Shade trees
By Denise
@petatonicsca (7070)
Japan
August 9, 2019 5:47pm CST
The other day I had a gardener come and trim the two trees that are in my teeny yard (which is about a meter and a half wide and nine meters long) because my neighbor believes that all trees should be kept down to one floor level. He doesn't like my tree going above his roof because he says it messes up the gutters. He tells me that all the other people in our street keep their trees to first floor level. (This is a strong argument in Japan, because we all have to be the same, right?)
So, the gardener came and cut back my trees, both of which shaded my second floor.
All of the sudden my air conditioner on second floor is not working as well, or rather it is too hot with the sun on my house to get my room any cooler than 30C even when it is set to 28C.
I have read about how important shade trees are to your summer electric bill and now I can prove it!
Do you have shade where you live?
6 people like this
7 responses
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Aug 19
Noone could make me cut a tree here either, but we need to be nice to our neighbors, especially since we live so close.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
13 Aug 19
@Nevena83 My neighbors are nice to me too.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (66063)
• Serbia
10 Aug 19
@petatonicsca That's really wonderful. We should all be like you.
@RasmaSandra (97908)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Aug 19
All I have now are palm trees and they keep my little from porch shady in the morning and in the late afternoon.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Aug 19
I have two palm trees in front of the house and I wish the former owner had not planted them there because they go too near the wires.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
10 Aug 19
Shade trees keep the temperatures cooler; we have some nearby our house, but the problem is we always have to clean our roof gutters because it clogs it; also always sweep the yard because of the fallen leaves.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
13 Aug 19
People get on my case for my roof gutters. May I ask, what is the problem with having clogged gutters? I know it concerns people but I honestly have no idea.
@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
10 Aug 19
I live in an apt. No trees anywhere near our apt. When it's summer like now it's very warm, so I keep my fan on all the time. Trees are great for shade, but the gutters can get clogged with tree leaves.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Aug 19
Yes, that's why my neighbor wants my trees to be short.
1 person likes this
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
13 Aug 19
@oahuwriter Depends on the type of tree. The persimmon tree gives me lots of fruit but usually it's astringent. The loquat tree gives me so much fruit that I have a freezer full of stewed loquats. The palm trees are just messy. They don't provide any fruit that anyone wants.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26773)
• United States
13 Aug 19
@petatonicsca
I understand. Trees give so much fruit though.
@Ladanger (14572)
• United States
10 Aug 19
I live in the city so we barely have any trees. I do wish to move somewhere where i can see grass and trees though.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Aug 19
I believe it is much healthier to live where you can have green. I live in the outskirts of Tokyo in what is called "green belt" where they try to have green parks and plants between houses in order to bring down the effect of the heat sink of downtown Tokyo.
1 person likes this
@Ladanger (14572)
• United States
10 Aug 19
@petatonicsca yes, i would love to live in a area like that. I am tired of the city. That is nice. I bet it's nice there.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
10 Aug 19
In America you have huge yards so you can have huge shade trees. We live really close to the neighbor's houses.
@almostoveryou (4954)
• Philippines
10 Aug 19
We get the shade from the neighbor's large trees. :) Sharing is caring. Only prob is those leaves tend to clog our roof gutters every now and then.
