Planting trees is an easy and effective way to beautify your property. Trees can provide shade during summertime and protect you from harsh, chilly winds in the winter. Aside from these, they can enhance privacy all while increasing real estate values at the same time. Because there is so much variation in size, shape, growth habits and care requirements, the type of tree you choose for your landscape will have repercussions for years to come.

The first step in tree selection is to determine the type of tree appropriate for your property and your needs. Climate and soil play big roles. For example, if you plant a date palm, it might have difficulty surviving the winter season in Chicago. And a water-hungry willow would starve if you’re living in a perennially dry climate. Make sure that the tree species you are considering should be able to flourish in your local climate and soil conditions (designated hardiness zone).

Another important factor in selecting a tree is matching it to the surrounding locality. What is the size of the site on which your new tree or trees will be situated? How big will that spindly three-foot sapling be in 30 or 40 years? Conversely, a willow or an oak tree, both of which grow very large when mature, may be not the best tree to plant in a small front lawn in the city. A crucial factor to consider is proximity to buildings, sidewalks, driveways, streets, utility lines, overhead and buried, and septic systems. If a tree is not planted in an appropriate area, the overhanging branches and extensive root growth may cause damage to nearby adjacent properties and utility lines, and incur you sizeable expenses in the bargain.

Another issue to keep in mind is the drainage. Young trees do best when planted in good-quality, well-drained loamy soil. Poorly-drained planting sites will give you problems, as many species of trees including white firs, yellowwoods, beeches, red oaks and yews will not tolerate “wet feet”. Avoid areas where stagnant water pools around roots, since this can lead to “root rot” caused by lack of oxygen. To test the drainage of a planting area, dig a hole and fill it with water. After a couple of hours, the water should have drained away. If not, you may have problems with drainage. In areas where drainage is a particular problem, you can plant trees in raised beds of 12 to 18 inches of good quality topsoil to solve the problem.

Soil quality in new subdivisions often presents tree-planting problems. The PH level of the soil, and therefore its fertility, is often affected by construction materials and the resulting rubble. The chemical and petroleum spills which take place during building construction also present additional worries. In cases where soil contamination is severe, scraping away the contaminated soil and replacing it with good quality topsoil may be the only answer.

One of the critical factors to consider, of course, is your personal taste. The way that your property’s appearance and ambience might be improved by the various kinds of trees should be taken into account. It’s recommended to create a list of all the trees you want or like, and think about how they would look in your yard or garden. Think about how the tree you selected would fill in the property over time. Make a few sketches, or if you don’t have confidence in your artistic talent, consult available landscape design software, or a landscape designer.

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