Taking Down the Trees Part 2 April 17, 2019 @goldenoakfarm
East Maple Easter 1992
In 1984 I dug up a bunch of maple saplings and a catalpa tree in a vacant lot and planted them in our yard. They were about 3’ high, all of them. There was a maple and the catalpa on the east side of the house, and 3 maples on the west side.
East Side Trees
Catalpa big enough to shade August 1992
Maple left by toys, and catalpa October 1993
Catalpa left, and maple June 1994
The catalpa is a fast growing tree and is twice the size of the maple, even though they were the same size 10 years earlier.
East maple April 2011
Catalpa in flower June 2018
I love the flowers and leaves on the catalpa tree, but hate the leaves on the ground and the pods in the autumn. I have another baby catalpa that just started flowering over on the bank. The good part about that tree. Is the leaves and pods fall over the bank. No raking!
West Side Trees
West maple with winter kill November 2014
On the west side of the house, the northern most maple died of winter kill over a decade ago. The middle one hung on, but was in bad shape.
West maple with new leaves May 2018
I liked it because it shaded my bedroom on the second floor nicely. It had a flowerbed around it that never did real well.
West maple with winter kill April 2019
West maple with dianthus June 2012
West maple with dianthus and tulips November 2014
This maple has an amazing flowerbed around it and beautiful color in fall. It has done the best of the 3 planted.
West maple with dianthus April 2019
Unfortunately, it is in the middle of where the new septic system has to go. So it will be cut down. I had hoped to save at least one of the trees I’d planted in 1984, but alas…
It will not be taken down until we do the east maple and catalpa later in the year.
Completely shaded cold frame May 2018
The other tree that came down on April 17th was an elm growing on the edge of the woods by the small garden. Over the years, it’s leaned far out and throws a lot of shade all season.
We had moved the garden farther south in 2011, but it is now shading it again. It’s time to take it down.
The elm comes down first
West maple with winter kill was next
White oak having deadwood cut off
The other tree work done on the 17th was cutting away all the widowmakers on our signature white oak. He could only reach 70’ up but he got what he could. He did cut off part of a branch out over the Small garden too. He also cut off the wild Concord grape vines.
So the yard has 3 less trees and my Small vegetable garden will get sun again.
It took 30 years for them to grow this big. I plan to plant new trees when construction is done, and hope to live here 30 more years and see them big….
We are still in limbo, waiting for the quote on the new septic system….
Two sad tree cutting posts in one day. :( Actually, to my eyes, you have so much bare, open space and sooooo much room for big trees. sigh Hoping your newly planted trees take off quickly and reclaim the space.
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It does look like it now, lots of space. But when the additions go on, the yard gets MUCH smaller. And I can't plant any near the septic system which is going to take up a HUGE chunk. :((
I've been pondering just where I can put trees, as I don't want the production gardens shaded.... But I've got 2 years to figure it out.