I look forward to when I can start planting my forest – I want to have some of everything…... 3 years ago

Will have some OT on the next paycheck, so I shall order this year’s hybrid poplars…

And, I already have the fertilizer, so now that nights are often above freezing, it’s time to start fertilizing and deep, deep watering.

I have spied 4 branches of existing hybrid poplars that can give me a total of 6 pieces to plant. I think that will be one of this weekend’s projects.

The goal is to plant 20 or more hybrid poplars this year. At least 6 across the north side of the chicken coop and a dozen or so along the southern boarder. Maybe I can spend $40 and double that – but can I care for that many trees? I guess we shall see.

I just LOVE tree planting season. 4 years ago

I would love to designe a forest. I often read and think about trees and enjoy looking at them in their different environments. One day I hope to plant a forest. 4 years ago

I am so happy to have found a group of people who also want to plant a forest. I am either not crazy or in good company and crazy. It is good either way. I live on 11 acres in Central Texas at the edge of blackland prairie and limestone scrub, along a creek. We have long periods of drought and extremely alkali soil. We have incredible winds. We have many fruit trees that are not so happy this year (no rain)some are also yellow (chlorosis from Calcium buildup around the roots I think)We have many volunteer hackberry and mesquite. We have a great view of the many many trees along the creek (pecan, some oak and pistache among others) at the back edge of our large backyard area, but I want SHADE, and the close in view of trees and truly I want to create a new landscape and a micro climate. We are running grey water to the yard now and so have more to offer the trees. But giving up a yard and worrying about falling branches in the storms and wind is a concern. thanks. 4 years ago

I am not alone. I will persevere! 4 years ago

• Pines are too pricey and must be coddled too much; they will eventually become huge, but they grow very slowly. I’ll continue to add a few here and there as part of the LONG term view, but I also need some short term, “instant” gratification (if anything about a tree can be called “instant.”)
• Ditto for Maples, although I may buy a few more any way, just because they are so lovely
• Hybrid Poplars may be the short term way to go – for $20 I can get enough stock to plant 20 trees (at a kill rate of 30% that means for $20 I can have 14 trees). Also, for free, after two years, I can harvest enough branches from each tree to grow two or three MORE trees. After a year or two more, I won’t have to buy ANY of these and waste any hydrocarbons transporting them from wherever they are harvested
• Oaks have deep tap roots – perhaps I should start planting acorns.
• Apple trees – yes! – even if they don’t fruit – seem to do very well here – and the blossoms are quite lovely
• Other fruit trees – not as vigorous as the apple trees, but they are endearing, so perhaps I will be conned into planting more of them, also.
• Dessert willows? A distinct possibility – I see them all over the place here

Thoughts on Planting…

• Hybrid Poplars – in trenches with amended sand so that they can be “flood” irrigated – with mulch, mulch, mulch to protect them. Perhaps mulched with composted chicken litter. You know, circle of life; waste not, want not; etc.
• Find somewhere that does standard fruit trees – graphs are prone to killing in our climate – and order bare roots for spring
• Shall I start some very small pines? The one foot pines they planted in Georgia when I lived there 20 years ago – how big are they now? With water and sun and regular feedings, they should grow pretty fast in their early years
• Can I get some desert willow for free somewhere? I hear they are as easy to grow as hybrid poplars if they are given plenty of water in their youth. 4 years ago

we have about a 30% kill rate on the trees. Still, each year there are a few more trees than the year before. It’s not even near a forest yet, but the bugs and the lizards and the birds have already taken full advantage of the extra trees on the property. So I will persevere. 4 years ago

spring soon 4 years ago

new financial year = 14 free trees from Ipswich city council= small eucalypt/rainforest species grove at the north side of the house 4 years ago

I planted 100 trees in my (small) backyard last year and most of them are alive still – the funny thing is there seems to be a lot of spaces between them that more plants can go. My yard feels cooler and less dry. Great to see a tree growing – some I planted 5 years ago are as tall as the house (rainforest species and koala food trees- eucalypts) 4 years ago

I just ordered 6 Pink Lady Trees -and, should have fruit from them in 3-4 years from the time I get them in the ground. I grow everything organically. I’ve planted non-fruit trees to the point that I have a small 6 acre forest in my back-yard. I love the shade, privacy, and peaceful environment – it’s my own little forest, perfect for meditating in, hiking in, or taking refuge in when I don’t want to be found.

I was inspired to plant Pink Lady Apples, because of having tasted them a couple years ago, at an organic grocery. I never much cared for eating apples, but having eaten “Pink Lady” apples, changed all that for me. They are really the best apple I’ve ever tasted. I’ll patiently wait 3-4 years for the treasure of the Pink Lady. 5 years ago

I confided in my oldest that sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my goals… she said it’s because people usually say, “I want to plant a tree.” Or even, “I want to plant a few trees in the yard.” She says she hasn’t heard of many people who say, “I want to plant a forest.” So, I guess, from time to time, I will just have to feel slightly overwhelmed and then move on with my goals! 5 years ago

They’ve made it through another winter, and there are GREEN spots around the desert! 5 years ago

One tree lost to my big dogs… but 5 out of 6 of the fall planted apple & pear tress survived! Tiny leaves bursting forth!

Maples are awake and pushing out leaves. Pines are candling. Nectarine has finished blooming and has leaves. Cherry tree won’t flower this year, but it’s looking healthy and greening up. Two of 4 apple trees started blooming today. Fat leaf buds on the 3 remaining hybrid poplars. One lone liquid ambar survives and has fat buds. One lone Leyland Cypress has survived and looks good.

Not exactly a forest, but we’re working on it! 5 years ago

Seems like an overwhelming task to plant and care for a small forest in the middle of the desert… but then I see the buds swelling and think of the birds that will be visiting their branches and I am re-inspired. 5 years ago

We live on seven acres of forest zoned land. We had to clear cut most of the property because it was time to do so. Now we get to plant 1500 seedlings inorder to reforest. YEAH! I feel so green. 5 years ago

We killed the few survivors on the west side last summer by trying to transplant them. But my husband has a plan for growing more with less work – he saw them planted in a trench on someone else’s property. They just flood the trench to water them. Way easier than the methoth I’ve been using. We are going to try and start another row of tress north of the pines on the southern border. Maybe this will be a cheap and easy way to add 20 or more trees to our little place!

The three surviving hybrid poplar specimens are doing well. The branches of two of them may be thick enough to take cuttings from this year. So maybe we’ll get a few “free” trees. Certainly for 2009 we should be able to harvest some good branches for “free” trees.

Have to feed everything around here, though. Hope I will be able to keep up with everything. 5 years ago

These will go in the back yard instead of the orchard, but trees are welcomed everywhere here. 3 standard sized pear trees and 3 semi-dwarf apple trees. I hope the pears are as vigorous as the apples appear to be. The nectarine and cherry in the orchard are doing OK, but the apples are all flourishing. I hope some day we will get a little bit of fruit from them. And even if now, they are lovely trees. 5 years ago

I think we just can’t help ourselves – every time we see a healthy tree, we want to possess it! Saw a little pine at Home Depot, and, well, it just somehow HAD to come home with us! 5 years ago

3 semi-drawf apple trees and 3 standar pear trees. They will go in the back yard as “ornamentals”. Don’t know how hardy the pear trees will be, but at least I know apple trees seem to put up reasonably well with our climate. I can hope for fruit, but lovely, healthy and GREEN is still good. Especially if they can provide SHADE and be a windbreak, too. 5 years ago

The apple tree planted last year and the two planted this spring are doing very well – I’m going to plant some in the back yard as “ornamentals” – and if we get some fruit, so much the better! They are semi-dwarf, so they won’t get very tall, but green is always welcomed! 5 years ago

Trees do not grow anywhere near as fast as weeds or children, so if one wishes to see a tree grow up, one must make a certain committment of time. 6 years ago

When the rabbits ate them pretty much down to the ground over the winter, I gave up on the 10 hybrid poplars planted along the west fence to the north of the metal building. There is no running water there, and I had been watering them by carrying 5 gallon buckets of water to them or by running a tank of water on my ATV out to them. Very labor intensive no matter how you look at it… well, the dogs had been digging holes near the fence so my dear husband took the tractor to go fill the holes and re-doze the fire break… and he discovered 5 strugling little stumps of baby trees leafing out. We dug them up and one had nearly 5 feet of roots! The two most robust ones are now bedded down in 1/2 wine barrels. The other 3 are in large nursery buckets that some of our pine trees came in last year. They are all in the front of the house near “easy watering”.

And, in addition to having some surprise survivors, it was a most pleasant way to spend an early evening with my husband.

I shall have to go count how many trees we have. Some did not survive our unusually cold winter – partly because most of them are fairly newly transplanted here, and are not yet established. Don’t think we have 50 any more, but we should still be close. 6 years ago

The Cimmaron Ash is a tough tree. All the snow-nipped leaves and buds died, but I continued watering it and feeding it as if it were bursting into leaf like everything else – and, eventually, it came back and is now in full leaf.

Pine trees are in full candle – some with 6” of growth – but 2-3” being more the norm. Amazingingly, some of the hybrid poplar wips that were chewed down about to the ground by the rabbits have survived.

Maples are doing very well.

This will truly be a woman/man supported forest though – the amount of water that these trees drink down due to high heat, low humidiy and overly good drainage is amazing. 30 gallons or more per tree per week once the Summer Sun comes out. 6 years ago

Just as the cimaron ash was recovering from the freezing weather in April. Bummer. It will be a few days after it warms up before I will be able to see if it has been damaged and if the current tiny leaves will die or not. Mother Nature sure is working hard to kill this poor tree.

Bought food for my trees. If it doesn’t snow, I will feed all the babies this weekend and water them in well. 6 years ago

Spring has made it to The High Desert! Rabbits got a few over winter as well as a predictible cold snap during bud time in April, so I think we are back down to just under 50 trees again. No worries – there’s diesel in the tractor and a few pennies in the pocket book. It’s still early enough in the year to plant more trees!

No birds nesting in any of the trees yet. I think this is because most of the trees are under 6 ft tall – and the taller ones are only about an inch or so in diameter. Also, we have several 100 lb dogs running around. 6 years ago

My 6 trees from stark brothers came yesterday. A flowering (non-fruiting) pear, a few more trees for my orchard, and two pecan trees. That’ll bring the total to over 50 trees! 6 years ago

Not exactly “forestry” trees, but they are evergreen and were cheap. Sometimes I just can’t help myself. Also bought a little red twig dogwood – a true forest “understory” plant. Now, just have to protect it from the rabbits!

Hopefully the bare root orchard trees will be here soon!

Tractor got a tune-up (thanks to my dear husband!) and we’re ready to start digging holes! 6 years ago

We definitely have one dead pine… but – it’s almost tree planting time again! Hope to expand the forest by another 20 trees or so this spring!

“Orchard” trees are on order already. 6 years ago

She pinned a jack rabbit up against the fence the other day, near the pine trees. She enjoyed a free rabbit dinner. I used to think bunnies were cute until they started chewing up my forest. 6 years ago