5 Reasons To Plant a Tree in Your Yard

Hot summer days aren’t far off. Why not start thinking about planting some shade trees in your yard to keep your family cool?

Here are five benefits of shade trees around a home.

1. Planting shade trees strategically can shield your home from hot sunrays in the summer. The less heat and light that comes through your windows, the cooler your home will be, and that means you can rely less on air conditioning. That can lead to lower electric bills.

2. A hedge of trees and plants adds privacy to a backyard patio. But trees don’t only prevent others from seeing in; they can block an unsightly view and even diffuse noise from nearby streets and parks.

3. Beautiful trees can boost your property value—by up to 15%, according to some nurseries. That makes planting a good investment.

4. Trees that flower and those with leaves that change colors beautify your landscape.

5. Trees benefit the environment. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air, which slows the buildup of the gas in the atmosphere. The root systems help hold and aerate the soil, filter groundwater and allow the trees to draw in chemical nutrients that otherwise could leach into the environment. Decaying leaves, needles and other tree debris enrich the soil, providing nutrients for grasses and other vegetation.



Remember when planting trees to take some safety precautions.

Always call 811 before you dig to identify underground utilities. You don’t want to strike an underground power or gas line or fiber cable. Doing so could injure you or cause widespread outages.

Consider the full-grown size of the tree you’re planting, giving it plenty of space away from overhead electric lines. Trees that grow into or near lines pose a hazard; branches can fall into and damage the infrastructure or cause fires.

Place trees far enough away from your home to reduce the risk of falling branches or big roots causing structural damage.