Every time I go into a neighborhood that I haven’t visited before, I tend to look at the landscaping. The older, established neighborhoods have big trees, and I am always envious when I see a magnificent oak tree gracing a home’s front lawn.

The front of my home has some pretty decent landscaping. The backyard of my house is a different story. I have grass. I also have full sun, all day long. My teenager is screaming for a pool. The yard is screaming for some trees. I am siding with the yard.

There are advantages to having trees and shrubs. They clean the air, landscaping increases property value and they reduce ground temperatures and provide shade, which lower energy costs. Also, in years to come, our son will see the trees in the backyard and fondly remember the day that he and his father planted them together, just like my husband does when he looks at the trees in his parents’ backyard.

Fall is the time for trees to be planted. They can focus their energy on establishing their roots instead of producing new growth. There are a few tips you should follow when planting a new tree.

First, choose the right trees for the purpose. If you want year-round greenery to be used as a screen, for instance, you need an evergreen as compared to a hardwood tree that loses it leaves. A soil test can help with tree selection and provide information on nutrients and pH adjustments that may be necessary.

Location, location, location. Pick a location that matches the growing conditions your tree requires. Planting a tree that will grow to 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide won’t work in a small space or too close to the house. Know the plant’s mature size and leave enough space around it for expansion to its full size. This is especially important when looking at the full span of the canopy in relation to the roof of your house or power lines.

Before digging, contact your local utility company to mark where utility lines are buried on your property. Athens Utilities can be reached by dialing 811.

Dig the plant hole three times the width, but just as deep as the root ball of the tree being planted. Many new trees fail because they are planted too deep. Once the hole is the correct size, loosen the dirt at the bottom of the hole with your shovel. This will make it easier for the roots to spread.

Loosen the root system and spread out laterally in the hole. Circling roots can develop when trees are grown in containers, causing the roots to circle around the outside of the root ball. These should be removed, as they will eventually cause girdling of the tree trunk.

If your tree is balled, remove the top one-third of the burlap from the root ball before planting. If it is balled in a synthetic material, remove as much as possible before planting.

The tree is at the correct depth when the top most root is just under the soil surface.

When a tree is first planted, add water slowly every day or two at a rate of about two gallons per inch of trunk diameter. After a few weeks, decrease the frequency but increase the volume and expand it to a wider area to encourage wide-spreading roots.

Finally, apply about three inches of mulch around the base of your tree, but avoid direct contact with the trunk. This helps the soil retain moisture, protects the roots from frost and sets a clear boundary around your tree and its roots, protecting them from lawn mower damage.

Now sit back and enjoy watching the birds who are happy that you planted the trees instead of a pool. Until next week, happy gardening!