It is again the time of year to order your seedling trees for next spring's plantings. Logan County Cooperative Extension in cooperation with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Colorado State Forest Service, and CSU Tree nursery, are again providing low cost tree seedlings for landowners that have at least 2 acres of land.

Seedlings can be planted for windbreaks, wildlife habitat, feedlot protection and other shelter belts including living snowfences. One of the most common uses for plantings is for windbreaks. Calming energy robbing winds can result in heat energy savings of 3 to 26 percent in most cases. Also, plantings can save costs of snow removal and protect livestock from freezing winds.

Windbreak characteristics which must be considered to reduce energy needs for home heating in approximate order of importance are: 

Orientation relative to the structure - Even though wind directions can be variable, typically windbreaks are commonly located on western and norther sides. Protection can also be provided for any side of the home but do not block cool summer breezes.

Windbreak height and distance from the house - an average distance for a planting is 150 feet from the house to the furthest row of the windbreak. Placing does compromise wind reduction with shading and prevention of snowdrifts.

Length of Windbreak - The most effective windbreaks are "L" shaped and include or inclose the structure when an imaginary line is drawn from one end of the windbreak to the other.4) Windbreak height - good protection is provided within ten times the height of the trees.

Spacing of windbreak plants - density of plantings for a windbreak are more affective than the number of rows. Many plantings are affectively using twin-row high density plantings where trees are planted from six to ten feet apart.

Number of rows - Any type of a windbreak provides good wind protection. A two row windbreak is better and a third shrub row helps to protect the evergreens and provides some moisture through snow drifts if planted on the windward side.

Windbreak structure - If the windbreak has plants of different heights then the most effective method is to have a wedge shape (lower to higher) on the windward side. This forces the wind up and over other structures.

To obtain your 2006 application for tree seedlings contact the Logan County Extension Office at 522-3200 or stop by 508 South 10th Ave. in Sterling.