Winter

Winter

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Welcome May


Can you believe that it is May? The days
seem to fly by.
One of my husband's hobbies is growing trees. He loves
trees. I guess our family does. We are kinda nuts about trees
I think maybe if I lived say on the East coast I wouldn't like
trees so much. But living in California and the heat and only having
one tree when we moved here I have come to appreciate trees.
He has grown some from seedlings and some he has grown from seeds
he has collected. Some of the seeds have to be in warm water in a thermos
or some of them have to live in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 months.
Here are some of them.

He has Chinese Pistache, Maple, African Pepper Tree.
He has pine trees, Chinese Tallow trees and some
Cork Oak trees. He has two Chinese Elms. He has
a couple of decorative pear and always he has
Cottonwoods growing. Cottonwoods have been the most
amazing as you just take a limb stick it in a pot and add water
then they grow like crazy.

Those little pitch fork looking things are tiny pine trees.

These are some of his maples.
He started growing trees when we needed more to replace
ones that we had that died. Out in the pasture it is really harsh
the heat in the summer must be 120 on most days.
You can't be out there after 12:00 in the afternoon. We keep thinking
if we keep planting trees we will be able to change the climate.
Our children that got married wanted trees for their houses so my husband
started growing trees. By the time that the other four who are still at home
decide to get married they will have more choices.

I am glad he has this hobby, it is fun to go places and look for seeds. I enjoy
learning how each kind of tree is propagated.
I thought I would share this on this lovely May day.

~Kim~

20 comments:

Kessie said...

Wow, which trees have to be in the warm thermos water and which ones have to be in the fridge?

I kept wanting to ask Dad about the genetic differences between the seedlings verses the clippings, but I forgot last time we were there.

Meg said...

Gosh, that's a ton of trees. So when are you starting your nursery selling stuff? :P

myletterstoemily said...

what a lovely, giving hobby. my husband and his father are
nutty about trees, too. we have a 150 year old live oak on
the property, and they're not supposed to live through our
winters. hans' grandfather bought it in houston and moved
it north every few years until it was acclimated.

someday you will be the tropics of california. :)

Kim said...

I was excited to see May arrive also. That is such a great hobby your husband has. I love trees and I'm sure you appreciate the shade in summer.

Jacque. said...

WOW! That's a lot of trees growing there! Neat hobby!

Miss Debbie said...

Our younger son lives on land that use to be a cotton field. S, he has been planting trees for the past 6 years trying to add some green to their acreage and get some shade. But with these hot summer days in GA, it is hard to keep them wet enough to survive. My hubby has some cherry and magnolia sprigs he is trying to get started for him in some pots. I'll have to tell him about the cottonwood. Maybe that would be a good choice for him. I'm not sure how you two do everything you do....very industrious...no idle hands at your place! :-)

Alica said...

Wow! That's a lot of trees! Living on the east coast, I can't imagine life without trees, you're right! But then we dream of the weather in sunny CA :)

Mary said...

We are a tree loving family too. Specially Sugar Maples. We make maple syrup so they have a special place in our heart. We love trees so much that we aare in the process of buying our neighbors place to save the woods and the beautiful trees in it. You can see pictures on my blog. Keep it up.
God Bless

TexWisGirl said...

Your hubby is so wonderful! I love that he has a green thumb for trees! You definitely have the green thumb for flowers and vegetables. :)

Cotton Eyed Jo said...

Happy May Day! I can't leave you a May basket on the doorknob, but here is a flower for you. @>-;---'

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Such an impressive "hobby"! What's the old saying...? When you plant trees, you plant the future and that's so true.

Julia said...

Wow, I'm impressed by his love of trees. I 'm positive that they all grow well and will make you all happy. Wishing him great success. Thanks for sharing. JB

Larkrise garden girl said...

What a great group of trees!

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

We hear it's your birthday!!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Hope you have a great day! Love the post about all the ittle trees!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Oh I LOVE trees...the one thing I miss the most from our move, and the one thing I will cry over...so I get my bums up and walk down the road to walk through the pecan trees on a trail.

These are wonderful...I don't know if we could grow all of those hear...we sure have Cottonwoods. What a green thumb your hubby has...my father-in-law was like that.

Debbie said...

What a wonderful hobby! I too LOVE trees and miss a couple that we had at our old house for sure. I don't know the names of flowers or trees very well at all I am ashamed to admit. But I love the ones with the lacy leaves and lavender flowers. Soo gorgeous. Hope your enjoying our pretty weather right now.

HUGS

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

Julia sent me over to wish you a very happy birthday and to check out your blog! I'm glad she did! Julia always has good tips!
Happy Birthday and I'll be looking forward to following along!
Courtney

no spring chicken said...

Very impressive! And I do believe you can change the climate. I love to see how others build their homes and outdoors over time to make them more beautiful and more comfortable. My sister was over the other day and she loves my backyard. She was checking out the chickens and said suddenly, "I had the worst dream last night. Your backyard was nothing but grass!"

Blessings, Debbie

Buttons Thoughts said...

What a fantastic hobby you are very lucky he has this one. Very cool. B

Dawn said...

What a WONDERFUL hobby!
My dad gave me a tiny TINY seedling of a spruce tree years ago. It is now taller than me and has traveled to every home I have lived in since he gave it to me. It's funny- but that tree is a treasure to me.:)