When Is the Best Time to Plant a Tree?

by Gary Ingram

Pam and I bought our five acres 24 years ago. Oh, how I wish I would have planted some walnut trees back then. I love walnuts, and I’ve read they are the best nuts for your health. I soak the halves and pieces in lightly salted water overnight and then put them in our dehydrator for about 30 hours. Oh, my. 

Back when I didn’t plant those walnut trees, I planted three oak trees. In the front yard, I planted a small scarlet oak, probably too close to our house. Then the top died and it became stunted, which is perfect. Woodpeckers love the old holes in their search for bugs. Last year it had flowers for the first time but no acorns. Maybe this year? The tree is very deformed, which suits me perfectly as it reminds me of myself. 

Up by the road I planted a Garry oak that I bought as a year-old seedling and now it’s 30 feet tall. A single Garry oak can host thousands of individual caterpillars, a major source of food for our birds. I love birds. 

My daughter, who is now 40, had her college graduation party at a park near Spokane. At the time, I gathered some acorns from the ground. One, a white oak, is now also 30 feet tall.

So, when is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago, many will tell you, but the real answer is NOW. The past is gone, and the future is not guaranteed. All we have is this moment.