To Tree, Or Not To Tree
By Mike Marino
Trees are natures most diligent multi-taskers when it comes to adding beauty to your homes landscaping. They also serve double duty as one of Mother Natures most potent weapons in the environmental arsenal. The beauty of trees was summed up best in the opening line of the poem "Trees" by poet Joyce Kilmer. "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree." John Denver addressed the environmental aspects in the song he wrote for the National Arbor Day Foundation when he issued a call to environmental action to "plant a tree for your tomorrow."
Including ornamental trees in your homes landscaping plans will not only add beauty and value to your property, but, the proper placement of shade trees will help reduce energy bills in the summer, and can help block the artic winds of winter to reduce heating bills.
Adding fruit and berry bearing trees into your landscaping plans will provide fresh fruit for the family, and will provide a source of nourishment and create habitat that is friendly to wildlife, including songbirds that will serenade you as you enjoy the natural beauty of Mother Nature in your own backyard. Be mindful however of the location of any underground utilities prior to planting. Roots can cause major and costly damage and will only have to be uprooted and replanted thereby adding more cost out of pocket.
Trees help the environment as well by producing oxygen, and they also absorb carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas contaminants created by our cars and power plants, stopping them before they can reach the upper atmosphere thereby helping to reduce the risk of global warming.
Sao, to tree or not to tree? That is the question. More importantly, which trees do you choose? Ornamental or functional, or a combination of both. The backyard gardener has to take a few things into consideration first. Which trees will grow best in a given climate along with soil type and condition.
Your local nursery is one good source for information on which is best for your particular needs, and you can also contact your local County Extension Agent, a local arborist, or at a local university if one is nearby that has a Master Gardner program.
You've done your research. You've decided which trees you want to plant and where to plant them on your property. Now it's time to roll up your sleeves and get down and dirty and plant the tree. There are a few basic rules that apply to the planting of any tree.
You want to plant trees in fall or early spring. The cooler weather won't stress the tree as the heat of summer conditions can do, making it easier for the tree to establish it's roots over time. Trees can be planted balled, in burlap or bare root, but, whichever you choose, be mindful of transplant shock which can reduce the speed of growth. Preparing the site carefully in advance and proper follow-up care reduces shock, and will help the tree quickly recover and establish itself.
Giving a tree a new home in you yard requires the proper size hole to place it in. The root ball itself will determine the width of the hole required. It's important for the roots to have room to grow and settle so the hole should be in the neighborhood of three times the diameter of the root ball. Extreme depth is not necessary and the hole should only be as deep as the root ball itself. By keeping it closer to the surface in broken soil will allow oxygen to reach the root system. The purpose of the wide planting hole is to break up the soil that may be compacted and not conducive to proper root growth.
By breaking up the soil, you give the roots an advantage to expand naturally so establishment of the root system is ensured. If you are planting fruit trees, you may do well to introduce a nice rich compost to the hole before placing the root ball in place. When backfilling the hole, a general rule of thumb is to fill three quarters of the hole with the existing soil you already removed to dig the hole, and one quarter with compost or composted manure. You also should take extra care when placing the tree into it's new organic home. Never lift the tree for planting by the trunk as it may loosen the ball. Instead, gently place it centered in the hole by the root ball itself.
The tree is now in place, compost for nutrients have been added, now it's time to water. Don't over water whatever you do, the tree will do well with one gallon per six inches of tree height. After watering allow the soil to settle, and it will. Then simply add more back fill to level it off and water again as this will help eliminate any air pockets that form.
Now it's time to mulch but there is a danger in over-mulching. Yes, there is such a thing! Cover the hole area with about three inches of mulch. There is a wide variety available on the market, but leaf mulch is about as organic as it gets, and you can also use shredded hardwood, but take care not to mulch too close to the tree's trunk. Mulch retains water and too much water exposure to the surface of the trunk base may cause it in time to rot. You're not building the Empire State Building with mulch either, so only layer it a few inches in depth. Mulch retains water much like a camel in the desert and it aids in keeping the weed population to a low level as weeds will compete with the tree for nutrients from the surrounding soil.
You want your tree to grow straight. It's like raising a child, you want to give them proper guidance and a tree is no different. To help "guide" the tree to a growth path of the straight and narrow, it may be necessary to stake the tree for it's first year. You can place stakes close to the tree but make sure you do not damage the bark.
If you have backyard wildlife to consider, there is the "critter factor" to take into consideration. Rabbits and other rodentia love new growth and may find your tree planting efforts worthy of what would be considered a wildlife happy meal. To keep them at bay, erect small mesh fencing around the tree base to keep Bugs Bunny and his friends at a safe distance and to protect your investment. I've heard of some who place poisons nearby to eliminate this problem, but, it's much more humane to just deny them access. Besides the trees and wildlife go together like Baseball and hotdogs so let nature, you and your wildlife neighbors live in harmony. It can be done!