wet. Does anyone have any suggestion for shelter belt plantings to help give shelter to plants and shrubs - I was thinking there might be a bamboo that would work but am open to any suggestions!

I've only ever gardened on clay soils so this will be an eye opener!

What's the rough area of the land you want to protect? Some things grow bigger than others. If it's a garden then hedgerow plants would be suitable, for an acre or more you'll need trees.

Hmm - well that's where it gets tricky. It will be a couple of acres - though I don't need to shelter it all. Most tender veggies will be grown in polytunnels. Trees on the whole do not do to well as it is too windy and a bit on the dry side (I'm sure that there must be trees that would do well - just need to pick the right ones!).

What kind of hedgerow plants would do well in windy conditions in peat?

What grows locally?

From memory Silver Birch, Juniper and Scots Pine would be the natives.

Anything the Forestry Commission plant in similar areas would grow.

peter wrote:What grows locally?

From memory Silver Birch, Juniper and Scots Pine would be the natives.

Anything the Forestry Commission plant in similar areas would grow.

Good try! But wrong hemisphere. What grows locally? Not a lot - which is why I'm after new ideas (there are no native trees). Some macrocarpa and gorse is the only thing that springs to mind.

However - apart from the water levels - you'd think stuff that grows in Scotland might do well - but it may just be too dry (? I'll need to check actual rainfall levels)

It will be a couple of years before we actually relocate - but we have friends nearby who can get stuff growing for us, which is why I am after ideas now.

[quote="Kerrij Good try! But wrong hemisphere. [/quote]

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Kerrij I have to concur, you are not going to get brilliant advice from a bunch of Brits, if we think you are going to Scotland or Wales or the Peak District!! Even somewhere in the southern hemisphere is a pretty broad brief!!

I vote that she is in Papua New Guinea, would that be a bananananananana tree.

I know how to spell it, I'm just not sure when to stop spelling it.

Italian or grey alder are advised for UK by ADAS

Or the Falklands, I can get my Nephew to pop round with his mortar platoon and blast out a shelter mound.

Various willows and poplars used a lot in Iceland (= Falklands? Highland Southern South Island NZ?)

If macrocarpa or gorse grow then anything from scotland will ie birch and pine.

Nothofagus - antarctic beech?

Griselinia littoralis if winter frost above-10c

Eleagnus x ebbingei

Dear Kerrij,
what ever you grow the general rule of thumb is that hedges will cut the wind by around 50% and will protect 50 times the height of the hedge. Eg a 4 foot hedge will shelter the land beyond it for 200 feet.
You may need to initially shelter the hedge to allow it to get established. If your site is especially windy then a shelter belt of a combination of bushes and trees may be more suitable.
The state agricultural office for your destination may be able to give advice on the best specis to choose for your situation. If not look at what the neighbours have round their properties. There will ALWAYS be someone who will give you the benefit? of their opinion.
A note for Peter, bananas are not trees, they are herbaceous perennials, for shame and you a gardener tut tut tut.
Regards Sally Wright.