Trees Can Add Value
Healthy, appropriate, and well-sited trees add value as well as ambiance to homes. There are many areas in Oakwood Estates and along the highway border that could benefit by having more trees. Conifers are useful as windbreaks and screens, while deciduous trees provide shade during the warm months. Oaks and other hardwoods tend to be slow growing and strong, while softwoods grow quickly but are often more fragile. Some trees like oaks prefer drier land, while others like birches, cottonwoods, weeping-willows, and northern pecans prefer moist but not wet soil. Using a variety of species is a hedge against diseases and insects.
A garden center can help you choose, site, plant, and stake new trees, or you can do them yourself. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, an old saying is that "in just a few short years, a $10 tree in a $100 hole will outgrow a $100 tree in a $10 hole". A healthy, low-cost five-gallon tree from Wal-Mart or a hardware store can do quite well quickly if appropriately planted, three-point staked, and cared-for.
A mixture of native soil, peat moss, and potting soil around the root-ball in a wide hole promotes drainage as well as rapid growth. Some soil in the area is iron-poor, so consider adding it. Apply a thick layer of mulch over the soil, but don't allow the mulch to cover the trunk as it can cause rot. Watering during dry-periods is critical, but with a well-prepared hole, fertilizer is needed only sparingly.
Fall is the traditional time for planting trees, but springtime before the hot weather sets in is usually a successful period too if you water when needed. And as with any digging, locating and avoiding utility lines is important, so call 811 or 1-800-DIG-SAFE in advance for their free marking service.
Unfortunately, most of the pine trees in the neighborhood, especially the Scots ("Scotch") pines, are susceptible to the "pine wilt nematode" which is carried via a particular bug (the pine sawyer beetle). If you notice that one or more of your pines turns brown quickly, usually all over, it probably has this infection and needs to be removed immediately. Remember that outdoor burning is not allowed in Oakwood Estates, so the tree will need to be disposed of properly off site to reduce the propagation of this disease. It is probably not wise to replace the tree with another pine; your other existing pine trees should be well-watered and otherwise cared for to increase their resistance. Summer droughts are also hard on pines as their roots are shallow, but die-off is typically slower than via pine wilt.
Emerald Ash Borer
A new threat, to ash trees, is here -- the emerald ash borer has been detected nearby. Planting new ash trees may not be optimal at this time. Similar to affected pines, ash trees that are ailing or dead due to the borer need to be removed and disposed of properly.