Home Gardening

Landscaping can save on energy costs
The Coast Gardener Newspaper and Web Column - June 15, 2002

Too frequently people do not use landscape plants to conserve energy. Proper placement of trees, shrubs, and vines around a house conserves energy while adding beauty. Trees are the number one landscape plant used in energy conservation in the home landscape.

Trees help remove pollutants from the atmosphere that can damage humans. They also can absorb carbon dioxide and other gases while producing oxygen for us to breathe. Trees and other plants reduce the greenhouse effect by shading houses and office buildings. This benefit reduces air conditioning needs up to 30 percent because less electricity is required for cooling. Properly placed trees within the landscape can be as effective as other home improvements in reducing heating and cooling costs. Good selection and placement of trees within the landscape can help cool your house in summer and allow the sun's rays to warm your house in winter.

Trees can add to the value of property as well. Well-landscaped property is more desirable than property that is not landscaped, so healthy trees and other plants can increase residential property values up to 15 percent.

To install an energy conserving landscape properly, you must understand the different positions of the sun at various times of the year. In mid December the sun rises in the southeast and remains low in the sky during the day. The winter sun sets in the southwest. In mid June the sun rises in the northeast and appears higher overhead at midday. The sun sets in the northwest during summer.

Since the summer solstice will soon be upon us, place trees around the house to provide shade from hot morning and afternoon sun. Trees on eastern and northeastern exposures of the house provide morning shade in summer. Trees placed on western and northwestern exposures of the house provide shade during afternoons. Increase the effectiveness of reduced heat absorption by having a shrub or a vine shade east and west walls. You can grow vines on masonry brick or concrete walls, but do not allow them to grow directly on walls with wood sidings. Provide a simple trellis for wooden sidings.

In most areas of Mississippi, prevailing summer winds are provided by the Gulf breeze from the southwest and from the south. To take advantage of cool summer breezes, avoid dense screen plantings on the southwest and south sides of your property. Prune deciduous trees on the southern exposure of your house to the height of the roof's drip line to provide free air movement into the house.

In summary, here are a few pointers to keep in mind when planting trees and shrubs to conserve energy:

Plan ahead when landscaping your new or existing home and enjoy lower utility bills in the process.

These archived gardening columns were written by Chance McDavid, former Harrison County Extension Agent.