Plant A Tree And Save Energy

Several years ago we had to remove three old shade trees from our yard because a branch fell on the roof of our neighbors garage.  Thankfully it did not hurt anyone.  We reluctantly cut down our beautiful trees .  After the trees were gone we noticed that the house was a lot hotter during the summer months.  We have noticed a significant difference in our electric bill.  My husband has planted seedlings all around the yard, so during the summer months the trees will eventually shade the house and shop.  

I began noticing in our area; not many people have enough trees planted to shade their homes. I hope this instructable will inspire you to plant a few seedlings, even if you might not receive the benefits; plant them for the next guy!     

Step 1: Trees

Native trees usually grow in abundance and seedlings can be planted in the spring or fall.  We have a lot of Chinese elms.  We like the American elms because the branches are much stronger and they are very pretty.  My husband has planted the Chinese elm because they are growing in the yard naturally.  Native seedlings are  easy to start and grow into healthy trees without a lot of care.  

We did a search and found which trees grow fast to produce shade for our area.  Some native trees can be invasive so it is best to do the research.  

My husband loves the sycamore tree.  He discovered that the London planes do well here.  He gathered some pods from some healthy trees and planted them last year in our holding spot.

We have had success planting from seeds.  Our online research paid off.    

 

Comments

[blkhawk]

I had to remove two Blue Spruces from my front lawn because of safety reasons, both trees were damaged by storms and one was too close to electrical lines. I replaced them with a Red Maple. It has been five years and the Red Maple is growing beautifully. I have lots of shade in my back yard and against the advice of some of my "friends" I haven't cut down any of my back yard trees. I simply enjoy hanging my hammock and rest under the shade. Great Instructable!

[sunshiine]

You are probably glad you saved the trees this year and enjoying the hammock. Thanks for the comment! Have a great day.
Sunshiine

[ToniRose]

It's also a good idea not to plant directly south of your house, at least if you have enough overhang (depth of eaves) to shade the walls in the summer. Winter sun will warm the south side and in through windows, saving energy year 'round.

[sunshiine]

Nice comment! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sunshiine

[artfulann]

Nice!
I plant trees too. Some too close to the house though and I'm going to have to do something soon while they're still small enough to do something, which I hate.

[sunshiine]

Get them now and you won't regret it! Easy digging. Thanks for commenting and have a super day!
Sunshiine

[Jayefuu]

Interesting writeup! I read a very similar article on Treehugger.com this week, though theirs didn't have anywhere near as many pretty pictures.

[sunshiine]

Thanks for the compliment! Have a super cool day!
Sunshiine

[russ_hensel]

Shading the house is a good idea, but too close can create problems including:

* leaves in the gutters
* branches rubbing on the roof

Both can be managed, but you should be aware.

[sunshiine]

Thanks for sharing this comment! I appreciate your advice. Hope you have a great day!
Sunshiine

[canucksgirl]

Very good Instructable! It's important for people to look at this if they have very few trees. Studies have shown that temperatures of whole cities are affected by a lack of trees; not only for the shade that they provide, but in their ability to clean the air.

Well Done!

[sunshiine]

Thanks for the input! Hope your day is shining!
Sunshiine