Triumphantly the strawberries are beginning to appear. I drool just looking at them.
Tragically the crows like strawberries too. So it was an emergency run to town yesterday to get wire mesh and ring nails to build a strawberry cage and keep those black feathered clowns out of my strawberry bed. I love crows and their antics but nobody is getting away with snitching strawberries in my garden.
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| Our new strawberry cover fits right over top the raised bed. |
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| Just this tiny stump and a few needles were all that was left. |
He wasn't that large so he was hard to see through the grass.
A tight corner when cutting paths through the meadow meant an end to his short life.
Worse, one of our mature birches suffered some major damage. We had a load of wood delivered this week.
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| This photo is from last season when we had wood delivered. See the overhanging birch branch? |
The branch had to be cut right off and there's some major damage to the trunk. Luckily no one was hurt. It's a shame about the tree though as this will likely spell it's demise. It's an old tree and not in great health already so I can't imagine it will survive much longer given the extent of the damage.
But we know that where there's tragedy there's also triumph, right? While at the Agro Co-op buying the wire and ring nails for the strawberry cover I wandered into their garden centre. And came home with more trees for the yard. At only $6.99 a piece it was a steal. I picked up a Sugar Maple, Black Spruce, White Pine and a Blue Spruce to replace the one murdered by the lawn mower. The best purchase though was this little guy.
I have been researching a new tree to put out in front of the house. I wanted something ornamental that could withstand the clay in that part of the yard. I had thought a Katsura would be a great fit but the only place to buy one is out near Kensington. About an hour's drive away and I can never seem to find the time to get out there. Well, wouldn't you know the Co-op had one single Katsura in their nursery just waiting for me to take it home. That just made my day.
14 comments:
Marguerite what a lucky find I remember you talking about a tree for the front, just think if the crows had not taken strawberries you would not have gone and found the tree, they earnt their few strawberries, btw I love the covers just what I would need to protect from rabbits, I expect your clever man made them,
so sad about the other 2 trees though especially the old birch, takes a long time to grow that big, your grass cutter must be very strong to slice off that blue spruce trunk, glad no one was hurt and no buildings damaged, Frances
Love the strawberry cover! It will do the job well, and looks nicely done. Glad you found the Katsura, too. Funny how things happen that way....
I love that new katsura! Just the thing, and how lucky to find it so conveniently. It was meant to be.
I also am admiring your strawberry cage. It is what I need for my blueberry bushes. Simply draping netting over them is impossible, I can't get at any berries and the net tangles. But the frame you show.... how efficient and sturdy! I might have to see if I can do something like that. Hmmm
Oh, I'm jealous, I'd love to have a katsura. Don't you just love it when you find those little treasures in the most unlikely of places? Tht's why it's important to always make one quick trip throug hthe nursery section before heading home!
We had trouble with creatures getting into the strawberries here, too, Marguerite. I did a barrier, too, but not as fancy as the one you did. It's working, and we've had berries for breakfast all week! So sad about your birch.
Great job keeping the crows out. I had to stop growing strawberries because the ants discovered them, and I could not even get one berry off of them. Great price on your trees too.
Maybe that's what is happening to my strawberries also.
I so wish that I had of known you where coming to Kensington way there is a new nursery on Route 2 called The Honey Tree Nursery http://www.thehoneytreenursery.com/Flowering--and--Shade-Trees.php which carries some really different and great sounding trees. I haven't been there yet but I have talked to him at the Farmers market and he seems like he does know his trees. I think the Dove Tree sounds cool and may go this week to check it out.
Sounds like you bought a great tree with lots of colour in the Fall. I think it was a good choice and the co-op in K-Town is small but has some nice plants/trees.
Hopefully your White Birch will be ok. Great idea with the cages over the berries.
you know Frances, I hadn't thought of the crows part in it but you're right, if they hadn't been into the strawberries I never would have bought that tree. I guess I owe them!
I was really surprised. I kept thinking about a tree for that front spot but had resigned myself that it wouldn't happen this year. So glad this worked out like it did.
Laurrie, that was one of my considerations. I still needed to be able to easily pick the strawberries and I wanted something sturdy enough the crows wouldn't just tear it apart. There are actually two covers in the photo, each one is 4x4 and I can easily lift it it up and get at the berries.
you know I saw that nursery and thought, oh dear I shouldn't be looking. No money, no time to plant anything but I'm so glad I ventured in.
Luckily I live with Mr. Fixit so creating this contraption was as easy as asking. All I had to do was run to town for the supplies. I'd be lost without him!
I hadn't even thought about the bugs that could cause problems. So far so good but I'll be keeping an eye out for ants now.
That's just the nursery I was planning to go to! I've been eyeing up their website for ages and they have so many things I would love to try. Unfortunately I rarely get out that direction so I have yet to visit them. This tree was actually from the co-op in Charlottetown. Their nursery is pretty tiny too and I rarely venture in there for plants but since I happened to be there for the other supplies I thought I'd take a look.
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