Preparation for Arbor Day is under way. Let’s call it Arbor-Enrichment Day. Winter is short in Houston and tree pruning needs to occur during a narrow window between Christmas and Valentine’s Day while the trees are dormant. But today, the agenda calls for more than just tree pruning. A large crew of arbor professionals arrived at 7:45 this morning with trucks full of heavy equipment to remove trees in addition to standard pruning essential for promoting healthy tree growth, which, by the way, is long overdue in this particular landscape. As of this writing, they have removed 5 living trees and 3 dead/diseased trees.I am generally not in favor of removing living trees, but had to make an exception in this case. Two of our ornamental trees are both planted within 12 inches of the house. While they’re still small now, in a few years their expanding roots will begin pushing against the foundation and I don’t think that will be a pretty sight, either from the vantage point of the house or our pocketbook. The other 3 trees are just a plain nuisance. They drip pine needles all over the roof and yard. I am relatively certain that we could plant trees in their stead that will offer shade to the yard without the unwanted debris.
We fully realize that our karma is in jeopardy at the moment. We’re taking out trees that offer habitat and food for birds, small mammals and insects. So in return, we have hung a squirrel feeder and will be hanging 2 bird houses this weekend. Then soon, we will be selecting a new tree to plant, to commemorate our first year together in this house. By continuing to keep the landscape healthy, we are hoping that our karma will start swinging back up.
Celebrate Arbor Day this year (April 30th) by planting a tree!
I think it happens quite frequently unfortunately, that people don't consider where they're planting a tree. It's hard to visualize an adult sized tree when it's so small initially.
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed people go ape-shit when you say you have to cut a tree down. I love trees, but when I moved into my house years ago, 2 huge pine trees were too close, like you, and they took all the light out of the front windows. So we took them down. A friend, who'd never even seen them, gave me such a hard time. I planted many more and frankly, need a house with sunlight, so I didn't feel bad, but REALLY!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your karma will be just fine!
Love this post! A few months ago we moved a tree we planted...okay, I planted...too close to the house when we moved in 5 years ago. It didn't like its new home and croaked. I was so upset. We left it in the ground forever, hoping it would come back. No such luck, and now my tree karma is ruined!!! It will take a while to rebuild. Perhaps I can get a new lease on life on Arbor Day.
ReplyDeleteLove it. When my kids were young, the school sytem sent trees home for them to plant. They took theirseedlings to my folks in the country. We're talking 15 years ago. My father named the trees for the boys, and every time we go there, my father takes them out and shows them the huge healthy trees they've grown into, kind of like the young men the boys have grown into. It's so sweet to see the pride emulate from my father's face as he tells the story and shows off the trees.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post Diane! Even though your taking something away from the habitat your giving something back in return. Will you be writing posts about the birds that will inhabit the bird houses? That would be something I would look forward to.
ReplyDeleteYes of course, if we are fortunate enough to attract a bird family or two, I will most definitely keep tabs on them. When I was visiting my mom last summer in Oklahoma, they had a family of woodpecker babies in the tree in their front yard. Believe me, it iwas a vigil. We set up a post on the front porch to watch for the parent birds to swoop in with food and we took photographs of them feeding the babies. And was laughed at their noisy chirping. It was tremendously loving fun.
ReplyDeleteso sorry for your loss. darn! Last year I tried to cultivate a Dawn Cypress from a seed and it succeeded for almost 9 months, but then unexpectedly died. I was in denial for a while and kept watering it. Duh. And I will never forget that summer day in my childhood when a swarm of grasshoppers ate EVERY leaf on the young lilac tree I had cultivated from a seed. Still mourn that loss! And I despise grasshoppers for the greedy leaf-eating pests that they are!
ReplyDeleteI wish more gardners thought more about karma and less about profits.....
ReplyDeletethis is such a sweet metaphor for growing - I would love to see your father's face when he shares the family trees with visitors, or especially his own grandkids. How special! I once had a coworker whose wife's family had a tradition of planting a tree for each new baby in the family. I always thought this was just the most lovely thing.
ReplyDeleteI hate removing trees too, but we found ourselves in the same position recently. The guy who planted this garden did so for immediate impact with a view to selling the house for a quick profit and the number of trees he'd planted in the wrong place was stunning. A row of five planted within feet of each other and a hedge - all forest trees. A chestnut (another forest tree) within eighteen inches of our garage. A weeping cherry ideally placed to take your eye out every time you walked up the garden. The most urgent was a conifer meant for dry places in our small and soggy fenland garden. It grew fine for a while, then when it reached about 30 feet, it started to collapse. We gave in and removed it when the lean on it had reached 45 degrees and it had become so loose in the ground you could wiggle it. Dangerous. Had to go. It hurt me though, and I couldn't watch for long.
ReplyDeleteI think if you make sure to save what you can and replant, and also care for the creatures in the area, then your karma shouldn't be in too much danger. Those who pour insecticide over things for a 'bowling green' lawn and that perfect rose ... maybe they should be worried. Those who stamp on insects just because they don't like the way their legs wiggle ... yep. Far more to fret over than you, who have thoughtfully cared for your plot with the overall health of all kept in mind. Just my opinion for what it's worth. ;)