From paul at afterhoursconsulting.org Tue Mar 4 09:43:35 2008 From: paul at afterhoursconsulting.org (Paul Vail) Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2008 09:43:35 -0500 Subject: [Cohousing] [ot] gardening Message-ID: <1071EF85-74E5-4AA7-A82B-5E96A6A5A2DC@afterhoursconsulting.org> While cohousing isn't homesteading, if anyone is inclined to convert their property into suburban or urban farmlets, we're in the last few weeks of when it is safe to plant trees. I ordered some from earlier this winter (pear, pecan, pawpaw -- unintentional 'P' theme there). The guy on the phone was very helpful. I'm an unabashed tree freak, but know little about fruit tree husbandry -- he patiently taught me about what varieties do well in zone 8, which need to cross pollenate with other flavors, etc. Planting by April will really be too late with the apparent growing season advancement we're seeing. Just in the last 10 years, I've seen the yellow poplar go from flowering the first week of May to the end of the third week in April -- and the Maples are about two weeks ahead this year (my bees are loving the pollen). What that means for planting trees is basically anything put in the ground after the end of the month will have insufficient root stock to survive the summer easily (and one should wait until October to plant for an overwinter). I might try to go transplant the strawberries before the rain comes -- they did poorly under some decorative grasses last year and with the great forsythia slaughter of '08, we now have some decent space for a new bed. Paul S. Vail After Hours Consulting 6013 Old Horseman Trail Raleigh, NC 27613 919-271-7479 www.afterhoursconsulting.org