The benefits of trees are bountiful. They make the oxygen we breathe, give us food, help with soil erosion, provide food and habitat to animals, and lock carbon in the earth, do you need more?
If you have the space or inclination, planting just one tree can give so much back to the earth. That said, there might be a little more to tree planting than just digging a hole and sticking a sapling in it.
If you are interested in planting trees at your place or elsewhere, there are a few things to think about in terms of species, size, location, climate, etc. Check out these incredibly informative OGP articles that help guide you through the process of tree planting.
1. Trees in a Productive Garden
When the space allows, we should grow productive fruit trees. There are hundreds of varieties of dwarf trees that can fit in our suburban and urban backyards, yielding to the square footage many of us lack. Our choices of trees are vast and varied. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, let’s discover Why Trees Are the Ultimate Addition to a Productive Garden.
2. From Garden to Food Forest
Like a normal forest, once in place, food forests are self-regulating, full of life, and stunning. Plus, there is the bonus of filling your belly with an abundance of choices. Unlike orchards or standard garden rows, there is a healthy balance of plants to provide different crops year-round, helping with human diets as well as animals and insects, especially those bees that have become so popular lately. Read on to learn How to Transform Your Garden into a Food Forest.
3. Where to Plant Trees
The word is out: the planet needs trees. The problem is that many of us don’t have a plot of land to plant trees on. We either have apartments or tiny terraces or hardly more than a patch of grass to enjoy. Where are we supposed to plant trees, even if we want to do it? Luckily, there are solutions to this problem because where there is a gardener, there is a way. So, read on to learn of 7 Ways to Plant Trees When You Don’t Own Land.
4. Unconventional Fruit Trees
Sometimes growing an orchard can also be about growing those fruits we are less likely to find in the run-of-the-mill produce section. There are lots of fruits that, if we don’t grow them at home, we aren’t likely to eat them very often. Why, then, should we deny ourselves some tasty, albeit unusual, treats when planting out a backyard fruit orchard? Check out these 10 Unconventional Fruit Trees for the Backyard Orchard.
5. Native Fruit Trees
For those wanting to plant edible landscapes and/or use native plants, knowing what fruit-bearing trees are at your disposal is half the task. When we choose the right trees for the climate and pick wild species that have thrived for centuries, finding success in the garden increases exponentially. Many places in the United States have a host of fruit-producing trees that simply belong in the landscape. We are already accustomed to nut-producing groves with native trees like acorn, pecan, and hazelnut, and now we can start adding native fruit trees to the food forest. Have a look at these 9 Native, Fruit-Producing Trees of North America.
6. Food Forest for Free Produce
Food forests, for those who are new to the concept, are a collection of productive trees and plants that have been assembled in such a way that they help one another thrive, as well as provide their cultivators with pounds upon pounds of food. Because most of the flora in these systems are either perennial plants or self-seeding annuals, it also means that there is very little work to be done after they are initially set up. Read more about How to Start Your Own Food Forest for Years of Free Produce.
7. Fall Tree Planting
When most of us think of planting things, our minds wander to spring, that time of new growth, green sprouts, and flowers ablaze. While this is the right season for cultivating summer gardens, it’s not necessarily the best time for planting trees. Many old-time growers prefer to plant trees in the autumn. Learn all about Planting Trees in the Fall: How, When, Which, and Why You Should!
8. Possibly Troublesome Trees
Some plants, and these plants aren’t all bad, have a characteristic about them that prevents other plants from growing. They exude certain chemicals that prevent seeds from germinating or decimate seedlings and saplings. The adjective used to describe these plants is allelopathic. Allelopathic plants can be problematic at times. The chemical excretions from the roots of certain trees, for example, will prevent other plants and trees from growing well for years, even after they’ve been cut down. Check out these 25 Plants and Trees That Prevent Other Plants from Growing.
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