When we started working on the property it was full with diferent bushes: mostly lilacs. Meny years before they where planted around the area to work as a fence. But since nobody took care of them, they grew very tall and spread around. They got so far that even covered one part of the house. Actualy that was the suny side, so house had very little natural light coming in. They where the first ones we took down. Afterwards the ones that where around the property. And now, several years later, we finaly have takened down 99 % of them. Last winter I spent a few weaks to take dowm the biggest bushes. Then in summer my uncle came with tractor and pulled out the stumps. Tere still are a lot of roots in the ground that I need to get rid of, otherwise they just keep coming up from the ground and it realy frustrating.
But the big bushes are down and now our property looks realy naked and everybody can see inside. Our plan was to restore the green / live fence idea, but with diferent species. We are planing to use spruce's and thuja's. Main benefits will be: they will be green all year around, they are cheap [atleast the spruce I can get from the forest] and maintenece for them is goind to be very low and they will give us wind protection as well. Since we live a few hundred meters from the shore, the winds can get quite rough.
I found a couple of places online where we could buy small spruce plants - they cost 0.15 - 0.20 euros per piece. It means that 100 pcs cost around 20 euros. Dont thing thats that bad, but in the forest we can get them for free. OK - I have to spend my time and energy by going and collecting them, but the same thing is with the ones online - plus they quite far away, so we have to drive there.
Few days ago me and my father where working in the forest and just where we planed to make fire I saw 3 little spruces. One friend of mine told me that they are quite easy to replant. So I pulled them out of the ground and took them home to see if it's true or not. Two of them where a little bit smaler [around 0.2 m] and came out easely and one was bigger [0.4 m]
so I took it with the original soil. They came out pretty easely and it didn't looked like theyre roots where damaged a lot.
At home I found some planting pots for the smaler ones and a plastic bowl for the big one. Put some peat and little bit of vermiculite - hope they like it.
Took them inside and watered them in the shower. And now is the biggest question: should I keep them inside bring them outside??? I'm afraid that inside might be to warm and drie, but outside is also not good. Becouse since they are in pots, cold can reach theyre roots from all sides. I guess if I put them outside, then I should cover the pots with some isolating material???
I guess for some couple of days I'l keep them inside and then we will see how theyre reacting. Hope they will survive. If not - well, they would die in the forest anyway. I kinda rescued them from the fire. But if they do suvive - thats great news!!! Then I will know that this tehnique is working and I can make our own live fence around the area.
If you have any experience with spruces or green fences, let me know. Since we have zerro nolige about all this, any information for us is a big tresure.
Hope you will have a great day ;)