FAQ Trees & Shrubs
Can I leave the peat pot on when I plant?
In our dry climate in Colorado the peat pot does not disintegrate before the
roots need to move out into the surrounding soil. If the plant is well
rooted (as it must be under Colorado law), the peat pot can easily be removed
prior to planting.
Is it ok to leave the wire basket on the tree when
I plant it?
Research has shown that after many years time, trees that were planted in wire
baskets had roots that were girdled by the basket. First remove
the pot, mulch, and plastic wrap from the outside of the wire basket. If you can remove the wire basket and set the tree in the hole without
disturbing the roots, do so. Otherwise, set the tree in the planting hole
where it is going to stay with the wire basket still on. Cut the wire
basket from around the sides at least half way down. You can leave the
bottom half attached underneath.
I
want a tree with some bright fall color in my yard. What would be a good
choice?
What
can I plant to attract birds? They're happy to help themselves to things you
plant for your family to eat from like cherry, plum, crabapple trees, grapes,
blackberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, thimbleberries, or
elderberry. You could also plant dogwood, honeysuckle, grape holly,
euonymus, kinnickinnick, beauty bush, pyracantha, sumac, buckthorn,
serviceberry, hackberry, shrub roses, nannyberry, cranberry. You could also
plant a hackberry or hawthorn tree.
CSU's
Recommendations "How to Plant Trees & Shrubs"
These are the the best for Denver metro area:
-Autumn Purple Ash-foliage turns maroon
-Autumn Blaze Maple-foliage turns orange/red
-Red Sunset Maple-foliage turns orange/red
-Green Mountain Sugar Maple
-Rocky Mountain Birch-foliage turns yellow
-Golden Rain Tree-seed pods turn coppery
-Hawthorns-good foliage color & red fruit
-Mountain Ash-orange/red fruit
-Newport Plum-foliage turns reddish
-Redbud-foliage turns yellow.
If you don't have room for a tree, but you still
want more interest in your fall landscape, consider these fall shrubs:
-Mahonia (Oregon Holly Grape)-bronze foliage & blue berries
-Barberry-foliage turns orangey/red & red berries
-Coral Berry-berries: white, or coral colored
-Cotoneaster-some have great fall foliage, all have either red or black berries
-Mountain Mahogany-feathery seed heads
-Apache Plume-fuzzy seed heads
-Burning Bush-red foliage
-Sand Cherry-foliage turns coppery/red
-Sumac-orange to red foliage, red seed heads
-Viburnum-many have beautiful fall foliage & berries ranging from red to black
-Chokecherry-good fall color & red to black fruit
-Dogwood-foliage turns reddish, white fruit turning black, and brilliant red
stems in winter
-Serviceberry-great foliage colors & berries
-Smokebush (Cotinus)-purple foliage turning yellow/orange
-Boston and Englemann Ivy-fabulous fall foliage