Planting trees in your yard is one way to increase curb appeal and raise the value of your home. Choosing which type of tree to plant will depend on several factors. Certain types of trees are bad choices because they are susceptible to disease. Other trees can have shallow and invasive root systems, which make it hard to mow and can become a problem if they grow into pipes or sidewalks. Doing some research about the type of tree you are planning to plant will help you avoid these problems, and ensure the new tree will enhance your yard rather than cause problems.
Why Plant Trees
We often think of environmental reasons for planting trees, or of how the tree will increase the value of a home. These are both good reasons to plant trees, but planting trees can also provide energy saving benefits. It will take a few years for a young tree to grow large enough to cast shade on your home, but once it is grown the shade provides a cooling effect which lowers energy bills because the air conditioning system won’t have to work so hard to keep the house cool.
Good Trees For the Lawn
The best trees for your lawn will grow well in your specific climate, resist disease, and not have aggressive root systems or messy fruit that drops on the lawn. The Texas Tree Selector is a good website to start your search. The advanced option recommends trees based on the county you’ll be planting the tree in, soil conditions, available space, and desired size of tree. Here are a few good trees to get your search started.
- Cedar elms are tough, adaptable trees. Their mature height is 40-60 feet tall and 30-40 feet wide. These trees grow well in poor and heavy soil, can tolerate wet conditions, and are drought resistant. Unlike many elm varieties, cedar elm resists Dutch elm disease.
- If you’re looking for an ornamental tree, Texas redbuds and Mexican redbuds are a great choice. They bloom in the spring and have few disease problems.
- Ginkgo trees are slow growing, so they are not a good choice if you want a quick shade tree, but their unique fan-shaped leaf makes them a good ornamental choice. When purchasing a ginko tree, make sure to buy a male so it won’t produce smelly, messy fruit.
- Live oaks are a good shade tree with few pest problems which will tolerate a variety of soil conditions. They are also resistant to wind damage. However, live oaks will produce large amounts of acorns that need cleaned off the lawn in the fall.
Tree Pruning
Richardson Saw & Lawnmower stocks a wide variety of tree care tools for professional arborists and homeowners. Corona tools are a good choice for quality pruning equipment. Tree pruning is usually done in the winter while deciduous trees are dormant. Flowering trees can be pruned during the growing season, right after the flowers have finished blooming. Proper pruning helps maintain the health of your tree, and can prevent dead or dying branches from causing damage when they fall.
Trees are an energy saving, environmentally friendly addition to your yard which can also increase the value of your home. Choosing a disease-resistant tree that will grow well in your location, and caring for the tree with proper pruning techniques will provide a nice addition to your home that will in all likelihood grow well for many years to come.
