Mike Hogan
| Special to The Columbus Dispatch
See Blendon Township woman’s native plant and habitat garden
Native plant & habitat garden at Alice Foeller’s home.
Alice Foeller
Just because autumn begins in a few short weeks, there’s no reason to stop gardening and improving your home and landscape. Autumn is the best time to plant new trees in the landscape and to improve and upgrade your collection of houseplants.
And to help you learn everything you need to know about fall tree selection, planting and care, as well as houseplant selection and care, Ohio State University Master Gardener Volunteers have planned a fall tree and houseplant extravaganza to be held at the Central Ohio Home & Design Show scheduled for Sept. 5-7 at the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds in Columbus.
Benefits of trees
There are numerous benefits to having trees in the landscape. Trees positively affect the environment by sequestering carbon in the soil to help mitigate climate change and also moderate the air temperature in the summer, particularly in the built urban environment.
Strategic planting of trees around your home can reduce energy costs by up to 20% and can increase property values by up to 15%. And who doesn’t like sitting in the cool shade on a hot summer day?
Both trees and houseplants can also provide human health benefits as they produce oxygen during photosynthesis and filter some air pollutants. Trees planted in urban environments close to highways and sources of air pollutants can also reduce the incidence of asthma and heart disease. Trees planted around school playgrounds and other outdoor recreation areas can protect children from the harmful effects of extended exposure to the ultraviolet light from the sun.
Fall weather is perfect for planting trees
Autumn weather in Columbus typically provides adequate soil temperatures for additional root growth of newly planted trees and shrubs before the soil freezes, and more favorable soil moisture conditions than we typically experience in late spring and summer. Moderate air temperatures common to autumn means that trees lose less moisture through transpiration, reducing their need for soil moisture.
Trees and shrubs planted in fall are also less susceptible to insects and diseases which are more prevalent during the warmer and more humid spring and summer months. Although September and October are optimal for fall planting, most trees can be planted any time of the year when the soil is not frozen.
A few species of trees, however, actually survive and grow better when planted in spring, including beech, sassafras, sweetgum, sourwood, walnut, white oak, dogwood and Japanese maple. Shrubs such as azalea, rhododendron, hemlock and holly will also perform best when planted in spring.
Trees and houseplants galore at Home & Design Show
If you would like to learn about fall tree selection, planting and care, as well as houseplant care, be sure to attend the Central Ohio Home & Design Show where OSU Master Gardener Volunteers will have an extensive display of live trees and will be on hand to help you decide what trees might be best for your landscape. A collection of different houseplants will also be on display to give you ideas about expanding your collection of houseplants.
Lots of free resources on trees will be available at the tree display booth at the show and master gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer your toughest questions, not just about trees, but about all topics related to gardening. Master Gardener Volunteers will also have information on the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect which has made its way to Greater Columbus.
Master gardener schedule at home show
Master Gardener Volunteers will present workshops on several gardening topics at the show as follows:
Friday
11 a.m. — Stump the Master GardenerNoon — Native Plants in the Landscape1 p.m. — Extending the Season for Vegetables2 p.m. — Planting Garlic in the Fall3 p.m. — Winter Sowing in Milk Jug Make and Take4 p.m. –— Interior Plantscaping for the Home
Saturday
11 a.m. — Interior Plantscaping for the HomeNoon — Pinecone Bird Feeder Make and Take1 p.m. — Bulb Layering for Eye-Catching Spring Pots2 p.m. — Benefits of Trees in the Landscape3 p.m. — Fall Container Garden Ideas
Sunday
11 a.m. — Selecting and Caring for HydrangeasNoon — Garden Photography for the Novice2 p.m. — Fall Tree Planting and Care3 p.m. — Stump the Master Gardener
Winners of The Dispatch’s Backyard Garden Awards will be announced on stage at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Planning your visit
Admission to the Central Ohio Home & Design Show is free and parking is just $7.
The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
More than 150 different companies will be at the show to give you ideas for home improvement and renovation projects. Whether you’re upgrading your space or simply love great design, the Home & Design Show is for you. For more information about the show, go to dispatchshows.com/home-and-design-show.
Mike Hogan is Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension. He can be reached at hogan.1@osu.edu.
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