Spring is here and for many homeowners that means more time enjoying the outdoors and tending to their yards. Information shared by the California Association of Realtors from Outdoor Power Equipment, a monthly magazine serving independent dealers who sell and service lawn and garden equipment, says 91 percent of Americans have a yard and 86 percent say it is important to have a living landscape and grass at their home. In fact, more than two-thirds of Americans enjoy taking care of their yards.
What do homeowners prefer in their backyards? Eighty-six percent of homeowners prefer grass; 80 percent, trees, bushes and shrubs; and 55 percent love to garden.
Homeowners are also using a variety of materials to accentuate their yards. Fifty-one percent are using hard pavers, cement and brick for patios. For landscaping, 47 percent are using rocks or gravel, 43 percent mulch, and 32 percent, some type of ground cover.
When it comes to planting trees, bushes and shrubs, it is advisable for homeowners to spend more research and planning, according to Laura Fanger, an arborist with Bay Area Tree Specialists. Fanger, who recently spoke at a Silicon Valley Association of Realtors meeting, told Realtors that it is all right to have gardeners care for trees when they are young, but when trees reach over 12 feet high, a homeowner should look to an arborist for advice. An arborist is certified in the cultivation and care of trees, shrubs and other plants.
Trees add to the look and feel of a property and aesthetics will increase property value, said Fanger. In fact, according to the U.S. Forest Service, healthy mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property's value.
Fanger noted, however, that much thought needs to go into planting of trees. First and foremost, homeowners should decide on the location of a tree. Trees need to be properly placed to avoid collision with powerlines, a house or a building. Some things to look for when selecting a tree to plant include height and canopy spread, form or shape, growth rate, invasive roots, and soil, sun and moisture requirements.
Will the tree lose its leaves in the winter, or will it litter seeds, fruit or heavy cones? No one wants messy tree droppings, especially when close to a sidewalk.
A homeowner also should find out the plant hardiness zone in which their property is located. The hardiness zone indicates temperature extremes in which a tree can be expected to grow. Since Silicon Valley contains several microclimates, an area may be located in two, even three hardiness zones. According to the USDA Hardiness Zone Map, Los Gatos is in Hardiness Zones 10a, 10b and 9b; Saratoga is in Hardiness Zones 9b and 10a; Monte Sereno and the Cupertino-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara areas are also in Zone 9b.
Examples of trees that can be grown in Zone 9b and even Zone 10, which experiences a typically long, reliable summer season that allow a variety of fruit trees to thrive, are most citrus fruit trees, like common limes, mandarins and lemons. Zone 9 fruit trees that are suitable include some cherry tree varieties, and several hardy varieties of apples, apricots and peaches. Some suitable tropical fruit trees to plant are avocado, Asian guava, lychee, figs, plums and starfruit.
Fanger noted when homeowners consider planting or removing a tree, they should always check first with their city's requirements. Also, before reaching for the shovel to plant a tree or shrub, homeowners should call 811, the national number for their local call-before-you-dig center. This will allow homeowners to get the approximate location of buried utility lines marked before they dig.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.