Author: Lou DiToro

Many reasons exist why you might need to determine a tree’s value. For example, if a tree comes down on your property, you can sometimes recapture its monetary loss through an insurance claim or by taking a tax deduction. Before doing either of those things, you will need to determine the monetary value of the tree. By looking at the right tree factors, you can determine how much to claim or deduct.

Three methods are commonly used to evaluate trees—the Cost Approach, the Income Approach, and the Sales Comparison approach. For a more detailed description of each method, refer to the Guide for Plant Appraisal (10th edition). Many arboriculture and horticultural groups endorse this publication as a reliable resource for evaluating trees.

Below, we briefly describe each evaluation approach.

• The Cost Approach focuses on the plant, location, and species as depreciation factors.
• The Income Approach uses the produce value in the future, such as in fruit or nut production, to assign a tree’s value.
• The Sales Comparison Approach considers the increase or decrease in your property by the plant’s presence. 

Each method has its way of determining a tree’s value. Take the Cost approach. Four ways exist when using this approach—the Replacement Cost method, the Trunk Formula method, the Cost of Repair method, and the Cost of Care method. 

Each method has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Trunk Formula Technique (TFT) is among the popular approaches when using the Cost Approach method. This technique employs the unit tree cost formula to determine value. You want to use the method and approach that best fits your situation.

Determining the value of a tree on your property can be a challenge. You need the right training, expertise, and experience to do the job right. So, evaluating the tree yourself may not be in your best interest

That’s why hiring a professional, like a registered arborist or RI Tree, to develop an appraisal makes sense. Consulting a professional can give you a better understanding of the pros and cons of each approach and help you choose the correct method for your situation.

Trees boost the economic value of one’s property. The right tree planted in the right spot makes a big difference to your home and property’s value. That difference often goes well beyond the initial cost of the tree. Research by the Arbor Day Foundation, in fact, shows that planting a good-sized tree increases property values from 3% to 15%.

RITree’s recent inventory of forests in six Rhode Island urban communities—Cranston, Johnston, North Providence, Warren, Warwick, and Woonsocket—found that an average tree provides over $108 in annual value, including:

• $42 in energy savings
• $40 in aesthetic value
• $11 storm water control

That’s a great return on your investment. Over ten years, the return adds up considerably. The tree’s return compares favorably, for instance, to the return provided by planting a public tree. A mature tree in its 20th year after planting provides $96 in benefits and only costs $36 for an annual net benefit of $60.

Maples, oaks, lindens, and tulip trees are good choices for local homeowners from an economic standpoint. Magnolias, ornamental cherry, and citrus trees are also good choices for trees. Deciduous trees, meanwhile, are great for suburban gardens. They let light in autumn and winter. 

While these trees add value to your property, only some are well-suited for certain sites. Some non-economic considerations when selecting a tree for your property are:

1. Tree form and size
2. Tree placement
3. Growing conditions
4. Soil conditions
5. Clearance for sidewalks
6. Clearance for driveways
7. Function of the tree
8. Exposure to sun and wind

These are critical factors you need to consider when buying a tree for your property. They are good to know, but buying a tree can still be confusing. That’s why it helps to consult someone knowledgeable about trees when buying one for your yard or property.

If you want to calculate the economic benefit provided by s single tree in any landscape, go to the MyTree website at: https://mytree.itreetools.org.

Need help with buying the right tree for your home or property? Contact RI Tree at (401) 764-5885. We’ll help you choose a tree that makes sense for you and your budget.

Matching the right tree to the right soil is critical. It builds strong, healthy trees by delivering the right nutrients and drainage to the plant—all while boosting disease resistance, reducing maintenance, and promoting a nurturing ecosystem. A mature, healthy tree adds anywhere from 3 to 15 percent to your home’s value, which is an added benefit 

But matching the right tree to the right soil is dicey. So, you need to get it right for the best results. Here are some challenges when matching trees to soil:

• Determining soil type and tree needs
• Generating an accurate soil assessment
• Researching information about specific trees
• Modifying existing soil correctly
• Monitoring to ensure a tree’s continued health

By understanding and overcoming these challenges, you can boost your chances of making a successful tree-soil match that nurtures a thriving, healthy plant for years to come. Consulting technicians at the Rhode Island Tree Council can help you beat the challenges described above.

Also, the University of Rhode Island’s Soil Testing service is free through its Master Gardner program. You provide the school’s lab with a sample of your soil. It will test its pH (acidity/alkalinity), evaluate its texture and content, and recommend what actions to take to improve your soil’s pH and health. 

Meanwhile, the booklet “Soils of Rhode Island Landscapes” by William R. Wright and Edward Sautter provides more information on this topic. Its goal is to arouse public interest in soils and make people aware of this valuable natural resource.   

Mulching benefits trees and shrubs. It reduces water evaporation, prevents soil compaction, and boosts root penetration and aeration. It also prevents soil erosion from wind and rain, reduces pressure from weeds, and enriches the soil. In short, mulching promotes plant growth and hardiness when done correctly. But there’s more to mulching than many people think.

Here are six tips on how to mulch your trees and shrubs:

1. Mulch when it’s best for your trees and shrubs. Early spring (after the last frost) or late fall are generally ideal because soil temperatures are mild. 

• Remove any weeds or debris around the plant’s base, and identify your drip line then. spread the mulch to at least this edge but at least three to five feet from the trunk.

• Apply a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch for mature trees and a 1 to 2-inch layer for young and new trees. Leave a gap between 2 to 3 inches from the tree trunk or shrub base. 

• Create a clean border around the mulch using either bricks, stone, or other edging material, which prevents the mulch from spreading and helps maintain a nice appearance.

• Replenish the mulch as it decomposes. The mulch won’t suppress all your weeds, so you may still have to pull some from the ground. Pull them gently to avoid disturbing the mulch. it

• Check the soil under the mulch during dry periods. If it feels dry, water it deeply. You want to make sure the water gets to all the roots.

Apply these tips to mulch in a way that’s designed to boost your tree’s and shrub’s health and hardiness. For more help with mulching, contact RI Tree .

Christmas is a great time of the year. But once it’s over, you have to do something with your tree. You can always put it out on the curb for trash pickup if your municipality provides that service. But if that option doesn’t appeal to you, you can make better use of the tree by giving it another role.

Here are five options that involve giving your Christmas tree a new role:

• Use it as firewood — If you want to cut it up and use it as firewood, you can. But the wood is still wet, so use it only in an outdoor fire pit. And use it only when the wood is dry. Using it indoors otherwise is a fire hazard.

• Recycle it as winter mulch — Leave the tree in your yard for the winter. It can provide much-needed shelter for small animals and birds. You can chop it up in the spring and use it for mulch.

• Make it a bird feeder — Place it in its stand outdoors. Then, fill some bird feeders and hang them from the tree’s boughs. You can also drape the tree with a swag of pinecones coated with peanut butter.

• Protect plants with it — The winter is hard on tender plants. Cut a few branches or boughs from the tree and cover your tender plants for the winter. The branches will protect them from the season’s harshness.

• Add Christmas freshness to your home — Strip the tree’s pine needles and make a sachet of them. Then, hide them around the bathroom and kitchen for some cheerful fragrance.

These options highlight the idea that your tree’s needles, boughs, and trunk can do more than hold ornaments. Each option has advantages. Choose one that works best for you. No matter which options you choose, however, they all let you dispose of your tree safely and responsibly. Never throw trees Christmas trees in garbage or landfills.

If you want to have a healthy tree on your property, you must ensure your soil has plenty of nutrients and organic matter. If the tree doesn’t get these materials from the soil, it could wither and die. Fertilizing your tree is a great way to boost its health, appearance, and lifespan —all while helping benefit the environment. 

Below are seven tips on fertilizing a tree or trees:

1. Choose the right fertilizer: You want a fertilizer that’s right for your situation. Fertilizers include a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Generally, use a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10 or 12-4-8.

1. Apply fertilizer from early spring to late fall. Those are the best times to fertilize trees in most areas. Don’t fertilize during the winter. It’s the worst time to do it.

• Apply fertilizer over the root zone: This area is beneath the tree’s canopy. Spread the fertilizer evenly using a broadcaster or drop spreader.

• Water the fertilizer thoroughly: Watering helps the nutrients penetrate deep into the soil.

• Sandy soil drains faster than clay soil: You may need to fertilize sandy soil more often than clay soil.

• Fertilize in the fall: If you live in New England, where it can get cold, fertilize in the fall. Plants will store nutrients all winter to return strong in the spring.

• Avoid overfertilizing: That can not only damage plants, it can also pollute the environment. Follow the directions on the fertilizer label.

These tips can help you when it comes to taking care of your trees and shrubs. If you have any questions regarding fertilization, contact an arborist or RI Tree. Asking for help from a professional never hurts.