Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Tree planting around pond

We have a 1/3 acre pound near our new house construction, I would like to plant some trees around it. My problem is I don't know where to plant them or what kind. Do I plant them on the shallow end? on top of the dam(deep end)? below the dam? or where the pond occasionaly overflows? we live in central Arkansas

thanks

flymoron

What ever you do do not plant them on the dam or even close to it. This will only lead to trouble and leaks down the road. Sounds like you want trees in the water? Like Bald Cypress? Or are you looking for them on the shoreline? I wouldn't over do it with a pond that small with a lot of trees, don't want to many leaves getting into the pond over time causing issues.

thanks for the heads up on the dam, shoreline trees, I always liked bald cypress,but the knobs are too aggrevating. a type of Pine,Oak?

thanks

Is there a specific purpose for the trees? How many, how big do you want them to get? Answering these questions I can give better advice as there are a number of options available.

Also be aware that larger trees can transpire a LOT of water on dry days, make sure your pond has plenty of inflow to keep with the trees drinking in the future when they get larger. The will get their roots in the water at some point.

I see the mistake around here a lot when people let trees such as the water-loving poplar seed themselves grow very close to the pond's edge due to lack of management. These trees get very large eventually, drink a lot, and litter piles of leaves into the water. IMHO they are not very attractive trees to begin with, and the females let go with gobs of fuzzies in June which makes water surfaces nasty. You may want to re-think trees unless you have some that will remain naturally small.

Personally I want some trees near the water for aesthetics as well, so I will keep it limited to pine trees and other shallow-rooted trees that don't transpire nearly as much as deciduous trees do. I will be planting them on the uphill non-dam area around the pond along with some blight-resistant American Chestnut trees I managed to land this summer.

Pines are safer trees to grow near dams as they don't send roots very far from the tree, and also not very deep. You can see that when pines are blown over in storms. I still will make sure to keep them off of the dam since that is disturbed soil and much more prone to not holding your tree in place in a storm. Note I said safer and near, not on the dam and not perfectly safe for your pond.

just 2-3 for shade & to block the view from a road, just big enough to do that. Also the pond loses about 1/3 of its water in the summertime, so that might be an issue.

thanks