Trees. Do you plant them on your property so you can enjoy their
growing beauty over many years while adding to the value of your home
in the future real estate market? Nothing wrong with that! But in
addition to aesthetics, trees provide three very practical benefits
that add to your comfort and well-being... and even save you some of
your hard-earned money.

Trees create a sound barrier
Living close to persistent noise can make you sick. In addition to the
possibility of hearing loss, noise has been shown to cause stress,
tension and anxiety. If your home is close to a noise source, such as
a highway or an industrial complex, planting a "noise buffer"
consisting of trees and shrubs can reduce noise by 5 to 10 decibels,
effectively reducing the sound by up to 50% to the human ear.

According to an excellent Web site hosted by Agroforestry, the best
results are obtained when the noise buffer is planted as close as
possible to the source of the noise (rather than close to the area you
wish to protect).

The Agroforestry site also recommends planting the trees and shrubs as
close together as the species will allow. Additionally, choose plants
with dense foliage, preferably foliage that is growing all the way to
the ground. As you might guess, evergreen trees provide better
year-round noise reduction.

If noise is giving you a migraine, I recommend a visit to
http://www.agroforestry.net/overstory/overstory60.html where you can
find detailed planting solutions to various noise pollution problems.
You can click on a direct link when you go to my Web site
www.landsteward.org and find this column under The Plant Man heading.

Trees provide wind protection
If you are troubled by blowing dust and debris around your home,
thoughtfully planted trees can reduce the problem. But reducing the
effect of wind on your home can also keep some dollars in your pocket.

Research conducted on the Great Plains has shown that up to 25 percent
energy savings for heating is possible from windbreaks. An evergreen,
properly placed, can divert cold winds away from the home. Locate the
windbreak upwind from the home, according to advice from the Colorado
State University Co-operative extension. Again, you'll find a link
to the CSU article at
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/garden/07225.html embedded in this
column at my Web site.

To reduce wind velocity, the recommended distance from your house is
between and three times tree height (at maturity) but you'll still
reap wind-reducing benefits from trees planted at a distance of up to
six tree heights.

Trees provide shade
Before you say "Duh," I'm not just referring to the shade you
enjoy while sipping lemonade in your hammock. Your home benefits from
being shaded from the heat of the sun, and trees are a natural
sunshade.

Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a household's energy
consumption for heating and cooling, according to computer models
created by the U.S. Department of Energy. They estimate that the proper
placement of only three trees would save an average household between
$100 and $250 in energy costs annually.

While you're at it, create some shade for that air-conditioning unit
that's chugging away under the broiling summer sun.

In a nutshell, trees can reduce the headache-inducing effects of noise,
the nuisance of wind and the size of your utility bills.

Which specific trees and shrubs should you plant to achieve one or more
of these results? In many cases, this will depend on your geographic
location and any unique contributing factors that affect your
landscape. If you're unsure about what would work best for your
particular situation, send some basic details in an e-mail to
and I'll do my best to reply with some
suggestions.

Another benefit of trees? Privacy! And that's the subject of next
week's Plant Man column!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to . For resources and additional
information, or to subscribe to Steve's free weekly e-mailed
newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

wrote:
Trees. Do you plant them on your property so you can enjoy their
growing beauty over many years while adding to the value of your home
in the future real estate market? Nothing wrong with that! But in
addition to aesthetics, trees provide three very practical benefits
that add to your comfort and well-being... and even save you some of
your hard-earned money.

Yes and we prefer the pines to Maple or Oak. Don't get me wrong I
love the shade a Maple tree provides, but it is the seasonal issue
with pollan.
This year in Pa zone 5 it is awful. Lived in New Jersey 15 minutes
from the boardwalk and miss the ocean with it's healing salt air
Bette

In article .com,
"Bette" wrote:

wrote:
Trees. Do you plant them on your property so you can enjoy their
growing beauty over many years while adding to the value of your home
in the future real estate market? Nothing wrong with that! But in
addition to aesthetics, trees provide three very practical benefits
that add to your comfort and well-being... and even save you some of
your hard-earned money.

Yes and we prefer the pines to Maple or Oak. Don't get me wrong I
love the shade a Maple tree provides, but it is the seasonal issue
with pollan.
This year in Pa zone 5 it is awful. Lived in New Jersey 15 minutes
from the boardwalk and miss the ocean with it's healing salt air
Bette

We are hoping for a good rain tonight to wash the pollen down.

Bill with very dry eyes.

--
S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

William Wagner wrote:
the pollen.
This year in Pa zone 5 it is awful. Lived in New Jersey 15 minutes
from the boardwalk and miss the ocean with it's healing salt air
Bette

We are hoping for a good rain tonight to wash the pollen down.
Bill with very dry eyes.

Lucky you. Even after taking 180 mg of Allegra, (once per day) my eyes
continue to run.
Sometimes I would like to rip them out.
My hubby helps me with B & L eye drops. That does help for a short
time.

At least the sneezing has stopped. Living across from Lancaster County
Amish farms, the dust from the fields plus the liquid fertilizer they
put down is . . .PHEUWWWWW.

Sorry for going on and on. This is about my gardening rather than
health.
Should connect with a health newsgroup.
Bette

You're right about a really nice tree adding value to your home or real
estate. I work as a Realtor, and have seen wonderful mature trees add
thousands to value.

I have an old dying Modesto Ash in my front yard. It has provided me
shade, and beauty for many years. Unfortunately, it is now diseased,
overcome with a lot of misteltoe, which I have removed annually.

Sadly, I will probably remove it next year. I was thinking of
replacing it with a Silver Maple, or something of that sort. I had no
idea about pollan being an issue.

What would be a tree similar to a Maple, where pollan wouldn't cause a
problem???

I'm in Sacramento, California.

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
You're right about a really nice tree adding value to your home or real
estate. I work as a Realtor, and have seen wonderful mature trees add
thousands to value.

I have an old dying Modesto Ash in my front yard. It has provided me
shade, and beauty for many years. Unfortunately, it is now diseased,
overcome with a lot of misteltoe, which I have removed annually.

Sadly, I will probably remove it next year. I was thinking of
replacing it with a Silver Maple, or something of that sort. I had no
idea about pollan being an issue.

What would be a tree similar to a Maple, where pollan wouldn't cause a
problem???

I'm in Sacramento, California.

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
You're right about a really nice tree adding value to your home or real
estate. I work as a Realtor, and have seen wonderful mature trees add
thousands to value.

I have an old dying Modesto Ash in my front yard. It has provided me
shade, and beauty for many years. Unfortunately, it is now diseased,
overcome with a lot of mistletoe, which I have removed annually.

Sadly, I will probably remove it next year. I was thinking of
replacing it with a Silver Maple, or something of that sort. I had no
idea about pollen being an issue.

What would be a tree similar to a Maple, where pollen wouldn't cause a
problem???

I'm in Sacramento, California.
Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

This may help. http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1997/021097.html
In all fairness to the group, I am a newbie and others would have a
better answer for your problem.

Jeffcoat is such an interesting name. There is a lovely book written
by LaVyrle Spencer entitled, "Vows."
The main character's last name is Jeffcoat.


Bette

On 5/11/06 8:01 PM, in article
, "Bette"
wrote:

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
You're right about a really nice tree adding value to your home or real
estate. I work as a Realtor, and have seen wonderful mature trees add
thousands to value.

I have an old dying Modesto Ash in my front yard. It has provided me
shade, and beauty for many years. Unfortunately, it is now diseased,
overcome with a lot of misteltoe, which I have removed annually.

Sadly, I will probably remove it next year. I was thinking of
replacing it with a Silver Maple, or something of that sort. I had no
idea about pollan being an issue.

What would be a tree similar to a Maple, where pollan wouldn't cause a
problem???

I'm in Sacramento, California.

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

Myrl Jeffcoat wrote:
You're right about a really nice tree adding value to your home or real
estate. I work as a Realtor, and have seen wonderful mature trees add
thousands to value.

I have an old dying Modesto Ash in my front yard. It has provided me
shade, and beauty for many years. Unfortunately, it is now diseased,
overcome with a lot of mistletoe, which I have removed annually.

Sadly, I will probably remove it next year. I was thinking of
replacing it with a Silver Maple, or something of that sort. I had no
idea about pollen being an issue.

What would be a tree similar to a Maple, where pollen wouldn't cause a
problem???

I'm in Sacramento, California.
Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

This may help. http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/1997/021097.html
In all fairness to the group, I am a newbie and others would have a
better answer for your problem.

Jeffcoat is such an interesting name. There is a lovely book written
by LaVyrle Spencer entitled, "Vows."
The main character's last name is Jeffcoat.


Bette

There are also daylily hybridizers with the last name Jeffcoat. Any relation
Myrl?

Cheryl