Loading...
The Rural Voice, 1998-12, Page 48Gardening Here's a gift for now and future generations By Rhea Hamilton -Seeger Christmas is a very stressful, hectic time of the year. Many of us are challenged with finding the right gift for friends and family and spend endless hours either thinking of what to buy or. heavens, shopping for that perfect gift. This year, consider giving a tree. Not one of those pretty weeping ornamentals that have to be nurtured and nursed along but a robust sapling that will grow to offer shade and shelter to wildlife, clean the air, cool the breezes and leave a legacy of foresight. These trees are the lungs of the world and when you return one to the landscape you are making one of the greatest contributions you can to future generations. This is truly a gift that keeps on giving. Your first step is to determine the location. If this gift is for someone in an apartment or small urban setting then check out local parks, or conservation authorities and see if they have a tree planting programme you could take part in. Local schools and universities may also have land set aside for reforestation. Pick a site where the tree will be cared for. While it would be nice to ensure that it not be cut for at least 75 years, such is not the case. Choose a park or setting that will allow for both the size and the longevity. Picking out the right tree involves a bit of research. Drive around your area and take a hard look at the trees. What shape do you like best? Vertical gives a sense of height, fastigate (narrow with ascending branches) offers some majesty, rounded provides dense shade, or weeping. The Guelph Arboretum has a wonderful selection and there are also local farmers that have planted with the far future in mind. One that comes to mind is Tom Lobb of Goderich Township. The Huron Fringe Field Naturalists often take tours through the bush there to admire and learn about all the wonderful trees. Another source is your local naturalists' club or local 44 THE RURAL VOICE horticultural society which may have a member well versed in local trees. Don't forget to ask at your local nursery. There are professionals there who are only too eager to see more trees planted. You should consider a native species that will survive the climate zone you have selected. Keep the mature size of your tree in mind when selecting a site. For southwestern Ontario there are areas of Carolinian forests whose species are threatened and would make a memorable gift if you are in a climate zone that would support them. They include hop -tree (Ptelea trifoliata), sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and hornbeam or ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana). Consider such magnificent species as oak, black walnut, silver maple, and black cherry. There is an oak species for just about every climate zone. Don't forget your provincial tree the white pine, or the eastern hemlock and white spruce. If you have decided to enjoy this new tree in your own backyard then here are a few tips. Look for good straight stock with a bark free of scars, and damage. Prepare the site by digging a hole twice what you will need and backfill with a mixture of topsoil and compost. A little bone meal wouldn't hurt here. It releases nutrients slowly and wouldn't burn the roots of the tree. Watering during the first year is very important. You want to get those roots well established. It takes about three years for a tree to get truly settled, its roots comfortably spread and well anchored. Fall planting gives trees a head start. Under the cover of snow the roots can work away getting established before they have to produce food for a full head of leaves. This head start makes for a stronger tree. Last December we planted a basswood and the wet winter was a welcome delight. Come spring the buds swelled, heart shaped leaves unfurled and we had a wonderful start to the season. But even with planting in December and all the winter moisture, we still hauled water during our dry summer to keep and maintain the good start this tree had. Another year those tree roots will be further established and less dependent on us for water provided we get enough this winter to bring our water table up and replenish our wetlands. You can start with any size of tree depending on your pocketbook. If nursery stock is financially prohibitive consider starting a tree from seed. Starting from seed is a wonderful way to teach a youngster about trees and about patience. I can see the stand of pine trees my father planted when I was small. They tower over us and the wind whistles merrily through them as if to sing to us of the delights of the tree. I would recommend starting your new trees outside in a well marked area. Some trees will take as long as two years before they send up a shoot, spending the first year establishing a strong root. What a wonderful way to begin the new year, to begin the new millennium; plant a tree. And what a wonderful gift, the gift of a tree that will keep on giving for generations.0 Rhea Hamilton -Seeger and her husband raise two children at their home near Auburn. She is a skilled cook and gardener.