Today I thought I would talk about trees, their planting and care, and the impact that they can have on Global Warming. Trees provide us with shade, fruit, and a visual appeal. They provide nature with shade, shelter, pollen, and food. Trees have a positive impact on the soil by enriching it with nutrients. Trees provide wind and sound barriers. Trees also increase your property value. Most importantly, trees can have a massive impact on soil erosion and can help stop climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing carbon themselves and directing it to the soil and then releasing oxygen into the air.
I think at times, we, Western Oklahom a n s , neglect our responsibilities to improve our lands and environment because we feel that we are less effected by pollutants that you find in big cities. As global warming is becoming more apparent in the world around us, I hope that we can see the signs that nature is throwing at us and do our part to attempt to correct it before it is too late for future generations. I myself believed that global warming was being politicized out of context to gain control of large corporations and benefit political agendas until quite recently. Over the last year we have experienced significant weather anomalies and I fear this is just the beginning. In North America alone, we can read about extreme weather that is breaking records on a daily basis. Remember that Polar Vortex that crippled every area of the US except the southern tip of Florida earlier this year? Who would have ever thought that Canada would see 121 degrees F? Sure, Death Valley is hot, but 134 degrees hot? The West is practically becoming an inhabitable desert with constant wildfires and severe water shortages. And elsewhere in North America, areas are experiencing severe flash flooding. I truly believe that the signs are all around us and it is time to do what we can, each and every one of us.
Trees can take several years to mature and have a significant impact on our environment. But the longer we contemplate without planting them, the longer it will take for them to mature. So perhaps the time to plant trees is now. Look around. We have plenty of wide-open spaces that are idea for planting trees.
When planting trees, it is imperative that we give them enough space away from obstacles such as a house, outbuildings, and water lines. I grow several Willow (Salix) varieties at my nursery and always receive warnings that Willows destroy water lines. Yes, this is possible but it is also possible for many types of trees to seek out water supplies from any underground sources. Therefore, when planting any type of tree, try to plant it no less than 15 feet away from water lines so you don’t end up with a costly mess down the road. If planting nearby a house or outbuilding, be sure to plant it at least half the distance of the tree’s maximum canopy spread away from the structure. Deep rooted trees are best if planted in close proximity to structures. Fast growing trees usually have weaker roots than those that take several years to mature.
Deciduous trees are best planted in spring or fall. In the spring, early rains and lower temperatures will benefit the tree as it begins to get established. In the fall, deciduous trees will soon go dormant for the winter. Although roots will still grow during dormancy, the tree’s growth, energy consumption and metabolism slows way down and does not require as much care through winter as it would in summer.
There are many types of trees that grow well in Western Oklahoma. Next week I will write about the different types of trees that we have personally grown in our gardens or nursery along with their successes or failures.
Charla Ingram is a plant, nature, and golfing enthusiast who, along with her husband Chris, owns and operates C&C Gardens in the small town of Bessie, Oklahoma.