I'm looking for a medium large shade tree for my back yard. I am in SW Ohio and prefer a tree that doesn't make a mess (other than the leaves) and is trouble free to grow. My back yard is devoid of vegitation, so this tree would get full sunlight. The back yard is 75 x 60 feet and the tree would be near the middle. I would like to start from a seed. I looked on a tree website and there is a vast amount of possiblilities that I'd like to narrow down. I know I can't have trees that can be attacked by EAB and oaks seem to have problems of their own. What do you suggest? Thanks, John
Go visit some local gardener businesses and talk to them. Might even check HD and Lowes. Why? They know your area. They will have small starters which will save a few years time.
I have a couple of maple trees in my back yard that are beautiful. They grow quickly I believe and make great climbing trees for kids if you care about that.
One of my favorites is the Locust. I think the growing habit is very graceful.
2 years ago I picked up a seed pod from one of my neighbors trees and stored itin the refrigerator over the winter. I think they may grow slowly, so far the 2 trees I have are under a foot.
They make a very dappled shade since the leaves are very small. The leaves don't make a mess either.
Not sure what county you are in but I looked up Dept. of Agriculture for Athens county. (former Buckeye here)
Might find info for the county you reside in after a soil test. Then get a recomendation locally.
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We had some Tulip (poplar) trees in SW Ohio that offered good shade.
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Had Maple trees in Central Ohio that had the winged seeds. They would sprout in the gutters and required cleaning out the gutters on a two story house. I don't recomend these.
"Fast-growing" maple would almost certainly be a silver maple. While they are fast-growing, that comes at a price of being soft and easily broken in storms and prone to shedding branches, etc. As someone else noted, the "helicopter blade" maple seeds can be a nuisance, too.
If choose a maple, look carefully at the _particular_ variety of maple.
I'd iterate the other advice--either local extension office or a good (not HD/WallyMart or the corner hardware) garden/landscape supply will have suitable recommendations for the area. You'll be far better off starting w/ small sapling in general than the seed route as well, not to mention far more choices as trees are simply not sold by seed.
Also, remember in selecting that what looks like a very large are now while empty will fill in w/ this tree and anything in neighbors lawn that may now be small will also be growing as well. That suggested maple or many oaks could easily overgrow that area.
Telephone your city parks department. They ought to know what will suit your needs e.g. shade, overall size, speed of growth, and thrives locally.. (It is not usual to grow trees from seed: you get a better start with saplings anything from 2 ft. to 8 ft. tall.)
Seed works for me. I've been in the same house since 1979, and there are three 30-foot plus maples growing that were once "weeds." I started another one in the back from a seed that I got from a nearby town, a maple variety with the thin 3-prong leaves. Okay, I've been at it for a couple of years and it's only four feet tall so far, but I'm patient.
If possible, consider planting nearer the perimeter than the center. You can do that if you back up to a green area or a common area.. Putting the tree in the middle of your back yard will make your yard seem much smaller, and make it more difficult to mow. Putting the tree in the middle also makes it more difficult for other activities, whether it's a new deck, a winter ice rink, badminton net, croquet game, etc.
Also consider what you want to do in the yard -- do you want an umbrella-shaped tree which lets you sit in the shade, like an oak or a maple, or one that has branches all the way to the ground, like a magnolia. Is the tree supposed to be a landscape focal point or a source of shade to help other activities? Do you want to look AT the tree, or look beyond it to the landscaping?
The tree should be a proportianate size with the house -- a small one-story bungalow would look better with a purple-leaf plum than with a big sycamore, and vice versa.
How soon do you want the tree to look like a part of the landscape? A fast-growing tree is likely to be very weak-limbed and vulnerable to strong winds or heavy snows. If you only think you'll be in the house a few years, planting from seed is probably out of the picture, as are slow growers like oaks and hickory.
Your extension service office should have a list of trees for your area, along with pictures and characteristics that will help you decide. I agree with the others who say don't try to grow it from seed. The time scale is too long, plus you won't know for several years whether it's going to grow the way you want it to. For example, you might plant a maple for quick shade, and then see it grow as a multi-trunked specimen that doesn't match the use you had planned.
Personal preference -- I would plant a tree as a backdrop at the rear of the garden, with landscaping, rocks, perhaps a small pond, etc., in front of it. My choices would be something to add color and shape to the setting, such as white birch, japanese maple, purple-leaf plum, or black pine. If instead I was just looking for shade so that I could use a deck, have cookouts, etc., I'd probably go with a sycamore, sugar maple, or something similar, but I'd still try to move it as close to the property line as I could. Actually, if I could only have one tree I'd be tempted to get a Bracken Brown Beauty magnolia and put it in the corner of the lot, if I was sure it could handle the winters in your area.
I believe they all have some thorns but not so bad you can't lean against the trunk of a full grown tree. I think most of the thorns are in the branches. You wouldn't want to climb it.
That is a question best answered by your local agriculture experts. Call your local college ag department or nurseries and they can guide you as to what works best in your area and soil types.
Why from seed? Yes, it can be done but it will be years before you have anything of shade benefit. Many of the shade trees grow only a foot or two in a year.
You may want to consider the location also. It is common practice in some farm areas to plant evergreen on the west side as a wind break and the shade trees on the east and south for shade int he summer yet get full sun in winter. A good sized tree can reduce the need for air conditioning considerably.
Another advantage of buying a small tree is that you can somewhat determine how good the condition is and not waste five years on something that is going to be a problems with split trunk, etc. Put some thought into this for both type and location and it will also increase the value of your house.
Do a little reading on characteristics at places like this
"JohnR66" wrote in news:bW0Jk.69803$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
Red Maple. No helicopter seeds with this tree. Not that many little branches fall off.
Silver maple is messy. Locust - they have a tendency to sprout little trees along the roots and into the lawn. Mountain Ash - a pretty tree, but has berrys that make a mess.
You have to be careful planting along perimeter of your yard. If branches grow into the neighboring yards the people can get upset. People can be very weird.
Lots of choices. Narrow your preferences down. I'd pick something that is native for a better tree. Sugar maple, gingko, chestnut oak are my favorites. From seed you'll need to wait 20 years for a small tree.
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