Ademink-I am feeling your pain

12 years ago

Yesterday they did it. They finally came and cut down my huge (sick) tulip poplar. Everytime I look out the window it makes my stomach tighten up in a ball. This tree was so big it had almost my entire back yard shaded. In the NC piedmont that is a good thing come summer. It was also awesome for growing hostas.

As if losing the tree was not bad enough the tree cutters dropped a huge branch on my veggie garden. I hope my 2 year old does not start swearing because we were watching out the window when it happened and a stream of curse words came out of my mouth. Now I have lost 10 heirloom tomatoes that I grew from seeds and the cages that protected them.

The tree cutters also somehow managed to squash some hostas in pots that were well away from the tree (and about 5 feet from the house). Among the ones that were trampled were the ones I got from the White Oak Nursery sale that I had potted on Friday. I just keep telling myself that Ken says this will make them bigger and better next year!

Okay, thanks for listening to my pity party. I am trying to see the glass as half full and have been reading up on edible landscaping. I think a persimmon tree is in my future. We had one when I lived in Brazil and I loved them. I may also try my hand at hardy kiwis and muscadines. Hostas have my spoiled I can plant those and leave those alone. Not true for a lot of edibles.

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Comments (10)

kskaren
12 years ago
You're not having a pity party, coralb! Those of us who truly love our gardens would be grieving as much as you are right now!! So sorry!!!
Karen
hosta_freak
12 years ago
Sorry to hear about that,Coral! We have lots of Poplars here,also,around my garden. Had another problem last evening,though. A severe thunderstorm went through here. I had several hostas damaged by falling branches,and twigs. No hail,but who needs hail? There are so many trees in my woodland garden,that they do enough damage all by themselves! One of my neighbors big Oak trees went down,and now it is in my property,but not anywhere near our house,though. My house was untouched,but lots of twigs,and branches all over the driveway. Hope you find a new tree to replace the Poplar soon! Phil
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I think that maybe it's because she's such a busy kid. She probably is so busy playing and doing whatever that she doesn't want to take the time to go the bathroom and go, so she goes wherever it's more convenient. Also there is the issue of her seeing others going in different places and being allowed to on certain occasions. Maybe you need to explain in the best way possible that it's not always okay to do that. I know we have the problem with DS. He's learning that he can go in our yard if were outside but we have to stop him from doing it elsewhere. The best thing we could do was tell him to tell us he has to go before he does. That way we get him to the correct place and aren't in an embarrassing situation. I know what you're saying about people comparing kids. Your friend needs to realize that not all kids are the same. Many children don't focus on the same areas at the same time. While yours has maybe been more active, her daughter may have been more into verbal and social skills. It's normal for kids to be like this. So what if her daughter learned to go in the potty in a week and it's taking yours months? That's normal. Maybe it's time you did speak up once in awhile. Maybe say that she's your daughter and your decision or something? People walk all over you and overstep boundaries only because you yourself let them. It's hard to get to understand that because the good old Golden Rule taught us to treat others the way we wanted to be treated. These days it seems to not apply anymore. I'm sure it's becoming more stressful than fun when you go around your friend and maybe a talk would help that. If she can't respect you, then maybe she's not a good friend after all. I'm slowly learning this myself and it's making me feel better and life easier. Good luck. ~Leslie~
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Steve Massachusetts
12 years ago
Yikes, almost all hostas will fry in a lot of sun in the piedmont of NC. You might want to consider investing in a big tree. The kind that professionals put in with a huge clamshell type of machine. Your vegetable garden will be great, but the hostas will be extra crispy without some shade where you live.

Steve
ademink
12 years ago
Oh nooooooooooooooooooooo....!!!! I'm so sorry! (I'm also sorry I literally belly-laughed at "I hope my two yr old doesn't start swearing...ROFL).

Are you going to get some/a big tree to replace it? It was money WELL SPENT in my opinion...so glad i did it! my garden still looks like hell but with massive watering it is recovering!!!
coralb
Original Author
12 years ago
I wish I could pop another tree in. Right now is the wrong time to plant trees here. It has been in the mid 90's and probably will continue this way until Sept.

Also, the poplar was all the way across the yard. It was so large it shaded the corner with most of the hostas. No tree is large enough to replant near where I took out the poplar and have it shade the hosta corner.

I also cannot put one closer to the hosta corner because power lines run over it about 20 feet high. I am staying home today to watch how the sun crosses to the yard to see if we need to put up shade cloth as a temporary fix. It will be ugly but the yard but if it saves the hostas so be it.

I am also going to mulch the heck out of them and water, water, water!
hostaLes
12 years ago
I have more sympathy for your situation than I can express. My greatest fear is loosing shade. I fought with Com Ed for 6 years about a mulberry jungle I have inherited on my rear easement line. It has a single ComEd line for street lighting running through them and I didn't want to cut them down and break their power line. They show no interest. Their attitude is when it breaks they will fix it. If I break it I will be billed for the repair. I've had my fill fighting with thousands of mulberry seedlings, poison ivy, wild grape, and tons of mosquitoes, So finally I plant to remove all the underbrush and build a new bed there.

Knowing how that goes, my greatest fear is that after all the work a storm will cause the line to break. Then ComEd will come in and cut down all the trees on the easement including the black walnut with an already established hosta garden under it. In doing it they will be merciless and totally destroy everything I have done and the habitat to redevelop my hosta gardens.

Les
ademink
12 years ago
coralb...you don't need to worry about literally saving the hosta...they will live. Next year they will more than likely adjust just fine and not crispify.

Perhaps some well-placed shrubs will do it.

I planted my trees when it was 95 degrees and then watered like mad. Bad idea...yep. Did it work? Yep. LOL
coralb
Original Author
12 years ago
Les,

Funny you mention mulberry trees. I have one, probably a volunteer, that is one of the saving graces of my hostas right now. I used to curse it in the spring when the hostas as splattered purple from the falling berries and white from the birds that eat the berries. Now I am pretty happy that I left that tree in.

All the edible landscaping books mention them but I don't see the appeal. The berries are on limbs that are 10+ feet or higher. Even on a ladder they would be a pain to pick because they are so spread out.
hostaLes
12 years ago
If I wore a great big sombrero when I mow I could collect enough to feed my whole home town berries with their Corn Flakes each morning. My jungle has 12 inch trunk mulberries in clumps of 5. Every year I prune off a huge mound of low brances and every spring I have to duck under them when I mow. So why mow! Grow hostas(LOL).

Les
tracyvine
12 years ago
Oh Coralb!!! I feel your pain, I do I do I do!!!! I'm so sorry you lost that big old beauty that shaded your yard! I'm also sorry for the big belly laugh that would not be stopped when I read your horror of watching out the window with your little one... oh dear, started to giggle again, the hubs thinks I'm nuts for sure now...

Ademink-I am feeling your pain

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