Wouldn’t it be nice to have a big oak tree in the yard to provide shade in the summer? If you’ve been thinking about planting a tree to spruce up the garden or yard, you’ve come to the right place!
But when is the best time to plant trees? Plant the wrong tree or at the wrong time and your tree may not take root. Read on to find out more about planting trees in Milwaukee.
Best Time to Plant Trees in Milwaukee
Generally, we recommend to people to plant trees in the spring or fall. But to understand which season is better, you must understand what type of tree you want to grow.
Deciduous Trees
Deciduous trees are characterized by the fact that they lose their leaves in the fall. What this means is that they require less water to grow in the fall. This makes fall the best time to plant them because there will be more water for the roots to develop.
You can plant a deciduous tree in the spring or summer, but keep in mind that it might not grow as fast or as strong because all the other trees in the area will be competing for water to grow their leaves.
Common types of deciduous trees in Milwaukee:
- Sugar maple
- Norway maple
- Silver maple
- Shagbark hickory
- Dogwood
- Hawthorn
- Birch
- Box elder
- Tree of Heaven
- Alder
- Eastern redbud
Evergreen Trees
Evergreen trees hold onto their leaves all winter but they brown due to less water. Once the ground becomes frozen, the roots cannot absorb water as well. For this reason, you want to avoid growing them when the grounds are still frozen.
The best time to grow an evergreen tree is during the beginning of fall. This will give the tree sufficient time to grow roots before the winter arrives and continue growing during the spring. If you plant one right before winter, make sure you wrap it up to keep it warm and prevent frost from growing on it.
Common types of Evergreen trees in Milwaukee:
- Fir trees
- Junipers
- Spruces
- Pines
- Taxus, yew
- Arborvitae
Get Planting
When figuring out when is the best time to plant trees in Milwaukee, the most important thing to remember is that trees grow best in the spring and the fall. The second thing to remember is that roots cannot grow when there is frost and that any trees you plant will grow best in cool soil. Fall is when the soil is not too hot or too cold.
In Milwaukee, the last frost usually ends in late April to Mid May, and then it begins again in late October. If you plan on growing a tree in the fall, make sure you do it at least a month before frost beings. If you plan on growing one in the spring, make sure you plant it at least a few weeks after the last frost.
Now you know when to plant, but do you know what types you want? For expert landscape design advice, give us a call or visit our website for more information. And remember: It’s not to late—fall is a great time to spruce up your property with some new trees!
