Tree Planting Update

This is the view that one of the Austrian Pines will have for the rest of its life from the back corner of our property.  Not a bad view!  Took this photo standing right over the seedling.

Every time my brother, Todd, asks me how many trees I have left to plant I say about 40.  I feel like someone may be adding trees to my bunch when I'm not looking!  The truth is that my dad and I planted close to 120-130 of the 170 over a 5 day period.  Couldn't have done it without him.  Got to a point where we just couldn't do it anymore though, for now anyway.  I planted the rest, temporarily, in a compost pile until we have time to plant the rest.  I certainly wouldn't get so many at once again.  It takes time to plant each because they are bare root so you have to be incredibly gentle with them.  First the hole must be dug, then gently set in so as not to injure the delicate roots, dirt back in, then you have to flag them, write the species on the flag and the date, give each a fertilizer tablet and then water each.  Let me tell you that watering over 100 trees on 3.5 acres takes a while.  When it finally rained, poured, I was so happy!

Douglas Fir transplant.  Some of them were ~ 2.5 ft tall and the root systems incredibly long.

White Pine transplant.  One of the faster growing species that we got.

Somewhat difficult to see in this photo but these were the first of the trees that we planted on day one.

Once I finally get them all planted I promise that I will post a post planting map.  My next project is to get the vegetable garden done so that I can get some of the plants in that I started from seed.  It's close but not ready yet.  The next project after that is to ready the chicken coop for the baby chicks; they arrive May 11th!  Tomorrow after work I'm off to Russell's Nursery to get some ornamental grasses!  Love them!  Have been doing a lot of landscaping, still.  It's amazing what a little rain has done for everything.  It's all refreshing, and green.