1. A GOOD START INTO PLANT LIFE
Horn shavings are a perfect long-time fertilizer for trees and shrubs. During its decomposition by microorganisms, the nitrogen contained therein is slowly released, so that over-fertilization and leaching into the groundwater is nearly excluded. After planting, simply sprinkle a handful of horn shavings on the surface and lightly incorporate them into the soil. You should use horn shavings as a fertilizer especially before mulching, because the decomposition of the bark removes nitrogen from the soil.
2. THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANTING TREES:
a) Choose site
The trees should be chosen depending on the size of the garden. You have to know how fast the trees will grow, and especially what will be their final size. The site is also chosen on this basis. A tree near your terrace may be welcome to provide shade, but it may also be a nuisance if it does not let any sunlight in, or if it sheds its flowers in the spring and leaves in fall to your terrace.
b) Caring for trees
Caring for your trees is also an important aspect. Many trees have to be regularly pruned. Many, but not all of them. If you do not want to contact an expert in regular intervals, you should get trees that are easy to care for, for example magnolia, flowering cherry or crabapple, as well as the popular witch hazel. Don’t just plant any tree into your garden – it is really important to obtain information on the trees beforehand. Consider whether you want a conifer, a broadleaf tree, an ornamental tree or a fruit tree.
3. WHAT YOU GET FROM A TREE
Oxygen:
An old, healthy tree (broadleaf) is not only eye candy and a popular provider of shade in the summer, but also produces as much as 10 – 15 kg of oxygen per day! (This is an extrapolation of the average oxygen production of an entire year, including the time when the broadleaf trees have no leaves.)
If you assume that one human being consumes about 0.5 – 2 kg of oxygen per day, that means that one single old tree can provide oxygen to 10 – 20 people per day!
Humidity:
On a hot summer’s day, a fully grown old tree evaporates about 1,200 – 1,400 liters of water. A great side effect is an increase in air humidity and reduction of the ambient temperature caused by evaporation cooling. Therefore the heat is bearable under a tree even in summer.
By the way, trees have many other very important good properties:
- They consume carbon dioxide (CO2) (about 5 tons per year!)
- They filter dust and other pathogens such as bacteria and harmful fungi from the air
- The provide shade
- They reduce the wind speed
- The attenuate noise
- They produce timber
- They provide fruits
- They create living space and are a source of food for many animal species
- They improve the soil with humus created from fallen leaves, and
- They beautify our cities!
4. SUMMER STORMS
In case of a thunderstorm, there is a saying “From an oak tree do flee, but a beech do beseech”. But is this really true?
It is better to crouch on the ground, holding your arms at your side and ducking your head, to keep your surface and exposure to a minimum.
It is very puzzling how popular wisdom could provide should questionable advice. Maybe the outer appearance of the tree was the reason. Oaks are often solitary plants that can be found in exposed locations, while beeches are often found in groups. Another theory is based on the type of bark: The smooth bark of the beeches that is wet from the rain all over is able to conduct the lightning on its outside better than the bark of oaks with its deep grooves.