A brief update for a few of our legacy trees.
I took measurements in March while the trees were still dormant (no real good quality pictures - I'll return later with some spring growth) and here's an update:
The pride of the farm, David's Kentucky coffeetree: - 11 feet tall, 2 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Grown from a nut planted on our second summer. David is our advisor-at-large for all manners concerning trees. For contrast, a second coffeetree planted at the same time is only 42 inches tall. I cannot explain the difference but we're working on it.
Jason's pin oak has a way to go but has an excuse of only growing from an acorn for 2 years now. It stands at 21 inches. It could end up being our tallest tree someday (in about 60 years, so be patient, Jason)
In our surprise category, a red buckeye to honor our border collie mix, Buckeye (Buck). Planted 5 years ago from a seedling we got from a vendor in Missouri, it was standing at only 16 inches in March and added 5 and a half inches by April 11th. With frost settling in, I didn't want to risk this new growth and I wrapped it in clear plastic until the dangers of frost ended about a week later. I kept it in this mini greenhouse until last Saturday, the 24th, when I cut the top open to find it was now at 30 inches tall.
 |
| Buck's buckeye (I've got some cleanup to do) |
There's always something different, something new to learn at the farm.
That's a puzzle. We have two coffeetrees that have died; we think because of lightning, and our biggest one just keeps growing and looking great. We have a pin oak that was 1 1/2" diameter in 1975, and it is now huge and declining. I took down a section of fence so I can drop that big tree, but that is going to be a project. Way more big wood than I want to split!
ReplyDeleteI'm leaning towards the soil ph levels right now, David. We took measurements this past weekend and found from 5.5 to 7.5 with variations 20 feet apart. The aronia berries and apple trees on on the alkaline side and we are adjusting.
ReplyDeleteI need to measure around the coffeetrees and research.
I had one of the straightest hackberry trees on the place got struck by lightning. It's sad when a once vigorous tree declines and dies.
I'll be waiting for the video when you take that tree down - good luck again on your work this week.
Unless science gets real crazy in the next 40 years, I'll ask my children or grandchildren to check in on it in 60 years!
ReplyDelete