City Trees Are Good For You

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by djv8ga

I return all biomass back to the earth. Once you get the system working, the leaves will disappear quickly. You can also shred, dry, & sprinkle around the garden with some organic nitrogen.

I can't imagine a system that would 'disappear' 50 bags of leaves a year that would not involved digging up a portion of the yard each year to incorporate the final composted product. Plus there would have to be some ground devoted to a private leaf dump where the composting would happen.

I really liked those trees but I'm glad I don't have to deal with their produce every year any more....

[catswiththum]

I love my trees - big happy old oaks.

I just get no enjoyment from yardwork any more.

The leaves fall - you get them up. They fall again - you get them up again. After so many years, the mindless, repetitive, futility of it erased any pleasure of the task for me.

Like digging a hole and filling it back up - every weekend.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by djv8ga

I return all biomass back to the earth. Once you get the system working, the leaves will disappear quickly. You can also shred, dry, & sprinkle around the garden with some organic nitrogen.

I rake mine out away from walls, fences and shrubbery, run them over with the mulcher, then spread them back out and sprinkle some of that stuff on it. You're right, it works. No rakes, no plastic bags in the landfills.......it's actually easier and quicker than raking and bagging. More people should be encouraged to do it that way.

[BlueStreak]

The only thing that pisses me off about my trees..........

They are all these HUGE oaks. Every year I literally get tons of acorns.......that put dings in the vehicles.

Any tips on what I could do with the acorns, DJ?

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by catswiththum

I love my trees - big happy old oaks.

I just get no enjoyment from yardwork any more.

The leaves fall - you get them up. They fall again - you get them up again. After so many years, the mindless, repetitive, futility of it erased any pleasure of the task for me.

Like digging a hole and filling it back up - every weekend.

I originally had nine of them on my property which is really just a small city lot. It was way too much. They drew up so much water nothing else would grow in the yard. Hated to do it, but over the years I've reduced that to the last three that I want to keep. These things are big. The biggest one measures ~4 feet in diameter at the base and covers the entire front yard in shade. It's a beautiful tree and I love it.......until the leaves and acorns start falling.......

[catswiththum]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

I originally had nine of them on my property which is really just a small city lot. It was way too much. They drew up so much water nothing else would grow in the yard. Hated to do it, but over the years I've reduced that to the last three that I want to keep. These things are big. The biggest one measures ~4 feet in diameter at the base and covers the entire front yard in shade. It's a beautiful tree and I love it.......until the leaves and acorns start falling.......

Old oaks are awesome - acorns hitting the back deck sound like hail, though.

My next door neighbor's has to be 3 or 4 hundred years old at least - makes you wonder what it has seen and who might have rested underneath for a bit of shade all those years ago.

The Angel Oak on the next island over - we used to play on it as kids.

http://www.angeloaktree.org/

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

The only thing that pisses me off about my trees..........

They are all these HUGE oaks. Every year I literally get tons of acorns.......that put dings in the vehicles.

Any tips on what I could do with the acorns, DJ?

Deer, wild boar, and bear!

[djv8ga]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

The only thing that pisses me off about my trees..........

They are all these HUGE oaks. Every year I literally get tons of acorns.......that put dings in the vehicles.

Any tips on what I could do with the acorns, DJ?

I envy you having those acorns. I'm growing some Oaks hoping I will have a good enough crop to feed a couple of hogs in 10 years or so. The meat brings good $, but we want it for our own consumption. Organic (Acorn Fed) pork is very trendy... http://www.fullcirclebisonranch.com/...finished-pork/

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by djv8ga

I envy you having those acorns. I'm growing some Oaks hoping I will have a good enough crop to feed a couple of hogs in 10 years or so. The meat brings good $, but we want it for our own consumption. Organic (Acorn Fed) pork is very trendy... http://www.fullcirclebisonranch.com/...finished-pork/

Yep. The best (and most expensive) ham in the world, Jamon Iberico, is from free range pigs with an acorn diet. The best fresh pork I've eaten was in Corsica where the free range pigs live on a diet of chestnuts. It's worlds apart from the nearly tasteless "other white meat" from the supermarket.

[catswiththum]

I will not be housing any hogs.

My sister used to have a few - mean bastards.