Hedges: Will a geo-textile prevent my cedar hedge from growing through the chain link fence?

Hi
My husband and I are considering planting a cedar hedge next to the chain link fence in our backyard (the chain link fence separating us from our neighbour is five feet high and twenty feet in length). We have sourced out a supplier and would like to plant 6 ft tall Ontario Eastern White cedars about one foot apart in order to gain more privacy for our backyard.

We have spoken to our neighbour and he is very concerned that any cedars we plant will grow through the chain link fence onto his side, and potentially affect him (and the plants on his side), so he has asked us to plant the trees further away from the chain link fence. We read that it's best to plant the trees as close to the fence as possible to minimize weeds and grass from growing in the space between the cedars and the fence, so to satisfy our neighbour, we would consider securing a black geo-textile against our side of the chain link fence to prevent the cedar hedge from growing through the chain link and then we would trim the cedars back each season to keep them from growing too wide (beyond the height of the chain link fence, onto our neighbour's side of the fence). Will a geo-textile against the fence hurt the cedars in any way and more importantly, will it work to prevent the cedars from growing through the height of the chain link fence?

This will affect our decision as to whether or not we go with cedars or with a different type of privacy fencing, although we would really love a natural solution.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Re: Will a geo-textile prevent my cedar hedge from growing through the chain link fen

Do not plant them against the fence, that is not sound advice. In time (perhaps immediately) it would look hideous. I would think weeds would be more attractive than landscape fabric hanging from a fence. Thuja occidentalis has many cultivars, do you know which one you are looking to get?

tj