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Growing trees for shade, for beauty, for lifeBy Ryan CampbellNews-Sentinel Staff Writer Most families today have less space for planting trees, fewer places to put them and less time to maintain them. So you’ll need to do some homework before picking the perfect leafy addition to your home. All deciduous trees require some maintenance, whether it be raking the leaves of a chestnut tree or pruning the high branches of a pear tree. Try to choose a tree that suits tastes and your physical prowess. One trick is to take note of the trees in your neighborhood and plant something different. This has two benefits: It will help prevent the transmission of common tree diseases and it will distinguish your home from those around you. You can expect slow growing trees like oak, ash, maple and ginkgo to be more healthy, resistant to pests and last for generations. The only problem is that you’ll have to wait several years before your puny sapling becomes a tolerable timber. If you want to see results in a short time frame try planting honey locust, Chinese tallow or willow. These trees will grow tall in just a few years. Most quick growing trees shed more twigs and debris in their lifetimes and in general are less sturdy than trees that take their time to grow. Permanently small trees like cut-leaf Japanese Maple and carob are quick growing, are perfect for ornate landscaping projects and require little maintenance. Just don’t expect to hang a tire swing from their boughs. Apple, orange and lemon trees look nice, produce colorful blooms and often have a pleasant fragrance. Fruit trees, however, often require a lot more maintenance, so it helps if you like to eat the fruit you’ll spend hours picking up off the ground. PlantingThe easiest way to plant a new arboreal addition at home is to start with bagged sapling. These small trees begin life in a nursery and are available in numerous varieties at nearby home improvement stores. Dig a hole at least twice the size of the trees root system. For trees that will grow over 10 feet tall, be sure to place them at least 15 feet away from building foundations or cement driveways to avoid damage from growing roots. Roots are often gnarled and clumped together and need to be gently loosened prior to being placed in the ground. Work soil in around the roots while periodically packing it down to eliminate air pockets. The hole should be filled with earth until it is level with the ground. Be sure to soak the ground around new trees thoroughly with water every three or four days if there is no rain. With a little patience, you’ll have it made in the shade before you know it. [an error occurred while processing this directive] |
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