Planting Trees for Energy Efficiency in Utah

Did you know that planting trees can save you money on your power bill and help the environment? You probably already knew about the second part, but when trees are selected and sited correctly, you can reduce electricity use in both summer and winter. Planting Trees for Summer Shade To maximize summer shade and minimize power use, consider how your home is oriented. Typically, you want to shade the east and west windows most, and the south face of the home if possible. Choose deciduous shade trees for this purpose, and once they grow to a sufficient height, you can prune the bottom branches away to preserve your views. Concrete and asphalt surfaces raise the ambient temperature around the home. You can offset this by planting trees that will shade your driveway and patio.

Tree Pruning Eases Summer Stress

A little tree pruning this summer will go a long way toward helping your trees overcome the stress that summer causes them. Not unlike humans, your trees get stressed in the heat of the season. But summer can cause some other problems you may not even be aware of, and you can help offset a lot of these stressors. For the tree pruning part of the equation, you’ll need a qualified Utah arborist. What Stresses Your Trees During the Summer? As we’ve already mentioned, temperature extremes — particularly on the high side — can stress your Utah shade, ornamental and fruit trees. The heat prompts the plant to move as many resources as possible to the leaves, in an attempt to reduce scorch. Summer storms can bring high winds. But even if they don’t break limbs, win

Growing Coniferous Trees in Utah

Coniferous trees grow well throughout most Utah locations, bringing a splash of cool green to your landscape all year long. These ornamental species are characterized by their evergreen needles that — unlike deciduous tree leaves — do not drop annually. And rather than produce seeds in fruit, coniferouss produce their seeds in the form of pine cones. In Utah, we have five basic types of coniferous trees. Spruce Trees Spruce trees grow in a classic pyramid or cone shape. They are shade-tolerant, but require a fair amount of water. Some species of spruce can grow to 90 feet tall, but because they are slow growers, this can take up to 150 years. Blue spruces and Norway spruces are both viable for growing in northern Utah, with the Norway variety offering severalÂ

Utah Tree Disease Control Strategies

In Utah, tree disease is one of the most common reasons for die-off in our forests. Your home’s landscape is equally vulnerable to the challenges that affect our state’s most common species. Once disease sets in, you have no choice but to treat the problem or remove the tree. But with just a little planning and effort on your part, you can help discourage tree diseases and pests. Utah arborists recommend that homeowners use a strategy that integrates proactive care, pruning, sanitation, watering and fertilization. Choose Tree Species for Your Location One of the best ways to avoid tree disease is to select varietals that are well-suited to your location. You can accomplish this by choosing species that are well-adapted to your property’s hardiness zone. If you sele

Our Arborists’ Top 3 Tips for Planting Trees in Utah

If you’ll be planting trees this fall, it’s time to start planning. Yes, we’ve barely gotten into the swing of summer, but autumn will be here before you know it — and that’s one of our tree-planting seasons here in northern Utah. Whether you’ll be planting fruit trees, shade trees or an ornamental species, choosing the right location and growing conditions is critical. To give your trees the best chance of success, our Utah arborists have assembled some tips to help you. No. 1: Choosing the Ideal Location for Planting Trees One of the biggest problems we arborists in northern Utah deal with is poorly located trees. It’s difficult to look at a diminutive sapling and think 20 or 30 years into the future, but that’s what you have to do before you settle on a plant