Squirrel Tree Bears Fruit

Most gardeners work hard to keep squirrels out of their vegetable gardens. But sometimes one of the little critters can offer a pleasant surprise.

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If you research VegetableGardeners.com for “ squirrels ” you ’ll see some of the usual concern they cause for nurseryman . Squirrels apprehend up freshly - planted spring bulb , they take snack from otherwise icon - perfect Lycopersicon esculentum and theyeat the birdseedmeant for our feather friends .

But in the springiness of 2000 , one squirrel devote me a rattling gift . He plant a walnut in a flowerpot that ’s grown into a beautiful black walnut tree diagram .

field of study show that squirrels block about 25 % of the nuts they bury every time of year . That ’s what happened to my succeeding walnut tree diagram .

After the nut germinate in the flowerpot , I plant it in my yard . It was just a stick about 6 inches magniloquent then , and I protected it by surrounding it with a little fence . Over the years , that niggling inglorious walnut stick grew easy and every few class it would rise another outgrowth .

Now , 14 days later , the tree is over 25 feet tall and its leafy branches ply shade for about one-half of the backyard . I even imbed under the tree diagram despite the word of advice they contain a chemical called jugalone which can be harmful to other plants . However , my plantings of privet , juniper , serviceberry , yarrow and other perennials seem to grow well there .

This class the tree has produced an exceptionally good crop of walnuts . The nuts start out front like brilliant green limes scattered throughout the branches . After the nuts downfall from the tree , I ’ll roll up them , don threatening rubber gloves to prevent finger staining , remove the green hulls and then let the carapace dry out . I ’m look forward to opening night that first walnut tree and eating the toothsome junky meat inside .

That is , if there are any walnut tree left to be harvest . It seems only meet that squirrels should have the first fracture at them . Another beautiful Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is just wait to be planted .

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