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tl;dr I’d like to put a living fence/hedgerow between my house and my neighbor’s, where I used to have a bunch of big trees and am looking for advice. I’m in zone 8a/7b, in southern coastal Delaware.

A few years back, I had to have a big row of leyland cypress trees taken out. They were planted way too close together 20-something years ago, long before I moved in. They were thin at the bottom, and getting really top-heavy up high – a few of them were starting to lean and we could see the root ball bulging up in the ground. So out they came. I had the stumps ground down but you can obviously still tell where they were.

We thought about putting in a fence but that involves a.) getting the HOA involved, and b.) a lot of money. Instead, what I’d like to do is put in some kind of living fence or hedge row between our houses for a little privacy – mostly in the summer time. I’d like it to be something that can look nice-ish/tidy-ish, produce something useful (fruit, vegetable, nuts, etc) or be medicinal, and (obviously) something native. I don’t want to plant anything that will grow as tall as those leyland cypress, but I’d like something that can get 6ft+. I don’t mind using wire or trellising or whatever to help it grow to a desirable shape.

I’ve seen some really cool pictures online of willow fences, but I don’t want to mess with willow for several reasons. But I’d like something I can weave and keep tidy like that – at least somewhat. Is that an unrealistic idea/expectation?

Here’s a picture of the space

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This photo faces north, so the long part of a hedge/fence would face west and get quite a bit of direct sun from the afternoon until sunset.

Eventually, I want to rip out most of our current landscaping and replace with native and edible plants… but this is a good starting place.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Hey, so we just moved and there’s this nasty stream behind the house, clogged with leaves and branches. We tried raking it but it’s endless! Any ideas on how to clean it easier? Thanks!

This is the first year for these blackberries after being transplanted. Should I trim all the berries off of this so it can focus on roots, or is that not necessary in this instance? Thanks all!!

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Hey folks— I’m an undergrad researcher working on a soil biology project that looks at how partially spent mushroom substrate (mostly oyster) influences soil regeneration. I used a basic CO₂ meter inside sealed containers to test microbial respiration over time—comparing substrate-amended soil to untreated control soil.

The results? The SMS-treated soil consistently showed higher microbial activity (aka more CO₂ release), even when nutrients like nitrates and pH began to shift. I’m now connecting this with mycelial memory, carbon cycling, and regenerative soil strategies.

This was all part of a student research expo—so I kept it DIY: no $10K lab gear, just solid methodology and consistency. The community’s feedback has been incredible so far, and it’s made me realize how much untapped potential there is in using SMS not just as waste, but as a real soil amendment tool.

I’m sharing this in case: • You’ve ever tossed your substrate and wondered what else it could do • You’re working with compost, degraded soils, or garden amendments • You’re interested in fungi beyond fruiting—into their ecological legacy

Would love to hear if any of you are using SMS like this—or want to. I’ve attached my poster + visuals if anyone’s curious. Happy to chat!

-This has me thinking a lot about fungal succession, myco-composting, and what a low-cost, high-impact soil renewal system could look like on degraded land. Would love feedback from anyone who’s used fungal material to kickstart soil recovery.