Discover Minneapolis


Choosing a Tree To Plant

Planting trees is one of the easiest yetdrainage. Young trees do best when
effective means of giving your garden orplanted in good-quality, well-drained
your yard a face-lift. Trees can provideloamy soil. Poorly-drained planting
shade during summertime and windsites will give you problems, as many
protection in winter. Aside from these,species of trees including white firs,
they can also add to the privacy of youryellowwoods, beeches, red oaks and yews
home while boosting real estate values.will not tolerate "wet feet". Avoid
There are plenty of choices if you'reareas where stagnant water pools around
planning to plant a tree. These dependroots, since this can lead to "root rot"
on the size, shape, growth habits andcaused by lack of oxygen. To test the
care needed, so choose carefully,drainage of a planting area, dig a hole
because the tree you pick will haveand fill it with water. If the water
long-lasting consequences.hasn't drained away in a couple of
When selecting a tree, the first step ishours, drainage may be an issue. In
to decide what kind of tree is suitableareas where drainage is a particular
for your property and your needs.problem, planting in raised beds of 12
Climate and soil are important factorsto 18 inches of well-drained quality
to consider. A date palm might have atopsoil may be a solution.
tough time surviving a MinneapolisSoil quality in new subdivisions often
winter. And a water-hungry willow wouldpresents tree-planting problems. The PH
starve if you're living in a perenniallylevel of the soil, and therefore its
dry climate. The tree species you arefertility, is often affected by
planning to get should be able toconstruction materials and the resulting
flourish in your local climate and soilrubble. Chemical and petroleum spills,
conditions (designated hardiness zone).which often occur during building
Matching tree to site is a key part ofconstruction, pose additional concerns.
the tree selection process. What is theIf the soil contamination is quite
size of the site on which your new treesevere, scraping away the contaminated
or trees will be situated? Will thatsoil and replacing it with good quality
spindly sapling you just bought still betopsoil may be the only answer.
able to fit after 20 or 30 years?One of the critical factors to consider,
Conversely, a willow or an oak tree,of course, is your personal taste. The
both of which grow very large whenway that your property's appearance and
mature, may be not the best tree toambience might be improved by the
plant in a small front lawn in the city.various kinds of trees should be taken
The proximity of the tree to theinto account. Make a list of the kinds
surrounding houses, buildings,of trees you admire, and think about how
sidewalks, driveways, utility lines, andthey would look in your yard or garden.
septic systems should also beConsider how your selection will fill in
considered. If a tree is not planted into the planting area over time. You can
an appropriate area, the overhangingmake some sketches to help you decide,
branches and extensive root growth mayor if you don't trust your own artistic
cause damage to nearby adjacenttalent, consult available landscape
properties and utility lines, and incurdesign software, or a landscape
you sizeable expenses in the bargain.designer.
Another issue to keep in mind is the



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