Drought in Virginia

At the end of September, Albemarle County remained at 4.26 inches below normal rainfall. The drought has been hard on our little trees, but there are signs of resilience everywhere. We are quickly learning that the White Pine and Norway Spruce are doing the best. In future plantings, we will likely move toward more of both of those species. On the bright side, the forest of hardwoods is showing its beautiful fall color. What a magnificent place for these little trees to grow.

In this stage of the growth cycle, maintaining the plot is 95% mowing. It is a constant battle to keep the surrounding wild grasses from taking the nitrogen away. And mowing requires the mower to remember where the baby trees are so this is one job that cannot be outsourced! The good news is the deer seem to be leaving the trees alone. There are deer everywhere and tracks all through the planting area. We are excited to use our e-mower that makes light work of the tall grass and lasts for about 1.5 hours, before rapid charging.