Fall Tree Planting 2017

9/12/2017

Are you planting a new tree this fall? Good for you! Fall is a GREAT time to plant a tree. Get that little guy in the ground as it enters dormancy (and we mean little: plant small trees!) and watch it take off in the spring!

Last year, we published a 3-part blog series about the ins-and-outs of tree planting: 1) Where and what to plant; 2) Finding quality nursery stock; and 3) How to plant it right! Still, we are asked frequently...

"What should I plant?" It's a complicated question, as every landscape is unique, and every homeowner has different expectations for what their ideal tree would offer. Should it be tall or wide? "Tidy" and easy to maintain? Flowering or fruiting? Should it offer sparse or dense shade? Is it purely for beauty in the landscape or does it have a job, like shading a driveway or home?

Thankfully, the Nebraska Forest Service publishes an awesome list of suggested trees each year. This year, it's 17 Trees for 2017. The trees from that list are shown below, along with their seeds/fruit, foliage and fall color. Click the tree name for more information!

New for 2017!
New to the list this year is the Turkish Filbert (aka Hazelnut) tree. You'll go "nuts" for its great yellow fall color! It's a medium/large deciduous tree with a unique pyramidal canopy shape that's more tall than wide, making it a great choice for a landscape that is short on space. And yes - you can eat the nuts!

This list is not all-inclusive, of course, but it does provide great trees that are proven to thrive in our region and that are readily available. If you need suggestions on where to find these trees, we've got suggestions for some great local nurseries that provide high quality stock at an affordable price. Please avoid big box stores, however tempting the price tag may be. Don't buy your tree where you buy your toilet!