Summer pruning
21 mei 2024
Imagine this. Trees are dropping their seeds and seedlings are sprouting everywhere. All those trees cannot grow up into mature trees. But fortunately, the big herbivores like mammoths come and pull out the young seedlings and eat them. They leave their dung in that place.
The saplings and young leaves that were eaten thus become a super valuable manure for the larger trees that remain, allowing them to grow even better.
The next year they again give off seeds and new seedlings are created. Some are left to grow into full-sized trees. Some are eaten and nourish the soil.
This is exactly what we try to imitate at ONS BUITEN. We don't have great herbivores, but fortunately we do have great people with pruners, sickles and scythes.
In early summer, when all the trees are in fresh green leaves, we prune. All those young leaves full of (life) energy are chopped up and used as mulch on the soil. In small pieces, these fresh leaves are very digestible, and attract enormous amounts of soil life.
The soil becomes better, richer and more spongy so that water can be stored better and plants can take root better. By repeating this over and over again, nature can become richer and richer.
So don't the leaves fall down on their own in the fall? Yes, it certainly does. Only when the tree drops its leaves in the fall is the energy already out of them. Dry dry leaves are harder to digest and don't provide the energy to the soil that young green leaves can.
Will you be at ONS BUITEN during summer pruning? We'd be happy to explain all about it in a workshop. Keep an eye on the calendar (scroll down) for all activities.