Trees

[David]

My wife and I have a lot picked out that we think we might buy. It seems like a good location to us and has the East facing orientation that my wife desires.

The lot is wooded (as is the whole subdivision). It's 1.5 acres. We'll need to clear it ourselves. I'd like to know everyone's thoughts on tree spacing.

I've seen owners in this subdivision save almost all trees and try to plant grass. It looks bad. The dense trees make it tough for grass.

I've seen other owners save hardly a tree. A bit too few trees for our taste.

Some place stone around the trees and fill with mulch. Depending on the tree, I've heard you can choke a tree that way. Is that true?

I just wanted to get a discussion going on this. So, what's best for the trees? Many or few trees? Most are pine, with a few maple and oak. Our realtor advises us to save as many trees as possible to create a screen so it's difficult to see our house. I like the house being a bit on display (side street, so it's not super on display), especially when it comes to Christmas time. And I personally could do without all the tall, skinny pines which shed needles like crazy. What does everyone else think?

[Rich]

Unless you build up quite a bit of fill around a tree (in the dripline of the tree) you shouldn't harm the tree at all. As far as spacing around trees - think of getting a lawn tractor between them and double it. That equates to around 8-10' between trees. At least that's what I think looks good.

[rabadger]

I had a home with 9 oaks, 8 Hickory, 1 willow, 1 tulip, 2 pines, 2 apple, 1 maple. All of them were over 50 years old. Except the apple trees. The oaks were between 75-100 years old. It was on a one acre lot. What a pain it was. Maintenance all weekend long from spring through fall. After living there for 10 years we moved. By the time we put the house up on the market we had 4 hickory, 6 oaks, 1 tulip, 2 pines, 2 apples, 1 maple. left. The wind took the willow, 2 hickory, my gutter with 1/3 of the roof. Lightening took 1 hickory. The missing oaks I had to have removed to get other problems solved.

Growing grass was also a pain.

Drove by the house just a couple of weeks ago. They are now down to just a few trees. Be careful once the coons start setting up housekeeping it doesn't take long for all the trees to end up hollow and doesn't take a lot of wind to take them down.

Today I live less than a mile away from that place. One afternoon every fall I go out, rake my leaf then go in and watch the Bears. It's easier to get the boys to do the lawn work when it only takes a couple of hours.

Thin them out so you have some shade but not all day long. Keep them away from the house.

[Don_P]

We have several thousand trees, our lot is 36 acres. I'm kinda a tree hugger. I've planted several thousand more since we've been here. I didn't want to cut many, several I left around the house have had to removed professionally, not cheap. We pulled the plug on one of my favorite old trees when we had the foundation started, I lost the "discussion" on a 6' diameter poplar just out back. She was right, when we got it down I stood waist deep in the punky heart. Two maples and an oak succumbed to dirt fill piled around their bases, it took them about 10 years to go. Another thing to look for in yard trees is widowmaker limbs. My wife was working in the yard one day and was hit by a falling limb, 14 stitches and one freaked husband. I still like a yard full of trees. One thing, once cut, they're gone, take your time removing them. I got the sawmill when we had an ice storm on the heels of a heavy rain. Our front yard looked like a bulldozer had come thru tipping trees over. I couldn't see burning furniture grade lumber.

[CThomp]

I'd just remove enough trees for the house and a buffer around it for wildfire protection.

But I hate grass. I hate mowing. I'd rather haul out a few limbs and branches than mow. I guess it's different with a riding lawn mower though.

So it's your prefrence.

But I guess if I was wanting grass I'd go with what Rich said.

What ever you do don't use rubber mulch. Rubber mulch will compress over time and kill your trees.

And think of the pine trees this way...FREE MULCH!!

[David]

And think of the pine trees this way...FREE MULCH!!

The needles cover the grass and kill it. They clog gutters. They are ugly as sin (pines here grow tall and typically are naked trunks until the top 15).

[rabadger]

You also end up with high acid soil. If you want to grow anything forget it.

[CThomp]

Refer to my previous statement.

I'm no fan of lawns.;) But I guess they grow well and look nice in other places.

Down here the only way you can have a lawn is if you fertilize the crap out of it by dumping tons of chemicals on it all the time.

And then SW Florida gets more red tide, more algae blooms, and more fish kills. In fact we have red tide right now.

To many people down here.

Anyhow...I see what you're saying about the pines. Could you cut away the pine trees from around your house? Maybe leave an oak or something like that for shade?

I don't know. Down here developers strip the land bare of any and all vegetation, build the houses, and plant palm trees.

I hate palm trees.

[11chaos]

You could always go with a mixture. Go with a water works and meadering paths that lead to benches or something similiar. Keep the trees, you won't regret it. My father-in-law did a mixture like I talked about. Curb appeal is important. Yes, I know this is a late post.

[David]

Yes, I know this is a late post.

That's okay. Job hunting is taking all my time. I don't know that I'll even buy the lot now b/c I don't know where I'll be working.

[corleone]

Do you have kids? Why don't you just plan a playground for your kids. Don't you think it is necessary at your landscaping area