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Trees Trees provide us with many things--from lumber for houses
and
furniture, to food from apples and pecans. While we may have
a
few fruit trees in our yard, the main reason we plant trees
in our
yards is for beauty or shade. Shade trees that are properly located on your property can
cut
summer utility bills by 20 percent or more. For energy
efficiency it
is best to plant deciduous trees on the west side of your
house.
Trees planted in these locations provide shade during the
intense
heat of the day. If you use deciduous trees, they=ll lose
their
leaves in the winter, allowing the sunlight in to help warm
things
up during the coldest times of the year. It will also help
if you
shade your air conditioner. This can increase the cooling
efficiency
by as much as 10%. Think about heat in the summer. Even large scale parking
lots are
opting for tree planting. And everyone fights to get the
spot in the
shade. Research has proven that there is a significant
temperature change on paved surfaces from planting a tree.
There are numerous species of trees that make great shade
trees,
from many of the oaks, (including willow oak, shumard oak,
cherrybark oak and pin oak), to tulip poplars, bald cypress,
and
even sweetgum. There is a new sweetgum on the market that
doesn't produce sweet gum balls, called >Rotundifolia.
Not only are these large trees giving us shade but they are
also
helping to clean the air. Leaves on trees absorb carbon
dioxide,
and filter pollutants from the air. They also catch airborne
dust
and dirt, and give off oxygen. Not only do they work on air
pollution, but also noise pollution. They absorb sound, and
can
create a buffer between you and a busy street. Tree roots are often blamed for many problems, but rarely
thanked for controlling erosion. The canopy of the tree
shelters
soil moisture and helps in erosion, but so do the trees
roots. Trees
planted along a riverbank can slow the water and reduce
flooding.
If you live in an area with high winds, a diverse planting
of trees
can act as a windbreak if properly planted. Think of the beauty of trees, from the massive trees fall
foliage to
smaller trees flowers. Dogwoods have been the most popular
blooming tree in Arkansas for years, but others are coming
to the
forefront now. For more sunlight look at the Kousa dogwood.
There are sweetbay magnolias, golden raintree, chinese
fringe
tree and redbud. Japanese maples are popular under story
trees
and flowering cherries and crabapples are a nice addition to
springtime color. Select a tree for your landscape based on what you need. Do
you
need and have room for a large shade tree? Do you want a
small
under story tree for color? Before you plant a tree, look
up. Make
sure power lines are not going to interfere with growth. Try
to
locate trees no closer than 15 feet from the foundation of
your
house. Check the drainage. Trees come in three ways: balled in burlap, bare root or
containerized. They also come in many sizes. Choose one that
you
can easily manage. For larger and more instant shade, there
are
now professionals with giant tree spades that can move large
trees. Container grown plants can be planted any time you
want
to. Balled in burlap trees should be planted before the heat
of
summer sets in or again in the fall. Bare root trees need to
be
planted when they are totally dormant since there is nothing
inside the plastic sleeve to sustain plant growth. When you plant your tree, be sure to plant it at the level
it is
currently growing or slightly more shallow. Work up the
planting
hole wider than necessary to encourage the roots to spread
out.
Avoid amending the soil in just the planting hole, or you
encourage the roots to stay in the planting hole. Avoid
fertilization
at planting, but do water well. Mulch around the tree to
keep
grass and weeds away which can compete with the young root
system. And continue to water once a week all season to help
the
tree get established.
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