When to Plant a Tree?
Photo credit: DavidVg
. . . the sky all blue
And the air all mild
And the fields all sun . . .
From "A Frisky Lamb" by Christina Rossetti
This episode on Season by Season we're talking about Grain Rain, the season in the traditional almanac when rainfall helps the growth of crops. Grain Rainis the last solar term of spring, but here in sunny California, it already feels like summer. Rather than rain, April brings with it blue skies and some of the most pleasant weather of the year. Lately the temperatures have been in the very comfortable 60s and low 70s, and it feels so wonderful to be outside! There are some seasons in California I don't look forward to - I wish we never had to deal with "fire season," for instance - but this comfortable season between April and May, before things get too warm, is always idyllic and makes me delighted to live where I live.
Arbor Day and Earth Day are coming up soon. Do you have any plans? Locally, I want to raise awareness about fire season (it is not too early to prepare) - and this year I'm going to try to plant a tree, too. Last year I donated to The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees Campaign - which I think is a good way to go if you can't get out there and plant one yourself; this year, though, I am determined to plant my own tree. I want to plant a lemon tree in my yard! I have looked on with envy at the lemon trees growing in my neighbor's yards for too long. They seem to grow well here in the Bay Area, and you just can't beat homemade lemonade in the summertime. . . even if I have to wait a few years for those lemons, I'm looking forward to it already.
Do you know when the best time to plant a tree is? According to the proverb, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree is now." I tend to think about this saying a lot when I worry about one thing or another; it's good to remind oneself to just begin. Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I'm wishing you a beautiful season.
Image credit: Daniel C. Gold