Trees: Proper care yields big benefits
Trees provide many economic and environmental benefits to the world, making tree planting and preservation an important task for earth-conscious people and communities.
With many states and communities preparing to hold Arbor Day festivities April 25, various service groups are turning their attention to planting millions of new trees to celebrate the day.
“Unfortunately, almost all of them die,” said Susan Lilly, educational goods and services director for the International Society of Arboriculture in Champaign, Ill.
Of the trees planted on Arbor Day, most of which are small seedling trees with little root growth, about 90 percent do not survive, she said.
The trees die for many reasons, she said. Environmental elements, such as grass and weeds, often overpower the trees, and others are simply forgotten or cut down accidentally by lawn mowers.
The best way to correct this, she said, is to plant slightly larger trees, with at least a 1½-inch trunk base and a larger root system. These trees will have a greater chance at survival and will be able to grow into mature trees.
But it’s also important not to plant a tree that is too big, said Steve Schwab, city arborist in Lincoln, Neb.
Schwab said transporting a tree with a larger trunk base will cause the loss of about 80 percent of its roots during the process. It would take that tree about five or six years to rebuild the roots it had before the move, he said.
In comparison, he said, trees with a base of about 2 inches will retain more of their roots and grow to be as big as larger-trunk trees in the same time frame.
“You’ve invested less money, but in five years, you’ll have a larger tree,” he said.
After planting the tree, Schwab said, proper maintenance is important to ensure it survives and grows. The easiest way to do this, he said, is to properly water the tree.
When watering, turn the water on so it trickles through the hose, he said. Have the water run so it reaches the drip line of the tree, which is the distance the branches and roots extend beyond the trunk. Although watering close to the base is somewhat helpful, watering farther away will ensure more roots are able to absorb the water.
Another good practice is to put mulch around a tree to help it maintain moisture and protect the tree from other elements, such as weeds and grass, that are competing for the same nutrients.
It’s also important, Lilly said, for communities to make a practice of taking better care of existing trees because the benefits from larger, mature trees can reap greater returns for communities.
For example, home and business owners who strategically plant trees can expect to cut their heating and cooling costs throughout the year.
In the summer months, tree shade along windows and walls can reduce air conditioning costs by 50 percent, according to the American Public Power Association.
In addition, the same trees that provide shade in the summer provide wind barriers in the winter, reducing heating costs by 20 percent to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
The best place to plant trees for energy efficiency, Schwab said, is on the west and south sides of buildings.
And when it comes to picking the breed of tree, Lilly said, few trees can universally survive in all parts of the nation.
Reach Laura Chapman at lchapman@journalstar.com.
With many states and communities preparing to hold Arbor Day festivities April 25, various service groups are turning their attention to planting millions of new trees to celebrate the day.
“Unfortunately, almost all of them die,” said Susan Lilly, educational goods and services director for the International Society of Arboriculture in Champaign, Ill.
Of the trees planted on Arbor Day, most of which are small seedling trees with little root growth, about 90 percent do not survive, she said.
The trees die for many reasons, she said. Environmental elements, such as grass and weeds, often overpower the trees, and others are simply forgotten or cut down accidentally by lawn mowers.
The best way to correct this, she said, is to plant slightly larger trees, with at least a 1½-inch trunk base and a larger root system. These trees will have a greater chance at survival and will be able to grow into mature trees.
But it’s also important not to plant a tree that is too big, said Steve Schwab, city arborist in Lincoln, Neb.
Schwab said transporting a tree with a larger trunk base will cause the loss of about 80 percent of its roots during the process. It would take that tree about five or six years to rebuild the roots it had before the move, he said.
In comparison, he said, trees with a base of about 2 inches will retain more of their roots and grow to be as big as larger-trunk trees in the same time frame.
“You’ve invested less money, but in five years, you’ll have a larger tree,” he said.
After planting the tree, Schwab said, proper maintenance is important to ensure it survives and grows. The easiest way to do this, he said, is to properly water the tree.
When watering, turn the water on so it trickles through the hose, he said. Have the water run so it reaches the drip line of the tree, which is the distance the branches and roots extend beyond the trunk. Although watering close to the base is somewhat helpful, watering farther away will ensure more roots are able to absorb the water.
Another good practice is to put mulch around a tree to help it maintain moisture and protect the tree from other elements, such as weeds and grass, that are competing for the same nutrients.
It’s also important, Lilly said, for communities to make a practice of taking better care of existing trees because the benefits from larger, mature trees can reap greater returns for communities.
For example, home and business owners who strategically plant trees can expect to cut their heating and cooling costs throughout the year.
In the summer months, tree shade along windows and walls can reduce air conditioning costs by 50 percent, according to the American Public Power Association.
In addition, the same trees that provide shade in the summer provide wind barriers in the winter, reducing heating costs by 20 percent to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
The best place to plant trees for energy efficiency, Schwab said, is on the west and south sides of buildings.
And when it comes to picking the breed of tree, Lilly said, few trees can universally survive in all parts of the nation.
Reach Laura Chapman at lchapman@journalstar.com.
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