Does parking in your driveway mean getting into a hot car in the summer months? Is your home’s curb appeal missing something? Investing in landscaping can increase the value of your property significantly while adding to your home’s curb appeal, and driveway-lining trees are a popular choice.
If you’re looking for ways to increase shade and add color to your bare driveway, check out this guide from the tree trimming team at Vital Tree Service in Minnesota. Then give us a call to schedule your tree trimming and pruning services and keep your lawn looking beautiful!
Choosing the Right Tree
The first thing to know about planting driveway trees is that not all trees are ideal for this location. You’ll need to begin by deciding on your priorities when choosing a tree species to plant. Are you looking for a tree with a moderate to fast growth rate? Or are you more interested in creating a shady space over time?
These are a few of the most popular tree species based on various goals:
● Shade: American beech, ginkgo, paper birch, river birch
● Color: Flowering crabapples
● Growth: Japanese lilac, honey locust, hybrid willow
● Evergreens: Rocky mountain juniper, eastern red cedar
Where to Plant Trees
Now that you’ve decided on a tree species, it’s time to start planting. When planting trees near your driveway, it’s important to consider root growth. For a tree to experience healthy growth, it will need plenty of space for the roots to grow and access water and nutrients in the soil. Most tree roots can take up between six inches and 24 inches of soil. If trees are planted too close to your driveway, sidewalk, or home, they can lift the pavement and cause it to crack.
Plan out the expected mature tree size for each species when planting your driveway trees. As a general rule of thumb, trees that will grow taller should be planted further away from the driveway or pavement. Follow these basic guidelines:
● Short trees: Trees that will end up less than 30 feet tall can be planted up to three feet away from the driveway.
● Medium trees: Trees that will reach between 31 and 50 feet in height should be planted no less than six feet away from the driveway.
● Tall trees: Trees expected to grow more than 50 feet high should be planted no closer than eight feet away from a driveway.
Finally, be sure to schedule regular tree trimming and pruning services as part of your home’s seasonal maintenance.
Schedule Your Twin Cities Tree Pruning Service
Regular tree trimming service is essential to the healthy growth of any tree. At Vital Tree Service, we offer a complete range of tree services including tree removal service, storm damage clean up, affordable stump grinding, tree trimming service, and more.
To schedule your tree trimming service or get a tree removed to make room for a healthy new one, call 651-341-4021 or contact us online today.