November 19, the St. Croix Valley ALC students, along with their instructor, Tom Wendt, made their first visit to the Giving Garden.
Master Gardener, Paul Richtman, reviewed what the students had learned earlier in class time about winterizing fruit trees and bushes, the various methods and reasons. He expanded on those lessons and fielded a variety of very good questions that came up.
After measuring for correct length, the students cut 4” plastic corrugated drain tubing and placed around the trunks of the apple and pear trees to protect them for the winter. Ideally white tubing would be the best color to reduce the heat of the sun, but in keeping with our reuse, recycle theme, we used what was available as discarded tubing. RCS employees will go back and spray paint them white.
Paul reviewed with the students the winterization of the raspberry and blueberry bushes as well as the grape vines. In order to protect the blueberry bushes from our population of rabbits, the students used circumference mathematical calculations for measuring and then cut, placed and secured wire fencing around the bushes.
As Tom so eloquently phrased, “the seed has been planted”, and we look forward to a long-term partnership between The Giving Garden and ALC for years to come!
Master Gardener, Paul Richtman, reviewed what the students had learned earlier in class time about winterizing fruit trees and bushes, the various methods and reasons. He expanded on those lessons and fielded a variety of very good questions that came up.
After measuring for correct length, the students cut 4” plastic corrugated drain tubing and placed around the trunks of the apple and pear trees to protect them for the winter. Ideally white tubing would be the best color to reduce the heat of the sun, but in keeping with our reuse, recycle theme, we used what was available as discarded tubing. RCS employees will go back and spray paint them white.
Paul reviewed with the students the winterization of the raspberry and blueberry bushes as well as the grape vines. In order to protect the blueberry bushes from our population of rabbits, the students used circumference mathematical calculations for measuring and then cut, placed and secured wire fencing around the bushes.
As Tom so eloquently phrased, “the seed has been planted”, and we look forward to a long-term partnership between The Giving Garden and ALC for years to come!
