Hard at work for a new Seattle street tree

If you were to pick one week out of the calendar year as the best week to plant a street tree in Seattle, the week of October 5-11 would be in the running.   Trees are moving into their dormant season and weather conditions are cool, allowing plants to establish roots in the new location before spring rains and summer heat stimulate new branch growth.  Couple that general timing principle with the remarkable weather we’re having this particular year and it looks like a great week to fill in a few of the gaps in Seattle’s tree canopy.  Your home and block will be enhanced, and we’ll be that much closer to meeting our goal to increase Seattle’s tree canopy cover to 30% by 2030.

If you’re interested in planting a tree now in the planting strip outside your home, SDOT’s Urban Forestry Division has a wealth of information here about recommended street trees and the 1-2-3 of getting a permit and getting the tree planted.  If you’re looking ahead to next year, keep the Tree Fund in mind.  The Tree Fund, a program through the Department of Neighborhoods, provides trees to neighborhood groups to enhance the City’s urban forest. The City provides the trees, and neighbors share the work of planting and caring for the trees.  Learn more here.

Now pass the shovel!