NoLibs Tree Planting – Sat, Nov 14 – THANK YOU!
THANK YOU to everyone who participated in yesterday’s tree planting!
Thanks to each of you, we have 11 new trees in our neighborhood and it wouldn’t have happened without your contributions to the effort. It was really fun and I enjoyed meeting so many new neighbors.
Special thanks to our trained tree tenders for leading the planting teams: Natalee, Kevin, Justin, and Steve. Thanks are also due to Rustica for generously donating the pizza, Liz Reed for providing the kale soup, and the NLNA for funding the Squash soup and beer.
And now, one of you can become a tree tender for free:
Our planting group received a Golden Ticket from PHS, offering one free PHS Tree Tenders course. If you would like to take the course for free, please let me know (bgoldewag
New tree stewards:Please be sure to follow the care instructions you received and if you have any questions, concerns, comments, anything to do with your tree, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am your neighborhood contact re: your tree. Below are additional (some repeated) details on caring for your new tree(s).
WATER!!!You can give your young tree the best start by giving it 20 gallons of water a week until the ground freezes and again in late February, when ground thaws. This needs to be done for two years. Watering should be all on the same day at a slow trickle. No need to buy a fancy gator bag, unless you want to. You can simply punch a few nail holes in a construction bucket, place it on the tree pit, and fill it 4 times over a several hour period. It's a good idea to move the bucket around in the pit to get all sides watered. Then the water will go deep down into the ground which will help the roots of your tree grow down instead of horizontally.
MULCH!!!Trees will need mulching in the spring to help keep their soil shaded and moist. Be sure to use UNTREATED mulch and leave a 3 inch ring around your tree's root flare without any mulch. The root flare is where the trunk meets the root system. The bark above the root flare is not intended to stay wet (the cells are actually different!) The trunk bark needs AIR to breath and if kept moist, the tree can become diseased and rotted and is likely to die or fall over in a strong storm. You can obtain up to 30 gallons (again those construction buckets come in handy) of FREE mulch from the Fairmount Park Recycling Center. Details on directions and how to pick up the mulch here: http://www.
WEED!!!Weeds and perennial plants compete for water and nutrients in your tree's pit. Keep the pit weeded and in the spring only plant annuals (plants that won't come back the following year) Annuals, like marigolds, snapdragons, and basil to name a few, also serve as a reminder to water. When they start to wilt, your tree needs a drink! Another benefit to planting (only annuals) is to deter folks from letting dogs pee on tree pits. I am of the hopeful opinion that folks are less likely to let their dogs pee on flowers. Dog urine is stressful to young, growing trees. If you are a dog owner, please spread the word!
REMOVE TIES IN Spring 2017, KEEP STAKES!!!Mark your calendars to remove the ties in Spring 2017. By then your tree’s roots will be well established. It is a good idea to leave the stakes for a while longer to help protect the trees from car doors, trash cans, etc.
Again, thank you all for your participation. I look forward to planting with you again.
Warmly, Erika
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From 9am to 12 noon
We're planting trees in Northern Liberties and need your help!
Rain or shine.
Meet at 1024 N. 4th Street at 9:00 am. There's something for everyone to do!
• Join a planting team – Even if you can't dig, you can cut string off the trees and help ensure they are planted straight
• Transport volunteers and trees – We need 1 volunteer with a truck/van/hatch back/station wagon/SUV to help deliver trees & tools to planting sites.
• Contribute refreshments for volunteers – Something hot is always appreciated after a planting!
• High school teens (w/parent's written permission) and college students needing community service are welcome!
We’ll wrap up at Liberty Lands to join our Love Your Park volunteers for more outdoor fun and lunch. Tell your friends and neighbors,
To confirm, please e-mail Erika at bgoldewag@verizon.net (it helps us plan the planting teams)
Bring water to drink (preferably in a reusable bottle), everything else needed to plant will be provided.
Thank you for helping make Northern Liberties greener!
Erika GoldbergNorthern Liberties Tree Tender Coordinator
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