Tree Park - Adopt A Bed

[Maeve Rafferty]

Hi all,

Most of you I was in touch with via the L'Ville Tree Tender account earlier this month, in connection with the Tree Park and its upkeep this year.  I think it's easier if I use my personal email address since I check it daily - and fingers crossed this doesn't go into your spam folders.

Thanks to all who helped with work on the park prior to the mid May city green waste pick-up.  The garden looked great after that bit of attention.  I had a two-week hiatus and then visited yesterday and everything seems to have grown two feet.  Plants - including weeds, alas - don't stop growing during a pandemic!

A reminder on our new Adopt-a-Bed Scheme:

Due to COVID-19, and even though restrictions will be further lifted in a week or so, we think it's best to work on an individual or household level to carry out the necessary maintenance of the Tree Park this season.  There will be no Thursday night regular work days for the next few months at least (for anyone new, we met on-site last year for group gardening efforts on the second Thursday of the month, 5.30-7pm). 

For anyone interested in helping out, here are a few things to bear in mind:

1. See attached an evolving document that numbers and describes the beds and what needs to be done.  Also an excel sign up sheet so you can see which beds have already been adopted.

2. Even if you don't know a lot about plants and don't feel you could take on adopting a bed, there are other simple ways to help - for example, doing a regular trash pick-up, weeding the paths and sidewalks, etc.

3. Please wear a mask while working at the Tree Park and observe social distancing.  Do not share tools or equipment with anyone outside of your own household.

4. You'll be required to bring your own tools and bags for weeds.  Lawn bags can be left at the utility pole right at Stanton and Keystone.  Call 311 to arrange for the City to pick these up or let me know by email.

5.I ask for people to commit to the Adopt-a-Bed Scheme for the year.  The time commitment will vary but 1 hour/week would be great. 

6. Last but not least, let me know by June 15 if you're interested so that we can meet on site by end of June if you wish to be involved.  After this point, I'll have minimal availability to provide orientation.

I'll be at the Tree Park weeding my bed tomorrow morning between 9.30 and 11.00 am if anyone wants to drop by and say hi. 

Thanks all - stay safe!  Leaving you with some photos from the Tree Park, taken yesterday

Maeve

[Burdett, Ray G]

Hi Maeve,

Mary Jo and I started to work on Section 4 today - it had really sprouted in the last few days.  We got about 2/3 of it finished, and will try to finish the rest of it this weekend.  It could use some mulch after we are finished.

Ray

Sent from my iPad

On May 30, 2020, at 6:37 PM, 'Maeve Rafferty' via Lawrenceville Tree Tenders <lawrenceville...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Lawrenceville Tree Tenders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to lawrenceville-tree-...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lawrenceville-tree-tenders/1755492277.491520.1590878236827%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Christine Brill]

Maeve and all,

Jon, the kids and I tackled Bed 1 yesterday and there are huge open planting areas now. We removed a lot of the Oxeye and actually replanted them in our garden. They had taken over the bed. Our plan is to try to do a couple hours on Monday nights, starting at Bed 1 but also working on other areas as well. The original milkweed plants are pretty much gone now. 

Note: we left (2) big compost bags of weeds on-site, and another half bag was already there. Should we come pick them up later this week and get them to the City's law refuse facility? If it's open.... Or do we think they could be picked up by Environmental Services on trash night? 

ALSO should we procure some plants to fill in the planting gaps? Weeds will move in. Let me know... we could purchase plants as a donation to LC or LU or whoever... How do we access water to hydrate new plants? Is there a key? 

Be well and safe, everyone!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lawrenceville-tree-tenders/8F92B601-3E63-453C-819E-57F6643270A7%40pitt.edu.

--

Christine Brill, AIA
412.443.4210

Principal
Studio for Spatial Practice

www.studiofsp.com

A Woman's Business Enterprise (WBE)

[Maeve Rafferty]

Thank you, Christine! I weeded a little on Sunday but didn’t get water situation checked out. Will let you know as soon as I do. 

As for plants, a few milkweeds survived  in my bed but I really think it’s too shaded there so maybe we could move them to bed 1. Also, there are irises that are in the shade and not flowering v well. 

No issues with purchasing plants as a donation - if you can organize. I’m really starting to get v busy with work and won’t have time for a plant fundraiser for the park - an aspiration of mine! 

Talk soon

Maeve 


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lawrenceville-tree-tenders/CA%2B6cdceLNWAOKdBud715kH3q%3DP4yH--hRPUxxv_SARNZAoMzdw%40mail.gmail.com.