This page has information on how to plant a living fence from the beginning to the end. A living fence is nothing more than a fence made out of live trees, and/or shrubs. http://dictionaryofforestry.org/dict/term/living_fence

Living fences go back thousands of years. During medieval times in Europe farmers would make a living fence to surround their livestock so that they would not wander off. Besides this the living fence also provided medicinal herbs, fruits, and flowers for them. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2007-12-01/Grow-A-Suburban-Hedgerow.aspx

Nowadays people grow living fences for numerous different reasons. Some people plant a living fence to beautify their property; others do it to increase their privacy or to identify their property boundaries to their neighbors. Whatever your reason is, there are several things to consider when planting your fence. You need to consider where to place your fence, what the purpose is of your fence, when to start planting it, how to care for it and what kind of trees or shrubs to use.

A living fence doesn't have to be planted at the same time. It can take you several years to plant your fence. This way you can keep adding different plants and shrubs of your choice as the years progress.

To plant a living fence, you will need the following items:

• Pencil and paper
• Trees & shrubs
• Gardening tools
• Mulch
• Water

Design your living fence: Before doing anything, you want to draw a rough sketch of the fence you plan on building. Make sure to pinpoint the location of the fence, what kind of trees and shrubs you want to use. http://www.landsteward.org/page.cfm/6476

Trees & Shrubs: There are many tree varieties to choose from. The best trees to pick are the ones that grow well in your area and that are small to medium in size. Visit your local nursery or garden center and get information on what kind of trees are recommended for your purpose. Try to pick some trees that grow flowers, some fruit trees and trees that grow many leaves. When picking your shrubs, make sure to keep in mind that they grow to different heights. If you want a fence that has different heights, make sure to incorporate shrubs of various lengths.

You want your shrubs to be able to grow where you plant them; therefore, you have to keep in mind what weather conditions they'll be exposed to. If the planting location is a shady or sunny area, make sure to get shrubs that do well in those conditions. Your garden center can also advice you, which shrubs work well. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2007-12-01/Grow-A-Suburban-Hedgerow.aspx?page=3

Now that you have your blue print of the living fence and you’ve decided on which trees, and shrubs are suitable for the area you want to plant your living fence in. Now you can actually start building your living fence. Make sure to start planting when the ground is not frozen. Late summer or early fall are the ideal periods.

1. Before planting your trees and shrubs make sure to think ahead to when they will be fully grown. You want the branches to mix somewhat so that they form the fence. Space planting locations closer than you normally would so the branches will mix. Pruning trees is not necessary.
2. Make sure the soil you use is of good quality. Water the soil, because you want it to be moist. Aim for a pH of 6-6.5. The range can vary depending on the trees you plant. Check with your local nursery because they can also give you a test kit with full instructions on how to test soil pH. http://www.avocado.org/about/growing-avocado
3. Plant your trees and shrubs by digging a hole. Cover the root ball so that only 1 inch is left to stick out of the ground. If your tree comes in a container, remove it and plant it similar to the root ball.
4. Place mulch around the tree and continue with your next tree or shrub. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/TreePtg.html

You've planted your trees and shrubs according to your blue print. Now you just need to know how to take care of them. Keep an eye on your trees. If the leaves look wilted, and the soil feels dry, make sure to give it water. When watering your trees, make sure to give it plenty because you want the water to reach the roots. Mulch on the soil can help hold onto moisture and it also helps to prevent weeds. If you do see some weeds appearing, pull them out immediately. Your fence needs full sunlight to thrive.

As for fertilizer, freshly planted trees and shrubs don't necessarily need fertilizer. However, it could be that they will need some in future. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/TreePtg.html Once your fence is fully grown it might increase your property value. Landscaping that looks professional or done by professional often increases values. http://gardens.bobvila.com/Article/873.html