Soil | Finding Our Way Home

Today was the perfect day to plant our cherry trees, May Day Eve. I had figured out the locations, and marked them the day before. Our friend Sylvia came to help with strength and muscles. She dug the holes! Thanks, Sylvia!

Our friend Mihku had given us compost from her garden (Thanks, Mihku!) and we realized we needed even more, so Margy drove to buy some, while Sylvia and I positioned the first tree. I applied mycorrhizal inoculant to the roots (from the wisdom of Mihku), while Sylvia held the tree. Then we filled in what we could.

[Photo by Margy Dowzer]

When Margy returned, she took photos while Sylvia and I finished filling the hole with compost and dirt. I placed the Lapins Cherry closest to the patio, and the Black Tartorian Cherry about twelve feet beyond. We discovered the soil under the Black Tartorian was darker and richer, so we used some of that to fill the first hole too.

It felt so good to have my hands in the dirt, to give good energy and nutrients to these young beings that will live with us in our home. It also felt good to have help from a younger stronger friend, my aging body just not able to do as much physical labor as I used to do. It felt really good to share the process, to create a celebration of earth and sun and soil and friendship and the fertility of the land.

More photos: Sylvia starts digging

[Photo by Margy Dowzer]

Sylvia and Margy

Wood chips Jack Wood chips Liz Thanks to help from Margy’s sister Liz and brother-in-law, Jack, we were able to spread wood chips over a part of our yard that we are envisioning for future fruit trees. The soil in the yard is quite compacted, and we have a big pile of wood chips from the old maple tree that was cut down last year. Lisa Fernandes of Resilience Hub had suggested that the best easy way to start improving the soil for growing trees was to spread wood chips now so they can percolate over the winter, and help the soil to develop fungal infrastructure.

It seemed like a huge job, and Margy and I hadn’t been able to start it on our own. But when Liz and Jack came to visit for the weekend, they offered to help with a project. Margy immediately thought of the wood chips. The three of them began on Saturday afternoon, and then we all worked on Sunday afternoon to expand it and finish it. Margy coordinated our efforts and documented it with these photos.

We had a wonderful visit, and this morning I feel so happy looking at the space that is no longer raggedy lawn, but imagined and hoped for cherries, apples and peaches, imbued with the spirit of the old maple, and the loving hands of family.