All trees are not created equal. Knowing that you want to have trees in your yard, and knowing WHICH trees you want in your yard are two different things. Deciding which types of trees to fill your yard with is an important decision, and choosing carefully can make the difference between being happily satisfied with your trees and being frustrated by them. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a home whose yard is already full of tress, and you would love to add some arboreal beauty to your garden, but you’re not sure which tree is the best fit for you, we can help. There are a variety of aspects of your trees that you will want to consider before you go out and buy new saplings.
Choose a Tree for Your Climate
Here in Cincinnati, we are on the southern border of what’s considered a humid continental climate zone. This means we generally have hot, humid summers and cold winters. When you’re choosing a tree for your Ohio yard, you wouldn’t want to choose a tree that thrives only in the heat, one that can’t handle sub-freezing temperatures, or one that would be overly sensitive to humidity. You want to be realistic when you’re choosing a new tree for your yard — don’t pick a desert dwelling species for your Ohio home.
Choose a Tree That Fits in Your Space
Not all trees want to be the same size! Trees are not goldfish — they don’t grow to fit the space that they have available to them and then stop. Some trees are naturally smaller at full growth, some will continue growing to great heights throughout their lifetime. Be realistic about the space you have, obstacles you need to contend with (buildings, power lines, roadways, sidewalks) and make your choice accordingly. Otherwise, you may be in the situation of having to sadly decide to remove an otherwise healthy tree just because it has grown too big for its space.
Choose for Maintenance
This is one of the biggest reality-checks you’ll need to make in your tree purchase process. How much maintenance are you prepared to do on your trees? How much raking do you want to do in the fall? How often are you committed to pruning your trees (or having your trees pruned by a tree service company)? Don’t get a tree that doesn’t fit with your lifestyle and your yard maintenance personality and budget. Better to make a practical choice that won’t have you kicking yourself down the road.
Choose for Shade (or Not)
Some trees provide more shade than others, and you’ll want to choose one that meets your needs in this way, too. Shade-producing trees can lower your summer energy bills by keeping your home cool, but they also block sunlight from reaching your lawn, sometimes leaving dirt patches around their trunks. If your focus is on shade, choose a tree with large leaves and a wide canopy. If shade isn’t your goal — or maybe you actively prefer to NOT block the summer sun from streaming in your windows — you might opt for an evergreen tree, or one with sparser branches or smaller leaves.
Choose for Health
Before making a new sapling purchase, check with your local tree service to find out which species are currently battling against pests or disease. (Buying beech trees in Ohio at the current time might not be the best choice, for example.)
Choose for Aesthetics
You should definitely consider what you want your tree to look like when it’s all grown up, too. Do you want vibrant fall foliage? What about gorgeous spring blossoms? Or are you envisioning festooning it with lights in the holiday season? It’s completely okay to choose a tree just because you like the look of it! Just make sure you’re considering the other factors listed here, too, so you don’t end up regretting your choice.
Choose a Native Species
Choosing a tree that originally evolved in your area is one of the easiest shortcuts to choosing the right tree for your yard. A tree that is native to your area is probably going to thrive in your current climate, have a level of hardy resistance to pests and disease that are common in your area, and fit in with the aesthetic of the region. Plus, you won’t have to carry any guilt about damage your tree might be doing to the local ecosystem. Choosing a native species is absolutely the best way to go.
Now that you know what you should consider when choosing a new tree, how do you know which new type of tree would be best for you? Get in touch with your local tree service company — here in Cincinnati, that’s us here at Tree Images — and we can help to guide you to a great choice based on your needs and preferences. And while we’re at it, we can help you come up with a plan for healthily maintaining your new trees, along with any older ones you are already lucky enough to have in your yard.
