Plant a Tree! Greenery Is Beautiful!

Imagine! As soon as u wake up and look outside your window, a breathtaking scene comprising of trees and birds, greets you. Wonderful, isn't it? But it seems, this would be a thing of the past very soon, if we continue to harm our planet's beauty at our current pace. We need to take immediate efforts to get out of this grave situation. A movement in which everyone is asked to plant at least one tree is a step in this direction.

Problems:

Maybe unintentionally, but it seems like mankind is waging a war against Mother Earth which has given us life. Various reasons for this are:

Increased human access.

Ecosystems in the forests being destroyed by the shameful act of deforestation.

Increased types of environmental waste, many of which are totally new to our understanding.

Pitiable management of water.

Deforestation and the above reasons result in infertile land which would otherwise be nutrient rich.

Make a difference by planting trees:

Mother earth is asking for help. It is our obligation to undo our sins. Each man can begin by planting a tree at his street side. It will further help to improve the environment and hence motivate other communities in doing the same. It is also an activity in which the entire family including kids can come together and have a good exercise and joyous time.

But, what good is planting trees?

Among the large number of benefits that trees provide, some of them are:

Recycle the atmospheric carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Help in cooling the planet by absorbing carbon dioxide (about 1 ton during the course of its lifetime). Hence the burgeoning problem of global warming is controlled.

Prevent erosion.

Soil gets strengthened by the roots of the tree with its growth.

Providing necessary environment for developing small eco systems.

Canopy of the tree provides shade which helps the soil in retaining moisture.

Tips on how to properly plant trees:

Go for a cool weather:

Late fall, early spring, winter, tropical climates and evenings are a good time for planting trees as they tend to wither away in hot weather. Care must however be taken during transportation of trees. If you are planting a tree in summer, a good wilt-proof spray can be employed which helps in avoiding the moisture loss through leaves till the time the roots have properly established themselves.

Preparation of the roots:

For reducing transplant shock during digging, the bare root of a tree can be cut down to 90-95 percent of the original size. Especially, plants having circling roots are more vulnerable towards a transplant shock. Transplant shock causes the tree growth to slow down.

For planting trees which are more than 6 feet high, make sure of moving the roots with the help of a burlap ball for protecting the roots.

Water properly: Trees need to be looked after properly after planting them if they are to grow nicely. Watering must be in adequate amounts, no more-no less. It further helps in reducing the transplant shock.

Soil preparation:

It is actually the most important task to be accomplished before planting shrubs and trees. A hole which is about 2 feet deep and a foot more wide in all the directions of the roots' spread of the trees needs to be dug primarily. Loosen the soil at the hole's bottom and mix it with loam, peat and fertilizer prior to planting the tree into the hole.

For better tree growth, replace the building rubble and hard clay layers in the hole with good soil. This will facilitate the new tree in getting the necessary nutrients from the soil required for its existence. Manure should also not be overused, especially around the area covering the roots, as it may lead to the burning of tree instead. It is preferred to spray it sparingly over the hole's top prepared for the tree.

Planting a young tree with a balled root is easy as the burlap holds the young tree's root ball in place. A hole about two times the root ball's size is dug and the tree planted into it. Water the hole in case there is dryness in the soil during planting. Before inserting the tree, allow the hole to soak properly in well. After positioning the tree, the burlap's top should be cut and rolled back over certain inches. Eventually, it will disintegrate into the soil.

Proper planting of seedlings: Prior to planting, puddle or give a bath of mud to these seedlings for protecting them if they aren't balled into burlap. This helps in protecting the roots from air exposure before planting. After digging a proper hole for the seedling, fill it with water which allows the soil to get settled down at the holes which are at the bottom. After draining out the water, the tree should be put in its position and soil should be applied around the area in the vicinity of the roots of the tree, work it and make it settle nicely without allowing the formation of air pockets in the tree holes. Once the hole gets filled to two-thirds amount, it should again be tightly packed with soil and filled with water. Now the soil must be filled up to the ground level.

Come out of the blue by planting green:

Reforestation is the need of the hour. It's a simple step costing nothing. In Israel, desert wastelands have been converted into dense forests by planting 1 billion trees since 1990. Hence eco-tourism has increased. By planting trees we can give a new lease of life to dying soils, drying water ways, idle deserts and various species of life can once again thrive.

It's high time we decide what we want to give to our future generations. Allow them to enjoy the greenery or make them face the dreadful blues?