Empty yard-need help/advice with trees

11 years ago

Hey All,

I need your tree help and advice. I'm moving into a newer house in a cul-de-sac, so the yard is pie shaped. I'm located in zone 5 and live in northern IL. I don't know what the soil type is but my neighbor has a willow tree and live next to a large wooded area so I'm guessing that the trees I plant will thrive. The back yard is big and backs up to a county road. There is already a privacy fence but I would like to have more cover. I've read many posts on avoiding fast growing trees and soft wood trees. The backyard fence is about 200 feet long. I originally thought to line it with White Pine trees so that I would still have cover in the winter. After thinking it over I believe that an assortment of trees would be better looking. Does anyone have any suggestions on trees that would be a good fit for my situation? What about spacing in between these trees?

I'm going to be planting a Maple tree somewhere in the yard for shade; does anyone have any suggestions on the type of Maple tree?

Does anyone have any suggestions on a different type of shade tree?

If anyone has any follow-up questions about anything please ask.

Thank you in advance for your any and all help.

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Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
hi.. welcome ...

i need a picture ...it really helps.. check out the link .. paste the HTML code.. right here where you type.. and when you hit preview .. if you see it .. we will ...

first.. good on diversity ... i just took down a line of 9 pine .. because disease and followup bugs.. just kept killing the end one or two.. every other year ...

you also need to do both conifers .. aka evergreen.. and trees.. deciduous ...

on a deep yard.. also understand.. that trees can be planted closer to the house.. say in front of each window .. meaning half way tot eh property line .. to create an indoor screen .. in other words.. do NOT focus simply at the property line ..

there is nothing more i hate more .. than a straight line down a property line.. it lacks much imagination ...

so once you are in the house.. spend time at each window ... and delineate options for each one ...

if you have any idea.. of EVER gardening under your trees.. you might want to rethink that maple dream ... and willow.. and a bunch of other shade trees that will not let other things grow under them ...

pic???

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: how to post pix
jackronjim23
Original Author
11 years ago
Here is the picture. The issue as you can see is that there is absolutely no shade at all. I'd like to have a garden in the future but the main issue is getting some shade.
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Tim
11 years ago
Wow! That is an empty yard. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you plant a tree that already has a 5-6" caliper, it's going to take years to get shade from the trees you plant, even fast growing trees. You may have to focus on plants in your garden that thrive in full sun and are not easily scorched until the trees you plant are large enough to provide adequate shade.
jackronjim23
Original Author
11 years ago
Now that you can see the yard. Does anyone have any advice on fast growing trees or if I should buy a tree that is 2-4 years old?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i would go with oak ...

in the 6 foot range ... which is barely a one inch caliper ...

in 20 years.. you will not be able to grow much of anything under a maple.. and oak grow nearly as fast as maple.. once they get going ...

i dont understand the pie shape from that pic..

i would put two oaks.. about 20 feet out from the corners of the house.. and in ten years.. you will have some shade..

in the mean time.. a canopy.. trellis/lattice.. or an awning ...

for what you invested in that house.. do NOT cheap out of carppy ... cheap.. horror trees.. sold under the name FAST GROWING ...

i am sure you wouldnt put in fiberboard counters in your new house. .. so dont go with quick fast fixes out in the yard ...

ken
karinl
11 years ago
I totally agree you should look for quality trees for the long run, but I'm honestly a fan of planting cheap, fast-growing trees that provide some shade or coverage in the short term, to be co-planted with good, slow-growing "legacy" trees and then sacrificed when your good stock grows in. I don't know your zone, but whatever the nursery has a lot of and is selling cheap in fall would work for me for a couple of years.

Even if you only plant your good stuff from the outset, I think you will see results sooner than 10 years. Maybe things grow faster here in the rainforest, but I'm amazed what a 1-2 gallon tree (I like to buy them small if I can) can do in five years - a purple birch I bought as a 1-gallon is now the height of the house (2 and a half storeys). Not dense yet, but it's there. If you start with a $60-80 tree instead, usually a 1-2" caliper, in 3-5 years you will already have a shady spot to put down a blanket for the kids to play (if there are kids, if not, then for you to rest up from mowing :-)). It won't yet hold the mass of cool air that a bigger tree will do, but there will be shade.

Above all, keep in mind that planting doesn't always have to be done right first time and forever. There are always trees available, and you can plant more and replace as necessary.

Karin L
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
11 years ago
In the picture your yard looks to be a pretty decent size. I am really missing a couple of silver maples I removed. Fast growing but they have a life expectancy. And don't plant them where they will overhang your house. Cool flaky bark, good fall color, them small read early spring flowers, maybe 30 year life expectancy?
poaky1
11 years ago
I would go with an oak too. I would search on the web and see what's out there to choose from and make sure it can live in the spot you want to plant it. London plane trees grow fast and live long usually too. A Japanese Pagoda tree would look good there. Northern red oak would grow fast and live pretty long.

Empty yard-need help/advice with trees

Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

jackronjim23
Original Author

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Tim

jackronjim23
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

karinl

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

poaky1

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Empty yard-need help/advice with trees

Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

jackronjim23Original Author

Related Discussions

Tim

jackronjim23Original Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

karinl

Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis

poaky1

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jackronjim23
Original Author

jackronjim23
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