Tree suggestions?

[stephm0188]

We're having tree issues.
We're on a corner lot. Our house is a slab foundation, and the yard slopes away from the house. It was built 15+ years ago, and the landscaper put in a row of pines along the rear property line.

The lot behind us sold two years ago, and they built a house with a basement. Their grading is at more of an angle, and their house is not even 12 ft from the property line.

We're in zone 5b and on heavy clay soil. It doesn't drain well, and the grading from our lot and theirs has created an area that stays wet. We lost five trees in the tree line last summer, and we're seeing the rest of them turning brown I'm assuming it is just too wet there.

So yeah... we need to replace them, and I need suggestions. We'd like something that offers privacy, but I'm concerned that whatever we plant will wind up having the same issues.

[treedimensional]

Some trees tolerate wet sites (a.k.a. low root oxygen sites). Maples, Willows, Birch, Bald Cypress, and Sweetgum come to mind. You have more options than you think for trees and shrubs. Google "trees for wet areas" for complete lists.

[dirtyred]

Good god, do not plant a sweetgum tree! Oh, they're all pretty in the fall, and they grow fairly quickly, but once they mature and start dropping those gum balls, you'll want to kill yourself.

They're about the size of golfballs, they're too heavy for the lawnmower to pick up, and the damn tree will not only drop THOUSANDS in the winter, it will continue to drop them year round. Stepping on one is like stepping on a ball bearing.  The damn things are ankle twisters.

These pictures should give you an idea of what you'd be in for.  They were taken on the same day.  Imagine those balls spread over 2000 square feet and you'll understand why I pray for that tree to die almost every day.

[treedimensional]

Sept 19, 2013 17:10:51 GMT -5 dirtyred said:

Good god, do not plant a sweetgum tree! Oh, they're all pretty in the fall, and they grow fairly quickly, but once they mature and start dropping those gum balls, you'll want to kill yourself.

They're about the size of golfballs, they're too heavy for the lawnmower to pick up, and the damn tree will not only drop THOUSANDS in the winter, it will continue to drop them year round. Stepping on one is like stepping on a ball bearing.  The damn things are ankle twisters.

These pictures should give you an idea of what you'd be in for.  They were taken on the same day.  Imagine those balls spread over 2000 square feet and you'll understand why I pray for that tree to die almost every day.

Ahem. There ARE fruitless sweetgum varieties.