Hickory wind

For me fall officially arrives as the shagbark hickories turn a luminasecnt yellow. There's one right out my dining room window and the low, late afternoon sunlight makes it glow.

When it comes to planting trees, this is a great time to see how they show off in the fall. Another favorite is sassafras, the leaves turn a brilliant red and yellow.

This is the best time to plant trees and it's good to look at all they do during the season. The shagbark hickory offers winter interest with it's peeling bark as do other species. Consider what they do in the spring, summer, fall and winter.

But most of all think about how tall and wide they will become. It's heartbreaking when I see a beautiful specimen planted too close to a structure or other tree. I know sometime in the future that tree will have to be sacrificed for the good of the home and that's a real waste.

They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago the second best time is today.

I talk about mycorrhizal fungi for trees and shrubs. Instead of filling a planting hole with compost, use the backfill from the hole along with the mycorrhizal fungi. This forces the roots of the plant to reach out to the drip line and beyond searching for nutrients. The mycorrhizal fungi collinizes with the roots causing them to form a large network. Mycorrhizal fungi is required for every PenDot and City of Pittsburgh tree planting.

Think long and hard about the best place to plant a tree, find one you love and enjoy it for decades.

Here's a list of my favorites for fall color-

Shagbark Hickory

Sassafras

Beech

Aspen

A variety of maples including sugar and Japanese

Dogwood

Stewartia (nice flowers in early summer too)

Viburnum (deer resistant)

Oak leaf hydrangea (four seasons of interest)

 Have fun and plant trees and shrubs this fall!

Here's a link to Gram Parsons 'Hickory Wind'