There are roughly 5.3 million trees in Tulsa. That’s a staggering number. But each year thousands of  trees are lost to development, disease, pests and -- as many of us are all too aware -- storms. That’s why it’s vitally important that we continue to plant trees every year.

According to Up with Trees, Tulsa’s nonprofit urban forest advocate, our tree canopy -- the amount of ground shaded when a tree is fully leafed out -- should be maintained at 26% to 30%. To achieve that goal, 15,000 trees need to be planted each year for the next 20 years. It’s a lofty goal, for sure, but it’s totally doable.

The reasons for creating a healthy urban forest are many, and include aesthetic, environmental, and economic benefits. But rather than citing scads of statistics, I’ll just cut to the chase -- trees, quite simply, improve our quality of life.

So if you’ve been contemplating a new tree for your landscape, good. And if you’ve been considering planting a deciduous tree (those that lose their leaves in the fall rather than remain “evergreen”), even better, because all sizes are currently on sale.

It’s hard to go wrong with the deciduous trees we carry, because for decades we’ve focused on those that do well in our urban forest and fine-tuned our selections along the way. Many are native, but even those that aren’t are well adapted to our growing conditions. Among the most popular shade trees are oaks, maples (including Japanese maples), elms, Tupelos, Ginkgos, bald cypress, and Chinese pistache. We also have flowering beauties such as crape myrtle, dogwood, and redbud. But there are others worthy of your consideration.  

The links below will take you to four of my previous blogs you might find useful in deciding what trees to plant and how to plant them.

https://southwoodgardencenter.com/2016-10-26-three-tough-and-terrific-trees/

https://southwoodgardencenter.com/2016-11-2-three-more-terrific-trees/

https://southwoodgardencenter.com/2017-2-22-how-to-plant-a-tree/

https://southwoodgardencenter.com/2017-10-31-the-beauty-of-bark/

The bigger the tree, the bigger (and deeper, and wider) the hole needed to accommodate its roots. And while we wouldn’t want to discourage you from taking on the task -- assuming you’ve got a good shovel and a strong back -- keep in mind that we offer complete planting services, including delivery, and when we do the planting you get a one-year tree guarantee. For details, ask your salesperson or go to https://southwoodgardencenter.com/planting-installation/.

Before you lop off that limb or hack at your hydrangea, stop and ask yourself if pruning is actually in the plant’s best interest. I’ll examine the subject next week, and my take on it may surprise you.