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Planting Trees in Your Home LandscapePlanting trees can add so much to your home landscape. Trees provide shade, clean air, and habitat for wildlife, and increase your property value. Here are some planting tips followed by a tree planting video.
If properly located and planted, trees can help control energy costs. A large shade tree planted on the southwest side of the house can provide cooling shade in the summer, helping reduce air conditioning costs. After the leaves fall, the winter sun can warm your house on cold winter days. Evergreen trees, planted to block cold winter winds, can help reduce winter heating costs. Have you wondered what you could do to reduce greenhouse gases? Planting trees will help! Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that plants take of the air and use in photosynthesis. Also, the wood and living tissues of trees store carbon. When leaves fall and are composted, the carbon improves the quality of the soil for plant growth. Trees also provide shelter and food for a variety of wildlife. While installing bird feeders can attract birds to your yard, providing them with nearby trees and shrubs to escape danger, build nests, and obtain food will be even more effective. Squirrels and other small mammals use trees for nesting sites and food sources. When selecting trees, consider what food value they may offer to the wildlife in your community. Before planting, check local regulations on placement of trees. Some communities have ordinances that restrict placement of trees within a specified distance of a street, sidewalk, streetlight, or utilities. Before digging, make sure you know where all underground utilities are located. Video - Tree Planting
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