[Cob] windbreak plants for cob

[neva]

Hi Ziggy,

It sounds like you don't have hardly any room between your house
and the property line.

 

Since you need protection from the winter winds, and don't have
much room for the plantings, I think it would be good to choose
densely-leaved plants that are evergreen.  

 

There are many forms of holly-short Burford, and tall conically
shaped ones.  Buford's are easily pruned into hedges, and I
suppose the other holly trees could be pruned as well to give you
a taller windbreak.  But holly leaves have little sharp points on
the end, so you would want to keep them from brushing/scratching
against your cob.

 

Rosemary won't be hardy in your climate.  Spirea is not evergreen,
but maybe the viburnums are.   I was thinking you might consider
the bush that provides Bay leaves. The Bay Laurel, if it is hardy
in your Zone.   Here's a link discussing evergreen shrubs:
http://landscaping.about.com/od/evergreenshrubsbushes1/Evergreen_S
hrubs_Bushes_Hedges_Other_Uses_for_Evergreen_Shrubs.htm

 

As I recall, most of the evergreens like acidic soil.  You can
just sprinkle & work in wetable sulphur into the soil near the
drip line of the plant where the active root growth is.

-- Neva in Yale, OK