It's a great time to plant a tree

Fall is the best time to get new saplings in the ground.

September may feel like the end of the growing season but autumn is actually a terrific time to plant a tree.

Yeah, we know that Arbor Day officially comes in late April. But for deciduous trees, the optimum planting time is while trees are dormant and have dropped their leaves — mid to late fall. While air temperatures are cooling, the soil remains warm, encouraging new root growth., By the time trees leaf out next spring, roots will have established themselves and your sapling will take off..

Thinking about trees now may be especially pertinent for homeowners who lost mature trees to violent storms or prolonged drought this summer. Then, too, it’s a matter of dollars and sense. Trees not only provide shade, privacy and shelter for wildlife but have a measurable effect on property value. Well-tended landscaping adds 5 to 20 percent to home appraisals according to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

If you’re a dollar-wise homeowner, fall is a good time for bargain hunting at local garden centers and nurseries. Many of these businesses sharply discount container-grown nursery stock rather than having to carry it through the winter.

The first two big questions are “What?” and “Where?” Choosing a tree is partly a matter of preference, but don’t neglect the big picture. Ask yourself what purpose the tree is meant to serve, how tall you want it to be at maturity and whether soil and light conditions suit its needs.

The commonest pitfall is refusing to believe that the slender sapling may one day tower overhead, posing a danger to roofs and power lines, and grabbing more of your outdoor living space than you care to concede. We all can think of examples of the tree that ate the house, particularly forest evergreens like yews used as foundation plants.

Think before you plant, looking up – and looking down. Don’t choose a tree that will grow more than about 20 feet for a spot under utility lines. And regardless of how sure you are about the location of underground utilities such as water, gas and sewer lines, call before you dig for a free mark out. It’s not only smart, it’s the law. Call 811 or 800-272-1000.

If you haven’t planted a tree lately, you may not be familiar with the new thinking about how to get your tree off to a good start. Make your hole broad but no deeper than the root ball of your specimen. You don’t want the tree to sink into loosened soil.

Forget soil amendments. Plant experts say it’s better to backfill with the original soil rather than to coddle the root ball in a pocket of richly enhanced soil. Hold the fertilizer. It can burn roots if placed in the planting hole and anyway, you don’t want to stimulate new top growth now. Wait until spring, then spread some all-purpose fertilizer around the tree and rake it in.

Staking also is discouraged except on steeper slopes or in windy locations. The slight movement caused by occasional moderate winds actually strengthens the trunk. If you do stake, do it right with a wide band of flexible material, not wire or rope that can damage bark and invite infection. Be sure to remove stakes and other supports after no more than a year.

A well-sited tree is not only a good investment but an aesthetic improvement that will give pleasure for many years to come. For more tips on planting and tree care, see the ISA web site at treesaregood.com.

A weeping cherry in a cascade of blossoms. — Charles Burns/Flickr

SMALL FLOWERING TREES FOR SUBURBAN PROPERTIES

Sometime you don’t need a towering shade tree. Smaller flowering species offer landscape interest including spectacular spring blossoms, attractive bark and fall foliage color. The species below rarely grow larger than 25-30 feet and some remain half that size, making them ideal for planting near patios, as specimen trees in front yards or as accents near the house.

Cherry (Prunus varieties) – Magnificent spring blossoms, rounded or weeping habit and handsome bark. Displays in Washington D.C., the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Branch Brook Park in New Jersey attract thousand each spring.

Crabapple (Malus varieties) – Among the toughest of flowering trees. Profuse spring flowers appear on a compact plant. Choose varieties with small fruits attractive to birds to avoid clean-up hassles.

Dogwood (Cornus varieties) – Cornus florida is our beloved native species with spring flowers and good fall color. Cornus kousa, an Asian species, blooms in early summer. New Stellar varieties developed by Rutgers University are especially disease-free.

Magnolia – Deciduous Magnolia soulangeana (saucer magnolia) offers beautiful chalice-shaped flowers in spring. Magnolia stellata (star magnolia) blooms early on bare branches. New, hardier varieties of evergreen Southern magnolia bloom in summer and can thrive in protected Shore locations.

Redbud – (Cercis varieties) – Bright pink flowers line every branch before leaves emerge in spring. New varieties have purple or chartreuse foliage and most color well in autumn.

Silverbell (Halesia varieties) – Pendant bell-shaped flowers are produced profusely in late spring and are particularly effective viewed from below. Makes a perfect patio tree. Silverbell prefers the acid soil common in coastal New Jersey.

Stewartia – Beautiful white flowers bloom in midsummer. Other good features include lovely mottled bark and striking red fall color.