It is the first of October and right on que, the temperatures have dropped significantly. Where I am at, we will get our first freeze of the season tomorrow night, so I will cover my liberal supply of green tomatoes and tuck them in, like putting small children to bed. We will have another warm spell in the seventy degree range, the following week, which will officially launch us into Indian summer. This is when autumn colors will begin to put on their glorious show – at least in those areas of the few remaining forests, or in cities that have planted a fair amount of trees.
Who doesn’t love the amazing display of color that autumn brings? It has been pointed out recently, that the simplest and most practical way to reduce greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is to plant trees. Why do so few people plant them? Walking through neighborhoods, you will see yard after yard after yard that is devoid of trees. Often these yards are either a healthy crop of weeds, and/or they have been hardscaped with rock because the owner has no interest in maintaining the outside of his or her property.
Trees require very little maintenance, once established. You must be diligent about watering them for the first year, but if heavily mulched outside the drip line, they will be on their way to a long lifespan. Many trees present us with a beautiful array of flowers in the springtime, as well as their bright fall hues. They shade our abode and keep down cooling costs in summer. Added to that, they provide a windbreak from fierce winter winds and can be a living fence, providing shelter from snow, as well as privacy. While evergreens will not give us the vivid shades of autumn, they provide shelter for numerous birds, in the harshness of winter. They also provide home to a large number of insects.
If you have property that could be enhanced by planting another tree or two, what are you waiting for? This one act of kindness will benefit at least a couple of generations beyond your lifetime. If not for your grandchildren, could you do it for our planet? Would you be willing to do this simply for the joy of giving?
