The Little Dude Abides..... fostering Little Larry

Little Larry abides

I hear there's a bit of a ‘Tempest in a Tree Pot’ brewing in certain quarters of the village about my recent role as a Foster Parent.

Yes, I recently became a foster parent.  

My foster child came to me sickly and in need of care, but is now getting stronger and looking quite green and leafy -- yes, my foster child is a tree.  I call him Larry.  

Larry's a young red oak tree purchased last month as part of the Village’s spring Tree planting on Main Street.   Shortly after Larry arrived, he displayed signs of stress and developed a fungal infection – known as Anthracnose -- or you might call it "athlete's foot for trees."    Read here for more about anthracnose.

As with cases of poor health, the patient needs rest, shelter and attentive care.  Mayor Falloon and I put our heads together and came up with an ad hoc solution, that I would be foster parent to this young, sickly little tree - whom I call Larry.

Like any good foster parent, I will care for my foster child until it is healthy and ready to be planted as a street tree – which is likely to be this fall.  

anthracnose

I’m very happy to be the Foster Parent of little Larry. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Falloon for his support and collaboration when it became clear the little fella was not suitable for planting along a sunny street in the Village and would need shelter and extra care until he bounces back.

I also want to thank a few people who are responsible for gifting money to the village to purchase Larry and all our other new trees this spring: first and foremost, Tom Rolston, who gave us an Angelic-sized contribution, Jen Zwarich, who also contributed, and lastly, a pat on the back for yours truly, who gave a contribution as well.

I’d also like to thank our hardworking Highway Crew for their diligence and determination in planting the trees, and all the neighbors and volunteers who are helping to keep them watered throughout the summer.

I’ll be posting on my blog tonight an informative piece about the fungal infection Anthracnose aka "athlete's foot for trees", and a little more about Larry's story, how my garden and regular watering are turning him into a healthy tree who, in a few short months, will be replanted alongside his peers on Main Street.