good morning pruning
I was a bit worried that the third site on our team's roster would take a long time to get to, but it turns out it's just a short hop away on the 72. Didn't have to leave the house leg early, did get some knitting done (i have been working on a replacement scarf for S, and maybe it'll be ready for the cold spell in March).
Yesterday was the second meeting of the NE Tree Care Team for the Portland Fruit Tree Project. We have three sites where the homeowners have asked for people to care for their fruit trees, two experienced team leaders, some tools and ladders, and ten committed days this year to do winter pruning, disease and pest care, summer pruning, and fall care. We'd knocked out the first two sites on our first meeting, so the third site was our focus.
From the front it wasn't clear that we were even at the right house; the landscaping was tidy and obviously well-cared-for, but not particularly fruitful. But when we got 'round back, we saw the trees -- and the land dropping away across the Columbia, and Mt. St. Helens in the distance. The sun shone. We had pruning to do. It was lovely.
The grape vines were attempting to take over; they had gotten tired of growing along the fence and decided that the large italian plum tree was a much more appealing scaffold. Coils of vine hung entwined in the bare winter branches, and had even reached all the way over the top to insinuate themselves in the smaller apple tree in front of the plum. Two team members got to work on the grapes, and the remaining three of us went to work on the apple, and later an apple in the side yard that had grown super-tall. I spent much time on the ladder, looking over the roof of the house at the mountain inbetween bouts of sawing and lopping. We tried to take the height down; this tree will take some years of care before it's in good shape for harvest.
I was worried that what we were doing would look like a job of butchery, but the homeowner (who wanted to join us, but was ill) was so happy and thankful that she was in tears.
I'm glad i'm doing this. And learning, too!
So: any friends have fruit trees that i can practice on?
Yesterday was the second meeting of the NE Tree Care Team for the Portland Fruit Tree Project. We have three sites where the homeowners have asked for people to care for their fruit trees, two experienced team leaders, some tools and ladders, and ten committed days this year to do winter pruning, disease and pest care, summer pruning, and fall care. We'd knocked out the first two sites on our first meeting, so the third site was our focus.
From the front it wasn't clear that we were even at the right house; the landscaping was tidy and obviously well-cared-for, but not particularly fruitful. But when we got 'round back, we saw the trees -- and the land dropping away across the Columbia, and Mt. St. Helens in the distance. The sun shone. We had pruning to do. It was lovely.
The grape vines were attempting to take over; they had gotten tired of growing along the fence and decided that the large italian plum tree was a much more appealing scaffold. Coils of vine hung entwined in the bare winter branches, and had even reached all the way over the top to insinuate themselves in the smaller apple tree in front of the plum. Two team members got to work on the grapes, and the remaining three of us went to work on the apple, and later an apple in the side yard that had grown super-tall. I spent much time on the ladder, looking over the roof of the house at the mountain inbetween bouts of sawing and lopping. We tried to take the height down; this tree will take some years of care before it's in good shape for harvest.
I was worried that what we were doing would look like a job of butchery, but the homeowner (who wanted to join us, but was ill) was so happy and thankful that she was in tears.
I'm glad i'm doing this. And learning, too!
So: any friends have fruit trees that i can practice on?