By Kari Smith

When it comes to choosing gifts, are you stumped? If you want to give something extraordinary, give a tree.

Giving trees for birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions is a growing trend. Trees are a gift to the environment too. They produce oxygen, purify the air, prevent soil erosion and provide shade.

Do your homework before buying a tree. Match a tree’s light and soil requirements to the growing conditions of the intended planting area. If you need help, talk with someone at a local nursery.

Bigger isn’t necessarily better. Small trees tend to establish faster and grow healthier after planting than larger ones. Small trees cost less too.

Stake young trees for two years after planting until their root systems are well established. Treestakit includes everything needed to keep young trees growing straight.

“String trimmers and lawn mowers can easily kill young trees,” said Sheila Jones of Easy Gardener. Barkgard, a flexible plastic shield that coils around tree trunks, will protect young trees from dangerous lawn equipment and hungry animals. Information on Treestakit or Barkgard is available toll-free at 1-800-327-9462. Fertilizer spikes are an easy way to feed trees. Hammer Jobe’s tree & shrub fertilizer spikes into the ground around a tree’s drip line when planting and they’ll feed it for a full growing season.

Trees require the equivalent of two-and-a-half centimetres of water per week. If nature doesn’t provide an adequate supply, remember to supplement regularly. As the tree grows, so will the meaning of your gift. You can be sure this is one gift the recipient will never forget.

Kari Smith is a garden lover and freelance writer.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

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