Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Black Walnut Trees

There are many wise sayings about trees. My favourite is “The Best Time to Plant a Tree is Ten Years Ago”. This simple phrase hits on the point that planting a tree is always a good thing and don’t procrastinate in doing so.
Today would have been my Dad's 89th birthday. He planted trees and especially liked black walnuts. He was responsible for the forest of black walnuts that we left at the crest of the Oak Ridges Moraine.
On Monday November 10th, 2008 I followed in my Dad's footsteps and planted 2 and a half bushels of black walnuts at Singleton Lake. I figure there were about 400 nuts more or less. Nothing grew - or so I had thought. This fall when I was caring for the forest, the small black walnuts stood out like beacons among the drying grasses. I figure there are around 75 trees... maybe more. I have already protected them with mouse guards and ran out... It will be a magnificent forest.

3 comments:

zz said...

That is wonderful Phil.

The Art of Phil Chadwick said...

Thank you... I think I will find even more black walnuts trees among the grasses. I am headed out again today to check another field - like the squirrels I had forgotten just where I had planted them all :>)) Thank goodness I had prepared a map back in 2008.

The Art of Phil Chadwick said...

I found a bunch more black walnuts trees today. Some were up to my waist! It looks like instead of no nuts germinating, the planting probably have a success ratio of 75% or higher. They are beautiful little trees.