“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”
~ Khalil Gibran
A cool breeze blows through the shading leaves of a tall tree while a bird sits sheltered high up in the colorful foliage, resting from its flight and taking in the view. Fall fruits are displayed in the surrounding canopy and are occasionally snatched by wildlife to satisfy hunger or the need for winter storage. Leaving behind tight new buds waiting for their springtime show, old leaves shake, rattle and are released to cascade down through the crisp air to rest on a soft forest floor, where they provide an insulating layer for little lives in the soil, such as insects, frogs and turtles. With winter’s onset, sap stills and ceases to flow while life is sustained in wooded hollows where warm nests and secret nut stashes may be found.
“A forest is a living thing like a human body…each part dependent on all the other parts. A forest needs its birds, its beaver…all its animals and plants.” ~ Louis L’Amour
Trees sustain much life in nature and provide benefits to us as well. They provide many types of food, from fleshy fruits and other nuts to flowers and seed pods, leaves and roots (some of which serve us as spices, medicine, dyestuffs, and other useful products). They host a great variety of insect life, which many birds and mammals eat. Broad leaves, branches and hollows in tree trunks offer protective shelter and homes for many wild species, while their well-anchored roots slow stormwater and prevent soil erosion. Trees also provide much natural beauty and interest in the landscape.
In the shade of a tree, air temperature is typically lower by a good ten degrees Fahrenheit. Trees act as windbreaks and noise reducers, and take in carbon dioxide through their respiratory processes, releasing oxygen and helping to alleviate greenhouse effects. They filter harmful dust and pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide from the air we breathe. They are known for alleviating “urban heat island effect” through evaporative cooling and reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches pavement and buildings.
These are just a few of the beneficiary attributes of trees. Trees also make life nicer and spending time with them has been shown to reduce stress and calm the mind. Most of us sense that taking a walk in a forest is good for us, but scientific research has proven it. Visiting trees has real, quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical. When we breathe in fresh air, we also breathe in “phytoncides,” airborne chemicals that trees and other plants give off to protect themselves from insects. These natural chemicals have antibacterial and antifungal qualities which help plants fight disease, but they also boost our immune systems. (Journal of Environmental Health & Preventive Medicine, January 2010)
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” ~ John Muir
It’s good to spend time with a tree or go walking in a forest! Hopefully you have some trees you can visit in your yard or growing in your neighborhood, but you could also head to a local nature park or botanical garden, or walk along the miles of greenways our area has to offer…although better yet, why not plant a tree (in the ground or in a large pot)! Greening up your own landscape has many benefits to you, your community, and your neighbors in nature!
Autumn is the best time to plant trees, especially during the months of October and November in central NC. Planting in fall gives trees an extra growing season before the stress of summertime sets in. Cooler temperatures and rain allow trees to establish their roots and get some growing time in, making it easier for them to adjust later to extreme summer heat and drought. As it states on the arbordayblog.org/treeplanting/ webpage, “Spring can be a great time of year to plant, depending on where you live. But fall may be more ideal for your trees.”
Fall planting results in trees having stronger root systems and they require less maintenance. Trees can be planted until the ground is frozen solid (or until you can’t stick a spade into the ground), which usually happens after the first hard frost. Most trees go dormant in the winter, slowing down their growth, energy consumption, and metabolism and thus they shouldn’t require any extra care at that time. Evergreens like hollies, magnolias and pines do not completely go dormant like deciduous trees, but their thin needles or waxy leaves do undergo seasonal changes.
“Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking.” ~ Wangari Maathai.
Before planting a tree, it is a good idea to evaluate the space you have available and to consider how large your new tree might become, given optimal conditions. If you suspect there might be underground utility lines, call 811 before you dig as they can check this for you for free.
Consider how much sunlight, shade, and moisture the tree will receive, and what the quality of your soil might be (you can get it tested through the NC Cooperative Extension Service). If the soil quality is poor, you might want to mix in 10 to 20 percent compost with the original soil you use to fill in around the root ball of the newly planted tree.
When planting, it’s a good idea to add a ring of mulch around the base of your tree (it can help to catch rainwater later), but do not pile it up against the trunk as this can cause the trunk to crack and rot, attract insects and other pests, and/or result in roots growing up through the mulch in search of air. During the fall, newly planted trees should be watered right after planting, even if it’s cold outside. Additional watering may also be needed. Use a trowel to dig a 1-inch hole and feel the soil around the tree—if it’s moist to the touch, watering is not necessary. Watering needs vary depending on a tree’s size, species, climate, and location.
There are many varieties of trees to choose from…so, which ones should you plant? Native tree species are a good idea since they are naturally adapted to our local climate, are hardy and able to withstand weather extremes when properly sited and cared for, and they provide great resources to native wildlife such as butterflies, beneficial insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and other species. If you do decide to plant a non-native species, make sure it’s not an invasive species which can spread quickly and displace native plants, prevent native plant growth, and create monocultures.
According to the NC Native Plant Society, using native plants “helps restore the character of the land and places fewer demands on resources.” Nesting habitat and important nuts and acorns are provided by beech, oak, and hickory trees while “in the winter, evergreen trees like American holly, white pine and hemlocks provide important shelter and food.” Fall migrating birds depend on “high-energy fruits from flowering dogwood, spicebush, and Virginia creeper.” The purple-black berries of black gum trees are high in crude fat, fiber, phosphorous, and calcium, making them quite attractive to small mammals and birds, and they are one of the first trees to change foliage color in the autumn (they turn an intense red fall color with hues of orange, yellow, and purple)—it’s a wonderful selection for home landscapes.
Trees which are native to North Carolina may be purchased at a variety of nurseries. The NC Forest Service maintains a list of these businesses, their locations, and contact information at www.ncforestservice.gov/urban/pdf/NurseriesSellingNativeTrees.pdf. The Forest Service also maintains a website regarding urban and community forestry, containing useful information on trees and storms, grant programs, Arbor Day, tree care and management, and much more at www.ncforestservice.gov/Urban/Urban_Forestry.htm,
Come spring, trees awaken from their winter slumber and open their overwintering leaf buds to the world, revealing beautiful pastel colors that seem like a sneak peek of the autumn foliage display, in light green, bright yellow, pink blushes and purple glows. Then they unfurl their new leaves in preparation for the warm, sunlit months of summer and the verdant veil of lush foliage fills in for everyone to benefit from and enjoy. The act of planting a tree is a gift to us all.
“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only own a shovel.” ~ Aldo Leopold
