How to select the right tree for your yard
Q. The last Friday in April is Arbor Day. Does that mean it is a good time to plant a tree?
A. The simple answer to your question is "yes." Arbor Day is a good time to plant a tree in Illinois, although this may not be the case in other states.
Some folks may be wondering about the origins of Arbor Day, an annual observance celebrating the role of trees in our environment and promoting their planting and care. Arbor Day had its origins in the 1800s in Nebraska. When pioneers moved to the Nebraska Territory, which was at that time a treeless plain, they needed trees for building materials, fuel, windbreaks and shade from the hot prairie sun.
One of these pioneers, J. Sterling Morton of Detroit, the editor of Nebraska's first newspaper, spread agricultural information and encouraged everyone to plant trees. At an 1872 meeting of the state board of agriculture, he proposed a tree planting holiday to be called "Arbor Day."
After the state passed legislation, Arbor Day was officially celebrated on April 10 with the planting of more than 1 million trees. Morton's idea spread quickly, and soon other states passed similar legislation. Today, all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day, with the most common date for state observance being the last Friday in April. Some states have observances to coincide with the best tree planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north.
The next question you need to ask is which trees are best for you to plant on Arbor Day. Because everyone has different needs and wants when it comes to selecting a tree for their yard, using a tree selection guide can be helpful. Most tree selection guides will include factors to consider such as the rate of growth, size of the tree at maturity, use (shade, specimen, windbreak), soil conditions (dry/wet spot, compacted soil), foliage color, wind exposure and light requirements. Trees will thrive if they are planted in the right location.
The following sites have a wealth of information on selecting, planting and caring for trees:
• urbanext.illinois.edu/treeselector/
• www.mortanarb.org/tree-plant-advice.html
• ArborDay.org/trees
As you engage in your tree planting activities, perhaps you will be inspired by the following thought by Lucy Larcom: "He who plants a tree, plants hope."
- Mary Moisand
• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines, and University of Illinois Extension, North Cook Branch Office, Arlington Heights. Call (847) 298-3502 on Wednesdays or email northcookmg@gmail.com. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mg.