My job is never dull. Being a self-employed landscaper, you have to wear lots of hats during the day. Any day could see me mowing acres of grass, designing and installing a healing, memorial garden, making a client’s weeds go away for months, knee-deep in a hole of mud and pipes, teaching a class in drought tolerant landscaping or my favorite one, sitting with a client, sipping coffee and discussing their landscape just to name a few!
I got an unusual request from a client recently, that certainly was unique. It seems that my client had visited Yosemite recently with friends. Sitting under the emerald sky of the giant Sequoias, they debated the tree and its benefits and whether or not it could grow in a place like the high desert. They talked about how majestic the trees are and how many life times they have lived and how many lives they have benefited. My clients certainly have the space for the massive trees on their Mojave River-side property. So they decided to test it and brought back a Do-it-yourself Giant Sequoia Tree Kit.
Naturally, as their landscape manager and advisor, the job was handed down to me. At first, I was a little peeved. I was thinking, I mean, really? Couldn’t we just BUY a tree partly grown? Don’t they know the odds of getting the little seeds to sprout and grow under the best conditions, never mind putting them into the ground near the river where God knows what has the opportunity to have it’s way with them?
I was relating my distress at the thought of trying to bring up mighty Sequoias from a seed, to a friend. She did not see my problem. “Aren’t they huge, beautiful, green trees?” “Won’t it take a lot of skill to germinate and raise the trees?” “Don’t Sequoias live thousands of years?”
I dutifully answered “yes” to each of her questions. “The way I see it,” she said, your client has a tremendous amount of confidence and respect for your skills.” “ And to top it off, at an average life span of 3000 years, I’d say it’s job security, Honey!”
I had to laugh at that. And the thought of practically being immortal by planting giant sequoia trees, who live for thousands of years is definitely worth the hassle.
Get Immortality, plant a tree!
The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
~Nelson Henderson
Did you ever wonder why you were pruning and what the goal was? How about what’s the differenct between the the cheap spray price and the more expensive application of insecticide on your trees and shrubs? If so check out our February 2012 newsletter.
I dont know what a tree is worth to you, but I do know that trees are quite valuable in the landscape and with the benefits they provide.
Lay a blanket under a tree and have a picnic with your grandkids. Attach a hammock to two trees and take a lazy summer afternoon nap. Mount a bird house in a tree and watch the wildlife gather and harvest your bounty. Watch your 10 year old exclaim “I can climb the highest Dad!” as he climbs the tree higher than ever before. Sit in a rocker under the broad branches of an evergreen and rock your newborn to sleep.
Trees provide lots more benefits than just shade and oxygen. They invite us into nature to live life outdoors. If you want to measure the monetary benefits of a tree you already have or one you are planning and don’t know the best location to put it, have I got an app for you! Davy Tree Service has developed an app for smart phones that will do just that, measure a tree’s value in air quality improvements, CO2 production, Electricity savings from it’s shade and storm water absorbtion. Get your free app with your smart phone at value.m.davey.com
Had the neatest opportunity this past Saturday. I attended the Newberry Springs Hi-Desert Pistachio Growers Association meeting in Newberry Springs. I manage a little grove of pistachios for a client that is a part of their extensive estate in Apple Valley. Over the years, we have been pretty successful in delivering healthy trees with fair amount of pistachios, which my client roasts with sage and gives as gifts for clients at Christmas time. My client wants to take the grove to the next level. The trees are getting mature and producing a fair amount of crop. I joined the association to rub elbows with the “professional” pistachio growers in the hopes of getting better at this aspect of my expertise.
I found out lots. Mainly what I didn’t know that I didn’t know! Richard Matoian, executive director from the American Pistachio Growers Association, spoke on the state of the industry today and the improved outlook for American growers. American exports of pistachios have increased to about 65% of our total crop is now being shipped overseas versus about 35% just a few years ago. China has increased their import of American pistachios from 1 million lbs to 80 million lbs from 1993 to 2011! Virtually all the pistachios for sale in our local markets is American grown, most from here in California.
The best things I learned about pistachios is how nutritious and healthy they are! I guess by now we all know that nuts in general provide healthy oils and may even reduce the risk of heart disease. Pistachios are included in that group. Did you know that for instance that 2 ounces of pistachios have 12 grams of protein, more than the 10.5 grams in 2 ounces of cooked halibut? Or that 2 ounces of pistachios have 570 mg of potassium versus a better known source of potassium, a large banana that tops out at only 487 mg? How about 2 ounces of pistachios have 6 grams of fiber versus 2 ounces of cooked broccoli has 1.9 grams?
I learned that pistachios really pack a punch of nutrition and I promise to take them more seriously in my diet and use them in my meal planning. I suggest that you do too!
- My Favorite Recipes-Fall 2014 October 30, 2014Fall is for FOOTBALL! Football season means Sundays are casual. Have some soup and some chips and dip. Get your onion fix. Homemade Onion Dip ( no comparison to store bought) 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 ½ cups diced yellow onions ¼ tsp kosher salt 1 ½ cups sour cream ¾ cup […]
- The Drought is No Joke October 27, 2014The last few years have been crazy dry ones. California is solidly into drought territory now. Oh, I know, we toy with it every year. We hear the same old stuff like “fix leaks” (duh) , Take shorter showers” (awww) and ”Make every drop count” (YES!), and my favorite “If it is yellow, let it […]
- Trees are Valuable September 8, 2014Did you know that studies of comparable houses with and without trees place a markedly higher value on the homes whose yards are sheltered by trees? Trees help clean our air. Trees provide shade that can reduce air conditioning costs as much as 15%. So get planting! Fall is the best time.
- Fall is Coming Up, Just not yet. August 25, 2014By Cindy Poore Where did the time go? It is almost fall. I long for fall the way a kid longs for Christmas. (that’s just around the corner too!) Fall is my time. The time for shorter, hopefully cooler days. Time to regroup and plan that last frenzy of activity you just HAVE to […]
- Life Transistions and the Summer Garden July 7, 2014By Cindy Poore Yes, I know. You all have been wondering what has happened to our newsletter. No, you aren’t unsubscribed, as if that could happen. We have been wrapped up in a bittersweet time. Some of you may not know that Darrell and I have been helping a good friend who has […]
The P.L. Newsletter
