Planting Trees for Earth Day Published April 11, 2012 By 17th Civil Engineer Squadron 17th Civil Engineer Squadron GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- One of the favorite observances of Earth Day and its associated Arbor Day is to plant a tree. However, West Texas can be a challenging place to start and maintain landscaping. Young trees are unlikely to prosper here without water and dedicated care, especially during their early years. The rainfall in San Angelo is limited and can very erratic from year to year. Trees provide many benefits, but they require a commitment to providing necessary care. There are two types of trees commonly available at local nurseries: those grown to planting size or those with roots wrapped in a burlap-covered ball. Most commercial production these days grow young trees in the plastic containers. One basic planting technique is digging your planting hole a little deeper and larger than the container or root ball. You may also consider using soil from the hole as your backfill. Use commercial potting soil and amendments like peat moss and sand with caution. These soil improvements can provide saplings with a quick start. However, these alternative growing mediums can actually inhibit proper root development by acting as a barrier to the original soil. The natural soils in this area are not as conducive to root growth as the amended soil. So, the roots tend to want to stay close to the planting hole. By training roots to spread out, you will help your trees collect the limited amount of moisture available and better utilize minerals in the soil. Also, keep in mind that "bigger is not always better." It has been published that a tree with a trunk diameter of about one and a half inches is the optimum size to plant. This size is easier to handle for planting purposes and maintenance. Trees in very large container may sit for years before they start growing very well. Where do you find quality trees? Local plant nurseries are a preferred choice, but home improvement stores can also have quality stock. Avoid "mail order" purchases of trees from the newspaper style flyers. Usually these trees are not adapted to this area, may be of inadequate size, or are of inferior quality. What you may have grown in a previous yard outside of a 250 mile radius of Goodfellow may not grow here. The bargain trees that appear at grocery stores or other places that do not normally sell trees may be of dubious quality or lineage. We have experienced a significant problem at one of our dormitories where the landscaping contractor did not buy his landscaping locally. The trees were trucked in from another region. They were also from a different subspecies that does not grow well in our alkaline soils. It has been a continual battle to maintain these trees. What doesn't grow well here? Most horticulturists who are not in the business of selling you trees will not recommend the always popular Arizona ash or the fruitless mulberry for this area. These trees are noted for their initial fast growth, but they have problems as they mature. We still have both of these varieties on base from plantings years ago. They are some of our biggest maintenance issues. High water-requirement trees, such as cottonwood and cypress, should also be avoided in the home landscape unless the planting area has a natural water holding capability. What grows well around San Angelo? First, look around town or the base at established mature trees to see what other people have and what grows well. Pecans are a favorite local choice, but they are a high-maintenance tree especially if you desire any significant harvest of quality nuts. Pecans have some issues that annoy some people, such as the annual two months of aphid honey-dew which falls and makes everything sticky underneath and adjacent to the tree. Almost any of the oak family does well here. Live oaks do especially well, along with some of the less familiar oaks such as the bur oak and chinquapin oaks, all of which are planted on Goodfellow and are growing great. One common criticism of the oak family is that they grow too slow, but that is not necessarily correct. In a landscaped area with regular irrigation, they can match anything. We have some live oaks along Kearney Blvd, which are regularly watered, that have put on three feet of growth a year. Red oaks are also very popular and make spectacular trees, but they can be a little temperamental and require a little more consideration than the other oaks. The leaves will burn in the summer from water sprinklers and sometimes the trees seem to die on a whim. We have had fairly large red oaks be seemingly healthy one day and dead the next. We do have some small trees, or large shrubs, that produce spectacular blooms and do excellent with very little care. The mountain laurel produces massive amounts of purple flowers in the spring that smell like grape soda. The crepe myrtle does very well and actually does better without a lot of water. It is also available in several different colors and blooms most of the summer. The desert willow produces showy, orchid-like flowers in a variety of colors and hates extra water. Examples of all these trees can be found growing on base. Of course, there are other varieties of trees and large flowering shrubs that are available to the home landscaper. Unfortunately, all possibilities can't be included in this short article. If you have any questions about trees or shrubs you see on base and want identification or growing tips, our Natural Resource Manager, Mr. Lyndal Fisher is available at 654-3451 or email to provide assistance.
