If you’re like me and aim to plant a tree for Arbor Day on April 26th or another time this year, I’d like to offer a few ideas to consider.
As I write this, Arbor Day is a month away and with that in mind, I’ve been thinking of where I could plant trees this year. I’ll plant a peach tree in the one sunny spot on my property with the hope it catches just enough sunlight to bear fruit in the summers ahead. I also have several bur oak saplings that I’ll rescue from an indoor potted Bush Lily (I didn’t plant the acorns – a squirrel did that work for me, sometime last fall before we brought our plants indoors). I may also pick up a few other saplings from our State DNR nursery here in town as I like to plant a few Iowa natives in my small woodland patch. I’m thinking Serviceberry or Redbud this year.
If you’re like me and aim to plant a tree for Arbor Day on April 26th or another time this year, I’d like to offer a few ideas to consider.
Go native. Choose species native to your local area as it’s evolved to adapt to your climate, weather, and soil conditions. Compared with non-native species there’s less risk of it taking over and proliferating to the point it becomes a problem. Check with your local nurseries, conservation agencies, and departments of natural resources for native trees (and shrubs). You may be able to buy higher quantities of smaller seedlings for very reasonable prices. Here, our state nursery sells many species for around a dollar per tree, in bundles of 25. These are great for large planting areas or filling in gaps in a woodland, but they are smaller barerooted plants. At other times of the year, you may be able to pick up larger trees (6 feet or taller) planted in containers. Again, in my area, these are often sold at reasonable prices.
Give it room to grow. Confirm the mature size of the tree by checking with the nursery or finding the information from a credible resource online. State conservation and natural resource agencies are a good source as are botanic gardens and arboreta in your area. If you want to dive deeper into your botanical exploration, check out the USDA’s PLANTS database (https://plants.usda.gov/home). Plant it accordingly and space it away from structures and utility lines so it won’t interfere with these.
Call before you dig. Of course, be sure to locate underground utilities before you’re ready to plant. And plant a proper hole for your tree. As the adage goes, it’s better to dig a ten-dollar hole for a one-dollar plant, than the other way around.
Think about the seasons. Where you can, plant a tree or shrub that provides seasonal interest throughout the year with showy flowers, bold fall colors, and interesting bark patterns and color. In my area, the Serviceberry checks many of these boxes with its great spring flowers and fall color, and consistent berries for the squirrels (and me if I can beat them to it). Check with your local nurseries, or conservation and resource agencies to find the right tree for your site!
As I sign off here, I think I’ll do the same and see what bargains I can get from the State Nursery. Happy planting!
~Tom Neppl
