The Many Benefits of
Planting Trees
Most often,
we plant trees to provide shade and add beauty to our landscape. These are
great benefits, but trees also provide many less obvious benefits. Consider all
the benefits listed below and remember fall is the perfect time to plant trees
for an increased success rate next spring.
·
Trees are perfect for planting as living
memorials, to remind us of loved ones, or to commemorate significant events in
our lives.
·
Even though you may own the trees on your
property, your neighborhood may benefit from them as well. Through careful
planning, trees can be an asset to your entire community.
·
Tree lined streets have a traffic calming
effect, traffic moves more slowly and safely.
·
Trees can be placed to screen unwanted views or
noise from busy highways.
·
Trees improve our air quality by filtering harmful
dust and pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide from the
air we breathe.
·
Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe.
·
Trees reduce the amount of storm water runoff,
which reduces erosion and pollution in our waterways and may reduce the effects
of flooding.
·
Many species of wildlife depend on trees for
habitat. Trees provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals.
·
Well-placed trees can reduce your cooling costs
in the summer by shading the south and west sides of your home. If deciduous
trees are used, they will allow the sun to pass through and warm your home in
the winter.
·
Evergreen trees on the north side of your home
and shrubs around the foundation of your home can act as a windbreak to reduce
the cooling effects of winter winds.
·
The value of a well landscaped home with mature
healthy trees can be as much as 10% higher than a similar home with no or
little landscaping. (Topping trees will reduce their value.)
Now, let’s
change the focus. This is the month for HALLOWEEN!!! What a great and fun time
to decorate and enjoy the season with the children of the neighborhood. Here
are “Tips for Selecting and Preserving Your Pumpkin.”
When selecting a
pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern, choose one that does not have any bruises. Check
for discoloration and soft spots. The size will not matter, however, to most
children and some adults, bigger is better. You can always enlarge your
pattern; shrinking a pattern can make the detail work too difficult.
Pumpkins that are
more flat and do not roll well work the best. Look for pumpkins with a sturdy stem;
this is the sign of a healthy pumpkin. Do not lift or carry the pumpkin by the
stem, this can damage it and make it age faster. Check the bottom of the pumpkin
to see if the base is damaged. Sometimes the bottom of pumpkins is thin and can
get punctured. Then, bad things can grow in them. If the pumpkin feels heavy
and sloshes, put it back. I once opened a pumpkin to find the insides had
rotted and there was a slimy, smelly, liquid goo left behind.
Preserving and
Firming Up a Pumpkin
There are
ways to help keep your pumpkin fresher and firmer. If you place a pumpkin in a washtub
of cold water, it will absorb the water and become very firm. Cut open the top
of the pumpkin and clean out all the seeds. Fill a washtub, sink or large
bucket with cold water, and soak the pumpkin in the cold water. If you have
fine detail work to do, you may want to let your pumpkin soak overnight. This
will firm up the pumpkin flesh and allow you to do carving that is more
intricate. You can add a small amount of unscented Clorox bleach in the water
to prevent premature mold and bacteria growth.
Once you
have carved your pumpkin, you can add a thin amount of petroleum jelly on the
exposed cut edges. This will help seal moisture in the flesh of the pumpkin. If
the pumpkin dries out, it will shrivel. You can try to revive it by soaking it
in a bath of cold water for one to eight hours. Longer is better. Overnight
will not hurt.
You can
prepare your pumpkins ahead of time and keep them fresh for a future party or
gathering. Soak them first. Wrap them in plastic wrap to hold in the moisture
and store them in the refrigerator (not the freezer). They will stay
fresh this way for a very long time.
Once you
remove a wet pumpkin for display, you should immediately dry it off. This
prevents mold from having a chance to grow.
Now, enjoy all that the month of October has to offer and I
will…
See you in the garden.
Sandi Hillermann McDonald
