21 Trees

[ellyssian]

Woke up bright and early and, with Justin's help, twenty one trees were planted. Well, eleven trees and ten shrubs. To be even more specific, 5 hazels, 5 winterberry holly, and 11 hemlock.

We found a few spots where the ground was still frozen - despite a sloppy, muddy, clay surface. Several locations for hazels were left as false starts - two not even deep enough to be noticeable due to ice, and one because we found a rock that has a face of at least 2'x2'. At least that's about the size of the hole before we gave up, and we never found even one single edge of the rock. We unearthed a couple other good sized rocks, added to the foundation border in front of the kiwi trellis, and one monster. We needed to get the 6' bar out to pry that sucker from the ground - and it was only about a foot in diameter and two feet long.

It's raining now so that should help get those guys off to a good start.

After a few days that topped sixty degrees and rain - heavy at times - there's still quite a few spots with snow, but it is starting to fade away. The Rachel River is running wild and free, even under the 4-6' of snow plowed over it just north of our driveway.

In other news, the guitar lesson with the new student went well today. Slightly more details over on the musical blog (aka MySpace).

Comments

[patrixa.livejournal.com]

Well, Dan Ditch, located in the basement along the walls has begun to slowly creep, sometimes puddling in the middle, is headed for the sump pump. We had ever so little rain last night, but the ditch began "flowing" Saturday am due to the enormous amount of snow melt. This summer I will have a concrete 'walk" put along the north side, the brick foundation will be repointed along the south and leaf-guard gutters along the roof with drainpipes. It surprises me how many houses here do not have the latter. Dan says they just deal with wet basements. Bah! is what I say.

Lots of big rocks around here, too. Bet that's the mountain influence.

How is winterberry holly different from plain holly?

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Well, which holly is the plain holly? =)

I'm guessing you're considering Ilex aquifolium - English holly - as the "plain" holly. For plain holly in this country, you're better off with Ilex opaca - American holly - which is a native tree (that is disappearing in the wild and not used often enough in cultivation, IMO) that grows into a beautiful evergreen tree. Female Ilex opaca have berries - usually red - if a male holly is present.

Ilex verticillata - winterberry holly - is a native deciduous shrub. The females are covered with red berries throughout the winter - or until the birds (and deer) eat them - hence the name. I use them in spots along the Stone Stream, to help drink up excess water.

Of course, since I only started planting them last year, they're a couple of years away from actually serving this purpose, at best! =)

I have yet to find a good supplier for Ilex opaca - I have two surviving and two that died from one supplier (seedlings, so gender unknown); Forest Farm has a few cultivars, but mainly yellow or orange berries, and not often with a male cultivar needed to get those berries. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.musserforests.com</a>Musser</a> doesn't carry them, although I'm hoping they pick them up - they'd be able to supply the quantity I'd like in at a good price. They'll do good mixed throughout the yard, and will provide variety where the hemlocks threaten to become monoculture - nothing else will really grow into a good screen in the shade of the woods; technically the American holly only provide that screen when younger; when they mature they open up and actually let a lot of light through.

[patrixa.livejournal.com]

How soon do they mature? If it's the same amt of time in which you grow old, they might just be perfect because older people need more light! will they grow in zone 5, which I think we are? I've a perfect and needy place for one, specially if they drink excess water.

can people eat winterberries? is the leaf a typical holly shape?
witch hazel has medicinal properties and, I think I've read, a pleasant scent.

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

2 + 2 = The Mayflower?

You kind of crossed some wires. The trees that open out when they mature are the Ilex opaca - they grow to 50' height or so. The Ilex verticillata, which is good in somewhat wet areas - but not in 24-7 standing water - is a shrub that might reach 13' at most.

The Ilex opaca can survive in zone 5 if it's kept sheltered. (Make sure you click on the links on the names here and above; they lead to more information!) The Ilex verticillata - which is more suited to your needs - is cold hardy to zones 3 or 4, and can be found in your area natively - the opaca stops short of New England in its natural range.

People can not eat winterberries and the leaf is not a typical holly shape - look back at the previous post and follow those links (as well as the ones here) and those questions will be answered! =)

Witch hazel does indeed have medicinal properties - we have a lot of it on the property growing naturally. The hazel we planted is not witch hazel, but American hazel - in other words, filberts. Eatable properties, if they can ripen and we can get a hold of them before the bushy tailed rats do!

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Good link: Musser