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PLANTING AND CARING FOR TREES
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| Homeowners plant various kinds of trees on their property. They plant shade trees for protection from the sun and ornamental trees for beauty. They may also plant trees as windbreaks. Many people enjoy having fruit trees in their yard or garden to provide shade and beauty as well as fruit. |
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Trees with showy flowers, such as the catalpa and the crab apple, are popular ornamental trees in the Eastern United States. In fairly warm areas west of the Rocky Mountains, such trees as acacias and pepper trees are planted as both shade and ornamental trees. Needleleaf trees are grown as ornamentals in many parts of the United States and Canada. They also make good windbreaks. Various broadleaf trees, including cottonwoods and Lombardy poplars, are also planted as windbreaks. Apple and cherry trees are popular fruit trees in temperate climates. In warm climates, many people grow citrus trees.
Planting the tree. A tree should be planted where it will have enough room when fully grown. The soil should be fertile and should drain well so that water does not collect and drown the roots. It takes much time and effort to grow a tree from seed. Most people prefer to buy a tree at a nursery. If a nursery tree is taller than 15 feet (4.6 meters) or if its trunk is thicker than 3 inches (8 centimeters), special transplanting equipment may be needed.
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The best time to transplant a tree is when it is resting-that is, in the fall, winter, or early spring. The roots of a deciduous tree can be dug up without a covering of soil. But they must be kept moist while out of the ground. The roots of an evergreen should be dug up with a ball of soil around them. The hole for any new tree should provide room for all the roots below ground level. A small tree may need to be supported by stakes to keep the wind from blowing it over.
Caring for the tree. A young tree should be kept moderately watered until it is well rooted. It usually takes about a year for a tree to become firmly rooted. Pruning improves the shape of trees. Cutting off some of a young shade tree's lower buds will keep it from developing many low branches. But enough buds should be left so that the tree has a full, leafy crown. As the tree develops upper branches, more lower branches may be removed. |
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Contributor: Richard H. Waring, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Forest Ecology, Oregon State University. |
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