Tree Experts

We would like to plant a dozen or so trees near our new build. We do not have any close neighbors so privacy isn’t a major issue…but having some shade and just variety to the landscape seems like a good idea. We do have quite a few existing mature oaks nearby on the acreage but are slowly losing more of them each year. I have been slowly cutting back some of the brush near the walkout side of the build along with some of the junk trees currently there. We have more questions than answers as neither Mrs. Bucky nor I are tree experts. My expertise ends at identifying which trees are what, and finding morels. Please help answer any of the questions below.

-What type of trees make the most sense to plant? We originally thought nice maples, but there are so many types and pros/cons to every species we’ve researched. We would ideally like them to be hardy and grow fairly quickly. Colors in the Fall are a welcomed bonus. I don’t mind some leaves to pick up but would rather not have other junk to deal with that falls from them all year.

-When should we get these trees by and be ready to plant them? We live a mile from Pool 4 in SE Minnesota for reference.

-What size is the best “bargain” or most logical to purchase? I know local nurseries will sometimes come plant pretty good sized trees and I know some people will start with tiny twigs sized trees.

-Where would you suggest purchasing the trees from?

***We don’t mind taking care of them and realize it’s not going to be as simple as sticking them in the ground and forgetting about them. I also do not want something as fragile as most fruit trees***

I’ll be following this thread as well as I’m looking to do about the same. We have 2 pear trees and 3-4 apple trees and I’m hoping to get some new ones planted soon so they’ll grow and be mature before the others are past their prime. I’m also looking to plant random trees here and there on my property just to add more.

One guy at work last year did get a few (apple?) trees at Home Depot, he had done some looking and driving around and HD had a pretty good sale going on where they were about half the price of a local nursery/store.

When I built my house I built on a old soy bean field. There weren’t any tree’s when I started. I planted 40 pines as a wind break and to shield a pond I had dug. In addition I planted another 12-15 Maples and Birch and stuff. I lost some of those. Last tree’s I planted were 4 weeping Willows. I planted those in a low spot that was wet quite often. Those tree’s grew like weeds. Those all started as little seedlings.

It took years for all those tree’s to grow big. They look great now and provide a bunch of shade. But to be honest they really took off after I put the sprinkler system in. I also would pound in a fertilizer spike on the drip edge every year the first 10-12 years.

If I had to do it all over again….I would hire a tree company with a spade and move in big Sugar Maples for the shade.

Be careful you don’t plant to close to the house. When they get real big you don’t want a limb or tree coming down on the house during a storm.

@Dutch what kind of pines for the wind break? I failed to mention we may do a run of some pine as well depending on what is available and what makes sense along the driveway. We wouldn’t want giant pines, rather something just enough to slow the lowest winds.

Sugar maples are definitely the leading candidate for now along with red maples. How long would it take for them to grow to something with a 6-8″ diameter at the base? My unofficial research is showing reds may grow faster?

I had a mix of Pines. They were all short needle. Those all grew pretty well. I kept all my Pines in the backyard and side yard of the property. The front had the Maples, I used snow fence for a couple of years and then said the hell with it and plowed more often.

Time is the key thing that sucks in this scenario. Walnut, oaks, ash, elm… all take many years to mature. So are you planning for the future or seeking more immediate results?

Sugar Maple grows faster but doesn’t really put much habitat in the system. Great if you need shade and a crap load of leaves to rake.

American cherry grows fast, hearty fruit for birds, very colorful and handle harsh winters well. I planted about 10,000 in my forestry project.

Bur Oak can produce acorns as early as 10-12 years. Unique look compared to red or white oak. Slow to moderate growth rate. Very hearty tree and does well in wetter areas.

Elms are nice and decent growth rates, but very prone to disease. Good for morels when thy die.

Don’t do river bitch in your yard unless you want limbs draping down and in the yard after every storm. I don’t know the other birch species by name. Look great, good fall colors – recommended to planted in multiple and near each other.

Plant early spring before everything greens up. Ground moisture is best for the stress of planting.

If they are saplings, keep the grass trimmed back so they get Sun and not choked out.

There are a few forestry guys on here that have a lot of knowledge. One thing I’ve learned is they each seem to be an expert in their own way. I don’t discredit their input as they know a lot. Just seems they know different things if that makes sense??

IF you are planting maples stay away from Silver Leaf Maples they are a royal pain in the ass. They grow quick, but those damn helicopters are aggravating plus they have a shallow root system and suck to mow around!
A nice Red Maple would be good. They grow equally fast, but while they may have helicopters they are much smaller. I dug one out at my parents lot that was just a stick and only 5 feet tall 15 years ago. Now its 25 feet tall and probably a 10 inch trunk.
I really like green Ash trees. They have a nice shape, but get one that doesnt produce the seeds. We have two nice ones in our yard. One produces seeds and the other doesnt.
Other trees I like for some summer color are Mountain Ash. They are not the hardiest of trees and woodpeckers and sapsuckers love to peck holes in the trunks, but if you can keep those buggers away they have nice berries and the birds love them come fall.
For pines White Pines grow relatively quick, have long soft needs and sound awesome with the wind going through them. If you want a windbreak or something to catch blowing snow arborvitae are very nice.

X2 on stay away from silver leaf maples as they are a pain in the ass. Three different clean ups on an annual basis. The pollen and the associated mess, the actual helicopters and then the leaves. As mentioned above the root system is extremely shallow and a royal pain. Have 2 in my yard and will be getting quotes to have them removed this Spring.

Randy Wieland wrote:

Time is the key thing that sucks in this scenario. Walnut, oaks, ash, elm… all take many years to mature. So are you planning for the future or seeking more immediate results?

Sugar Maple grows faster but doesn’t really put much habitat in the system. Great if you need shade and a crap load of leaves to rake.

American cherry grows fast, hearty fruit for birds, very colorful and handle harsh winters well. I planted about 10,000 in my forestry project.

Bur Oak can produce acorns as early as 10-12 years. Unique look compared to red or white oak. Slow to moderate growth rate. Very hearty tree and does well in wetter areas.

Elms are nice and decent growth rates, but very prone to disease. Good for morels when thy die.

Don’t do river bitch in your yard unless you want limbs draping down and in the yard after every storm. I don’t know the other birch species by name. Look great, good fall colors – recommended to planted in multiple and near each other.

Plant early spring before everything greens up. Ground moisture is best for the stress of planting.

If they are saplings, keep the grass trimmed back so they get Sun and not choked out.

There are a few forestry guys on here that have a lot of knowledge. One thing I’ve learned is they each seem to be an expert in their own way. I don’t discredit their input as they know a lot. Just seems they know different things if that makes sense??

Thanks for the list and keep the info coming!

As far as fruit, acorns, etc. go I am trying to avoid those types of trees at all costs. I don’t need any additional reasons for critters in or near the home. Acorns and walnuts are great, but not for anywhere near the house.

Sugar Maple and Red Maple seem to be the early fits, but I’d be curious in hearing from people who have dealt with them in the past.

I’m holding off on the pine situation most likely through next winter. That will give me 2 years to see how the snow lays down over the ~1100′ of driveway before planting anything near it.

Whatever you choose, don’t go monoculture. I live in Richfield, grew up there as well. When I was a kid elm trees created arches that grew over the streets from both side, beautiful trees. Then came Dutch elm disease…

The City replaced many of the elms with Green Ash. They grow reasonably fast, are dirty trees with branches falling regularly and needle like seeds all over the place. Then came emerald ash borer…

Get a mix of trees – maple, pine, snow birch, dutch elm resistant elms, pines. The next disease to hit town will then not wipe you out.

Talk to the county forester, check out the University of Minnesota Extension Service for recommendations.

Honey Locusts are fairly fast growing, have a huge shade canopy, no fruit, and small leaves that can be mowed to mulch rather than raking. Have a couple in my yard and love the share all summer long.

Check with your county.

Sherburne county (central MN) has an annual tree sale. Bare root seedlings. 26 different varieties. Anywhere from $25-$45 for a bundle of 25.

A couple autumn blaze maples should probably be on your list

Brad Dimond wrote:

Talk to the county forester, check out the University of Minnesota Extension Service for recommendations.

This is where I’d start.

Just planted trees this fall. I went with a variety.
2 oaks
2 maple
2 service berry
2 locust(very small leaves)
20 assorted pine/spruce/arborvitea.
Most of the evergreens went on the WNW side of my house. I would have to look at my tags to tell you the exact variety of each.
If you don’t want to pick up limbs stay away from river birch, willows, and poplars.
Most of the Maples that you buy will not have the helicopters anymore. The nicest looking Maples are all pretty much slow growing.

My brother has been planting Sienna Glens and loves them! Relatively fast growing and they look good too. Also, this is in Hawkins and it is a fairly cold climate.

I would go with some red Cedars as well. Fairly fast growers and they are great for wind breaks and visual screens.

Not an expert but my best friend is. He had me plant some Sugar maple cross trees. Crossed with other maples. They still have a good growth rate. But hardier and better fall color. Since the Emerald Ash Borer, tree growers have been scrambling for a replacement for a fast-growing hardy tree. Ash was a staple in new home additions.

@stevenoak Do you know what the specific cross was?

I spoke with the local nursery and they advised against the Autumn Blaze where we are at due to the fact that once you get away from the wood line behind the house, it’s wide open and the wind could wreak havoc on their weaker canopy. They suggested the Sienna Glenn maples as a similar but sturdier alternative to the Autumn Blaze variety, traditional sugar maples, the locusts, and types of oak (which I axed due to not wanting acorns near the house). Their big “no-no’s” were ash and silver maple. The place we sold had ash trees. We got tons of compliments on how well shaped they were and I had them pruned up nice and high. They were almost too perfect. However, the borer was already wreaking havoc nearby and will get those trees soon for the new owners I’m sure. I love the look of mature Elm trees, but am not investing the time and effort into the crapshoot that they survive.

We are formulating a solid list and doing a little individual research from there. Ultimately availability will likely be the biggest determining factor. Is there such thing as a “tree shortage”?

Two fast growing trees are the white pine and the white poplar. The white poplar has a normal tree shape unlike some other poplars that are skinny and not good shade or eye appeal. The white poplar grows very fast and unlike some trees, you can enjoy them in your lifetime. I am a fan of both the white pine and white polar for that reason.
I like maples too but most of the varieties are pretty slow growing so it might be advisable to go with bigger specimens. 3 inches in diameter is a pretty good tree. Check with nurseries in your driving range. Some will have auctions on their stock that has already been dug in the fall. I know spring is best but I have planted alot of trees in the fall and only lost 1. The key to planting trees anytime is to make sure you don’t leave any air pockets around the root ball.make sure you have plenty of loose dirt to fill around and then water the crap out of it. Especially that first time.

My top 4 in order:
1. Red oak – fantastic fall color and very fast growing in my opinion and I have seen that in my yard over the last 20 years.
2. Pine Oaks – same as above but a smaller leaf than red’s. I like that they keep some (not all) of their leaves through the winter.
3. White pine – very fast growing, soft needles, can plant several together and let the orange needles cover the ground so less to mow. Deer love to sit under them too.
4. Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple – if you can find them you can’t ask for a better color. Not fast growing but not slow either. I have a few that are about 16 years old and they are around 30′ tall. Trunk in maybe 10 inch diameter.

My opinion on others.
Locust – I have a Skyline Locust and it has been my fastest growing tree….which I like. BUT, keep it away from your deck, drive and roof. That thing drops 6 – 12″ sticks all year long. Any slight wind and it is dropping leaves and more sticks on my deck. And it is planted 30 feet away! Also, some of the best hardwood you can find. Dense/hard as heck and a nice color if you are into woodworking.

Elm – also a fast grower and looks nice when mature. I have one that is maybe 35-40 foot tall that I planted. Would I plant one again today? NO, due to the Asian Beetle that shows up in mid-summer and starts on the leaves. Then the leaves are constantly falling. What leaves remain have a nice yellow fall color.

Autumn Blaze Maple and Silver Maple – not a fan of the color or all of the seeds/helicopters they drop.

Birch – no thanks, except when you cut them down and let the wood spalt for a couple years. Makes some real nice turnings.

One final thought for the original poster. Do you have any maple trees on the property now and would you want to tap them for syrup some day? A couple years ago I started tapping a very large sugar maple at my parent’s house. The tree is 3′ foot across. It gives me at least a gallon of finished syrup each year….and it is the only tree I tap most years. Just something to consider….ya got to plan ahead. I wish I had but who knew these thing 20 years ago….not me.

And one final, final comment. DO NOT plant the new trees too deep. Error on the shallow side and be sure to loosen the root ball and remove any circling roots. Again, sure wish I had known this years ago but now I can see the errors I made years ago. Youtube has shown me how to do it right! Good luck.

X2 on asking the experts whether it be the city/county forester or a local nursery.
Plus it’s free