People make investments in many things — a child’s future, retirement and home improvements. They invest in their health through exercise and wholesome foods. They invest in their community by volunteering for activities that make life better for everyone. Yet, there’s an overlooked investment that impacts the quality of life everywhere: planting and caring for trees.

The importance of healthy trees cannot be overstated and should be a focus of regular seasonal maintenance. According to the International Society of Arboriculture, the effect of shade and shelter that trees provide equates to reducing annual heating and air-conditioning costs by $2.1 billion. In fact, they say, as few as three trees, strategically placed around a house, can cut airconditioning costs in half. And a well landscaped property that includes mature trees can be worth 5 to 20 percent more than without them. Countless studies have shown that trees, both shade and ornamental, are directly linked to our health and sense of well-being and to a cleaner environment. Every tree absorbs carbon dioxide and other gases, produces oxygen, lowers air temperature by evaporating water in its leaves, reduces noise and provides food and shelter for hundreds of wildlife species. In fact, the lack of tree cover caused by land development can cost local governments millions of dollars in stormwater runoff remediation.

Proper tree care, including watering, fertilizing and pruning, is not complicated or expensive and does not require a lot of special tools or expertise. Planting trees is a fall tradition in part because as daylight hours decrease, a tree’s energy shifts from the leaves and branches to the roots. Cooler temperatures reduce stress and encourage root growth.

To start your own tree planting project, decide what size, shape and species you want, how many you want and where to place them. Consider what function the tree will serve in the landscape. For shade trees, choose a vase-shaped tree like oak, ash, tuliptree, sweet gum or sugar maple. For ornamental value, consider an oval- or globe-shaped tree — crab apple, cherry, red maple, hawthorn or saucer magnolia.

A spring-flowering woodland display may include dogwood, redbud or serviceberry. In a formal landscape, a pyramid shaped tree, such as a linden, magnolia or European ash, is desirable. Privacy screening can be achieved by planting a group of juniper, arbor-vitae or hemlock.

To determine the number of trees to plant, look at their size. Smaller trees mean larger groupings. A stand of four, six or even eight small trees creates an instant landscape. For the best solar efficiency, plant trees on the south and west sides of your house. They will provide shade from excess heat during the summer and allow winter sunlight to deliver free solar energy. Make a smart investment. Take care of the trees around you. Then, plant a few new trees in your yard or out in your neighborhood.

In November ...
Start forcing precooled flower bulbs for holiday giving and display. Amaryllis and paperwhite narcissus are very simple to grow. Staggered start-up times provide lush, blooming displays all winter long.

Turn your compost pile to process fallen leaves and autumn debris. By spring, you’ll have wonderful organic material to enrich your garden soil. If you haven’t made a compost pile, this is the perfect time to start.

Hit the road to discover what trees you like

Plan a trip to Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont. Recognized by HGTV as one of the nation’s “20 Great Gardens,” it has 10 public gardens, each with a unique design and plant collection. (Visit their website at dsbg.org, or call 704-825-4490.)

Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary is tucked into three acres on a quiet residential street. The scale of this landscape makes Wing Haven an excellent source of inspiration and horticultural information for the backyard gardener. (Check them out at winghavengardens.com, or call 704-331-0664.)

The UNC Botanical Gardens in the University area are an exceptional resource for home landscaping information. There are three main garden areas on the 10-acre property. The Van Landingham Glen is a woodland garden and contains native plants of the Carolinas. (Call 704-687-2364 or visit http://gardens.uncc.edu.)

The Master Gardener organizations in the three-county area can answer your questions about trees, home landscaping and other horticultural topics. For Mecklenburg County, call 704-336-4011; for Gaston County, 704-922-2104; and for York County, 803-684-9919. Also try N.C. State University Extension Service at ncsu.edu/extension.