My Stick Garden

The mail came in March right after spring break with a surprise package. We have post office mail only, so it was amazing to see a long thin plastic package in our box. The package held 12 saplings that were alive and viable from the Arbor Day Foundation. I began working to prepare a place for them immediately, but it took about five days to get everything ready and the holes dug.

Our son, Robert, got the rotor-tiller from grandma to stir up the ground at a place under a tree to protect the tender trees from the summer heat. Part of the area’s ground stays pretty moist and other parts dry out pretty fast. I did not put any fertilizer on them this year because they are too tender to be able to handle the possible burning of the chemicals. I prefer natural fertilizer better. There is a ready supply in rural areas. We just have to be careful of the seeds that come with the natural stuff.

The saplings, as shown below, looked like a bunch of sticks stuck in the ground under the tree at the beginning in March. We were blessed with several rain storms spread out over time and the temperatures began to warm. In a couple of days of the time I put them out, they were sprouting leaves. Only one sapling did not come out which I find amazing. The temperatures began to show typical summer 100s already this summer keeping me busy keeping them shaded.

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My Sapling Garden

The beginnings of my tree sapling nursery. Believe it or not, there are 12 saplings planted under this mesquite tree.

The saplings made progress through the spring. The saplings compete with animals and insects who want to feed on the trees next. One sapling has been eaten after the leaves grew very close to the ground. As an example of determination, this poor tree has come back out. The taller saplings seem to be going fine.

The trees and the weeds have grown up together. I have pulled the ones that go to seed and are the most annoying in the area of the yard. Some tend to help shield the trees and leaves from the hot summer afternoon sun.

The goal is to coax them to grow strong over the next two years, then transplant them to their new permanent locations around the lot and start a new set in the tree nursery area for the next two years. I am hoping to replace the water hungry mesquite trees with trees that provide better shade and take less water from the area.

Severe Weather

The new trees have already endured a couple of storms with hail. Keeping them under mature trees protected them enough from the hail. The nursery was built in an area where water frequently runs, so I made sure to dig drainage through the area so that the trees would get water, but the over amount runs on through with a minimum of erosion. It has worked well so far.

We own a weather radio that we turn on anytime I hear that a storm may be coming into our area. The family has been through several memorable storms. The most memorable was when our oldest son was in the high school band at Bowie. The next two went with me to the game in Decatur, TX. There was a storm in the area with plenty of rain, but it was supposed to pass in time for the game. What no one was prepared for was the tornado warning that appeared just before the game was to start.

Most of the crowd was waiting in cars for the rain to pass when officials from the Decatur school district started knocking on everyone’s car windows telling them about a tornado in the area and please evacuate to the basement of the middle school near the football stadium.

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We all huddled in extremely close and hot quarters. We ended up with the Decatur football boys with most of their uniforms when the lights began to flicker and finally go out. Then, the wind could be heard when everyone got quiet. I was so proud of all of the students and children keeping their cool that evening because that tornado got too close for comfort.

The damage in town was extensive and the storage building just beyond the end of the football field was gone. The police found a safe way to get us out of town and we formed a caravan. We all had stories to tell about that evening.

The game was played the next evening on that field. There is something about keeping as much as possible normal in extraordinary times that helps in the healing process.

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