planting a tree?

[align=left]I just registered here, mainly because my husband and I don't know too much about gardening. We just bought a house last month, and there are a few things around the house that need beautifying. So my question for today is, in the front yard there's a hole where, from what the neighbors tell us, a tree once stood. I would like to replant another tree there, but I was just wondering if you can plant a tree where a tree once stood. Any help would greatly be appreciated![/align]

[Newt]

Hi Daree-N-David,

Congratulations on your new home!* It's best not to plant a tree in the same exact spot where another tree once was growing.* If there is a stump there now it will need to rot, and as it does the soil level could sink.* If it's just a hole and the stump has totally rotted away you might be able to plant a new tree there, but if that tree was diseased it could spread to your new tree as well.* Do you know when and why that tree was removed?

Newt

[align=left]To the best of my knowledge, the lady that used to own the house just wanted the tree chopped down, but I don't know how long ago it was. And I apologize, it isn't a stump, just a hump where the tree used to be. We essentially know nothing about planting trees, but it would cast a nice shade in the front lawn. Now on the other side of the driveway, there's a hole where I believe another tree used to stand, and that hole dips down. We love the house, we just want to learn how to beautify it more. And thank you for your response![/align]

[Newt]

Karee-N-David,

If it's a hump where the old tree was I suspect that the stump of the tree is still under the soil and hasn't rotted away yet.* Now that you've given me more info on what it is you want to do, I'd like to* give you some sites that should be helpful and share what I know.

You mentioned that you wanted to cast some shade on the lawn.* Generally speaking trees and lawns aren't really made to get along.* Turf grass likes lots of sun and the tree roots will compete with the lawn for moisture and nutrients.* Some trees have a fuller crown and cast more shade.* Some trees will have a more open canopy or smaller leaves and can live fairly well with a lawn.* Other trees will have large surface roots and you won't be able to walk much on the lawn or have a lawn under a tree like this.* That means that you will need to choose carefully which tree and where you plant it.
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/trees_turf.aspx
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/Garden/02926.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/WO017
http://www.lpb.org/programs/forest/plantguide.html

A good example of the wrong tree for a house is my home.* It's a single story house and was built in 1970 with a locust tree planted in the front yard by the builder.* Locust trees have very small leaves that don't choke out the lawn when they fall in the autumn so I guess the builder thought it was a good idea.* The problem became the size of the lot, the root structure of this particular variety of tree and the mature size of the tree.* The area where the tree was planted was only about 30' from the edge of the properly line on one side to the driveway on the other side.* The tree was planted about 10' from the house.* Tree roots will grow beyond the outer dripline of the crown.* That means roots grow beyond the outer edge of the top of the tree where the water drips off the leaves.* Locust trees develop large surface roots as they age and the crown of the tree can mature at 30'* wide or more.* That's just what happened.* The tree eventually grew roots that lifted the sidewalk and were pushing up against the foundation of the house.* There were so many surface roots competing with the grass for water and nutrients that the lawn always looked thin and awful and the lawn mower blades were constantly cutting the surface roots.* Not good for the tree or the mower.* We eventually had to cut down the tree.

Something else to consider is that trees and houses often look best when the tree frames the house and isn't planted right in front of it, especially if the mature height of the tree is much larger then the height of the house.* You wouldn't want to plant a tree that matures to 60' or more in front of a single story house.* So consider the size of your house and the mature size the tree will grow to.* You may want to plant a small ornamental tree.* Small trees grow to about 20' to 25'.* An ornamental tree is considered one that flowers.* Here's a site that explains the fundamentals of foundation planting that shows placement of trees and should be helpful.
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00003.asp

See how this tree is off to the side a bit?
http://www.scnla.com/Article%20of%20...onth_10_03.htm

It would be helpful for you to know your hardiness zone.* I suspect it's zone 9.* Here's a zip code zone finder.
http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/zip.cgi


With your location these sites should be helpful.* Here's your local extension service.* They can often be a wealth of helpful info.
http://galveston-tx.tamu.edu/

This site lists trees for Texas by their mature size and which areas they grow best in.*
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/e...pe/table5.html

This site lists trees native to Texas and you can use it for reference or look through them.* This page is for the common names, but you can click on scientific names for researching too.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/o...ndexcommon.htm

This site is out of Florida and lists by common name too.* You can click on scientific names as well.* It doesn't have pretty pictures, but has lots of info on mature size, tree litter, surface roots, etc.
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/common.html

You can have the nursery where you purchase your tree(s) plant for you.* It will probably cost as much as the price of the tree for them to plant it.* If you choose to do that watch them carefully so you'll know what to do if you decide to plant another.* If not, here's how to plant, water and mulch.* The first site is a video.
http://www.arborday.org/trees/video/howtoplant.cfm
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/pla...ees/f1147w.htm
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mulching.aspx
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1298/
http://www.watersaver.org/pdfs/FALL_..._FOR_TREES.pdf

Hope I didn't throw too much at you.
Newt

[align=left]Thank you so much!* I guess there really is a lot to consider when planting a tree. You have been super helpful. I will let you know how it goes when we do it!** Oh, one last question....is there a particular time of year to plant a tree or will anytime work?[/align]
[align=left]Thanks again :)[/align]

[Newt]

You are so very welcome!* I'm glad you didn't say I overwhelmed you with info.* For most trees in your area of the country the best time would be late winter or early fall.* The trees are still dormant in late winter and it's still cool enough for the trees to not be stressed by summer heat.* If you plant in early fall, the ground is warm but the air is cooler.* Mid summer when it's very hot and the temps often go over 80*F or 85*F, the trees will become too stressed and may not transplant well.

Newt