The weekend was absolutely lovely, almost perfect, seemingly planned.  It was if Spring purposely delayed her arrival to converge with Easter – fashionably late.  It was a grand entrance, unforgettable and sweet.  Stick around for a while, Spring.  Make yourself comfortable. We have much catching up to do.

Easter was nice.  House full of kids, dogs, and a whole lot of candy.  We delayed coloring eggs until Easter Sunday.  It’s become easier, with everyone’s harried schedules, to enjoy brunch and color eggs at the same time, but the day was bitter-sweet for me.  My Dad, who we lost almost 2 years ago, had turned the innocuous tradition of easter egg coloring into an all out competition.  He researched, sketched, piloted different mediums and came prepared, year after year, for total annihilation and victory.  He was good.  No, he was great.  Easter egg coloring had become a sport, and he elevated our creativity and determination to a somewhat unhealthy and comical level.  Although amazingly he did not win every year, he was sure to recreate past victories, like the annual watermelon egg, Volkswagen egg, strawberry egg, Great Pyrenees egg, etc. all the while sneering and trash talking the year’s winner.  He was an artful master, and we miss him terribly, although he continues to inspire future generations’ creativity, competition, and sense of humor.  For the record, the NASA egg won this year, piloted, of course, by a baby chick.  Nothing says Easter like NASA.

Friday, April 25th is National Arbor Day.  Tradition dictates that a tree should be planted in honor and celebration of the special day.  Planting a tree is also a great way to honor someone’s memory, pay homage to, or mark a special occasion, but before you run out, purchase a tree and give it a new home, consider the following:

Size:

What is the mature size of the tree?  In other words, just how big will the tree grow?  Armed with this information, select a site that will suit the tree and avoid planting near overhead lines or too close to structures.

Plant Immediately:

If you have purchased a tree, it’s best to plant it immediately; however, weather doesn’t always allow for such perfect timing, so if you cannot plant, keep the tree in a cool place.  If the tree is balled/burlap or in a container, it is susceptible to drying out.  Check daily and water as needed.

Plant Correctly:

This may sound odd, but the best thing you can do for your tree is to plant it at the same level as the nursery from whence it came.  Soil lines should match up exactly.  If this is simply not doable, error on the side of planting too shallow.  Trees planted too deep will have issues.

Water

Once the tree has been planted, water immediately and generously.  After planting, trees need about 1″ of water per week.

Mulch

You know the importance of mulch in the garden, but did you know trees need mulch too?  Mulch is a panacea of sorts.  Not only does it retain moisture and keep roots cooler, mulch helps suppress weeds, reduces soil compaction, creates a protective barrier from mowers and string trimmers, and looks beautiful!

If you’re still not sure what type of tree you’d like, or require assistance in siting and planting, feel free to reach out to Sweeney’s.

“Trees are the earth’s effort to speak to the listening heavens.”

-Rabindranath Tagore

Best wishes,

Kim Sweeney