Last month, I showed you the best trees to plant if you live in the Portland area. Today, I’ll tell you why planting trees is so important and how you and your community can benefit! For example, did you know that planting trees can actually make you healthier? Believe it or not, it’s true!
But that’s not the only benefit of planting trees in your yard. Keep reading to find out 6 more great reasons to plant trees in Portland.
Because Trees Are Beautiful!
Trees are like one-of-a-kind works of art that you can help create.
No two trees are alike. Some are tall and thin, others short and full of leafy branches. Some turn gorgeous vibrant colors in the fall, others are a beautiful green all year round, and some even bloom beautiful flowers in the spring!
Trees are full of interesting shapes, textures, and even sounds! There’s really nothing else like them.
If you plant a tree in your yard, you’ll get to pick exactly what you’d like to see, and you’ll be able to enjoy it for years to come.
People who live in areas with more trees tend to have lower blood-pressure and have improved overall psychological and emotional health. Kathleen Wolf, a researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle, even says that people with ADHD are calmer and more relaxed when they live near trees!
Helping the Environment
Remove Pollution
Unfortunately even green, eco-conscious areas like the Pacific Northwest suffer from air pollution. Sulfur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen oxides, and other chemicals are all released from cars, trucks, and other sources of pollution.
Believe it or not, trees can actually catch and prevent these pollutants from making their way into your lungs! This can help reduce the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
If you’re an allergy sufferer, there’s good news for you, too! The Portland area and surrounding Willamette Valley frequently have the highest pollen counts in the country. Luckily, in addition to absorbing man-made pollutants, large, leafy trees can keep pollen, dust, and other natural allergens out of your home and out of your nose and lungs! You’ll breathe easier with trees in your yard!
Provide Home to Local Wildlife
In addition to helping you feel better, there are other environmental reasons to plant trees in Portland. Trees make great homes for birds, squirrels, and other animals. Trees also provide a food source for these animals in the forms of nuts, fruits, and insects that call the trees home, too.
Birds and insects that nest in trees can also help pollinate nearby flowers and plants. This helps to build a natural, healthy ecosystem for all plants and animals in the area! By planting a tree, you’re doing your part to preserve our natural plants and wildlife.
Conserve Water & Minimize Erosion
Did you know that 100 trees can catch 250,000 gallons of water every year?
Without trees and their complex system of sponge-like roots, rainwater soaks directly into the ground, causing erosion, and potentially dangerous landslides. Trees and their roots soak up rain, and release it slowly, minimizing the risk of damaging erosion.
Provide Privacy
When you live in a city like Portland, or even in a densely populated suburb, it can be hard to find a quiet, private place to call your own– even in your own yard! That’s where trees can help. Their branches, leaves, and trunks can make your yard and home feel more private. They block out city noise and traffic sounds, and keep nosy neighbors at bay, too!
In the Portland area, trees like holly, bamboo, and cedars are great trees to plant for privacy. They grow quickly and densely and don’t require much maintenance. They also have a small footprint, meaning they grow straight up, don’t spread out too much, and stay right where you want them to grow!
Conserve Energy & Save Money
Many Portland-area homes don’t have air-conditioning. We’ve had some real hot days these past few summers and it can be hard to keep cool!
Once again, trees to the rescue! Shade trees like maples and dogwoods have large leafy branches that absorb sunlight and heat, reducing heat gains by up to 80%! This keeps your house cooler and can reduce your cooling bill, if you do have air conditioning!
Increase Your Property Value
According to a recent study, homes with well-maintained yards and trees tend to sell faster and fetch a higher price! One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the study focused on yards with mature trees. That means you should start landscaping and planting trees now, because it might take several years for a young tree to mature.
Why do trees improve property value? It’s not entirely clear, but experts think it’s a combination of all the benefits trees provide, from privacy to beauty and everything else in between. Even if home buyers don’t realize it, subconsciously they’re attracted to homes with beautiful trees and they’re willing to pay for it!
Build Community
An ancient proverb says, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
That’s really something when you think about it. In my opinion it’s the best reason to plant a tree. Even though you may benefit from the tree in your lifetime, your children and their children will get to enjoy that same tree’s shade, fruit, and beauty for generations to come.
Plus, if you live in Portland and plant a fruit tree, like an apple or fig tree, you can even contact the Portland Fruit Tree Project. They’ll come out and pick the fruit from your tree and provide it to people in need! What a great mission and one that’s easy to support. All you have to do is plant a tree!
When’s the Best Time to Plant a Tree?
People often ask me about the best time to plant a tree. My answer?
The best time to plant a tree is 5 years ago. The second-best time is today. By planting a tree today, you’re taking the first step towards reaping all the benefits of planting a tree that I talked about today. Planting a tree is an investment, and the sooner you invest, the sooner you’ll start seeing returns!
If you’re interested in planting a tree, contact me. I’m a certified arborist and can help you plant the perfect tree in your yard. Call (503) 538-8733 today and ask for a free consultation.
If you’re a homeowner in Portland, planting a tree can be a great investment. Not only are trees beautiful, but some studies show they can actually increase the value of your home. Plus, trees are functional, too. Their root systems help hold soil in place, their branches can be home to birds, squirrels, and other wildlife, trees provide shade and privacy, and some even grow fruit you can enjoy!
But what are the best trees to plant in Portland? How do you care for the trees you plant? And what do you need to know before planting your first tree?
Keep reading to find out.
Where to Plant
Deciding where to plant a tree is just as important as the tree you decide to plant. A tree planted in the wrong place may end up dying or not growing to its full potential or it may even do damage to your home.
Safety first!
Don’t plant trees where they may interfere with overhead power lines.
Remember that trees will grow for years and years, so it might take some time until they cause a problem. There’s nothing more frustrating than investing time and money nurturing a tree and then discovering that it needs to be cut down.
Don’t forget about underground utility lines. Before planting any tree, contact the Oregon Utility Notification Center at (503) 246-6699 to find out if there are any buried lines you need to be aware of.
Protect Your Home
Improperly planted trees can be dangerous to your home. We recommend you plant any tree at least 10 feet from your home and 5 feet away from your fence or property line.
By doing so, you’ll protect your roof from falling branches, keep your gutter from filling with rotting leaves, avoid cracks in your foundation from your trees’ roots, and reduce the chance of your trees creeping over into your neighbor’s property.
Choose a Location Carefully
As a tree grows it may block natural light. Depending on your point of view, this may be a benefit or a drawback. Sometimes you want a tree that will provide more privacy, but you may not want to block out our precious Oregon sunshine.
When choosing a location, also consider the plants and trees you already have in your yard. Some trees and plants are “thirsty” and require more water than others. Too many thirsty plants and trees in your yard may require you to use more water than you’d like.
If you have questions about which trees and plants work well together, get in touch with me. I’d love to help you out.
What to Plant
Once you’ve decided where to plant a tree, you’ve got to choose what type of tree you’d like to plant. Luckily, living in Oregon there are plenty of great choices!
I recommend choosing trees to plant based not on their appearance, but their purpose. A leafy deciduous tree may look beautiful from the street, but if you hate seeing leaves on the ground, you’re going to regret planting one in your yard.
Let’s look at a few reasons why you might want to plant a tree, as well as a few of the best trees for each purpose.
Street Trees
Street trees are trees planted between your yard and your sidewalk. They provide a bit of privacy and can look great too.
In Portland, the city has strict requirements about the types of street trees you can plant. Depending on where you live in the city, you might be able to plant one of the following trees:
Alders are beautiful trees that flower each March. They grow quickly and look great!
ElmsThere are many varieties of elm trees that can be planted as street trees. They grow quickly and have really great fall colors!
Trees for Privacy
If you’re planting trees near your fence or property line for extra privacy, you’ve got a few good options. Look for trees with thick dense branches and leaves, like:
HollyHolly is a fast-growing, dense evergreen. It’s one of the most popular trees to plant when you’re looking for privacy or security.
Cedar trees grow quickly, are tolerant to drought conditions, and also resistant to most insects and other pests.
Fruit-bearing Trees
Trees that bear fruit can be fun to have in your yard! They can provide tasty and nutritious fruit for you and your family to enjoy. But harvesting the fruit can be a bit of a chore.Luckily, in Portland there’s the Portland Fruit Tree Project, a group who will take fruit from your trees and give it to people in need. What a cool idea!Some of my favorite fruit trees to plant include:
Apple TreesApples are a classic Pacific Northwest tree that can produce delicious fruit for years and years. Just look at the color on those blossoms!Cherry TreesCherry trees grow quickly and their fruit is really easy to pick!
Fig trees grow quickly and produce a lot of fruit that can be made into jams and jellies, or eaten right off the tree! Most fig trees will produce fruit twice a year, once in the summer and once again in early fall.
Shade Trees
A nice shade tree or two can protect your lawn, keep hot sun off your windows, and give a bit of privacy too.
Dogwoods provide great shade and are some of the most beautiful flowering trees, too.
Caring for Trees
Caring for trees isn’t as hard as you might think. When they’re young, they don’t need much more than mulch and water. Depending on the type of tree, your tree may need to be staked to keep it grow straight.
As trees grow, however, they are likely to need a bit more maintenance. You may need to rake their leaves or prune their branches to keep them from getting out of control. Some trees may also need to be checked for insects, fungus or disease to keep them healthy.
If you need help caring for the trees you plant in your yard, get in touch with us. At Northwest Arbor Culture we have over 30 years experience caring for trees in the Portland area.
Call us at (503) 538-8733 for a free estimate and to learn more about how we can help you and your trees!
Having a big tree in your front yard is great… most of the time. Trees look nice, increase your home’s value, and provide shade, keeping your yard cooler in the summer. When fall comes around, it’s a different story.
Raking leaves is tiring, and keeping your property leaf-free can be a process lasting several months, depending on the tree. Most people don’t look forward to it. Maybe that’s why not raking the lawn is a growing trend.
Many people say it’s actually better for your lawn to not rake leaves. Are they right?
Pros and Cons of Raking Leaves
There’s good and bad on both sides.
For most people, the biggest benefit of raking leaves is the overall improvement to the appearance of their yard. Not to mention the fun of being able to jump into a freshly raked pile.
The biggest drawback for most homeowners is that it’s a lot of work. If you have a big yard and big trees, you may have to invest a couple of hours every weekend for a few months just to stay on top of it.
Other people say leaving a layer of fallen leaves suffocates the lawn and kills the grass. There’s quite a bit of evidence to the contrary, but if you really want to do what’s best for your lawn, you probably have better options than simply leaving your leaves untouched.
What Should You Do With Your Leaves?
Whether or not you rake your leaves really depends on a variety of factors, like where you live, how much work you want to put into leaf-control, and what you want your yard to look like.
Here are a few options to consider:
Leave Them Alone
Leaving fallen leaves usually won’t damage your lawn — unless you have a LOT of leaves or you get heavy snow in the winter where you live. That might stop your lawn from getting the natural light and fresh air it needs to survive.
For most people, leaving leaves alone is a viable option.
Some neighborhood associations may want you to remove all your leaves to keep your lawn looking pristine. If that’s your situation, keep reading.
Compost Them
Did you know that even fallen leaves contain important minerals that are great for your soil and other plants? When you compost your leaves, you can get a healthier yard and find a use for all those leaves that would otherwise go to waste!
Want to try it?
Use a lawn sweeper or rake leaves into a pile somewhere out of the way, like the backyard. If you’re fine having the pile their for a while, you’re done! But if you want to encourage leaves to break down a little faster, try one of these tips:
Grind or shred your leaves.
Mix leaves with manure or another nitrogen rich material.
Turn the heap regularly — anywhere from every 3 weeks to every 3 days.
Turning leaves more often encourages them to break down faster.
Once the leaves are broken down you can use them as mulch for your lawn. It’s great for grass and other plants!
Leaf Pick Up
Many cities have programs for collecting leaves. The city will compost them for you! In Portland, where we’re located, leaf day pickups happen from early November to mid-December.
If you’re in Portland, you can participate in a leaf day pickup by checking what day the leaf truck will come through your neighborhood. You can find that out on their website when it gets closer to leaf pickup time, or call (503-865-5323) or email the city.
Before your pickup day, rake or sweep your leaves into the street 12 inches from the curb and make sure you move your car. Here are some other recommendations from the City of Portland.
Don’t live in Portland? Check your city’s official website to find out if your area has a yearly leaf pickup.
What if it’s Rainy?
Here in Portland, rain in the fall is pretty common. Unfortunately. that makes it much harder to do anything useful with your leaves. The good news is heavy rain might make your leaves naturally biodegrade faster.
Even if you do plan to eventually rake or compost them, it’s fine to leave them until they dry out a bit.
Soggy leaves can be slippery, though. So try to at least get them off paths, sidewalks, and driveways. You can try using a rake or even a shovel with a flat head like a scoop shovel or a scraper.
What About Leaf Blowing?
Leaf blowing is great for moving dry leaves off paths, driveways, and sidewalk quickly and easily. It that’s all you want to do, it might be worth investing in a leaf blower.
The thing about leaf blowers is they just move leaves around rather than getting rid of them. They’re less precise than a rake or lawn sweeper, so they’re not great for getting leaves exactly where you want them, like in a pile.
If you want to actually get rid of leaves or compost them, you’re better off with a good rake or lawn sweeper and maybe a shovel to get leaves off concrete and asphalt.
Conclusion
I hope this post helped you find the best method for dealing with your fallen leaves this year. Regular tree pruning can reduce the number of leaves you have to deal with. If you want some free pruning advice give us a call at (503) 538-8733.
Do you have other solutions for dealing with leaves in the fall? Share them in the comments!
Planting trees is a fun and easy activity to do with your friends and family. When you plant trees on your property, you can add a lot of beauty and value to your landscape. While planting a tree can seem like a very simple task, there are many rules that you need to follow to ensure that your tree and landscape thrives.
Read this post to learn how to properly plant a tree so that it can grow and stay healthy for years to come.
Research and Placement
Always research the type of tree that you would like to plant before planting. Different species can grow to unwanted sizes, send out roots that damage concrete and landscaping, or drop leaves and needles that damage roofs and patios.
When choosing where to plant your new tree, there are several things to consider. First, make sure that your tree will not be placed too close to your home’s foundation or concrete structures. Generally, a space of 10 feet or more should be between any structure and your tree. Also, make sure to check with your State Utility Center to make sure that you won’t accidentally sever any dangerous electrical or water pipes on your property.
Consult your local nursery or arborist if you ever have questions about which type of tree to buy and where on your property to place it.
When To Plant
Different types of trees prefer to be planted throughout different seasons. Generally trees should be planted early or in the middle of spring or early to mid-fall. Avoid planting trees during the middle of summer because the heat and dryness can stress and kill a young tree.
Digging Your Hole
The depth and width of your hole is very important. If a tree is planted too deeply, the roots will have trouble absorbing oxygen and water through the top layers of soil. If a hole isn’t wide enough, the soil around the root ball will be too compacted to facilitate root growth.
Dig your hole at least 3-4 times as wide as the root ball of the tree. The depth of the hole should be slightly less than the height of the root ball. The ‘flare’ or collar of the tree where the base of the trunk begins to widen into the root structure should eventually sit just above the level of soil after the tree is fully planted.
Make sure not to compact the soil around the edges and bottom of your hole. Even using your shovel to loosen the surrounding dirt can assist the flow of water and root growth for your new tree.
Removing the Container
When you’re removing the tree from the container, be gentle but firm. Do not to pull the tree out by the trunk as this can hurt the entire root structure of the tree. Lay the tree on its side and tap and squeeze the container to loosen the soil. Gently slide the container off of the root ball of the tree. Cutting the container on both sides with a short blade (1-2 inches) can also help the removal process.
Separating the Roots
Depending upon how your tree was grown and how old it is, the roots may have formed to the shape of the burlap or plastic container. It is crucial that the roots of the young tree are not curling, twisted in circles, or bound around the tree. These types of roots will eventually expand and twist around themselves, essentially strangling or ‘girdling’ the roots of the tree and slowly killing it.
If the roots look ‘pot bound’ and twisted, use a short razor knife (1-2 inches) to make 4-6 cuts down the side and several cuts on the bottom of the root ball. This will cut and loosen twisted roots and force the tree to send out new roots in all directions helping it create an even and widespread root base.
Also, make sure to remove any stakes, ropes, and burlap from the tree before planting. These will inhibit root and tree growth.
Placing the Tree
Once the tree is prepared, place it in the center of your hole. Now is the time to align the branches and ‘pretty’ side of the tree to the main view point before you have fully planted it. Adjust the tree by the root ball, not by holding the trunk.
Make sure the top inch of the root ball is above the soil level and exposed. Place soil under the tree to slightly raise the level if needed. Once the root ball is in position use the soil you removed to fill in your hole. If your soil is mainly clay or particularly low-quality, you can use organic compost and other soil amenders to improve the quality. Avoid using heavy fertilizers and chemicals that can burn or kill a young tree.
After the hole is completely filled in, lightly tamp down the soil around the roots to stabilize the tree.
Creating a Berm and Mulching
Creating a water basin or berm around the base of your tree will fight soil erosion and hold water where the roots can absorb it. Make a 3 foot diameter circular berm about 3 inches tall around your tree. Make sure not to cover the trunk or flare of the tree.
Once you have created the berm, cover the entire planting area with 3-4 inches of mulch. Taking care to keep the mulch at least 2 inches from the trunk of the tree. Read our previous post for proper mulching techniques.
Watering
Finally you will want to water your newly planted tree. Give your tree about 5-10 gallons of water to begin with to help settle the soil and stimulate root growth. Water your tree daily for about two weeks and then every other day for about two months. Eventually you can water your tree once a week until it is completely established.
Now that you have successfully planted your tree, make sure to water, prune, and care for it properly throughout its entire life. Spending several hours a month caring for your tree will ensure that you have a healthy tree that will give add shade and beauty to your home.
If you ever have any questions or concerns about planting a tree, don’t hesitate to contact your local arborist or the professionals at Northwest Arbor-Culture Inc. We have over 30 years of experience caring for trees and landscapes and can help you with any tree care need.
Have you ever planted a tree? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.
Did you know that even fallen leaves contain important minerals that are great for your soil and other plants? When you compost your leaves, you can get a healthier yard and find a use for all those leaves that would otherwise go to waste! 
Here in Portland, rain in the fall is pretty common. Unfortunately. that makes it much harder to do anything useful with your leaves. The good news is heavy rain might make your leaves naturally biodegrade faster. 
Planting trees is a fun and easy activity to do with your friends and family. When you plant trees on your property, you can add a lot of beauty and value to your landscape. While planting a tree can seem like a very simple task, there are many rules that you need to follow to ensure that your tree and landscape thrives.
When choosing where to plant your new tree, there are several things to consider. First, make sure that your tree will not be placed too close to your home’s foundation or concrete structures. Generally, a space of 10 feet or more should be between any structure and your tree. Also, make sure to check with your 
Removing the Container
Creating a water basin or berm around the base of your tree will fight soil erosion and hold water where the roots can absorb it. Make a 3 foot diameter circular berm about 3 inches tall around your tree. Make sure not to cover the trunk or flare of the tree.
