Planting trees around the house – Maisonbleuecossonay

Mike Hogan
| Farmers’ Progress

The old saying goes that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best time is today. That’s true in the fall in Greater Columbus, as September and October can be the best times of year to plant trees and shrubs in your home landscape.

To help you learn everything you need to know about selecting, planting and caring for fall trees, OSU Master Gardener volunteers have planned a fall tree extravaganza at the Central Ohio Fall Home Show scheduled for Sept. 6-8 at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair.

Benefits of trees

There are many benefits to having trees in the landscape. Trees positively impact the environment by storing carbon in the soil, which helps to mitigate climate change, as well as moderating summer temperatures, especially in built-up urban environments.

Strategically planting trees around your home can help reduce energy costs by up to 20% and increase property values by up to 15%. And who doesn’t love sitting in the cool shade on a hot summer day?

Trees can also benefit human health by producing oxygen during photosynthesis and filtering some air pollutants.

Trees planted in urban environments near highways and sources of air pollution can also reduce the incidence of asthma and heart disease. Trees planted around school playgrounds and other outdoor recreational areas can protect children from the harmful effects of long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Fall weather is perfect for planting trees

Fall weather in central Ohio typically provides adequate soil temperatures to allow roots of newly planted trees and shrubs to grow faster before the ground freezes, as well as more favorable soil moisture conditions than we typically experience in late spring and summer.

Moderate air temperatures in autumn mean that trees lose less moisture through transpiration, reducing their need for soil moisture.

Fall-planted trees and shrubs are also less susceptible to insects and diseases that are more common during the warmer, wetter spring and summer months in central Ohio. Although September and October are optimal for fall planting, most trees and shrubs can be planted any time of year when the ground is not frozen.

Several species of trees actually survive and grow better when planted in spring, including beech, sassafras, gum, soursop, walnut, white oak, dogwood, and Japanese maple. Shrubs such as azalea, rhododendron, hemlock, and holly will also grow best when planted in spring.

Lots of trees at the fall home show

If you want to learn more about selecting, planting and caring for fall trees, be sure to visit the Central Ohio Fall Home Show, which will be held September 6-8 in the Bricker Building at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair in Columbus.

OSU Master Gardener program volunteers will be presenting a large display of living trees at the show and will be happy to help you decide which trees will be best for your garden.

There will be a range of free tree resources available at the tree stand during the show. In addition, Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer your most difficult questions, not only about trees, but about all things gardening.

There will also be information on the spotted wax moth, an invasive insect that has arrived in the Columbus area.

Master Gardener volunteers will lead two different tree workshops during the show. On Friday, September 6 at 3:00 p.m. there will be a workshop on planting and caring for fall trees, and on Sunday, September 8 at 4:00 p.m. there will be a workshop on the economic, environmental and health benefits of trees.

Plan your visit

Admission to the Central Ohio Fall Home Show is free, and parking is just $7. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

More than 150 different companies will be at the show to share ideas for home improvement and renovation projects. It’s the perfect place to start projects that will get your home ready for the upcoming winter and holiday season.

For more information about the show, visit dispatchshows.com/home-show.

Mike Hogan is a lecturer in agriculture and natural resources and an associate professor at The Ohio State University Extension.