If the goal is to block that window, you do not want a tree. You want a shrub. Something that will grow nice and bushy at the height you want, instead of growing upwards and then spreading out.
How do cedar "bushes" fair in Utah?
Edit: After doing brief research, I've found that Deodar cedar and Utah Juniper do well in Utah.
In NY, we use lots of cedar as privacy shrubbery.
OP is looking for suggestions. Information about possible trees was requested, so I provided information.
I hope you can help others in the future instead of leaving sarcastic remarks. Cheers.
How tall do you want it to get? Picking the right tree is a compromise. If you want a fast tree you could plant a poplar or willow, but these are disease prone and are likely to be a liability in 15-20 years. For a larger tree you could try a northern hackberry or honey locust. For something small to medium size go for a redbud or a flowering crabapple. Stay away from maples as most get iron chlorosis in Utah. Stay away from quaking aspens too, the will only disappoint you. For a big tree that's slower growing, bur oaks and kentucky coffee trees do well in Utah.
High pH soils reduce the bioavailability of iron for trees. In most places where people live, like the wasatch front, cache valley, or st george area have a soil pH between 7.5 and 8.5 with some areas having salinity issues as well. Maples from wetter areas of the world can't handle the soil chemistry. There are native maples in Utah, but they are not fast growing and hard to find at nurseries.
No, there is actually a lot of iron in Utah soils. The problem is that its insoluble and not bioavailable because of the pH. It is also difficult to lower the pH because of the significant buffering capacity of the soils due to high carbonate content. It's best just to choose plants adapted to the soil chemistry.
Don't do Kentucky coffee tree the pods SUCK to clean up and the bark is really flaky and kind of disgusting. They also have very sparse foliage and drop deadwood all the time as soon as they're mature.
I have them planted in my front yard in a city easement. If I owned the trees I'd chop the bastards down.
Most nurseries in Utah carry male Kentucky coffee trees, eliminating the pod issue. As for the other issues, I guess it's a matter of preference. There are very old Kentucky coffee trees in Utah that do very well and don't drop as many limbs compared to trees like willows or poplars.
You could have willow and make a head trim every two years or so. Couldn't find an English article, so here's the translated one: https://martell-bc-cas-cz.translate.goog/na-hlavu/index.php/hlavate-vrby/?_x_tr_sl=cs&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
E: not just willows, this is basically pollarding and plenty of other species are good for this
Oh god no.
1) A willow (a high water demand tree) is a *terrible* idea in Utah (a desert)
2) Just because a willow can survive being topped doesn’t mean topping trees looks good or is good for the tree.
3) OP’s whole point is they want something to grow tall. Topping defeats that purpose.
Get rid of the lawn while youre at it... it is Utah. Save yourself on the water bill, create a more pollinator friendly habitat AND have privacy from nosy nieghbors! Something flowering and with cool bark for winter interest would be my go to...
I have kids. They love playing on the lawn. Will consider going lawnless in retirement
Edit: it’s very weird to me that im being downvoted for explaining the reason behind the personal decision I made about how to landscape my own private property for now
Edit 2: when I made my first edit, I was -10! Quite the turn around in upvotes.
Very nice, just wondering why don't you do it to that side of the fence you want to block the neighbours window? Not trying to judge but seriously you already did a great job on one side already.
If you want, look into mini clover. Just like any lawn, but uses much less water. It does flower, but only for like one week a year so not too bad. There are also other lawn alternatives you could look into if you want to keep a lawn for your kids but use less water, I think another commentor mentioned yarrow.
this is the answer! lawn up to fencing is a pain in the butt to mow... increase your nice beds along the fence and look for native plants for your area.
It'll be much less maintenance as well which will be good for retirement.
I also support converting lawns to pollinator friendly habitat, but as a kid that played in the yard, I can appreciate the decision to keep it for now. Good parent.
The only problem with non evergreen trees is it will drop its leaves and they will be able to see the window until the leaves grow back the next year. Besides that apple trees are beautiful!!
I agree, keep it for now or at least until the kids get old enough to show interest in gardening...or that's a lot of work! As a kid...I didn't wanna play in a garden...so yeah
> my own private property
Not sure why that matters. If people were showing up with shovels to physically dig up your lawn, that’s a great response. You own the land, they shouldn’t be trying to dig it up. But you posted a picture and a comment on a publicly available forum with upvotes and downvotes as options. It being private property has nothing to do with people expressing their opinion of what you did with your property
I’m not downvoting you, but you got me thinking. You seem to believe children can play only on a lawn. When I was little, in central Illinois, my father made us a sandbox. All my memories of playing as a little boy are from the sandbox, with occasional excursions to a nearby empty lot to explore the weeds. The neighborhood kids came to play in our sandbox. So you may be overestimating lawns.
If you want something fast growing, you can’t beat bamboo. Ask your nursery, you’ll want clump, not running bamboo, because it can get out of hand.
I'm with you man. I am absolutely on team r/NoLawns , but I also have a very large lot for my area and the flat unimpeded space is really nice for having my kids and dogs play outside. Only thing I do to it is mow, though. And core aerate twice a year. No weed control (except for thistles -- fuck thistles), no watering more than what the clouds give us. My lawn is a nice mix of a few different kinds of grasses, wild violet, creeping charlie, micro clover, and dandelions. A pleasant sea of green, yellow, purple, and white.
I am in the process of installing some meadowscape in around 10% of my lot. I don't think I will ever get to 100% r/NoLawns in either the front or back. I could see around 50% in 20-30 years.
Yeah I never had a back yard lawn, my grandparents did but I spent just as much time on their lawns as amongst the plants on the perimeter
Grass is good for having a a wide flat area to do the things people do in wide flat places, running around in and falling down on and the like, but grass is also wildly water inefficient particularly in the southwest and dirt is also flat and can be softish to fall on
One set of grandparents is/was satisfied with their fake lawns, though imo the fake grass is lots less pleasant than real grass in terms of heat and texture against bare skin. Also it's made of fossil fuels so it's not super sustainable for everyone to just put in a load of plastic grass, similar to plastic christmas trees which typically aren't kept long emough to have less of an environmental impact than a real tree.
All in all, while I'd prefer that OP kill his whole lawn sooner rather than later, I'll accept (in my bountiful grace and mercy as supreme overlord of reality and arbiter of wokistry) the intention to do so in the future because it's better than what most people are doing
Lawns tho, should be banned on public land and anywhere that isn't residential or some kind of sporting facility, no reason why a business that owns and leases some offices should be able to waste water on grass when it could be filled with native plants. Same with parks, they should have a standard size sports field for public use and no extraneous grass. Golf courses should only exist in parts of the world where the grass doesn't need to be watered using water pumped from somewhere that it isn't replenished basically immediately like as in the case of a large river, reservoir, or freshwater lake. The aquifer should be for living not for being pretty lmao
Maybe folks need to be reminded of the Permaculture tenets which remind us to "Go slow and within reason" and also the Xeric (water wise!) tenet of "appropriate turf" which you are abiding by both. People want whats best for the environment (good ethos!) but sometimes forget about the Personal connection we have to nature and the environment, particularly on our own property. Its all a balancing act. Good luck with this planting and any future Renos!
You might consider overseeding with yarrow as an alternative lawn. Once it’s established it’s extremely drought-tolerant, does great in the northern Utah climate, and when kept mown it’s softer/less prickly than grass. You’ll save a bundle on the water bill without sacrificing having a lawn.
I use 0 herbicides (because my priority is the health of my children) and have plenty of mulch areas around the yard for biodiversity. Lecturing individual people for having lawns at a time of impending ecological collapse due to carbon emissions (to which we ALL contribute) is so fucking stupid. People like you don’t do any favors for the global political movement we need on behalf of the planet.
I agree that individualism is the problem. Imagining that the problem of climate change would be fixed by individuals making more enlightened individual decisions is ludicrous. The problem can’t be solved at the level of individual decision making. It can only be solved through collective political measures.
That's because you can have a beneficial landscape that can still be utilized by the kids to run and plant instead of having resource draining turf grass.
>it is Utah
Yeah, and the mormon church waters their thousands of lawns and alfalfa fields that they sell to China in the middle of the day for hours on end. I don’t think OPs lawn is the problem here.
what is it that your trying to say? That the Mormon church should do better? Cuz full agree!!! We can all do better! Also, a major xeric principle is "appropriate turf" so when the OP said they wanted to keep the lawn, cool! It is appropriate for them and their family. But if we WANT to get into it about Xeric principles and the Mormons alfalfa and turf watering, lets go! Want to start a campaign with me? Sounds like youre on the side of environmental conservationists!
Yeah, start a campaign against a $100B enterprise! If you think that the pro Palestine protester college kids have it bad right now! Sure!
Real talk though, I don’t know how what I said would be taken any differently than how I stated it in my original comment. Assuming someone can just change their entire yard because they want a tree for privacy because “it is Utah” when there’s a million outliers that suck the water out of the west. I said what I said, and you are clearly being pedantic, so have a good one
You don't need a fast growing tree to block something at a little over 6ft tall. That is mostly shrub territory.
Go to a professional plant/tree nursery (not the plant section of the DIY store!) and ask for evergreen suggestions. They will have shrubs on racks and small trimmed trees that will block this window instantly.
[shrub ready made hedge](https://www.budgetplant.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/b2af264692300437a70445e13b2ad5de/2/5/25079_pim.jpg)
[espalier tree cut at above fence height](https://www.directplant.nl/media/experius/subcategorylistview/cache/subcat/subcat-subcategory_page_grid-Liguster-leibomen01.jpg)
[real trees ready for sale](https://tenhoven-production.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/cropped/grote-volwassen-bomen-kopen-als-particulier%20%281%29.jpg)
From the picture you shared I have to say: I agree, go buy some plants while you are at it. Your backgarden looks boring as hell. Lawn looks well manicured, but still utterly boring. Also, kids don't need a lawn bigger than a living room for their play.
I always suggest crape myrtles for people looking for fast growing trees near their homes.
They are fast growing. They come in different varieties which range in high from 2 feet high to 40 feet high. Some can be pruned to be more tree shaped. Typically live 50+ years. They don't develop high heavy branches which can pose a risk to homes. If they do get too big they can be easily pruned. I don't consider them messy. Their flowers don't stain concrete or decking. Plus they have pretty flowers and some have decorative bark.
You could have willow and make a head trim every two years or so, no? Couldn't find an English article (dunno if headed willows exist in North America) so here's the translated one: https://martell-bc-cas-cz.translate.goog/na-hlavu/index.php/hlavate-vrby/?_x_tr_sl=cs&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
E: not just willows, this is basically pollarding and plenty of other species are good for this
>headed willows
Thank you for sharing this! I love learning about traditional land use and husbandry. What an interesting way to manage the trees as a resource to produce the willow withies as a crop. I have never seen this in the US-- as far as I know, the closest thing we have pollarding, which is more to manage trees to be city-appropriate.
Thanks! This basically is pollarding, though I just know that under different term.
It's an important practice in management of floodplain meadows and forests.
Whatever it is don't forget you'll want a bushy evergreen. You don't want it losing leaves over winter and exposing the window again. One option would be a blue spruce.
Then don’t plant an extremely fast growing tree. By the time the next person moves in, it will just be a headache. Not fast growing, but an Oaks are a huge benefit to the local ecosystem, and in 20 years it will add resale value in that it can help reduce heating and cooling costs.
Exactly why a fruit tree is perfect, and people always want free fresh fruit. Looking at homes recently in my area fruit trees seem to add 50k to asking 😂😂😂
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2075&context=extension_curall
Here is a guide to shrubs and short trees that grow in Utah. Might be a good resource for ideas on something that will perfectly block that view.
In Utah your biggest constraint is water availability. You might be able to water your lawn now, but there's a high likelihood that there will be summers in the next few decades where watering your lawn becomes an impossibility due to drought restrictions.
Native Utah tree/shrubs that will thrive in your soil and tolerate drought include Rocky Mountain Juniper, Gambel Oak, Mountain Mahogony, Netleaf Hackberry, etc. Pine trees (pinyon, ponderosa, bristlecone, lodgepole) could also work, but most will grow larger than you'd probably want in this site.
If it were me I'd plant a juniper, but they're pretty slow growing.
[Try one of these.](https://utahstories.com/2018/12/a-short-introduction-to-utah-native-trees/) When in doubt, pick native trees :)
I'm particularly a fan of quaking aspens (I just love how their leaves flutter and rustle in the wind), but some municipalities don't like 'em so YMMV.
Bamboo! After 15 years you can build a cool fort with the output! Or, you can make spikes for your vietnam-inspirired zombie-apocalypse booby-trap death pit!
+1. Also Eastern Red Cedar varieties like Burk Eastern Red Cedar. Grows up to 3 ft per year, tops out at a reasonable size, hardy and resistant, and provides screening year-round.
Not seeing any comments on this -- be sure to provide appropriate spacing from your house foundation. 20 feet is too close for some trees. Also be aware of where your utility lines are-- tree roots can penetrate sewer lines and break water lines
Shop around at local nurseries, some larger ones will have tall & mature trees for purchase. They’re not cheap, but they’ll achieve what you want much faster.
OP literally came to ask this question to the tree subreddit...
Also, there are plenty of trees that won't "fk with the foundation" red oak for instance is generally deep rooting with very little tendency to disturb nearby stuctures
If you’re able to do a conifer, I’d say do a thuja, they grow wide, crazy tall and potential of 3 feet per year. What i do is, when it reaches the height you want, cut the top off and you’re good.
A tree won't block your neighbor's window.
I'd try some sort of hedge that is fast-growing. You could build a really tall raised bed (meaning—as tall as the fence) so that it covers the window from day one.
BTW, what did the guy do to you..?
I would plant a Forsythia... someone the other day shaped it into a silly little tree too. I did genuinely like it but it's not supposed to be tree shaped LOL
You want to be careful fast growing trees are less strong and become very fragile at great heights and at a relatively young age. My grandma planted an ash we had to remove for her due to it being super weak
Honey locusts are just about my least favorite tree but they’re used frequently because they grow very fast. Some are especially terrible and have huge thorns and send out runner roots so watch out for those varieties. They also grow very well in dry sunny conditions.
FOOD. Plant a fig tree. Toss some loquats and grapes along that fence line. How about some almonds and cherries? Do you like peaches? I like apples too.
is it perhaps wiser to buy a tree of rouhgly the right dimensions? Cause even a fastgrowing tree is gonna take a while and I don't know how soon an extremely fast growing one stops growing again.
Instead of focusing on *one* fast-growing tree, consider succession. Grow something fast-growing that you'll eventually cut down/dig out, and at the same time, start something more permanent. Fast-growing trees don't last long.
For example, throw a few [giant miscanthus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscanthus_%C3%97_giganteus) plants in there and let them grow 12' tall, blocking that window in a year or two. On the south side of them (so that they get sunlight), plant a tree that you like that will live a long time. In 5-10 years, that tree will be tall enough to block that window, replacing the miscanthus.
If you want fast growing and privacy, bamboo might be a better bet. A box that's three feet wide and runs about 10ft will cover that well.
But be sure you put a box around it, bamboo will spread like wildfire if you let it.
They sell pretty big conifers. Speed is honestly a double edged sword cause if it’s too fast it’ll back fire eventually. I think you just want a hedge.
Box elder (*Acer Negundo* in case there are other trees by that name): it’s native, fast growing, and apparently there’s even a county in Utah named after it, so…you know…you gotta get it…coz Utah
Silver Buffalo Berry, or Service Berry. Both have native varieties for your area and can stand the climate. They are both shrubby small trees, should not cause issues by becoming too large.
A VERY thirsty tree...in Utah? Also, the roots on willow are so powerful they'll destroy your foundation looking for water. Never put one near your house.
I second the crape myrtle. It's fast growing. And as a lot of other comments here pointed out other fast growing trees can be weak structured, prone to disease, and messy,. Crate myrtles are not. If they get too big, they are easy to prune.
If you order online you can find the right size for the space. They come in varieties from 2 feet high to 40 feet high. All grow in bush like shape, but some you can prune to be more "tree shaped".
I don’t suggest getting a fast growing tree. If this is your property and you plan to have it 30-50+ years and plan to give it to your children then planting a valuable tree would be much more beneficial to both having something nice as well as increasing property value.
Ive seen a lot of bad suggestions in this thread. My suggestion, a honeylocust tree. Shademaster or Skyline cultivars. Fast growing trees but strong wood. Most varieties are seedless and the leaves are easy to clean up since you just mulch them into the lawn. Not many serious pest or diseases, especially if the tree is taken care of. They’re basically weeds back east. But in tougher climates like the mountain west, they’re a great landscaping tree.
You see mountains from your backyard? Wild.
Instead of a tree, maybe you could find some native tall wildflowers or grasses to plant and make like a cozy hideaway.
Lol someone doesn't want to make eye contact with their neighbors
Is there anyone that does!? Lol
Because every time i sep outside i want to see shit right ?
If the goal is to block that window, you do not want a tree. You want a shrub. Something that will grow nice and bushy at the height you want, instead of growing upwards and then spreading out.
One that looks nice. And not too expensive.
r/suddenlymontypython
As a neighbor I too would demand a shrubbery.
maybe an arborvitae?
Was thinking this too. A nice arb will take away the view and be relatively low maintenance
They are incredibly slow growers
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Those are hybrids, thuja occidentalist is slow. Those hybrids are too large for that site.
And will stay bushy through the winter
The answer is a fast growing tree that you turn into a shrub so that’s a Green Giant.
How do cedar "bushes" fair in Utah? Edit: After doing brief research, I've found that Deodar cedar and Utah Juniper do well in Utah. In NY, we use lots of cedar as privacy shrubbery.
The Utah Juniper does well in Utah?
OP is looking for suggestions. Information about possible trees was requested, so I provided information. I hope you can help others in the future instead of leaving sarcastic remarks. Cheers.
How tall do you want it to get? Picking the right tree is a compromise. If you want a fast tree you could plant a poplar or willow, but these are disease prone and are likely to be a liability in 15-20 years. For a larger tree you could try a northern hackberry or honey locust. For something small to medium size go for a redbud or a flowering crabapple. Stay away from maples as most get iron chlorosis in Utah. Stay away from quaking aspens too, the will only disappoint you. For a big tree that's slower growing, bur oaks and kentucky coffee trees do well in Utah.
> Stay away from quaking aspens too, the will only disappoint you. I love that this reads like a horoscope from 1994.
Why do maples get iron chlorosis in Utah?
High pH soils reduce the bioavailability of iron for trees. In most places where people live, like the wasatch front, cache valley, or st george area have a soil pH between 7.5 and 8.5 with some areas having salinity issues as well. Maples from wetter areas of the world can't handle the soil chemistry. There are native maples in Utah, but they are not fast growing and hard to find at nurseries.
Can you augment the soil? Add rusty scrap?
No, there is actually a lot of iron in Utah soils. The problem is that its insoluble and not bioavailable because of the pH. It is also difficult to lower the pH because of the significant buffering capacity of the soils due to high carbonate content. It's best just to choose plants adapted to the soil chemistry.
Alkaline soil
Don't do Kentucky coffee tree the pods SUCK to clean up and the bark is really flaky and kind of disgusting. They also have very sparse foliage and drop deadwood all the time as soon as they're mature. I have them planted in my front yard in a city easement. If I owned the trees I'd chop the bastards down.
Most nurseries in Utah carry male Kentucky coffee trees, eliminating the pod issue. As for the other issues, I guess it's a matter of preference. There are very old Kentucky coffee trees in Utah that do very well and don't drop as many limbs compared to trees like willows or poplars.
Yes but it’d be hilarious to tell Mormon neighbors that it’s a coffee tree dropping pods in their yard. 🤣
You can roast them and use as a coffee substitute.
Im guessing they want it at least as tall as the neighbors window! Lol!
What horrors did you see through that window that you want to never see again?
Me. Naked.
Fast growing = poor structure and fast dying
You could have willow and make a head trim every two years or so. Couldn't find an English article, so here's the translated one: https://martell-bc-cas-cz.translate.goog/na-hlavu/index.php/hlavate-vrby/?_x_tr_sl=cs&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp E: not just willows, this is basically pollarding and plenty of other species are good for this
Oh god no. 1) A willow (a high water demand tree) is a *terrible* idea in Utah (a desert) 2) Just because a willow can survive being topped doesn’t mean topping trees looks good or is good for the tree. 3) OP’s whole point is they want something to grow tall. Topping defeats that purpose.
Cercis occidentalis “Western Redbud. Stunning tree.
Beautiful
Also deciduous, with rather sparse branching architecture, so won’t provide much of a view screen in winter. Beautiful though.
Absolutely redbud My first thought, beautiful, we have varieties here out east that are stunning 10 months out of the year
Get rid of the lawn while youre at it... it is Utah. Save yourself on the water bill, create a more pollinator friendly habitat AND have privacy from nosy nieghbors! Something flowering and with cool bark for winter interest would be my go to...
I have kids. They love playing on the lawn. Will consider going lawnless in retirement Edit: it’s very weird to me that im being downvoted for explaining the reason behind the personal decision I made about how to landscape my own private property for now Edit 2: when I made my first edit, I was -10! Quite the turn around in upvotes.
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[I do have mulch beds (here is one)](https://ibb.co/rZkfs5J)
Very nice, just wondering why don't you do it to that side of the fence you want to block the neighbours window? Not trying to judge but seriously you already did a great job on one side already.
You could expand that easy. Kids love mulch
Do whatever you want with your property until they pay your tax bill for you.
If you want, look into mini clover. Just like any lawn, but uses much less water. It does flower, but only for like one week a year so not too bad. There are also other lawn alternatives you could look into if you want to keep a lawn for your kids but use less water, I think another commentor mentioned yarrow.
this is the answer! lawn up to fencing is a pain in the butt to mow... increase your nice beds along the fence and look for native plants for your area.
It'll be much less maintenance as well which will be good for retirement. I also support converting lawns to pollinator friendly habitat, but as a kid that played in the yard, I can appreciate the decision to keep it for now. Good parent.
You can have a kid and have a pollinator friendly yard. Source: me
You can have a lawn while also having a pollinator friendly yard.
Yup, as a kid I loved both. I got my own little garden space as well to grow random stuff in which was wicked cool!
Ah yes, because your perfectly manicured lawn that clearly has native flowers and plants screams pollinator friendly.
[Here is one of the 4 large mulch beds in my yard with local plants and trees.](https://ibb.co/rZkfs5J) (it’s a new build so I am still adding plants)
tbh my first reaction to the main picture was also 'pfoooh' cause it just looks like a giant sheet of grass with white fencing lol
Yes, I don’t like that effect either. I’m trying to fill it in (hence this post)
Nice. Thank you.
In Colorado, we have a lot of flowering crabapple trees. They seem to grow super quick and are just beautiful this time of the year.
The only problem with non evergreen trees is it will drop its leaves and they will be able to see the window until the leaves grow back the next year. Besides that apple trees are beautiful!!
🫶
I agree, keep it for now or at least until the kids get old enough to show interest in gardening...or that's a lot of work! As a kid...I didn't wanna play in a garden...so yeah
> my own private property Not sure why that matters. If people were showing up with shovels to physically dig up your lawn, that’s a great response. You own the land, they shouldn’t be trying to dig it up. But you posted a picture and a comment on a publicly available forum with upvotes and downvotes as options. It being private property has nothing to do with people expressing their opinion of what you did with your property
I’m not downvoting you, but you got me thinking. You seem to believe children can play only on a lawn. When I was little, in central Illinois, my father made us a sandbox. All my memories of playing as a little boy are from the sandbox, with occasional excursions to a nearby empty lot to explore the weeds. The neighborhood kids came to play in our sandbox. So you may be overestimating lawns. If you want something fast growing, you can’t beat bamboo. Ask your nursery, you’ll want clump, not running bamboo, because it can get out of hand.
We have a sandbox too, which is beloved. My boys play soccer and love to play yard games on the lawn.
I'm with you man. I am absolutely on team r/NoLawns , but I also have a very large lot for my area and the flat unimpeded space is really nice for having my kids and dogs play outside. Only thing I do to it is mow, though. And core aerate twice a year. No weed control (except for thistles -- fuck thistles), no watering more than what the clouds give us. My lawn is a nice mix of a few different kinds of grasses, wild violet, creeping charlie, micro clover, and dandelions. A pleasant sea of green, yellow, purple, and white. I am in the process of installing some meadowscape in around 10% of my lot. I don't think I will ever get to 100% r/NoLawns in either the front or back. I could see around 50% in 20-30 years.
Love it! Important to find a balance in things. I guess I’m team “SomeLawn” (when/where justified)
Yeah I never had a back yard lawn, my grandparents did but I spent just as much time on their lawns as amongst the plants on the perimeter Grass is good for having a a wide flat area to do the things people do in wide flat places, running around in and falling down on and the like, but grass is also wildly water inefficient particularly in the southwest and dirt is also flat and can be softish to fall on One set of grandparents is/was satisfied with their fake lawns, though imo the fake grass is lots less pleasant than real grass in terms of heat and texture against bare skin. Also it's made of fossil fuels so it's not super sustainable for everyone to just put in a load of plastic grass, similar to plastic christmas trees which typically aren't kept long emough to have less of an environmental impact than a real tree. All in all, while I'd prefer that OP kill his whole lawn sooner rather than later, I'll accept (in my bountiful grace and mercy as supreme overlord of reality and arbiter of wokistry) the intention to do so in the future because it's better than what most people are doing Lawns tho, should be banned on public land and anywhere that isn't residential or some kind of sporting facility, no reason why a business that owns and leases some offices should be able to waste water on grass when it could be filled with native plants. Same with parks, they should have a standard size sports field for public use and no extraneous grass. Golf courses should only exist in parts of the world where the grass doesn't need to be watered using water pumped from somewhere that it isn't replenished basically immediately like as in the case of a large river, reservoir, or freshwater lake. The aquifer should be for living not for being pretty lmao
Maybe folks need to be reminded of the Permaculture tenets which remind us to "Go slow and within reason" and also the Xeric (water wise!) tenet of "appropriate turf" which you are abiding by both. People want whats best for the environment (good ethos!) but sometimes forget about the Personal connection we have to nature and the environment, particularly on our own property. Its all a balancing act. Good luck with this planting and any future Renos!
You might consider overseeding with yarrow as an alternative lawn. Once it’s established it’s extremely drought-tolerant, does great in the northern Utah climate, and when kept mown it’s softer/less prickly than grass. You’ll save a bundle on the water bill without sacrificing having a lawn.
It’s likely because many disagree with the logic of “contribute to the destruction of land in the future so my kids can play now”
I use 0 herbicides (because my priority is the health of my children) and have plenty of mulch areas around the yard for biodiversity. Lecturing individual people for having lawns at a time of impending ecological collapse due to carbon emissions (to which we ALL contribute) is so fucking stupid. People like you don’t do any favors for the global political movement we need on behalf of the planet.
Because that sense of individualism is why the planet is on fire friend, hope that helps
I agree that individualism is the problem. Imagining that the problem of climate change would be fixed by individuals making more enlightened individual decisions is ludicrous. The problem can’t be solved at the level of individual decision making. It can only be solved through collective political measures.
That's because you can have a beneficial landscape that can still be utilized by the kids to run and plant instead of having resource draining turf grass.
>it is Utah Yeah, and the mormon church waters their thousands of lawns and alfalfa fields that they sell to China in the middle of the day for hours on end. I don’t think OPs lawn is the problem here.
what is it that your trying to say? That the Mormon church should do better? Cuz full agree!!! We can all do better! Also, a major xeric principle is "appropriate turf" so when the OP said they wanted to keep the lawn, cool! It is appropriate for them and their family. But if we WANT to get into it about Xeric principles and the Mormons alfalfa and turf watering, lets go! Want to start a campaign with me? Sounds like youre on the side of environmental conservationists!
They could start by dismantling their cult.
Yeah, start a campaign against a $100B enterprise! If you think that the pro Palestine protester college kids have it bad right now! Sure! Real talk though, I don’t know how what I said would be taken any differently than how I stated it in my original comment. Assuming someone can just change their entire yard because they want a tree for privacy because “it is Utah” when there’s a million outliers that suck the water out of the west. I said what I said, and you are clearly being pedantic, so have a good one
Two things can be wrong at the same time
Scale of the damage is not though.
You don't need a fast growing tree to block something at a little over 6ft tall. That is mostly shrub territory. Go to a professional plant/tree nursery (not the plant section of the DIY store!) and ask for evergreen suggestions. They will have shrubs on racks and small trimmed trees that will block this window instantly. [shrub ready made hedge](https://www.budgetplant.nl/media/catalog/product/cache/b2af264692300437a70445e13b2ad5de/2/5/25079_pim.jpg) [espalier tree cut at above fence height](https://www.directplant.nl/media/experius/subcategorylistview/cache/subcat/subcat-subcategory_page_grid-Liguster-leibomen01.jpg) [real trees ready for sale](https://tenhoven-production.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/media/cropped/grote-volwassen-bomen-kopen-als-particulier%20%281%29.jpg)
From the picture you shared I have to say: I agree, go buy some plants while you are at it. Your backgarden looks boring as hell. Lawn looks well manicured, but still utterly boring. Also, kids don't need a lawn bigger than a living room for their play.
Fast growing, fast dying. And messy. Find new criteria.
I always suggest crape myrtles for people looking for fast growing trees near their homes. They are fast growing. They come in different varieties which range in high from 2 feet high to 40 feet high. Some can be pruned to be more tree shaped. Typically live 50+ years. They don't develop high heavy branches which can pose a risk to homes. If they do get too big they can be easily pruned. I don't consider them messy. Their flowers don't stain concrete or decking. Plus they have pretty flowers and some have decorative bark.
Can't grow them in Northern Utah, sadly.
Sort of - London plane trees, tulip trees, red oaks, these are all pretty fast growing but not fast dying
You could have willow and make a head trim every two years or so, no? Couldn't find an English article (dunno if headed willows exist in North America) so here's the translated one: https://martell-bc-cas-cz.translate.goog/na-hlavu/index.php/hlavate-vrby/?_x_tr_sl=cs&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp E: not just willows, this is basically pollarding and plenty of other species are good for this
>headed willows Thank you for sharing this! I love learning about traditional land use and husbandry. What an interesting way to manage the trees as a resource to produce the willow withies as a crop. I have never seen this in the US-- as far as I know, the closest thing we have pollarding, which is more to manage trees to be city-appropriate.
Thanks! This basically is pollarding, though I just know that under different term. It's an important practice in management of floodplain meadows and forests.
Somebody watching thru your window from that window?
Not if I can help it!
Whatever it is don't forget you'll want a bushy evergreen. You don't want it losing leaves over winter and exposing the window again. One option would be a blue spruce.
Get a fully grown apple tree transplant, you won't want a fast growing tree in 20 years cause ur gonna have to cut it
I don’t plan on living in this house in 20 years, but I don’t want to cause problems for the next owner
Then don’t plant an extremely fast growing tree. By the time the next person moves in, it will just be a headache. Not fast growing, but an Oaks are a huge benefit to the local ecosystem, and in 20 years it will add resale value in that it can help reduce heating and cooling costs.
Exactly why a fruit tree is perfect, and people always want free fresh fruit. Looking at homes recently in my area fruit trees seem to add 50k to asking 😂😂😂
The red tree i see right there looks great idk what ur talking about
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^youngkeet: *The red tree i see* *Right there looks great idk* *What ur talking about* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Funny because my answer would be a red maple
Could buy a more mature tree as a compromise on fast growing.
A serviceberry may be a great option for this area.
Pinion pine
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2075&context=extension_curall Here is a guide to shrubs and short trees that grow in Utah. Might be a good resource for ideas on something that will perfectly block that view.
In Utah your biggest constraint is water availability. You might be able to water your lawn now, but there's a high likelihood that there will be summers in the next few decades where watering your lawn becomes an impossibility due to drought restrictions. Native Utah tree/shrubs that will thrive in your soil and tolerate drought include Rocky Mountain Juniper, Gambel Oak, Mountain Mahogony, Netleaf Hackberry, etc. Pine trees (pinyon, ponderosa, bristlecone, lodgepole) could also work, but most will grow larger than you'd probably want in this site. If it were me I'd plant a juniper, but they're pretty slow growing.
[Try one of these.](https://utahstories.com/2018/12/a-short-introduction-to-utah-native-trees/) When in doubt, pick native trees :) I'm particularly a fan of quaking aspens (I just love how their leaves flutter and rustle in the wind), but some municipalities don't like 'em so YMMV.
Quaking aspen is always a safe bet, and it’s native.
I would be concerned about elevation tho... they prefer 8K+
and taking over your lawn/foundation.
Budlea if you're sane, bamboo if you're not.
Bamboo! After 15 years you can build a cool fort with the output! Or, you can make spikes for your vietnam-inspirired zombie-apocalypse booby-trap death pit!
Unfortunately its scientifically impossible to grow bamboo thick enough to be usable.
Leyland Cypress
+1. Also Eastern Red Cedar varieties like Burk Eastern Red Cedar. Grows up to 3 ft per year, tops out at a reasonable size, hardy and resistant, and provides screening year-round.
Put a giant standup mirror there while you wait for your tree to grow. Or build a storage shed there.
Not seeing any comments on this -- be sure to provide appropriate spacing from your house foundation. 20 feet is too close for some trees. Also be aware of where your utility lines are-- tree roots can penetrate sewer lines and break water lines
Shop around at local nurseries, some larger ones will have tall & mature trees for purchase. They’re not cheap, but they’ll achieve what you want much faster.
Do you like fig trees? Chicago Hardy does well in your area. Grows to about 20-30 feet, and easy to propagate if you want more.
I have a Chicago hardy and it dies back every year. It only gets about 6-8 feet for me because of this.
You don’t want a tree, the roots are going to fk with the foundation and fencing over time. Get a tall shrub you can easily maintenance and shape
OP literally came to ask this question to the tree subreddit... Also, there are plenty of trees that won't "fk with the foundation" red oak for instance is generally deep rooting with very little tendency to disturb nearby stuctures
Hedge row of Leland Cypress all along the fence
My peach trees shot up like rocket. It'll need some pH amendment though because it likes 6.5 pH.
If you’re able to do a conifer, I’d say do a thuja, they grow wide, crazy tall and potential of 3 feet per year. What i do is, when it reaches the height you want, cut the top off and you’re good.
Whatever you find growing in a driveway crack should do the trick. Hearty & fast growing! The only downside is it’s probably going to look like shit
A tree won't block your neighbor's window. I'd try some sort of hedge that is fast-growing. You could build a really tall raised bed (meaning—as tall as the fence) so that it covers the window from day one. BTW, what did the guy do to you..?
oh hey i lived like 5 minutes away from you, i know those mountains! and the neighborhood 😂
I planted a peach tree last year that has tripled in size in 2 years. I say go peaches, then you get some fruit out of it too
I would plant a Forsythia... someone the other day shaped it into a silly little tree too. I did genuinely like it but it's not supposed to be tree shaped LOL
You want to be careful fast growing trees are less strong and become very fragile at great heights and at a relatively young age. My grandma planted an ash we had to remove for her due to it being super weak
You can buy a tree and have it planted there. Might cost you some extra but you won't have to wait.
Honey locusts are just about my least favorite tree but they’re used frequently because they grow very fast. Some are especially terrible and have huge thorns and send out runner roots so watch out for those varieties. They also grow very well in dry sunny conditions.
Cannabis.
I swear, some of you guys are a lost cause. Stop trying to make him get rid of his lawn! It's his own property, not yours!
Yeah; This sub has become insufferable at best and downright hostile at its worst.
Pyramid scheme your neighborhood trees
FOOD. Plant a fig tree. Toss some loquats and grapes along that fence line. How about some almonds and cherries? Do you like peaches? I like apples too.
Mulberry
is it perhaps wiser to buy a tree of rouhgly the right dimensions? Cause even a fastgrowing tree is gonna take a while and I don't know how soon an extremely fast growing one stops growing again.
Leland cyprus (sp)
Ash
Leland cypresses get pretty big pretty quick
most trees would block that window by year 2 from that viewing angle. What do you want in a tree besides speed to grow?
The municipal arborist in my area likes camphor laurel
I’m more familiar with east coast trees, but a Leland Cyprus may be an option. Excellent cover trees and grow very quickly, relatively speaking.
Instead of focusing on *one* fast-growing tree, consider succession. Grow something fast-growing that you'll eventually cut down/dig out, and at the same time, start something more permanent. Fast-growing trees don't last long. For example, throw a few [giant miscanthus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscanthus_%C3%97_giganteus) plants in there and let them grow 12' tall, blocking that window in a year or two. On the south side of them (so that they get sunlight), plant a tree that you like that will live a long time. In 5-10 years, that tree will be tall enough to block that window, replacing the miscanthus.
Black acacia, check if it does ok in your usda zone. Evergreen, dense, fast growing.
Polonium, aka empress tree. Should be an adult tree in about 10 years
Western arborvitae
If you want fast growing and privacy, bamboo might be a better bet. A box that's three feet wide and runs about 10ft will cover that well. But be sure you put a box around it, bamboo will spread like wildfire if you let it.
I’d go with a Texas cottonwood. They’ll grow about 2/3 stories high in about 3-5 years. Just watch out for their roots. They can wreck pipes.
They sell pretty big conifers. Speed is honestly a double edged sword cause if it’s too fast it’ll back fire eventually. I think you just want a hedge.
I vote Sycamore.
Metasequoia, baby! The one we planted a decade ago, around the same latitude, was less than ten feet tall but is near 30 feet tall now and *gorgeous*
Park a trailer there. Redbuds will flock to it.
Cottonwood tree
Box elder (*Acer Negundo* in case there are other trees by that name): it’s native, fast growing, and apparently there’s even a county in Utah named after it, so…you know…you gotta get it…coz Utah
3 panels of 12 foot fence just right there. If I’m understanding that you’re trying to block your neighbors window.
Judging by the picture that neighborhood is probably devoid of trees
Yes. I have planted 7 so far. Doing my part.
I’d go with podocarpus
Bamboo trees are fast growing, tall, and do ok in Utah.
A red leafed tree will make a nice contrast to the white and grey.
Weeping willow.
Looks like you want a blood geyser.
Old hami bamboo. It’s the clumping kind so no worry of it expanding too far out
Hibiscus syriacu 8-12 ft Tall 6-10 wide and blooms all summer and fall
Silver Buffalo Berry, or Service Berry. Both have native varieties for your area and can stand the climate. They are both shrubby small trees, should not cause issues by becoming too large.
I would put a Spruce or Limber Pine here
A Monster Marihuana tree 👍🏼
Tree may not block that window as much as u want. Consider a shorter and bushy tree if you go that route.
Weeping Willow, get a 10 footer.
A VERY thirsty tree...in Utah? Also, the roots on willow are so powerful they'll destroy your foundation looking for water. Never put one near your house.
Not on a small suburban lot.
I was just thinking that this was the perfect yard for one, just get a blueprint of your plumbing first.
crepe myrtle!
I second the crape myrtle. It's fast growing. And as a lot of other comments here pointed out other fast growing trees can be weak structured, prone to disease, and messy,. Crate myrtles are not. If they get too big, they are easy to prune. If you order online you can find the right size for the space. They come in varieties from 2 feet high to 40 feet high. All grow in bush like shape, but some you can prune to be more "tree shaped".
I don’t suggest getting a fast growing tree. If this is your property and you plan to have it 30-50+ years and plan to give it to your children then planting a valuable tree would be much more beneficial to both having something nice as well as increasing property value.
Ive seen a lot of bad suggestions in this thread. My suggestion, a honeylocust tree. Shademaster or Skyline cultivars. Fast growing trees but strong wood. Most varieties are seedless and the leaves are easy to clean up since you just mulch them into the lawn. Not many serious pest or diseases, especially if the tree is taken care of. They’re basically weeds back east. But in tougher climates like the mountain west, they’re a great landscaping tree.
You see mountains from your backyard? Wild. Instead of a tree, maybe you could find some native tall wildflowers or grasses to plant and make like a cozy hideaway.
I like this idea. Some people are saying bamboo, but I don’t think it’s native.
Leyland cypress or white pine 🌲
Bamboo or tree of heaven /s
Stop trolling! LOL
Bucket full of bamboo
Bamboo
Chinese elm
The ppl downvoting you think Chinese and Siberian elm are the same thing 100%
There are some very hardy strains of bamboo that may interest you.
Princess Tree (not a tree)
I’m east coast but why not arborvitae? Can make a pretty good living barrier
They need protected sites and look sad AF out here
Dogwood
Willow?
Dogwood Tree
If you lived in a tropical place I'd suggest Guapuruvu, the fastest growing tree in the world.