Finding fall color and planting your own trees with Five Rivers Metro Parks
Warmdis plays of beautiful color, the distinct earthy autumn smell and the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet – fall is perhaps one of the best seasons to explore trees in your Metro Parks and neighborhood.
Crucial tothe environment, trees — especially those native to Ohio — play a critical role in creating habitats for wildlife, removing carbon from the air and producing oxygen to increase air quality. During the fall, the changes in length of daylight and temperature stop the leaves fromcreating food. Chlorophyll, which gives leaves their distinct green color, breaks down and disappears, which then causes leaves to change color.
Different species of trees boast different colored leaves in the fall, and color is often dependent on the weather. For example, red hues are produced by warm, sunny fall days with cooler nights. Take your family on a hike in aMetroPark or your neighborhood to see if you can match these trees with their fall colors:
■ Oak: red, brown or russet
■ Hickories: golden bronze
■Poplar and cotton wood: golden yellow
■ Dogwood: purple-ish red
■ Beech: light tan
■ Sourwood: crimson
■ Red maple: brilliant scarlet ■ Sugar maple: orange-red
■ Black maple: glowing yellow Fall is also a great time to plant trees, as they will have an extra growing season before the stress of summer.
“The combination of cooler temperatures and the fall rain allows trees to establish their roots, making it easier on them to adjust to extremeheat or drought during the summer,” said MetroParks interpretive coordinator Beth Burke.
MetroParks is hosting a native tree seedling giveaway at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, 1301 E. SiebenthalerAve., on Friday, Sept. 18, from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon. Part of Metro Parks' Healing Nature initiative, the native tree seedling give away will assist property owners and communities that were impacted by the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes with tree replacement and habitat restoration.
People can select up to three native trees to plant on their property, which can be a great family activity if you have helping hands.
Before you plant: Make sure trees are protected against drying and damage while handling them. Find an area of your yard with good water drainage – meaning it isn'tmuddy or covered with puddling water after an average rainfall. Next, clear the planting area of weeds and other debris.
Dig a hole twice the depth of the soil in the container and twice as wide. Retain the soil fromthe hole to secure the tree once it's planted.
Planting your tree: Whenplacing the tree in the hole, be sure its best side is facing the direction where it will be viewed the most. Fill the hole with soil one-third up the sides of the root ball. Pack the soil firmly, assuring there are no air pockets. Be mindful to not overly compact. Repeat this process until the hole is filled. Once planted, your tree should be even with the ground with no roots exposed, as if it was growing in a field. Water deeply and evenly.
After you plant: If soil has settled, add additional soil to level your tree. Be sure to dispose of rocksandclay. Use aspadeoredger to create a circular ring surrounding your tree that is two inches deep. Addmulch to this area, surrounding the tree's root ball, but bemindful not tomountthemulch against the trunk of a tree. Remove weeds beforemulching if you are planting your tree in a new area of your yard.
Newly planted trees will require additional water for up to three years and should receive the equivalent of one inch of rainfall per week. Keep tabs on the weather, and make sure you provide additional water if needed.
For more fun fall activities and information about MetroParks' native tree seedling giveaway, visit metroparks.org/natureisopen.