Plant Native Trees to Help with Shade

Maple tree

Sitka spruce trees

As the ground is thawing, now is the time to plan on what tree you want to add to your yard to give it more shade. Spring and Fall are the best seasons to plant trees, providing time for roots to develop before the heat of Summer. There are many benefits to having trees in your yard, including a way to fight climate change as one acre of forest absorbs roughly 6 tons of carbon dioxide, produces oxygen, provides a home to wildlife and helps maintain essential groundwater supplies. Trees planted in your yard also help cut down on cooling cost of your home since they help block full-day sun. 

When choosing what tree to put in your yard, doing your research is key. Choosing a tree native to your area gives it the best chance of survival and will be little maintenance once established. Some of the native species in BC are Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, Birch, Dogwood, Hawthorne, Garry Oak and Maple trees . Going with a Deciduous tree will give a bigger canopy of shade, but mean leaf cleanup in the fall, which can be useful in your compost and garden. Conifer trees mostly only lose older needles in the fall, so the tree pretty much looks the same through all seasons. Both grow best in well-drained loamy soil, while conifers prefer soil more on the acidic side.

You’ll want to consider the full height and canopy spread size when choosing a tree for your yard so it does not become too big for its area, or roots growing too close to your home’s foundation. When planting, it is a good idea to call utility companies before digging such a large hole in your yard to make sure there are no utility lines that run through the planting site. Dig a hole 2-3 times wider than the rootball of the tree you have chosen. Carefully remove the tree from it’s pot and place in the whole. If it is wrapped in burlap, carefully cut away the burlap once placed in the hole. Fill in with you soil to ⅔ full, water and allow soil to settle, then continue filling the rest of the hole. The top of the root ball should be flush with the top of the hole.