Planting

Planting a tree is an exciting time for any homeowner. Adding a tree to your landscape can provide you with years of beauty and increased property value. Consider the planting process as an investment and plan it carefully. Remember the old adage, “The right tree in the right place.”

Three primary factors are critical to the planting process. Site selection and preparation, tree requirements and characteristics, and post planting maintenance and costs. These parameters are closely linked, and failure to make an informed decision in any one of these will incur costs and problems later. Use Shady Lane’s expertise to help you choose the perfect tree to save you time and money in the future.

Start by creating a list of the roles of the tree. Some factors to consider: What is its primary function? Providing privacy, creating shade, displaying flowers, accenting a landscape focal point or producing fruit for consumption? Will it be planted to commemorate a special occasion, such as the birth of a child or an anniversary? There are as many reasons to plant trees as there are people. Your personal message will be created through your tree.

Then consider the site. Will your property have enough space for the roots, crown and canopy of the tree? Think about the tree’s canopy size in 5, 10, 20, 30 years. As the tree matures, it will create more shade. Is your landscape design flexible enough to accommodate a shade garden? Are there overhead power, telephone and cable lines that may interfere with the growth of the tree? After just a few questions you can see how important the right location is. Ask one of our Certified Arborist to assist you at this stage.

Lastly, you need to choose the tree itself. How will you go about selecting the perfect specimen? Tree selection should be based on flower, fruit, leaf, bark, and structural characteristics. Also account for growth rate, initial/juvenile/mature shape, eventual size and life expectancy. Before purchasing any nursery stock take into account future maintenance costs and the time needed to perform pruning, watering, fertilizing or amending the soil. We can help you estimate these costs.

New municipal tree bylaws make replanting for replacement value of our green space mandatory. Our staff can competently remove the necessary tree, grind out the stump and plant the outlined tree to the specifications required by the city in which you live. Please see the links provided in the Removal Permits and Pesticides Bylaws section of our website for the tree bylaw details in your area.

Shady Lane can handle all sizes of plant material; from small, hand dug specimens to larger trees that require a tree spade. And using our vast industry contacts, we can discover that perfect specimen for your property.