Introduction
Trees are like the bones of your landscape. They define it and give structure to it. That’s why choosing the wrong tree can be very detrimental and become an expensive mistake in the future. If you need help with jazzing up your landscape with new trees or shrubs, you may search for “tree service near me” and hire professionals for the job. Let’s check out how you can choose the right tree for your landscape:
The Details
- Choose a tree by its size – While planting a tree most people consider many things. However, they often fail to envision how their property would look when the tree is fully matured. Trees are sold in small containers in their infancy. During that stage, they are a fraction of their full-grown height and width. Apart from the height, you also need to figure out the spread and shape of the fully matured tree while buying it.
The tree may look great at the moment in a small container. However, when it fully matures and grows to its potential, it can easily out shadow your existence if you’re not careful. Moreover, you also need to make sure that the height of the fully matured tree doesn’t make contact with power lines. Otherwise, you have to chop it down. Considering the root system is also very important. You don’t want the roots to spread and get intertwined with the gas or septic lines.
- Think about your needs – While choosing a tree for the landscape, you need to figure out how it fits into your existing landscape and the purpose it may serve. You may need to do weeks or months of research. Walk around the property and look at the available space for a tree and the existing trees on your property.
Maybe you want to add more shade to make your home more power-efficient and make a cool micro-climate for the hot summer season. You may want the tree to add some privacy as well. Some people prefer aesthetics and prioritize trees that can bloom in the spring or fall season and make their property the envy of the neighborhood. You may also want a tree that makes your landscape livelier by attracting more birds and pollinators.
Do your research and list down trees that fit each purpose you need. After that, you can narrow down your choices to trees that fit most of your needs sorted according to your priority. You’ll need to repeat this method of filtering your choices to come up with the best tree for your landscape.
- Consider local climate and terrain – You need to figure out the hardiness zone you live in. The USDA has created a plant hardiness zone map and divided the country into several zones. This map tells you which trees can survive during winter in your region. There’s also the heat zone map created by the American Horticultural Society that tells you about the trees that can survive severe summer temperatures in your region.
These two maps help you narrow down the list of trees for your landscape. After you’re done with the local temperature, you need to figure out the growing conditions on your property. How much light does your property receive and what’s the natural amount of moisture throughout the year? Some trees need several hours of sunlight to grow to their full potential while others flourish in partial shade.
When you know the local growing conditions and climate, you can shrink the list of suitable trees for your landscape and work from there. If there’s something wrong with the soil it can always be fixed. You can add compost to change its fertility, texture, and drainage. The water needs of the tree can also be met with an efficient irrigation system. However, you should avoid getting trees that aren’t suitable for the local climate. The tree would inevitably die, and you’ll be forced to start all over again.
- Evergreen vs Deciduous Trees – When you consider trees for your landscape, you’ll often find yourself choosing between these two types. Both types have their own strengths and weaknesses, and you may prefer the types that suit your needs or fit right in with other trees in the landscape. For instance, you don’t want one deciduous tree standing like a bone during the fall season among evergreens.
Those who have privacy as their main priority often end up choosing evergreens due to their thick and year-long foliage. Deciduous trees are completely “naked” for a few months and that may not be preferable if you don’t want strangers gazing into your home. On the other hand, evergreens also have heavy nutritional requirements to maintain that green cover throughout the year.
With deciduous plants, you may not need to do a lot of composting or crop rotation for maintaining soil fertility. It is fairly low maintenance compared to evergreens. To keep your landscape looking the way you want, you need to provide sufficient care for your trees. That’s why you need to assess your level of commitment before adding a tree.
- Outdoor Living – Trees add to the landscape, the value of your property and become an integral part of your home. That’s why you may consider how the space around the tree may be used for outdoor living. If you want a patio around the tree, you may want to avoid tree varieties that are known for dropping a lot of smelly fruits, twigs, and leaves. You also need to consider the natural tree that’s going to be created by the tree if you plan to create an outdoor living space under it.
Conclusion
There are several factors that go into narrowing the perfect tree for your landscape. From its height and shape to the type of tree, your local climate and soil, and more. After you narrow down your choices, you can search for “tree service near me” and hire reputed professionals near you to build your landscape the way you want.
