Many people think that planting and caring for evergreens is a hassle and that it takes a large monetary and time investment. However, this is not always the case, and it is important to carefully consider the needs of your trees and landscape if you are considering adding an evergreen. For your site, you will need to be familiar with its growing conditions. This means knowing its hardiness zone, the amount of light it gets, its soil type, and the amount of space you have to plant. You should also consider the type and form of the evergreen you are looking to plant because it will need to fit into the allotted space. Sometimes it is best to get with a tree service expert to help you with your tree decision making.
Most evergreens prefer moist, fertile soil that can be well-drained. If your soil is only a medium level of moistness and you are looking to plant evergreens, you should consider adding a sprinkler or irrigation system to your site to help increase the soil moistness. This will ensure your evergreens stay happy and healthy. Evergreens also prefer soil that have a PH of neutral to slightly acidic. If you are not sure what the PH of your soil is, you can purchase testing strips online or from your local hardware store. Some evergreens may be more tolerant of less-than-ideal growing conditions. If this is the case, you can get away with planting them in drier soil. However, you may not know until it is too late.
Spruce and Fir evergreens are pyramid-shaped. They may cover up to thirty feet in diameter, making them great shade trees. These types of trees usually fill their maximum diameter when they reach peak maturity. Pines are also pyramid-shaped when they are young. As they become older, they usually lose some of their lower branches, opening up some of the space below. Pines can reach up to fifty-feet tall depending on the specific species and growing conditions. If you are thinking of growing grass under a cluster of pine trees, you may want to consider planting a different species and the roots of pines can fill a large circle of soil making it difficult for grass to grow there.
Some less common types of evergreens are Boxwoods, Rhododendrons, and Juniper shrubs. One of the great things about boxwoods is that they can be trimmed to fill a sphere or a hedge form. This is great if you are looking to use one as a landscaping accent. Rhododendrons are also upright and they tend to grown blooms in the spring. While their leaves do stay attached during the winter, the color will usually change from a deep green to more of a muddy bronze color. Smaller-scale juniper can be a great option for residential sites. Their spread may grow to be five to ten feet wide while they can grow to be twenty to thirty feet tall depending on the variety of juniper and the exact growing conditions. If you are thinking of planting evergreens on your property, be sure to do proper research about your site and the species.