Millenium Ginkgo Report, Year Three

True to their heritage, ginkgos are planted for the future and watching over them demands devotion and patience, a real understanding of the slow growth of the species. Joe and I often make a short detour to Bruce Timmerman Park to see the OHS ginkgos. In 2003 the little park was discouraging to see. The new trees were struggling. Fortunately a helpful concern was shown by Jeffrey Blackadar. I quote from the e-mail he sent.

"During the summer I checked in on the ginkgos and watered them a few times during the dry weather using a hose from a nearby house I had permission to use. In the fall I replaced the white tree guards as they had been cut (probably by grass cutters). The trunks werent damaged there. I removed some of the stakes, in one case the collar of the retainer was cutting into the bark and with another tree the stake itself was rubbing the bark off of the tree. The dead ginkgo did not sprout any new growth and so in late October I removed the dead root ball and put in a 12 year old ginkgo I had grown from seed. I had put in 2 stakes for this tree, but when I checked 2 weeks later, 1 stake (the broken handle of a shovel) had been taken away by someone so I removed the other stake as it was not doing much and the newly planted tree was stable in the frozen earth."

"This spring Id like to remove the grass around the trees and put in a circle of mulch. One tree had tomatoes planted around it which probably increased competition for water and nutrients."

For his concern reaching from the present into the future, our Society owes Jeff a very sincere "Thank you".

- Mary Bryant

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