Storeton Road Tree Planting.

It was 2014 when we had the big tree planting event on the Oxton Fields, with the help of countless enthusiastic volunteers, many of them children. However, since then, lots of the trees were vandalised or succumbed to lack of rain or disease. Only two of the ten larger alder trees which were planted along the Storeton Road side of the fields managed to survive, although they too are looking sickly.
                                                                                                                                                                        

After discussion with Neil Garnett from the Council, we agreed that replacement trees should be planted this November. The Council paid for some of the replacements and the Friends funded the others.



Despite dreadful rain and hailstorms the night before, we met by Rightway on Saturday 19th November to plant the new trees. A mechanical digger had already dug large holes then refilled them a few days earlier, so our task was much easier. The main problem we faced was that the ground was so saturated that our tree holes kept filling with water and mud.
Here you can see our Secretary Peter next to one of the alder trees.               

Perhaps you can see from this picture how muddy it was. We had to leave planting one of the trees as the ground was far too wet nearest to Rightway. Each bare root tree was given a good start with a whole bag of compost, a sturdy stake and tree tie and a protective metal mesh cage, to prevent vandalism or damage of the young tree bark from Council mowers.

This picture shows how large the trees were when they arrived, ready for planting.

The completed row of alder trees. Let us hope that these trees remain healthy and are left alone to grow into beautiful mature specimens for us and future generations to enjoy.