Windbreak/Hedge

[Huskie]

I currently have two alternating rows of elderberry shrubs on the south side of my property, the previous owner was an organic gardener and harvested and sold the fruit. I would like to pull out and replace the inside row. Any suggestions on what to plant here in southern Minnesota? I would like them to keep under 10 feet high or so as we have a row of ash inside of that . I am thinking of some type of liliac, dogwood or some other shrub. I want it to be a windbreak that stops debris from the farm field in the summer and a snowbreak in the winter. Also would like liitle or low maintenance.

[Tom7227]

I think the DNR, U Ag Extension and Pheasants Forever all have good info on windbreaks. I know the one thing that has surprised me is how far they should be to keep the snow from dumping where it isn't wanted.

[Quetico]

Here's a few native shrubs that would do very well for your wind break given your height requirements:

Highbush Cranberry Viburnum- Best choice

Wild Plum

Ninebark

Hazelnut

Saskatoon Serviceberry

If you have trouble locating any of these let me know.

[Steve Foss]

Well, I'll put in my vote for the plain old common lilac. Practically indestructible, beautiful flowers with a great traditional scent that says "spring" in May, and 10-12 feet high is about as tall as they usually get unless they are regularly fertilized and watered.

They also are very thick with leaves and branches once they get to a good size and make a great windbreak because of that. Lilacs are long lived and can withstand drought when mature. All these reasons are why the lilac was so commonly planted and still can be seen bordering so many farmsteads in Minnesota and the Dakotas. The lilacs in our yard were planted nearly 100 years ago and are still going strong.

You might also alternate the lilacs with the wild plum. Plums also have sweet flowers and are pretty thick, and they offer fruit as well. And while we're talking about alternating, alternating lilacs with several different flower colors (white, lavender and wine colors come to mind) will make a hedge more attractive.

[Dotch]

Some excellent suggestions, from one who has a windbreak in southern MN. We have dogwood and serviceberry in windbreak plantings as well as some sumac, lilac & wild plum that occupy the borders of the windbreak planting. All are good in their own way. Another one we like is nannyberry or a local nickname is blackhaw. It is native and can be found growing wild here in the fencelines. Like the viburnum or American cranberry, the fruit stays on and is a bird favorite. Deep red fall foliage like the viburnum. One comment about dogwood, if you don't want little dogwood bushes all over, this may be one to be careful with. Birds love the berries and strip the bushes bare. But every time I turn around, there are new dogwood saplings, often hundreds of yards from the planting.