Trees have gained great popularity in recent years, because of their ability to clean the air. There are all types of landscape projects requiring the planting of hundreds or thousands of trees. Most if not all of us plant trees for aesthetic reasons and sometimes to get a little food or shade. What many of us do not take into consideration is that the $30 tree you plant today can be worth $1,000 10 years later. Trees are gold mines. People go to great expense to improve their homes with expensive elaborate construction and renovation work and are disappointed to find that their efforts added perhaps a few thousand dollars in value to their homes.

Trees are easy projects. In homes were there are few or no trees they are particularly good investments. You may spend a weekend and a couple of hundred dollars planting trees and that is it. Seven years later, which is the typical move cycle, you will find that your home is worth a lot more and to a great extent is due to the trees.

Trees are also the determining factor in many cases where you are trying to sell a home. Instead of trying to sell your home by making a lot of improvements, such as new carpeting and tile, plant trees. Mature fruit trees are often the only differentiating factor between two homes. This is especially true in tract projects where there are many houses with the same floor layout. What can be more distinguishing than some mature fruit trees in the backyard. Spend a few hundred dollars on mature fruit trees, especially if they have fruit on them, and you have yourself a buyer. This particularly true with the growing movement for localized food which is much more environmentally friendly than importing food from far away places. Be careful in the selection of your fruit trees. Some exotic fruit trees are not well known by all consumers and not likely to improve the appeal of the property. Also be sure you by local. The fruit trees sold in local nurseries are generally good for your particular geographic location. When you order from far away places, besides the obvious transportation expense, you are guarantee that the particular fruit tree is going to do well in your climate.

Trees also add value and appeal to shopping centers. Have you ever been to a new shopping center with no trees or tiny trees. Not too appealing, is it ? What about shopping centers with mature trees. Where do you park ? Everyone fights for the shade spot where you have mature trees. When you have a streetscape the same is true. We all enjoy those streets where there are a lot of trees. The sidewalks can present a slight risk factor. One side effect is that often the roots up lift the sidewalk. Another is that you have an open tree well. The problem can often be resolved by making a larger tree well and then placing a tree grate. A tree grate is a metal cover that goes over the open tree well. This allows the tree to get water and air in the soil and gives the tree room to expand its roots. Tree grates are made in cast iron and cast aluminum. Cast aluminum tree grates are by far much more appealing and can actually enhance the appearance of sidewalk. A cast aluminum tree grate can provide for greater pedestrian traffic because of increased surface area for pedestrians to walk on and it can also be a means of enhancing the appearance of the particular streetscape.

Urban trees make cities much more attractive trees should be protected as they are very valuable, especially as they mature. A tree grate can protect the roots and allow the tree to grow better, while reducing the risk of injury to pedestrians and the same time allowing for more pedestrian traffic. A tree guard is a means of protecting trees from vandalism, animals, and people. Tree guards normally attach to the frame where the tree grate sits. Tree grates and tree guards are very common and should always be taken into consideration when ever a major urban tree project is commenced.