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8/12/11

posted Aug 13, 2011 7:25 AM by Rob Perhamus
Hello Gardeners - - - 

WOOD CHIPS

If you have been by our garden in the last few days, you can't help but notice the two truckloads of woodchips. These are compliments of Ken Becker, our landlord, from the trees he is getting pruned on the site.

THEREFORE - - - we now have a project !!! There are sufficient chips to add to our garden pathways and then spread the remainder on the area between our fence and the paved lot. We all need to do a little at a time to get this done. Wheelbarrow and shovels are in the shed :-)))

VERIZON CELL TOWER

Around January 2012, Verizon is planning to put a cell tower in front of and to the west of our garden - - -  close to where the athletic trailer sits. The trailer will be moved to another location. Verizon needs an 800 sq. ft. footprint.  Their plan calls for a 20x40 foot space enclosed by a 6 foot block wall with the tower constructed in the middle of that space. This plan, as currently proposed, would result in the removal of a portion of our fence from the gate to the west where it touches the trailer. The block wall bordering the north part of the footprint would abut the first plot on the left (TLC's plot).  

I've asked Ken to request Verizon to make a slight adjustment to the length and width of their footprint so that the north wall of their space is in front of our garden fence including the grape vines and other plantings just outside the fence. In return for this minor adjustment, I committed to landscape the east part of the block wall. 

I will let you know if they accept our request.

ORCHARD

FYI - - - I submitted a proposal to the Board of Directors of Pacific Christian Center to allow us to install a mini-orchard of fruit trees in front of our garden between the fence and paved lot. We would maintain our 8 to 10' wide path from the lot to the garden gate. Towards the west side that area I think we can plant 10-12 trees.Towards the east side of that area by the Verizon cell tower block wall (mentioned above) we can plant  an espalier of fruit trees. An espalier is a design whereby a lattice or vertical trellis is installed about 6 inches from the wall, and fruit trees are planted in front of the trellis and about 4 feet apart. As the trees grow, they are pruned to create a beautiful architecture of trunk and branches intertwined along the trellis. Also, the pruning keeps the trees within reachable height. 

I can get the trees donated at no cost. Interested gardeners can learn the technique to prune the espalier from a friend of mine in the nursery business.

Mary