'Up With Trees': How you can help grow Tulsa's urban forest this planting season

Tree planting season has begun in Oklahoma.

The time of year between the fall and spring is the best time to plant because it gives the tree time to establish roots before the hot summer months. During this time Tulsa's Up With Trees does community tree plantings every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

"We are in a planting season right now and we are going to be planting until the end of April or so," said Program Director Taylor Melone.

Q: What is Up With Trees?

Up With Trees started in 1976 in Tulsa as a volunteer organization. Its mission is to empower, educate, and serve communities by utilizing trees. Trees have many environmental benefits and can also beautify an area. Melone said, "They clean the air that we breathe, they also offset a lot of stormwater, and they provide good shade not just for people but for animals and habitat."

Q: How does a community tree planting work?

The community tree-planting events organized by Up With Trees are open to anyone. They take place on Saturdays through the end of April at various locations throughout Tulsa. The next one will be on Saturday, January 18 at Graham Park near 61st and Lewis from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Up With Trees arborists will take you step-by-step through the planting process. They also teach you how to find the right depth for your tree, how to backfill and berm around the tree, and how to make sure the roots grow correctly. "Some of the roots will keep wrapping around the root ball of the tree when it is bucketed," Melone continued saying, "We just want to make sure it knows it is no longer in the bucket and it is in the ground, so those roots can spread out nice and long."

Q: Where can I get my own tree to plant at home?

Over the next few months Up With Trees is giving away hundreds of trees for free at its community tree planting events. The distribution is made possible by a grant through the Inflation Reduction Act. There will be several different species available including oak, bald cypress, birch, and fig. Melone said they also offer classes throughout the year for people to learn how to plant and care for their own trees. She said the most common misconception about trees is when to water them. "You do not just water them in the summer, especially any tree that has been planted within its first 3 years, needs water year-round."

For more information about upcoming events visit the Up With Trees Facebook page or UpWithTrees.org.