To: "homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org" <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [Homestead] Tap roots
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 15:36:15 -0500
Yesterday, Magnolia and I took down a hickory tree. It was a tougher
push than expected so after it was down I looked it over and was
reminded of tap roots, this one being about six inches in diameter.
The only thing more fun than watching the tree finally go down was
watching Don leap like a gazelle to get out of the way.
Anyway, the view of that tap root yesterday and the view out my
computer window reminds me of something that may or may not be
useful. In the front yard are two heartnut trees, gifts from friends
about sixteen years ago. When I planted them I experimented with the
holes, using my wagon-axle-digging-bar to make deep, skinny holes
that I filled with soft soil, the idea being to give the tap roots
opportunity to go down deep fast.
Today, the two heartnut trees are about twenty and twenty-five feet
tall. The taller one is also much fuller, a beautiful specimen. The
smaller tree is not nearly as pretty. I tell Chris the bigger one is
male and, well, you know how that goes. Trunk diameters are equal. I
of course wonder if those tap root opportunities were equal or if the
smaller tree sent its water-seeking source out to the side a bit. Or
maybe its momma was just puny.