How to Choose the Right Tree for Your Yard

                         
Trees add beauty to the environment around them., but they can also be used for some very practical reasons such as windbreaks, screening and shading.

Furthermore, trees provide clean air, shade, reduce pollution,prevent soil erosion and shelter for naive animals. They are a crucial part of the urban landscapes and are grossly undervalued by most.


But how to choose the right tree for your yard and or situation? Let’s find out!

Types of  trees and their uses
There are different types of trees used for different situations;

• Shade Trees: these trees usually have broad leaves, are tall and have a rounded or vase-shape. Species is critical as you need to know for how much of the year you want shade.

A deciduous tree for example, will lose it's leaves in winter allowing the sun through, but shade in summer.

• Ornamental Trees: these trees offer both beauty and fruits or flowers. A lot of them are smaller in size and easier to maintain. Popular ones are flowering plums and Ornamental pear trees.

• Windbreakers: Planted to provide a buffer against prevailing winds and storms, these trees are also useful in the creation of micro-climate in our yards by providing extra shelter from frost and harsh weather.

The best trees for this is Conifers and Pencil pines.

• Screening Trees: These trees are beautiful and great at providing privacy and reducing noise. Again Conifers and Pencil pines are the way to go.

• Fruit Trees: These trees need more tree pruning, pest control and attention than other trees but they reward us with amazing delicious fruit.

Before planting any tree, you should have a clear vision of why we are planting. This will help in selection.


Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Right Tree
• Size of the Lawn: there are huge and small trees but these can be planted according to the size of the lawn.

Huge trees require huge spaces and can’t be planted in a small area. So, make sure you have a lawn big enough to support the kind of tree you want.

• Nature of the Tree: trees also have their liabilities. Some have thorns that make them unsuitable for home and children whereas others are weedy and messy.

• Atmosphere: some trees are more tolerant to urban conditions such as atmospheric pollutants from industry and cars, bad soil, poor drainage, night lighting and even salt sprays from snow plows.

• Water: If there is inadequate water supply in the lawn, then we have to choose a tree that offers drought tolerance.

• Growing Conditions: you’ll need to determine the overall sunlight conditions available in the lawn. You should also look at the type of soil that a particular tree needs as well as the lawn’s drainage facility.

• Research about Pests and Diseases: complete research is needed from your end if the tree you’re thinking of planting is very susceptible to diseases or pests.


Hire an Arborist
A good way to make sure you select the right tree for your lawn is by contacting a tree lopping professional.

You can gain useful advice from them as they know what type of tree is likely to proper considering the conditions being offered by your lawn.

They can also help you with any required tree trimming and more once you’ve planted a tree.