Choose the correct trees for Spring planting

Black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) Photo courtesy nl.tree-pictures.com January and February are good months to walk around your landscaping site to determine where you want your trees. Increasingly, homeowners are doing their own landscaping, especially in a depression economy. Hence it's critical to select the correct trees and to site them properly. TGM has also noticed that it's difficult to find a definitive list of what to plant on the Internet. This post will solve that problem. First of all, be advised that the majority of the trees at a garden center or box store are not suitable. Demand causes these businesses to stock the wrong trees, such as 'Bradford' callery pears and silver maples. Over the next few months, TGM will post articles on the correct trees. In the meantime, remember to site your trees for the mature size;otherwise, they will generally grow to close to the house. Trees must be at the very least 1/2 the mature diameter from the foundation. So, a 30' wide mature tree has to be at the very least 15' from the house. In general, do not plant any trees that max out at over 30' near the house. Use large trees on the periphery of the property, and give them room. A Short List of Trees to Avoid 'Bradford' pear. Use'Cleveland Select' or 'Chanticleer.' Silver maples. Use only Japanese maples and paperback maples near the house. Large maples such as sugar need lots of space, and they produce incredibly dense shade. Good tree to have on the periphery. Avoid the invasive 'Crimson King' Norway maple. All birch trees. Except river birch. All ash trees. All crabapples and mountain ash. All flowering dogwoods. These trees have all sorts of pest and disease issues that you do not want. A Quick List of Correct trees River birch, esp. 'Heritage.' Black tupelo Magnolias Crape myrtles Kousa dogwoods These trees add value to your property. More next time.