The green canopy
What to consider and look for when you go tree shopping,
I don’t know who said this first, but they were right, “The best time to plant a tree was yesterday.”
I say: “The second-best time is right now.”
There are some compelling reasons for you to want to plant a tree this weekend. Last year, TD’s Chief Economist Craig Alexander released a study that explained the need for us to plant more trees in our urban areas. He reported that our urban forest in Toronto is worth more than $7 billion dollars, or about $700 per tree (with about 10 million trees in the 416). The environmental benefits exceed $80 million annually, and for every dollar spent on tree maintenance, the payback is anywhere from $1.35 to $3.20.
When you plant a tree, you breathe easier, toxins in rain water are filtered through the roots, street noise is minimized, and, if you wait long enough, your grandchildren will have a tree from which to swing a tire. How to buy a tree: Buying a tree is not like buying a sofa. A sofa is an inanimate object that provides style and comfort. A tree is a living thing that you may never sit on but you may sit under. A sofa is available in a wide range of colours and firmness, while trees are available in sizes with a variety of growth habits. After you plant it, you will have to water it. A sofa provides a great environment for watering yourself. A sofa decreases in value the day you bring it home. A tree increases in value from the day that you plant it.
So, you need to take a special approach when buying a tree. Think about how much space you have for it now, how much you want it to grow in the future and whether it is ornamental or fruit-bearing.
Once you have all this figured out, venture into a garden retailer where you can get some advice. There are a lot of people out there who enjoy working in the retail garden centre trade for the love of trees (and other plants). They want to help you make a good choice. What to look for:
A tree is the most permanent purchase that you will make for your yard and garden, so do it thoughtfully. Buy a quality tree that will fulfil your expectations. Here are my top five buying tips: 1. Pull it:
If the tree is growing in a container, pull it out (you may need help to do this) and inspect the roots. There should be lots of young, white or red roots inside the root mass. If the pot is filled with more than 70 per cent roots, take a pass. This tree is root bound and not bound to put down new roots in your yard readily. Ideally, there is a 50/50 root-to-soil mass ratio. 2. Grafted?
If it is grafted, ensure that the exposure of raw wood on the graft is smaller than a dime. Look at the base of the trunk for the grafting union (most common on dwarf fruiting trees) and on the top of weeping trees, like Weeping Mulberry. An exposed graft is a point of weakness and possibly trouble down the road. 3. Avoid forks:
Look for a straight, strong trunk. If the tree is multi-stemmed, like a birch, look for odd-numbered stems as they are more visually pleasing. 4. Avoid sling shots:
You know that Y in the road? Avoid it where a new tree is concerned. It is not a question of taking the one less travelled (with a nod to Robert Frost) but, rather, none at all. If you own a mature tree with a Y in it, choose the more dominant and straight of the two and remove the other. 5. Don’t go out on a limb: Long, lanky limbs are a sign of poorly maintained trees on the nursery. A nursery professional prunes trees during their life on the farm, while the tree is young and developing. A thick, dense canopy will mature nicely in your yard.
When you shop for a tree, be sure to ask if it is disease resistant, how fast it grows (note: the faster it grows, the faster it dies) and what is the ultimate size of the tree.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 is National Tree Day, which makes this National Tree Month: a perfect month to plant a tree! Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and garden editor of Reno & Decor magazine. Get his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com. Watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m.