OT: Shade tree for neighborhood and pool

[BlameTheDogs]

Wanting to plant a shade tree that will be around an in ground pool and in a neighborhood. Will be planted near fence and 20’ away from pool. Looking strictly for evening shade for the pool

20’-25’ or so tall
Fast growing (faster the better)
Few blooms as possible. Prefer none.
Low maintenance
Minimal roots

 

[RocketDawg]

That's a pretty tall order. But try sugar maple.

Stay away from tulip poplar - they're constantly dropping something. Oaks drop acorns, so not good around a pool.

 

[aTotal360]

Sweet gum.

 

[mcdawg22]

Stay away from a black gum tree too, especially if you have concrete. The berries will stain concrete something awful.

 

[Allday.sixpack]

October glory Red Maple

 

[patdog]

Third for a maple. Planted one in my front yard about 15 years ago and it's been great. Not sure which variety I have, but it doesn't turn brilliant red, which was disappointing. But it grew fast and is a very good looking tree.

 

[Herbert Nenninger]

Baobab

 

[Fktdawg]

Third for a maple. Planted one in my front yard about 15 years ago and it's been great. Not sure which variety I have, but it doesn't turn brilliant red, which was disappointing. But it grew fast and is a very good looking tree.

You probably have a Silver Maple given the fast growth and lack of fall color.

I agree with post above. Sugar Maple will be your best bet. Great shade tree and brilliant orange fall color.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

You can build a pole barn with sliding roof like Jerry’s Stadium. Get the sun when you want it and the shade when you want it and keep leaves and trash from getting in it. ****

 

[RiverCityDawg]

Cryptomeria

 

[SwampDawg]

No oak, unless you can handle tons of leaves in your pool.

 

[Digging dog]

Drake Elm

 

[HotMop]

Get a Magnolia, zero issues******************

 

[$altyDawg]

I am noting this as we're going to be moving in to our house soon. Thanks for the advice!

 

[grinnindawg]

We've had a pool for 23 years now.
50y old pin oak 40ft from SW corner, 30y old pecan 30ft from NW corner, 50y old pines 70ft N.
Grew up with a pool surrounded by pecan trees and a tulip poplar.

If leaves, seeds, or tassels in the pool are going to bother you, put up a screen.
If it's a dry summer and a storm(or just a big wind) comes in from the west anything but a fake tree will get leaves in the pool.
Put a privacy or screen safety fence as close to the pool deck as you can get it.
Really helps with the leaves.
Don't block the view from the house if you have non-swimmers in the house.

When our kids were young they wanted the pool open early. Tassels were a pain.
Now I wait till the pecan tassels drop before opening. Dry years if the acorns fail and drop it's a pain.
Otherwise, meh, even with the tip of some of the oak limbs over the pool.

Buy one of these: https://www.looploc.com/
This site made pool life so much easier: http://www.poolsolutions.com/
Calculator I use: https://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I hate sweetgum trees. They don’t even make good firewood.

 

[Indognito]

Yggdrasil

 

[turkish]

I don’t mind leaves in the pool so much. Constant trash clogging the gutters and downspouts, causing drainage issues for the space surrounding the pool was something I could not abide.

 

[CreekFishin]

Sweetgums ain't good for nothing but sweetgums. They know how to propagate. Hate 'em. One step up from privet. Just an invasive crap tree.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

BBB method and a Taylor test kit will save you so much money, time and frustration

 

[CrookedLetta4Eva]

BBB method and a Taylor test kit will save you so much money, time and frustration

Explain both

 

[idog]

a big crape myrtle will grow quicker than any maple, etc and provide good shade. it'll drop some buds/petals in the summer and leaves in late fall after swimming weather is over. we had a big natchez crape myrtle 15' from our pool at our last house and it didn't cause any issues and provided great shade.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

You know the best time to plant a tree is

20 years ago.

 

[grinnindawg]

BBB purports the only chemicals needed for your pool are Bleach, Borax, and Baking soda. Works for me with 2 caveats.
1. Cyanuric Acid(stabilizer) is required at least once a year.
2. When some doofus doesn't wash their suit from the ocean before getting in the pool I've had to use PolyQuat. Polyquat is magic in a bottle that I've also used opening.

For a while a few years ago, Costco bleach was the least expensive sanitizer. Last few years its been 1# bags of CalHypo shock from Doheny or InTheSwim. The bottles of beach are a bit of a pain too.

Taylor is a manufacturer of pool test chemicals. They sell test kits in little blue cases for $60 to $100. These are much more accurate than the test strips or cheap test kits.

 

[$altyDawg]

They know how to propagate.

If cudzu were a tree, it would be sweetgum.

 

[turkish]

20 years ago.

Yeah, but the second best time is TODAY.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Yeah, but the second best time is TODAY.

Carpe tree-um?