Money Trees!

Plant a tree outside.  Save energy inside.  You can turn your yard into a beautiful, energy-saving asset just by carefully locating and planting trees around your home.  Not only do trees add beauty and value to your property, their shade can also block summer sun’s radiant heat.  As a result, your air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your family cool.  In fact, shad trees can reduce your energy consumption buy as much as 15 to 35 percent. With the resulted savings on energy costs, it’s almost as if money really grows on trees!

So, what kind of trees should you plant? Start by defining its’ purpose: shade, privacy, aesthetics, windbreak, etc. Then identify the limitations of the site and select species that will thrive in the conditions that your site provides. Limitations include: exposure to sunlight, soil conditions, water availability, and growing space above and below ground; look up for overhead lines and call for location of underground utilities, Sunshine State One-Call for Locates at 1-800-432-4770.

Properly selected and planted trees will grow more rapidly and live longer. When planting, begin by digging the hole only as deep as the root-ball, but 2 to 5 times as wide to loosen the soil and encourage root growth. Carefully handle the tree by the root-ball, not the stem, to inspect for correct planting depth and circling roots. Soil above the roots at the top of the root-ball encourages circling roots near the trunk, which can strangle the tree as it grows. To inspect, carefully brush the surface soil away from the stem until roots begin to appear then use a clean sharp knife to slice through any roots that are circling.  Place the tree in the hole and alternate backfill with water, using the native soil, until firm and saturated. Then spread a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the planting area keeping it several inches away from the trunk. Mulch will help to retain soil moisture and keep down weeds and grass that compete with the tree for resources.

Water is the key. To ensure your trees’ survival water daily for the first few weeks; then two to three times per week for the first few months. Most trees take at least one full year to become established, so it is important to keep an eye on your tree for signs of stress, and water weekly unless the soil seems saturated.

When planted properly, your tree should grow quickly and you will soon realize that energy savings are indeed “made in the shade”