When trees take revenge
Garden Clippings for July 2, 2022
The Poplar trees laughed at me as I tried to remove the white “fluffies” off the air conditioner.
The goal was to improve my air conditioner’s efficiency. The unit was caked with poplar seed pods, and I needed a water jet spray to restore free air movement.
I looked up at the Poplar trees and said to myself “What’s wrong with this picture?”
The Poplars, equally amused, were probably wondering the same thing. Perhaps they were telling me that I should simply let them do their work, rather than thinking that a power-hungry air conditioner could do a better job than the Poplars, Maples, Oaks and Spruce that surround it.
Trees have a clever way of teaching us a lesson. If you pour a concrete driveway over tree roots, it won’t be long before the tree will punish you by heaving and cracking the precious concrete above its roots.
If you plant grass under a Spruce, Maple, Birch, or other shallow rooted tree, in due time the grass will deteriorate because of competition from tree roots and shade above.
Field tiles and septic beds, when installed too close to aggressive trees, will eventually be plugged up with roots because drainage tiles are a great source of nutrient-rich moisture.
Developers who clear cut a forest to make way for roadways and new homes will often be called upon by City planners and other authorities to protect and maintain significant trees in the bush, while bulldozing the adjacent messy undergrowth. But the single standing tree will rarely thrive without the comfort and protection afforded by its previous tree friends and neighbours.
Walnuts are the best example of trees that have a mind of their own. They make life miserable for humans that plant vegetable plots and ornamental landscape plants in their root zone by exuding a toxic chemical from their roots.
Ginkgo trees are beautiful, hardy and a fine choice for home landscapes. Their branching structure, unique leaves and attractive fall colour make it one of my favorites. But don’t plant a female Ginkgo, because when mature, it has annoying stinky fruit.
Weeping Willows are a fast-growing majestic tree with graceful branches that sway back and forth with the slightest breeze. But Willows are incredibly thirsty. They are weak wooded, short lived and when mature, will constantly drop limbs from within.
Silver Maples are a large and fast-growing tree that provides lots of dense shade. But Silver Maples, along with their Manitoba Maple cousins, are weak wooded, and likely to drop huge limbs during storms. Their winged seeds clog up eavestroughs and storm sewer pipes.
The lesson to be learned is that trees are resilient and have a strong will to survive. Choose landscape trees with care. Respect the forest. Plant more trees in to preserve the earth.
Warren Buffet said it perfectly when he spoke about long-term investing: “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long ago.”
