This morning we made our way back to the Hatfield Road Estate where last week we had planted 4 limes and 2 hornbeams near Allectus Way shops. For today’s planting, our first trailer load comprised 4 liquidambars and 2 acers and a second load comprised 3 more acers, another liquidambar and a single betula.
Eric usually loads up the trailer the night before, this being a job in itself what with the trees, stakes, mesh, watering pipes, sack barrow, post rammer, post hole bar, hammer, nails and root conditioner, all to be safely secured for transportation. (Although our tree planting activities are very much a collective effort, we really wouldn’t have a tree group without Eric as he not only provides the facilities to store the trees and bowser but also provides most of the tools as well as the trailer, although we each bring our own spades and forks).
Our first location of the day was the bottom of Turstan Road where we planted the 4 liquidambars in a straight-line configuration, Allan had arrived earlier to mark out the planting positions. Mindful of adhering to strict lockdown regulations we limited our number to 6 so that we could ensure easier social distancing and separation of functions. As it turned out, the earth being reasonably soft, if not a bit claggy, most of the planting holes were dug by solo effort with Eric and Graham tending to the posts, watering pipes and cages. The 2 acers were planted as a pair along the front of Goda Close.
As the hole digging progressed quickly and the weather was for and not against us, we decided to plant the remaining 5 trees planned for the estate. Eric headed back home and re-loaded the trailer with the 3 acers, the liquidambar and the betula all to be planted at five individual green spaces either side of Wulvesford footpath.
