Theory: Understanding Plants for Successful Growing
Planting trees for land improvement and restoration isn't just for those with large tracts. Homeowners with less than an acre to work with could be making great contributions. Here are some of my thoughts for those embarking on this journey that I hope you will find useful.
To help us make decisions about what and where to plant, it's often advised to look to nature. Observing how plants act in natural areas allows us to gain valuable insight into their needs and habits. Permaculturists and others interested in ecologically sound land practices spend time observing before doing. This activity might lead to conclusions such as 1) River birch prefers wet areas, or 2) Paw paw is an understory tree that needs shade. On the face of it these seem like astute deductions, based on where these trees are found.
Further observation however often reveals trees growing in spots that seemingly don't fit their profiles. Dogwoods love the shade of taller trees in forest settings, yet the one in front of my house receives direct afternoon sun and has thrived for at least 40 years. The explanation for this discrepancy can be found in a gem of wisdom from a professor of forestry (I actually learned something in college!): In the wild, trees grow where they compete best, not where they find their optimal conditions. Dogwoods cannot compete with tall forest trees for sun; they evolved to be short and to be able to utilize the dappled light of the understory. As long as soil doesn't dry out too much however, they can make use of lots of sun. A nearby shrub shading the soil is sufficient to create a prime dogwood spot.
Besides the dogwood enjoying the sun, a good illustration of my professor's axiom is the silver maple. The banks of the Ohio River tributary that forms the border of my property are lined with them. Eroded areas reveal their deepest roots to be totally, and apparently happily, submerged. Furthermore the trees experience complete inundation many feet up their trunks on a regular basis. One might conclude that they need such conditions, but this is not the case. They grow well along the river banks because they evolved to exploit the conditions of riparian areas, and consequently tolerate such extremes better than most other trees, but they have a wide range of tolerances and are successful in more upland sites also. However, in higher, better drained areas they must compete with trees that specialize in such sites, therefore I see fewer silver maples, and more cherries and red oaks on the slopes above the river. These species have developed an ability to withstand periods of less moisture, and thrive on these well-drained hillsides.
It's helpful to understand that many plants have a wide range of conditions they can tolerate. There are some plants that are extreme specialists, occupying very specific niches, buts most are more generalist than is commonly believed. Most trees suitable for your climate will do well when planted in your yard or orchard, which are most likely not places of extremes. Not too wet or dry, decent soil, lots of space, perhaps even some fertilizer occasionally thrown their way. Because you've created a protected space for them in which the need to compete is minimal, and which there are few extremes, many different types of plants will thrive there.
As long as you can adequately control the competition, and the site isn’t one of extreme conditions, you have a lot of leeway in plant selection. Have you ruled out a certain plant because you feel it isn't a good fit with the conditions of the site? You might want to try it anyway, especially if it provides multiple services so functions are stacked within one plant. If you're going to spend a lot of money on an expensive plant from a nursery, it's best to place it in spot that aligns closely with its needs, and follow care instructions meticulously. Large trees can cost hundreds of dollars and unless you’re very wealthy, you probably don't want to experiment with expensive plants to find the outer limits of conditions they will tolerate. If you grow your own from seed or have the opportunity to buy inexpensive bare roots seedlings, it's worth pushing the boundaries and planting slightly outside the accepted comfort zone of the species. Transplanting wild seedlings, when appropriate, is also an option.
In attempting to understand plants and the conditions they need to thrive, working with nursery stock can obfuscate the issues. I have wild native maples and oaks in my yard that are growing well with little to no care. Other homeowners might pamper and nurse commercially grown trees of the same species only to watch them languish. Store bought trees differ from wild ones for two main reasons. Because they have been selected for certain traits to make them amenable to propagation in large numbers, they’ve undergone a kind of fast track evolution. Even unnamed cultivars sold under the species name only, e.g. Cornus florida (reclassified as Benthamidia but the name hasn't stuck yet) probably differ significantly from wild stock for this reason. Furthermore the individuals have become accustomed to life in a pot or as a burlapped ball with little soil, but with regular infusions of nutrients. Kind of like a human living on an I.V. drip. They have adapted to this sort of life, and when suddenly planted in you yard, the transition can be difficult.
Because many people mainly have experience with planting commercially grown rather than wild stock, their understanding of plants can be somewhat distorted, leading to the belief that trees are prima donnas needing micromanaged care. Landowners who have an inclination to improve their acreage by planting trees think such an undertaking will be expensive and difficult and therefore they don't make the attempt. (The nursery and landscaping industries do little to counter this narrative, but exploring that topic is beyond the scope of this post.) I find this sad and discouraging. Anyone who has been amazed by a tree growing from a crack in a rock realizes how tough trees really are.
One way to get more trees in your yard is to simply stop mowing. While this can be problematic on a large scale due to callery pear and other noxious invaders, it could work for many yards. One idea is to leave strips or islands unmowed. If native trees volunteer they can be protected, then mowing can resume in the vicinity. We need to get past the belief that the only option is an expensive maple or oak cultivar from the nursery. I grew up visiting relatives whose yards hosted towering silver maples, sycamores, black cherries, and even some impressive box elders. They were magnificent and provided beauty and shade, and no one spoke of them as being weed trees. The biggest barrier to healthy and sustainable yards is inside our heads, put there by those who wish to sell us something.
If you're taking advantage of spring weather to get into the woods, make note of the trees you observe and their growing conditions, keeping in mind my professor's axiom. If you're having trouble identifying trees, make sure to download an identification app to your phone. These are great tools for learning the trees that do well in your area. A note on native versus non-native: I grow hundreds of non-native annuals and perennials, plus a few shrubs, and I encourage others to do so as long as they are not invasive. When it comes to trees however, we need to make the most of our space since most yards will fit only a handful. While exotic species may offer beauty and shade, they won’t provide much to support local critters, large or small. Maximize your habitat utils by planting native species.
Lastly but not leastly, check out these links:
National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder
Mount Cuba Center Native Plant Finder
