October 6, 2000

     Trees Make for Fall Splendor

John Burroughs, a renowned American naturalist and writer, described October as "the time of the illuminated woods."  As we look at the deciduous forest now, sugar maples are colorful and vibrant and one of the most spectacular sights.

The maples that are out in the open had the first tinges of fall color in August.  They are now at their peak of orange and red, but the rest of the sugar maples in the forest interior are a glowing yellow.

The sugar maple, whose main cultural requirement is reasonably productive and well-drained soil, is a fine shade tree to plant in a yard.  The best time to select a tree is now, when the leaves have their fall color, as some trees are more colorful than others.

There will be little transplanting difficulty, especially if the work is done a little later in the autumn or in early spring.  As the growth is reasonably rapid, in only a few years even a small tree will reach a respectable size, and then each year the unsurpassed autumn colors can be enjoyed from a homegrown sugar maple.