There are many benefits of having a few trees in your backyard – even at least one tree to start. And if you read “The Hidden Life of Trees” by Peter Wohlleben you will know that trees can communicate between each other. For example, parent trees live with the children trees. Also, the trees send warnings to each other when they feel threatened.
Trees know even how to calculate! During the beginning of the spring, when the weather is unstable, hot and cold days exchange constantly, trees wait for 21 warm days before they start blooming. Otherwise, if just one of the 21 days were cold, the trees will wait and bloom another time.
Some research indicates that healthier and even emotionally happier (no matter how crazy it sounds) forests have better ecosystems, produce more fruits and a healthier environment for the animals that live in the forests. The same species of trees are connected with their roots. This fact pushes a scientist to look at a forest like one big superorganism!
The composition of the trees are amazing!
Not to mention that healthier forests absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) and give back more oxygen which maintains the perfect ecosystem of our planet.
So here, this “stunning benefits of having trees” article won’t be a “climate change” chapter section. Why? Because you will not save the planet as the planet is not in danger. Sounds crazy? Well, that’s the story for some other blog, but the more CO2 in the atmosphere the better!
How? In short, the plants need CO2 so that they can perform photosynthesis. In return, plants give us oxygen that we breathe, after we again give back the carbon dioxide to the plants. More CO2 in the air means that plants can do photosynthesis better, they can develop better, grow better and the ecosystem is richer and can evolve better, too. This mechanism of exchanging matter in nature makes a perfect circle of the ecosystem!
Plus, there’s no actual scientific proof that CO2 affects global warming, instead, that is the natural process of transformation from warm period to ice age and reverse.
So more CO2 is better for us!
The ocean is here to regulate the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. When the ocean gets colder, it collects carbon dioxide, and when it’s warm, it relieves it back into the atmosphere.
Now you understand why “plant a tree and save a planet” will not be one of the chapters here. But don’t give up! There are plenty of reasons why you should plant trees in your backyard!
Let’s start from the first!
Trees regulate the temperature of your home
If you have just one tree, then you will regulate your home temperature with the power of a 10 room-sized air conditioner that operates in your house for 20 hours per day! That’s because during the summer, trees create shade over your house, protecting it from sunlight.
During the winter, trees will reduce the amount of cold air coming inside your windows that will otherwise flow with its full capacity. In this way, trees save you money on heating.
Keep all of these health and financial benefits in mind. With one tree in your yard, you can save up to 25 euro per year. This is a good reason to make your own small forest, right? 😉
Also, the tree in your yard will protect you from traffic pollution if you live in a big city or town, so you will have your own micro atmosphere full of healthy air! Even the bad air is not the main factor of health issues, but it is still better to have fresh air around yourself. That will make you much more relaxed and happier.
As nature is our primary habitat, having a tree will be your own micro nature where you can relax. Keep in mind that each color has a special effect on our mood. This is the reason why most airline companies use a brighter color for its cabin like blue, orange or white. Blue, for example, relaxes people and makes their flight stress-free.
The same goes when we speak about the trees and their green color. Looking at a forest or green land in the distance, even for five minutes, will help you to relax and relieve stress.
Increase property value
Planting a tree in your backyard will increase your property value in case you want to sell it in the future. Real estate companies show that property buyers prefer homes with trees much more than those without. They are likely to pay fifteen percent more for property with the trees than without.
Property buyers, just like you, want a home in which they can save money on heating, have shade during the summer and a lot of entertainment under the tree. A tree is the perfect place for family gatherings, barbecues or a doghouse.
The tree is cheap to plant. For a relatively low amount of money you can plant a tree and in return gain fifteen percent more profit from it!
Protect you from a Gossiping
Let’s not even mention how trees are good for protecting your privacy! A good tree like walnut or willow will be a good long-term investment in your privacy. A good big tree will protect you from gossiping and spying of others.
Wherever you live on a planet, eater big metropolis, smaller towns and especially small villages, you are aware of neighbors watching you. Even these days when we have a lot of technology for that like our phones and social networks like Facebook or Instagram, where people can basically see everything about us, the traditional “looking in a yard” is still in trend. Plus, all of these cameras and drones in the sky make protection of our privacy much harder.
That’s why a tree with large branches can help you to move from the eyes of the neighbor hood. Under the tree no drones can record you and there’s no people to stare at you like you are an alien.
Trees provide you with a food
Nurturing your own organic, home-grown fruits is one of the best things you can do for your health and one of the greatest benefits of having your own trees. Not just that it will save you money on buying food, but you will eat much healthier organic fruits. Organic food does not have pesticides and fungicides, which means that you will eat fruit with maximum nutrition values.
Of course, don’t be disappointed and throw your apple, pear or cherry in the garbage if you see an “odd shape” or a few brown spots as store-bought fruits are produced to look perfect – but not as much healthier as possible.
So your little brown apple is worth eating as the benefits are stunning. For example, if you eat an apple after your meal, then you don’t need to wash your teeth. That’s because apples are natural toothpaste that comes from your trees! Apples are also good for your heart, they are good for your brain as well as many other positive effects on your overall health.
But how to choose the perfect fruit tree for the home environment? Well, first, start with your taste. Do not plant a fruit tree that will give you products that you won’t eat later. Take apples, for example. They are extremely sour and there is simply no reason to eat them… because you don’t like them. Maybe just some red apples sometimes… every leap year. Anyway, planting fruit trees that you like would be a good start. But also, it will be wise to choose the tree that can sustain in your area.
There’s no point in planting oranges or bananas if you are from Serbia as I am. Instead, you can plant a pear that will perfectly fit with your area and the temperature around.
With fruit trees, not only can you have a healthier environment and save money on heating, but you can also sell the fruit to family and friends. One fruit tree will not make you rich or be your full-time job, but it is a nice way to gain a few bucks to go out sometimes!
Before you plant your own micro-sphere…
If you don’t know how to plant a tree, you can always check online first for the basic instructions. After that it would be good to consider with the locals about special requirements for each tree you want to plant. If there’s no professional gardener in your town, don’t panic! You can ask your grandmother or grandfather for advice on what and how to do it.
For example, my grandmother was from childhood involved in gardening and planting fruit and vegetables. And if I need advice, I know where to go when Google is stuck!
Consider also the time of the year when is the best moment to plan a certain tree. Can the tree that you wanna plant stand long and hot summer days? Does your tree need more rain? These are all the questions that you need to ask yourself before planting a tree.
Well, I’m without a backyard…
Don’t be desperate. If you live in an apartment without a backyard, you can still have your small piece of nature. There are different kinds of flowers that can even make your home warm and colorful. There are also fruit trees that can survive and develop inside your apartment. And when it comes to privacy, you can simply put a few flowers near to your windows and you are very well protected. Jokes aside, there are trees that you can plant without too much effort at your home.
But what kind of trees are they? You can plant a Meyer lemon tree, papaya or strawberry. For those who want to have a green area, there’s always a way!
For green area lovers
In cities where there are no big forests, you can visit the city parks. There you can do morning exercise like yoga, walk your dog or just simply walk, listen to music and relax your mind. Just five minutes spent at a green area will refill your body and brain from the stress.
If in your city there’s not enough green space, connect with the people that care for the same matter as you do. You can make a project for green parks in your city, ask for donations from the government, non-political organizations or simply make a large organization where the citizens will each year invest little by little.
It’s always good to stay proactive about your life and have a good idea how to make a positive impact around the world. And when we say a good idea, the Environment Magazine is always a good place to search for it!
Have a beautiful, happier and greener rest of the day!
