Autumn, with foliage in splendid color, is the easiest time of the year to step back and appreciate the value of trees. It is also the time when many folks purchase and plant young trees to enhance their personal landscapes.

Here are a few tips for taking care of new and also established trees.

After you have carefully chosen the location for your new tree, think a moment about the planting techniques you are going to use. Don't dig the hole too deep, don't over mulch, and water well.

The hole should only be deep enough so that when you set the tree in it, the root flare (where the stem is slightly swollen and the roots begin) is flush with or slightly above the surrounding soil. Burying the root flare is detrimental to the tree.

The hole should be shaped like a saucer, i.e., the sides are sloped from the bottom of the hole to the top. This provides your new tree with loose soil for easier root development.

It is not necessary to put down mulch around new and established trees, though it does help to reduce moisture loss in that area.

Homeowners are the ones who need mulch. It reduces their chore of keeping weeds out, and most important, it draws the boundaries where lawn mowers and weed whackers shouldn't go.

More often than not mulch is used improperly. Only 2 to 3 inches of mulch are needed for retaining moisture and suppressing weeds. Piling on more mulch, and especially volcanic mulching, has the effect of burying the root flare.

Mulch should not touch the tree itself, but should be pulled away 2 or 3 inches. Piling mulch right up to the trunk tends to keep that area dark and damp, when that area is supposed to be above ground and in the air.

As you drive around Chillicothe, you may notice a number of trees -both deciduous and coniferous - that have vines growing up the trunk. There are some vines that have grown as high as 40 feet or more, and though some folks may enjoy this adornment on their trees, the trees themselves are less appreciative. As the vines advance into the foliage and choke off leaf growth, the trees will begins to decline in health.

Whenever possible, vines of all species (poison ivy, English ivy, Virginia creeper, etc.) should be discouraged from using trees as their host.

There are a number of trees in the city's nursery that can be planted along city streets this fall. The city Tree Commission is looking for suitable locations for these trees, preferably on streets with tree lawns and without overhead wires. Exceptions may be possible where there is no tree lawn but where there is suitable lawn space.

Also, exceptions may be made where there are overhead wires by planting trees that mature at low heights.

If you would like to have your property considered for a tree planting, please call the Parks & Recreation office at 772-5626. Better yet, if your neighborhood would like to have several trees planted, call. The Tree Commission will consider all requests and arrange planting dates for accepted properties.