Posts Tagged ‘Cooling’
04.06.2010
Thinking of Planting Trees This Spring?
We all seem to get the itch to plant in spring. It’s the way God designed us. Sun shines, soil warms, man wants to grow huge plants all around side of house to make pretty. Sound familiar? Consider these simple points before loading up the kids and dog for the local nursery. Remember that we live in a pretty warm zone (Zone 7 for you gardener types). But we also have a decent drop in temperatures over the winter. That means you want to take advantage of passive solar heating in the winter and natural cooling in the summer. Translation? Where you plant the trees and shrubs is just as important as the kind of plants/trees you choose. Remember from your elementary school science class that the winter sun is lower in the horizon than the summer sun. This means you will receive more sun on the front, southern side of your house in winter and more overhead sun in the summer. (Our last house baked on the west side during late summer afternoons.) Which way does your house face? Plant deciduous trees (ones that lose their leaves) on the southwest corner and west sides. This gives you protection from […]
