ME and Ophelia

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ADOPT-A-PLANT
"You call, you dig, you haul, that's all"

Friends of mine have large gardens with lots of big trees. One was especially proud of his fruit and olive trees. I've helped to plant several but have never owned a tree. It must seem a special responsibility, like caring for a pet's wellbeing. Cuddling a tree definitely feels good. Especially when it's warm - it feels alive and emits vibes. Not like hugging dead wood.

Anita blogs about three Giant Sequoias in Lake City, near Seattle, currently awaiting adoption through a free service called Adopt-A-Plant. At ten feet tall, they're still young. Even so, imagine the logistics involved in adopting any tree. Plant Amnesty make it sound so simple: "You call, you dig, you haul, that's all" - and, they say: PLEASE FILL HOLES AND LEAVE THE SITE TIDY.

Seems to me you'd have to read up on the needs of your chosen tree, make the phone calls, get the details and directions and go check it out. Then, return home and select the right spot in your garden. Maybe move other plants to make way. Enlist the help of a friend and organise a truck. Organise another visit to the tree's site. Find necessary tools, sheeting and materials. Get the truck, friend, tools and materials to the site. Dig up a ten foot tall Giant Sequoia without harming its roots and branches. Fill-in the empty hole, clean up the mess and load the tree. Gently drive home, unload and carry the tree to its new spot. Dig and prepare another deep hole. Plant the tree (straight) and fill in the hole. Feed and water the tree and friend. Clean up the mess. Return the truck. Phew. Adopt-A-Plant is a neat idea. But I get tired just thinking about it :-)

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SAY NO TO SHRUB-SHEARING
And remember, stop topping trees!

Plant Amnesty says "people never seem to grasp that all plants, including forsythias have a height and width that is genetically programmed into them, and pruning really can't keep them under a certain size (for any reasonable time). When people prune to make things smaller, they are dismayed to find that the plant speeds up its growth rate to regain its original height."

Part of PlantAmnesty's mission is to provide accurate information about pruning and landscape maintenance.  Their advice states: say no to shrub-shearing -  and remember, topping is for your banana split, not your tree! See Plant Amnesty's Pruning Tips and 5 Reasons to Stop Topping Trees.