Windbreak

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

Read about Windbreak in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Windbreak. In horticultural usage, windbreaks are plantations of trees or other plants designed to check the force of the wind or to deflect it to other directions. Windbreaks are often of the greatest use, and at other times they are detrimental. In regions of very strong prevailing winds, they may be necessary to prevent injury to the plants. This is true along sea-shores. In the dry interior regions, windbreaks are often useful, also, to check the force of parching winds that would take the moisture from the land. In other cases, they are employed for the purpose of sheltering the homestead, to make it more comfortable for human occupancy: such breaks are usually known as shelter-belts. See Hedges. Whether windbreaks shall be used for orchard plantations depends wholly on circumstances. In regions of very strong prevailing winds, as near large bodies of water or on the plains, such breaks are usually necessary on the windward side of the orchard. However, if the prevailing winds are habitually warmer than the local temperature, the winds should not be stopped or wholly deflected, but they should be allowed to pass through the windbreak with diminished power in order that, while their force may be checked, they may still prevent too low temperature. In regions that are very liable to late spring and early fall frosts, a tight break is usually a disadvantage, since it tends to confine the air – to make it still—and thereby to increase the danger of light frosts. If windbreaks are employed in such cases, it is best to have them somewhat open so that atmospheric drainage may not be checked. In most regions, the greatest value of the windbreak for orchard plantations is to protect from the mechanical injuries that result from high winds and to enable workmen to pursue their labors with greater ease. The lessening of windfall fruit is often sufficient reason for the establishment of a windbreak. Usually very cold and very dry winds should be turned from the orchard; very strong winds should be checked; temperate winds should nearly always be allowed to pass through the orchard, if their velocity is not too great; care must be taken to allow of adequate atmospheric drainage. Windbreaks for orchards require much land, and crops near them are likely to suffer for lack of food and moisture, and also from shade. In small places, therefore, it may be impossible to establish large breaks. It is well to plant the windbreak at some distance from the first row of orchard trees, if possible. It is usually best to use native trees for the break, since they are hardy and well adapted to the particular climate. Windbreaks often harbor injurious insects and fungi, and care must be taken that species of trees liable to these difficulties are not used. In the northeastern states, for example, it would be bad practice to plant the wild cherry tree, since it is so much infested with the tent caterpillar. In some cases, very low breaks may be as desirable as high ones. This is true in the open farming lands in the dry regions, since it may be necessary only to check the force of the wind near the surface of the ground. Windbreaks only 2 or 3 feet high, placed at intervals, may have this effect. Fence-rows sometimes act as efficient windbreaks. Near the seacoast, gardeners often plant low hedges for the purpose of protecting the surface of the garden. (See Plants for the Seaside, page 2670.) Along the Atlantic coast, the California privet is considerably used. This is Ligustrum ovalifolium, a Japanese plant. Farms in the open windy country may be efficiently protected by belts of woodland, or, if the country is wholly cleared, rows of trees may be established at intervals of a quarter or half mile across the direction of the prevailing winds (Fig. 4000). In middle California, the most common windbreak is a tall thick hedge of Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), either clipped close or allowed to grow naturally; it withstands heavy winds better than almost any other heavy-foliaged tree and is rapid in its growth. (Fig. 1790.) The Italians and Chinese, who have almost complete control of the truck-gardening industry in and around San Francisco, make extensive use of a Californian tree-mallow, Lavatera assurgentiflora (see page 1830), as a break and protection from the drift-sand. In California, various species of Eucalyptus may be used for breaks and wind-stops. The giant reed (Arundo Donax) is frequently grown around vineyards, particularly in the immediate vicinity of water. In California the olive, European walnut, fig, and almond are frequently planted for the outside row of an orchard of deciduous fruit-trees, to act as a partial windbreak. On the plains and prairies, several kinds of poplars and willows, and also the box-elder (Acer Negundo), are planted for shelter-belts, because they thrive under most conditions, grow rapidly, and are hardy. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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