“D” Is for Digging in the Dirt

With spring in full bloom, my thoughts turn to the possibilities of what new trees to plant this year. I have two goals I am working on. One is to restore a tree-lined edge along the front of my property after a three-year road widening project destroyed what was once there. For this project I am planting ornamentals such as dogwoods and redbuds, interspersed with a couple of fruit trees for variety of color and time of bloom. Though not trees, I have some flowering shrubs mingled in for good measure.


The other project is to have my own home orchard filled with trees that bear the fruit my family enjoys. So far I have two types of cherry, 2 types of apple and some plum trees. We already have persimmons on the property.

What I have learned in the few years I’ve been building my own garden forest is site preparation is the key to success. Yep, digging in the dirt is absolutely necessary. Roots of young trees don’t need to compete with weeds, grasses and other plantings while they are getting established. It is a good Idea to remove any vegetation from the planting site and keep it clear the first couple of years. Tat way the tree doesn’t have to compete for water and nutrients during its early growth period which is crucial to its development and long term health.

Another thing to develop is the tilth of the soil. This term is generally used to describe tilled quality of soil in relation to its ability to support plant growth. Compacted soil makes roots fight to spread out . You want to provide loose soil that roots can move through with relative ease. This is why we till our gardens every year. Spend some time preparing the site, adding compost and aged manure before planting. Ideally you want to do this six to twelve months before planting but it can be done a few weeks before planting and still provide benefits.

Digging in the dirt is the best way to prepare your soil for your new tree friend. Is also a good way to bond with your tree. Who wants to spend all that back-breaking time preparing the soil only to ignore the new planting and let it die? Not me! After putting in that much work just to get it in the ground, you can bet I’m going to work at taking care of it. So get your hands dirty!

“C” is for Cherry Trees

Today’s A to Z Blogging Challenge post is supposed to be on the letter “C.” As spring is here and thoughts are focused on gardening, people visit their local nurseries where they are overwhelmed with choices of trees. Cherry trees are very popular for a number of reasons. They produce beautiful blossoms in the spring, wonderful fruit in the summer and put on a respectable fall color show. They are an all-around good choice whether for landscaping purposes or as part of a backyard orchard.




I have several cherry trees and I have learned the hard way that they are somewhat fragile. I started with a North Star pie cherry and a Stark Crimson sweet cherry, both from Stark Brothers Nurseries. Both trees arrived in good shape and seemed to take the transplant well. The following year I even saw a few blossoms on each tree but no cherries. That summer, the trunk of the tree was nicked, repeatedly, by my then 14 –year-old son as he mowed the lawn each week. I was unaware of this at the time.



The following year, the tree sent up a new shoot from the root. As the old trunk showed no signs of life, I let the new shoot grow. It has been two years and the new shoot has developed into a nice looking tree but has yet to flower or produce anything. I realized these trees are grafts and that what is probably now growing is more than likely not a cherry tree. Since I have 40 acres to play with, I’ve decided to let this renegade grow and see what it is.



The other tree had its bark peeled by a goat. Yes, a goat. We have goats. Apparently cherry tree bark s quite the delicacy to goats, again, not something I was aware of. This tree nearly died but the trunk had split into two branches up above where the goat began feasting and one of the branches has survived. It has been five years and this tree puts on few flowers but has never fruited. I may have to start over with some new trees in a safer location away from goats and teenage boys with lawnmowers.



If you check back through the archives, you can find information about growing cherry trees from seed and about pruning them. If you’re interested in how to fertilize cherry trees, check out this piece.



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