How to Lay Out Windbreaks

Laying out windbreaks for energy-saving purposes has been rediscovered by Americans in their efforts to become more "green." The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a family using a residential windbreak could save about 30 percent on winter heating costs just from reducing the amount of cold wind hitting the exterior of the home. Of course there are the farming applications of windbreaks which were developed after the Dust Bowl of the 1930s that resulted in farmers planting large rows of trees on the outskirts of the farm to prevent winds from carrying away topsoil or damaging fledgling plants.

White, Colorado, Serbian or Norway spruce trees, medium-sized
Red, white or Australian pine trees
Privet or Burning Bush hedges

Instructions

- 1
  Determine the location of the northern and northwestern part of the property. Mark a point 75 feet to the north-northwest of the home as the starting point for the windbreak. This is especially important in areas that get a lot of snow. Snow will drift about twice the length of the tree line. For example, for a 75-foot tree, a drift will start at about 150 feet past the tree line.
- 2
  Walk off an area 50 feet past the edge of the home on either side. This will be the entire range of the windbreak and will prevent winds from coming in around the trees and reaching the house.
- 3
  Plant a single row of red, white or Australian pine trees along the marked-off line as the base of the windbreak. These trees will grow to 50 to 75 feet tall and provide protection from upper-elevation winds.
- 4
  Plant White, Colorado, Serbian or Norway spruce trees 5 to 10 feet on either side of the base row. Stagger these so that they cover the space between the larger pine trees.
- 5
  Finish the windbreak by planting a row of privet or burning bush on the outside of the spruce trees. Plant these rows 5 to 7 feet away, staggering them as you did the spruce.

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