According to the National Association of Home Builders, tall, healthy trees are most appealing to home buyers. Two out of three buyers rate trees as essential, across all regions and market segments. Swimming pools, on the other hand, only return 20 cents on the dollar. Besides their beauty, trees have many other benefits. Planted strategically, trees can dramatically lower your home's heating and cooling bills by blocking the sun and wind.
Trees also filter carbon dioxide from the air and provide a home for birds and wildlife.
Cerritos has been named a Tree City USA for its excellent care of more than 30,000 community trees. Think about the full-grown size of the tree, and keep it safely away from your home, patios, sidewalks and block walls. A tree that is planted correctly will grow twice as fast and live twice as long. Water deeply around the entire base of the tree, but avoid wetting the trunk, which may cause rotting. Add two to four inches of mulch, such as bark, gravel or compost, around the base of the tree to retain moisture, block weeds and prevent soil compaction.