Choosing a Tree for Your Yard
Now (??) is the ideal time of year to plant a new tree.
How do you choose the right one for your yard? Tree selection and placement are important decisions you need to make to ensure that the tree will lead a healthy life, and you will reap the rewards of a beautified yard and increased property value.
Right Tree-Right Place is an age-old guideline that stresses the importance of buying the proper tree for the location. Not every type or size tree is well suited for every site. You should consider a variety of factors when selecting a type of tree, and create a property evaluation record.
Soil conditions- Does the soil drain after a rainstorm or does it remain flooded? What type of soil do you have?
Space constraints-how much space will the tree have to grow? How big will it get? What clearance is needed for sidewalks and driveways?
Tree type hardiness for our climate- Does this species typically grow in New Jersey’s climate zone?
How much sun will the tree get?
What function you want the tree to serve - Is it being planted to add beauty to your landscape? Do you want the tree to provide shade? Are you looking to create a privacy barrier?
Different trees serve many different functions. Deciduous trees, like oaks and maples, drop their leaves in the fall. When planted in the right place, they can provide shade from the summer sun which in turn cools your home. In the winter, these bare trees allow the winter’s sun to warm your home.
Many types have flowering blooms in the Spring and/or colorful leaves in the Fall. Evergreen trees stay green all year round, adding interest and color to your yard throughout the entire year. They are excellent choices for acting as a windbreak. Used in multiples, they form a good privacy screen.
A great first step is to consider hiring an experienced arborist or certified tree expert to help you identify the right tree for your yard. Share your answers to the property evaluation record you created, and encourage this expert to visit your home so they can determine the best location for the tree. Proper tree placement enhances your property and will reduce your maintenance costs. This person can help you select the right type, size and shape tree that meets the tree functions you want.
Since trees look different throughout the year, you are not always buying a tree when it is in full bloom. They can help you understand what the tree will look like throughout the year. Ask your landscaper if they have a certified tree expert on staff, or ask a local nursery to provide you with a knowledgeable tree expert when selecting your tree.
Make sure you purchase a high-quality tree. It should have a straight trunk, well-spaced branches, no wounds in the trunk and a root system that is not limited or crushed in an under-sized ball or container. A high-quality specimen improves the tree’s ability to have a long healthy life.
Trees are an investment. How well that investment grows depends on whether you’ve chosen the right tree for the right space.
How do you choose the right one for your yard? Tree selection and placement are important decisions you need to make to ensure that the tree will lead a healthy life, and you will reap the rewards of a beautified yard and increased property value.
Right Tree-Right Place is an age-old guideline that stresses the importance of buying the proper tree for the location. Not every type or size tree is well suited for every site. You should consider a variety of factors when selecting a type of tree, and create a property evaluation record.
Soil conditions- Does the soil drain after a rainstorm or does it remain flooded? What type of soil do you have?
Space constraints-how much space will the tree have to grow? How big will it get? What clearance is needed for sidewalks and driveways?
Tree type hardiness for our climate- Does this species typically grow in New Jersey’s climate zone?
How much sun will the tree get?
What function you want the tree to serve - Is it being planted to add beauty to your landscape? Do you want the tree to provide shade? Are you looking to create a privacy barrier?
Different trees serve many different functions. Deciduous trees, like oaks and maples, drop their leaves in the fall. When planted in the right place, they can provide shade from the summer sun which in turn cools your home. In the winter, these bare trees allow the winter’s sun to warm your home.
Many types have flowering blooms in the Spring and/or colorful leaves in the Fall. Evergreen trees stay green all year round, adding interest and color to your yard throughout the entire year. They are excellent choices for acting as a windbreak. Used in multiples, they form a good privacy screen.
A great first step is to consider hiring an experienced arborist or certified tree expert to help you identify the right tree for your yard. Share your answers to the property evaluation record you created, and encourage this expert to visit your home so they can determine the best location for the tree. Proper tree placement enhances your property and will reduce your maintenance costs. This person can help you select the right type, size and shape tree that meets the tree functions you want.
Since trees look different throughout the year, you are not always buying a tree when it is in full bloom. They can help you understand what the tree will look like throughout the year. Ask your landscaper if they have a certified tree expert on staff, or ask a local nursery to provide you with a knowledgeable tree expert when selecting your tree.
Make sure you purchase a high-quality tree. It should have a straight trunk, well-spaced branches, no wounds in the trunk and a root system that is not limited or crushed in an under-sized ball or container. A high-quality specimen improves the tree’s ability to have a long healthy life.
Trees are an investment. How well that investment grows depends on whether you’ve chosen the right tree for the right space.
|
by Manette Scheininger for the
Tree Preservation Commission of Westfield NJ |