Lesson 6: Trees And Shrubs
Wisely chosen, trees and shrubs are the backbone of any garden. They provide grace, shade and beauty when properly selected and cared for. This lesson will give you all the tools necessary to plant and care for these wonderful plants.
Sizing and Siting Trees
Selecting the wrong tree can cost you thousands of dollars when it has to be removed. Damaged plumbing, buckling foundations and destroyed gardens are all results of misplanted trees. The going rate for a mature tree’s removal here in Sacramento is $2500.00! That’s the cost of a new roof around here. So, taking care to research which trees will work is important both financially and aesthetically.
Disease and pest resistance is another huge factor in choosing trees. Certain birches are prone to borer damage, Crape myrtles are mildew prone, and pines suffer from fungi and beetle attacks. If you have your heart set on a troublesome species, find out if there are any new hybrids with resistance bred into their genetic makeup.
Always factor the tree's canopy when deciding which tree to buy. Some canopies can spread out 25 feet. That would shade a small lot completely. Other trees have a more upright canopy, which, if you need shade, would not be appropriate. A small lot looks much more balanced with a single small specimen tree.
Ornamental plum, with its gorgeous plum red leaves and interesting bark, makes a stunning contrast for the greens in the garden. Japanese maples are wonderful and interesting trees, with varied barks, and lacy leaves ranging from light greens to red golds. These varieties don’t overwhelm the small garden, but simply draw the eye to their unique beauty.
Fruit trees come in standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf varieties. The standards can reach 35-60 feet in height. The semi-dwarf varieties can reach 20 feet in height, while the dwarf varieties can reach 6-10 feet, making them ideal for small lots or containers. For gardeners who want fruit, but have a very small lot or patio, colonnade fruit trees are ideal. These trees are grown against a fence or a wall. The fruit is borne on spurs that stretch laterally against the support. Since they are almost flat, they provide almost any gardener the opportunity to grow fruit.
Choose young saplings over mature trees. Trees under 7-10 feet plant and establish much better than taller, more mature trees. Don’t give into the understandable temptation to have large trees delivered for instant landscaping. They just don’t do well, often dying slowly over a period of years, having failed to establish strong root systems.
Take the time to do your research and potentially save yourself time and money.
