Re: [gardeners] Saturday in the garden

George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 06 Mar 2000 08:08:43 -0600

AMGarden@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 3/4/00 8:43:06 PM Central Standard Time, gshirley@laol.net
> writes:
> 
> << We also managed to get all the winter leaves and oak tassels out of the
>  rain gutters on the house. The leaves and tassels went out to mulch the
>  raspberries and boysenberries. Those tassels make good mulch, take a
>  long time to rot and tend to entwine together making a week proof mat
>  that water will go through. At least they're useful to us as well as to
>  the oak trees. >>
> 
> Hmm, George,
> Your oaks are already done tasseling?  Ours haven't started yet.  Maybe a
> different species of oak?  Heck ours haven't lost their leaves yet.  The
> mammoths oaks we have don't loose their leaves until the new ones push them
> off.  Then they tassel and make a real mess of our pool.  For a full 3 weeks
> we fight off the leaves and tassels.  They can mess up the pool pump in a
> matter of hours.  Most around here put screens around the pool, almost makes
> it worth the extra cost.  Problem is to screen the pool two of those trees
> would have to come down.  That is not something I am willing to do.
> 
> Anne in FL
> zone 9b, sunset 26
> 
> To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real
> feeling as to the beauty, the deepest beauty of nature. If you want to learn
> about nature, to appreciate nature, it is necessary to understand the
> language that she speaks in. -Richard Feynman (1918-1988)

We have a white oak in the front, a red oak and two pin oaks in the
back. The pin oaks are the last to shed their leaves, they're pushed off
by the new leaves. All the oaks in our area are well leafed out now and
the tassel season is done. Right now the pine trees are drifting pollen
all over the place and we're all sneezing a lot.

The two pin oaks in the back are going to have to come down. The ice
storm in January 1997 damaged them enough that they still haven't made a
full recovery. Noticed patches of bark coming off up high this spring.
Oh me, don't mind taking them down but they're so close to the house
(actually overhanging the roof) that it will have to be done by
professionals and that's expensive. Talked to my insuror but their
attitude is that they will pay up after the trees fall and crush the
house. Looks like it would be cheaper for them to take the trees out
first.

George