Planting Arborvitaes

[zephed666]

Hello:

I want to screen the rear of my yard with Arborvitaes. My yard was leveled last year and right now I have a 2' high retaining wall made out of concrete block. Within this wall there is 24 inches of planting area before a 1 foot wood retaining wall separates my yard from my neighbors. The wood wall is sunk down 6 inches and my neighbors' yard is opposite that. The length of this area is 80'. I have several questions regarding the planting of the arborvitaes:

Is this enough space to plant the arborvitaes?

Will the roots be ok since there is the 6" wall under the surface separating my yard from my neighbors?

How many would I need to obtain full screening?

Should I plant them 2' on center?

Thanks for any help!

[bullthistle]

6" is not enough room for roots to grow and possibly you'll hit it when you plant. You need shallow rooted plants like Rhodys or azaleas. Why don't you just put up a fence but then you'll run into problems at 6". Or you can buy some chicken wire and plant everlasting sweet peas and they'll climb to 6' plus and they will not be root constricted but you will not have anything for winter. You cannot alter Mother Nature without running into problems.

[zephed666]

6" is not enough room for roots to grow and possibly you'll hit it when you plant. You need shallow rooted plants like Rhodys or azaleas. Why don't you just put up a fence but then you'll run into problems at 6". Or you can buy some chicken wire and plant everlasting sweet peas and they'll climb to 6' plus and they will not be root constricted but you will not have anything for winter. You cannot alter Mother Nature without running into problems.

the wall is just 6 inches under the surface. Won't the roots be under that?

the planting area is 24" wide...

here is an image:
[img]https://digitalalp.com/xsec.jpg[/img]

[bullthistle]

Thanks for the drawing but that is not what your words implied. 24" bed is fine but no closer then 3 feet because if you plant any closer they will smoother the branches and all you'll have is dead branches. Never liked the arborvitae because of its branch structure. I prefer hemlock which can be sheared annually with deep green foliage not the brownish of arborvitae. Just my opinion.