Planting Year 1, Plant ID Apps, and Craneridge Without Trees (?!)
We’re back for the second installment of “Woodlands (almost) Weekly!” We’d love to hear your ideas for future topics. Learn more about our Woodlands & Habitat efforts.
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Planting Year 1: the BIG Experiment
Woodlands Committee Chair, Gwen Alegre, recently ventured into native planting around her home. This is a beneficial thing to do for the longevity of our natural neighborhood. Gwen started in October 2020 by planting Red Oak acorns in pots, which sprouted this spring. She now has five thriving Red Oak seedlings.
In February 2021, Gwen experimented with “winter sowing” (10 min. overview video). SURPRISE! In April and May, many of the seeds sprouted. The seedlings were then transplanted into elevated beds where they grew like crazy with this summer’s rain and heat. Seeds included two kinds of milkweed, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, anise hyssop, dogbane, blue-star, and shrubby St. John’s wort. Gwen also planted Shasta Daisy seeds that Amanda Bowen shared with some folks this summer.
Waiting for cooler temps in October, the young plants were transplanted into new gardens, and they are now thriving. Check out the pics below. All this from less than $20 for seeds! And recently, Gwen planted eight white oak acorns. A Craneridge tree nursery in the works?
Shasta Daisies, grown from seed, ready to transplant from elevated bed. 
Purple coneflower on its way to a permanent home. 
Transplanted in early October. Fall colors, but thriving in new home. 
Another new bed. Bluestar (yellow leaves), purple coneflower, and Shasta daisies. 
Large native bed created and planted in July. Cleaned up and ready for fall. Still needs leaf mulch added before first snow.
Learn with Plant ID Apps
If you missed our events about plant and tree identification around Craneridge, there are some great phone apps available to help you learn about our local plants, flowers, grasses, and trees. This article provides a good summary and ranking. Common favorites are LeafSnap and PictureThis. Both have a free option, but they also offer low cost annual subscriptions.
Imagine Craneridge Without Trees (?!) Upcoming Event: Invasive “Bad Bugs”
Our trees are at risk for serious impacts from Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and Beech diseases similar to the devastation we’ve seen from Emerald Ash Borer. Join Nate Morey, Region 9 DEC Forester for a webinar on how to identify these bad bugs and then what to do. Wed, Nov. 10, at 7 pm. RSVP to Jen Parsons to receive a Zoom link prior to event.
We Need Help for 2022! The Woodlands Committee is looking for Stewards who can do a number of things (big and small) around Craneridge’s woodlands and creeks. We’re also looking for a core group of neighbors to cut trees on common property. Interested? Complete this form.
Craneridge Homeowners Association 