Trees are a game-changer for any yard. They give your property beauty, they provide shade and privacy, and they may even create a new habitat for birds. When planting a tree near your home in Minnesota, one of the first important decisions you’ll need to make is whether you want an evergreen tree or a deciduous tree.
When living in an urban or suburban setting like the Twin Cities metro area, privacy can be hard to come by. The idea of neighbors and passerby observing them discreetly is enough to make many homeowners unable to relax in their own backyards. Thankfully, there’s a good solution: planting the right kind of trees in your yard can shield you from all unwelcome eyes.
Trees are tall, majestic and seem to last forever. That’s why it’s so easy to forget that our trees can get sick and die, just like we can. Unfortunately, there are a number of fungal diseases that can afflict trees in Minnesota, including Rhizosphaera needle cast, Dutch elm disease and apple scab. The threat posed by these tree diseases varies greatly, with some merely affecting the appearance of the tree and others spelling imminent death.
Trees are among the most important parts of any yard in Minnesota. They make our properties beautiful and they give us all the shade and privacy we need when we spend time outside. Because trees hold such great value to us, it’s a tragedy when they suddenly start to die.
When you fantasize about plucking fresh fruit from the branch of a tree and taking a refreshing bite, that fantasy is probably set on a tropical island; not up here in Minnesota. However, while fruits like bananas and pineapples may thrive in a tropical climate, many fruit trees, including apple trees, grow well in the temperate climate found in Minnesota. In fact, the University of Minnesota has been responsible for creating several new varieties of apples, including the ever-popular Honeycrisp!
Japanese beetles are an invasive species that first infested the Northeast and have since spread westward throughout the United States. Minnesota is just one of the many states that struggles with infestations of Japanese beetles every year. These green-and-copper-colored insects ravage the leaves of many trees and shrubs, leaving them skeletonized.
Winter is over at last! The snow has melted, the ground has thawed and green has begun to appear in the trees again. As spring begins in Minnesota, many of us are eager to get back out in our gardens and start planting. As much fun as it is to pick out fresh annuals, it’s equally important to preserve the health of your perennials, beginning with your trees.
There used to be a beautiful oak tree towering over your home but then a thunderstorm felled it, and all that’s left is a big ugly stump sitting in the middle of your yard. Since the stump is both a major eyesore and a serious tripping hazard, you decide to have it removed.
The majority of Minnesota is rated between plant hardiness Zones 3a and 4b by the US Department of Agriculture. The lower the number, the colder the temperature, meaning that only the toughest trees can survive Minnesota’s brutal winters, with temperatures as low as -40˚F.
If you have trees on your property in Minnesota, it would be in your best interest to make sure they’re well-tended. Healthy trees are beautiful to behold and provide your yard with some much-needed shade on hot summer days. Also, letting your trees get sick can be both dangerous and expensive. If disease or pests ravage a tree and weaken its integrity, branches will begin to follow and, eventually, the tree may collapse entirely, which can cause severe damage and injury. And if you need to have a tree removed before it falls, you can be landed with a hefty bill for the services.