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Planting Trees and Shrubs

© Deborah Turton

Fall is a great time to plant trees and bushes. The plants benefit from the fall and spring rains before the weather starts to warm up. The cooler weather means plants are dormant and less likely to be harmed by transplanting. And the cool weather means you won't be working in the hot sun. Before you go out and dig a hole, there are several things you need to keep in mind when you pick a site and a tree or shrub.

Factors when choosing a tree or shrub and it's new location Your shrub or tree will grow and you have to take the final size into account. As your plant grows it could touch your house and affect the foundation or siding shade other plants - you may or may not want this interfere with other plants root systems and growth block views for cars entering or exiting your driveway impede mail deliverer or meter readers -my neighbor just trimmed a tree that was preventing access to his mail box grow into neighbors yard - you may like to rake up all those leaves, but your neighbor may not

You should check the drainage at the site. If water is left standing after a rain, you may have a drainage problem. You can either pick bushes and trees that like it wet, you can install a drainage system, you can build raised beds, or you can add lots of organic matter to the area to help drainage.

Neighborhoods with covenants and local ordinances might limit the types and locations of plants on your property. You should check these rules before you purchase and plant your trees and bushes.

You should check with all the utilities in the area. You are generally responsible if you damage a utility while digging. Usually there is a central number to call, but make sure they contact all of the local utilities, cable, phone, electric, gas, water, sewer, so you can avoid the expense of repairing a utility.

In general, septic systems can be damaged by the roots of large trees. And if you have to repair your septic system, it can damage or kill existing trees. This happened to us. So large trees and septic systems don't mix well. If you want some height in your landscape, try shallow rooted shrubs.

Finally, when choosing a new tree or bush, think about the impact it will have on your local wildlife. Will the fruits and berries feed animals? Will it provide shelter for a variety of animals? Will the new plant become intrusive? There are several sites on Suite101 such as Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardening, Backyard Habitats, or Wildscaping that can help you pick plants that benefit wildlife. You can also talk with your local cooperative extension agent, or other horticultural expert.

The copyright of the article Planting Trees and Shrubs in Organic Gardening is owned by Deborah Turton. Permission to republish Planting Trees and Shrubs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.