10 Reasons You Should Plant Trees near your home today

Right now, the days are getting shorter, and the leaves are almost entirely off the deciduous trees here in Australia. The temperature is dropping and many of the scary animals are going into hibernation too, which makes it the perfect time to start planting trees. Since the trees are going into their dormant phase, too, the nurseries are starting to stock bare root varieties, which are often 50% of the cost of their potted counterparts.

Some home gardeners are afraid of planting trees in their gardens because they think they will grow out of control. With the ever-shrinking front and backyards, you don’t want to plant trees that could impact your house’s foundation or plumbing. I know this firsthand. Two years ago, I decided to take a long, leisurely bath, and when it was time to drain the tub, water went all over our floor. Unbeknownst to us, a Japanese maple tree root had broken the pipe and started growing into the bathroom. We had to bring in a plumber and tiler to fix the damage.

For the areas around your house, though, deciduous trees (the kind that drops their leaves in Autumn) can be very beneficial when you plant them on the north face of your home. Be mindful of planting smaller, dwarf varieties of trees and keep them pruned.

1. Improve Air Quality – Trees help reduce air pollution, absorb carbon dioxide, and help cool places that are too hot due to trapped gases in urban areas. You can use small trees in your garden to change the climate and improve the air quality substantially. After all, trees are the lungs of our planet. They soak up carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

2. Reduce Rain Runoff – Every year, you will inherit an abundance of little sponges and fertiliser in the form of fallen leaves. Small desiduous trees in your garden will help absorb rainwater so that it keeps your garden from getting too wet and flooding. The leaves collect, stop, and slow the rain down, preventing soil erosion during destructive weather cycles. Of course, they may land where you don’t want them, but that is easily remedied with a rake and a compost bin.

3. Moderate Extreme Sun – If you live in a scorching area where the sun is powerful, and there isn’t very much rain or cool weather, it can be hard to grow food in your garden. Small trees placed strategically can provide shade and adjust the climate in your garden naturally. If you choose an apple tree, you can create a small food forest underneath the tree to have fresh food year-round.

4. Provide wind breaks – Some plants are delicate, and others are much stronger. Trees can help block the wind strategically in your garden and force the wind to go around your garden if you place the trees correctly. It will create a microclimate that is much more pleasant for both you and the animals. Trees will also help protect delicate garden plants and fruit-bearing plants from drying out, and cut your water bill.

5. Protect Against Bad Weather – Hail and hard rain can ruin your garden if it hits at the wrong time. But trees placed in the right areas can help lessen the impact of bad weather and help save your garden. You can use the plants you put in your garden to guide the rain where you want it to go.

6. Brings in Pollinators – You need bees to pollinate your garden. Planting certain types of trees can help attract all kinds of pollinators, including bees. If you have a larger garden far enough away from your house, it’s imperative to plant native trees, so that you’ll bring in suitable pollinators such as our native bees. Since beekeepers are having severe problems with colony collapse, you will be doing the earth a favor if you plant more trees that bees love. Eucalyptus and tea trees are very popular with our native bees.

7. Cool your home in the summer and warm it in winter – By planting dwarf trees next to your walls, but far enough away to avoid foundation issues, you will reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter. Trees will act as insulators. Outside of the environmental issues, if you have fencing, walls, and other areas of your garden that aren’t attractive, planting a tree will help a lot, and even add value to your home.

8. They Look Nice – Trees look pretty in a garden; it gives the eye something to look at no matter the season. Your garden can look attractive all year long no matter what the weather.

9. They increase the value of your property. A tree in front of a house increases the home’s sales price by an average of $7,130, according to the PNW Research Station. And if that tree is part of a beautiful, well-kempt landscape, it can increase your home value by 6 to 11 percent, found Michigan University.

10. They will bring wildlife into your garden, providing entertainment whenever you look outside. I love watching birds building their nests in the spring. They provide some drama as they lay their eggs and then start to feed their young. We also have several koala-friendly trees near the house, so we can look outside and see these adorable creatures as they eat eucalyptus leaves or sleep in the branches.

Using small trees in your garden will improve air quality, protect against bad weather, and even help change the climate in the garden for better growth - such as in super-sunny and hot areas that don’t have any shade.