 | John Harrison is the Owner/Operator of In the Garden in Pittsburg. For more information or to reach John please call 620-231-4545. |
Lawn, Garden & Landscaping
2012-10-02 15:08:05
Tree planting time!
Q- Is it ok to plant a tree in the fall?
A- Fall is the time to plant trees. There are many good shade trees to choose from. Maples and Oaks make up the majority of shade trees in our area but several other species work well also. Why is fall a good time? When you plant in the fall there is still time for the tree to root out and when spring arrives, whether it’s March or April, the tree is already planted and has a jump on the summer. That does not mean you cannot plant a tree in spring, you just have to take more care of it for it to survive the first summer. I like Maple trees because you typically get great fall color and they are faster growing. Fall color tends to be red on most varieties, but some will be orange and yellow. Sometimes if the weather is right you might get a tree to turn all three colors.
Oaks are another great shade tree. A little slower growing than the maples but they tend to be a stronger tree in most instances. You do not get the color of the maples but my favorite is Northern Red Oak as it has reliable red fall color and faster growing than most Oaks. Other shade trees that work well in our area are bald cypress, sycamore, willow, and river birch. Ornamental trees for our area would be dogwood, redbud, flowering pear, flowering peach, and crab apples. With the great temperature we have been having and some rain, get out there and plant that tree you have been wanting.
