Vacation Day 5

[sraun]

Went to the chiropractor in the morning.

Then it was off to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for four hours. We're thinking of two different trees to replace the soon-to-be-gone back-yard box elder - a ginkgo biloba or a northern pin oak. We found specimens of both trees at the Arboretum - after looking at them, and looking at Bachman's and doing some web research, it sounds like we're going to go with the northern pin oak.

Dinner was at Eastern Buffet - all you can eat chinese, then the visit to Bachman's, then home to do Einblatt. Will print out Einblatt and get it in the mail in the morning, and do electronic distribution then too.

Oops! Forgot to dry laundry - no pants until the dryer is done in the morning!

Comments

Old Oaks

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a very sensible choice. I understand that gingko trees are rather messy. Plus I like Oaks, the only shade tree I like better is the maple, but they have their own problems with being brittle. I'm a big fan of most fruit trees, but they are rather more work than most people want. But if I had a house I'd fill either the back yard or the front with fruit trees.

[davidwilford.livejournal.com]

We have a northern pin oak in our front yard also, and while it is a fine tree the fact that it's planted on the south side of the house means that it blocks the sun all winter long since it doesn't drop its leaves until spring. If you don't want shade during the winter in a particular spot a pin oak may not be for you. Also, be prepared to prune and trim lower branches, as our tree at least likes to grow down as much as up.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Your mention of Einblatt reminds me: I think I opted out of the print version (to save trees), but I tend not to think of looking for it online. Would it be too much trouble for you to make an announcement to the Events list when the current Einblatt goes online?

[sraun]

That falls into the 'things Scott will forget to do' category. Best bet would be to subscribe to the e-mail version - it will have the pointer to the on-line versions, and that way you'll get a reminder.

To subscribe, send an e-mail to einblatt-list@mnstf.org

Re: Old Oaks

[sraun]

Gingko are only a problem if you have a female tree, and there are males in the area. If you get a male tree, you're fine. If you have a female with males around, then you get fruit that smells like an outhouse when you step on it. (All of this according to the people at the Landscape Arboretum.)

Fruit trees are more work than we're interested in at this point.

Now, a sugar maple might be tempting - but our first priority was hardiness, our second lifetime. We're planning on being in this house for 30-50 years - we don't want to have to worry about replacing the new tree!

[sraun]

Now that's something no one else had mentioned!

Keeping its leaves isn't going to be a problem - it will be shading the west side of the house, the only windows are a pair upstairs - one to the master bedroom, one to the bathroom.

We can probably handle the pruning.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I didn't realize that was an option.