The Old Folks Home

[scottcaddy]

Chooks Chick I had the misfortune of planting a sapling Sycamore tree in 1973, I liked the big leaves. I got it at Kmart, nothing on it t said : it will be huge, it will throw abundant branches to the ground for no reason, it will have a huge branch spread that will try to get in your bedroom windows/ rub shingles off the roof.

Also it is the latest to put out leaves and the last to dump them - long after our free leaf pick-up ends. Then too, it produces big balls of seed. They were fun to throw at things because they poof and spread millions of seeds everywhere. So far I haven't seen signs of them sprouting BUT, when they poof seeds my throat gets tight and I have endless coughing. I don't bother seed balls anymore.

I would never have one again unless I had many acres and would locate it far from home., it does make good shade when it actually has leaves.

I agree

We have 3 large (over 3 foot Diameter ) close to our house (within 20 foot) of our west house wall, nice summer shade, Bad big limb damage to the roof over the years.
I would NOT even have 1 on any acres that I owned. Just my way thinking here.

Scott

 

[dsqard]

Sycamores and cottonwoods grew "wild" around any area where water may be where I lived in Arizona. The cottonwoods would grow in the lower elevations near washes and the sycamores would grow in the mountains near the streams where the cooler temps were. Neither were real popular for yard landscaping because they needed too much water to get established.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

On our farm most the creeks were lined with sycamores and the occasional cottonwood. They didn't cause any problems there as the creek bottoms were always thickly wooded. That's also where the huge blackberry patches were. The blackberries were so thick under the canopy that my dad had to bush hog roads through the patch so we could harvest them. Losing about a third of the canes allowed us access to the rest.

Some of my neighbors on my road have yards full of sycamores. Every 2 or 3 years they have them topped to prevent the limb drops. They really look ugly having a bunch of vertical logs around the yard. Some years about 1/4 of the yards up the road have these vertical logs and not always sycamores, sometimes maples and oaks.
That's tree abuse. There is such a thing as selective trimming rather than topping (perhaps except for sycamores) I once asked about tree trimming at the MO Botanical Garden, they recommended Gamma tree service, I said "no thanks, that's the one that tops all the trees on my road."
I can't understand why they pay for that kind of maintenance. If you want a certain size tree, replace them with trees that grow to the appropriate size.
There are so many trees that one can choose for their landscaping needs.
Speaking of inappropriate selection, there's a subdivision near here that went in about 30 years ago. The street tree they chose was sweetgum, FOR THE WHOLE SUBDIVISION. Beautiful in the fall but. The streets are paved with sweetgum balls for months each year.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Oh my. I had a huge sycamore tree in my front yard out in Kansas. I was so allergic to it too. I would cough and gag rally bad, every time i had to mow. And in the fall, it qould produce 19 huge bags of leaves that i was required to rake up. Before a certain date.

Out here in SC, we have the sweet gum, more than I can count. Well, I think we have 7 on this one acre. Makes it quite a pain to walk over them spikey balls. And mowing, shoots them like missiles at everything and every one. We also have the endless privet, wild honeysuckle, and of course, healthy and happily growing poison ivy.

 

[chickadoodles]

Warning Graphic photo:

I am so glad we don't have any sycamore's here. But the hickey nuts will tear up a lawn mower quick.

My dogs caught this little guy trying to get to my poults in a brooder last night. And ran off a skunk two days ago and Bee got the skunks gift in the process.

 

[Wisher1000]

Pretty little fox ....I'm glad it's dead.

 

[ronott1]

Warning Graphic photo:

I am so glad we don't have any sycamore's here. But the hickey nuts will tear up a lawn mower quick.

My dogs caught this little guy trying to get to my poults in a brooder last night. And ran off a skunk two days ago and Bee got the skunks gift in the process.

Good job Dogs!

Sorry for the Skunk Spray.

 

[Highcotton]

Wish I could have got a couple .

Welcome to BYC Dusty.

 

[Highcotton]

Oh my. I had a huge sycamore tree in my front yard out in Kansas. I was so allergic to it too. I would cough and gag rally bad, every time i had to mow. And in the fall, it qould produce 19 huge bags of leaves that i was required to rake up. Before a certain date.

Out here in SC, we have the sweet gum, more than I can count. Well, I think we have 7 on this one acre. Makes it quite a pain to walk over them spikey balls. And mowing, shoots them like missiles at everything and every one. We also have the endless privet, wild honeysuckle, and of course, healthy and happily growing poison ivy.

I guess you aren't familiar with the market for Sweet gum balls. You can sell them to tourists and city slickers as porcupine eggs.

 

[Highcotton]

Greetings from the other side of the planet.

Lots happening. A big hatch is underway. The boar semen has been ordered and will be delivered on Tuesday. I will do the AI Tuesday - Thursday. I have been sorting teenage poultry. We put several roos in the fridge.

My daughters birthday was a huge hit. She had a two tier pink fondant cake with a fondant fairy princess crown. It was at Jollibee - Google it. The mascot did his dance and the kids were very happy.

I have been looking at locations at around 3500 feet should I win the lotto. I would love the cooler mountain air.

Our gardens are struggling to retain moisture even with lots of rain. I am thinking about doing a prototype raised bed on a layer of something pretty permanent to slow down drainage. I wish we had clay near by. I would truck in 20 meters.

Much compost is best though it decomposes quickly in the warm climate. I would think Coconut husks would be available there.