Another rescue.
By MsTickle
@MsTickle (25180)
Australia
February 27, 2011 6:44pm CST
It wasn't a dog or a cat or even a goat. Nope...this time it's a tree.
A Mexican Fan Palm to be precise.
I was driving home from the rubbish dump the other day and I saw a small dust storm on the road ahead. Turned out to be a car dragging a newly uprooted palm tree on it's way to the dump.
I asked a few questions and did some research and talked to my friend who used his front-end-loader to get the tree to my home. We had to take away part of my front fence and drop the tree and dig a hole. Then came the task of positioning the tree in the spot I had picked.
It was quite badly damaged where it was dragged but I'm hoping we got it back in the ground in time for it to recover.
I know it's just a tree but I'm trying to save it's life. I'm already fond of it and it is a living thing. If you can see your way clear please send healing thoughts and energies to my tree so she gets better soon.
Ten Days Later:
The tree is not looking good at all. There are birds sitting in it but it looks very unwell. There is a new spike protruding from the centre and it is still a little green so we haven't yet given up hope.
Sadly, I'm unable to post any photos on myLot for some reason.
A Mexican Fan Palm to be precise.
I was driving home from the rubbish dump the other day and I saw a small dust storm on the road ahead. Turned out to be a car dragging a newly uprooted palm tree on it's way to the dump.
I asked a few questions and did some research and talked to my friend who used his front-end-loader to get the tree to my home. We had to take away part of my front fence and drop the tree and dig a hole. Then came the task of positioning the tree in the spot I had picked.
It was quite badly damaged where it was dragged but I'm hoping we got it back in the ground in time for it to recover.
I know it's just a tree but I'm trying to save it's life. I'm already fond of it and it is a living thing. If you can see your way clear please send healing thoughts and energies to my tree so she gets better soon.
Ten Days Later:
The tree is not looking good at all. There are birds sitting in it but it looks very unwell. There is a new spike protruding from the centre and it is still a little green so we haven't yet given up hope.
Sadly, I'm unable to post any photos on myLot for some reason.6 people like this
16 responses
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
28 Feb 11
Wow, that is awesome that you saved a tree. They are much better in the ground than buried at the tip or as mulch. 
I think that the tree is probably still in shock. It can take some time for them to start looking healthy again after being moved. They need to put all of their energy into the roots, so they do not put any effort into the branches or leaves usually for a while. I have transplanted a lot of trees into my yard and most have looked like they were going to die before getting better.
Give it lots of water, compost, fertilise it and put mulch around it and give it lots of hugs and it should come good. 
I think that the tree is probably still in shock. It can take some time for them to start looking healthy again after being moved. They need to put all of their energy into the roots, so they do not put any effort into the branches or leaves usually for a while. I have transplanted a lot of trees into my yard and most have looked like they were going to die before getting better.
Give it lots of water, compost, fertilise it and put mulch around it and give it lots of hugs and it should come good. @MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
What should I fertilise it with Bill. I can do the water and mulch but my compost is awful...my first attempt and it's dry and horrible. Anyway, I have lots of goat poo, should I use some of that? I also have blood and bone and Thrive. I'm at a bit of a loss. I like the sound of what you're saying...it makes perfect sense.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
28 Feb 11
What a great story! I also try to save plants as IMO and just like you I think of them as living thing. At the moment I have a very large straggly, thorny bougainvillea plant in my bedroom trying to keep it alive until I can put it outside.
I shall send positive thoughts to your tree. I really hope it lives for many years to be a beautiful living asset to your home.
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
I have a bougainvillea too and it doesn't do anything very much. I water it daily (when I forget it goes backwards) so even though they are supposedly a strong plant which can be neglected, it just sits...it did get a few pinky-orange bracts the other day but they only lasted a few days. It's been about a foot tall for 3 years and the green frogs which are prolific now really love it.
Thanks for your kindness towards my palm, we had a little rain during the night so I'm a little more hopeful.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
28 Feb 11
oh hon, i will certainly pray for your dear tree since it sounds like your heart is in it already. you sure must have always wanted one. did you ever find your keys? i sure hope so. hugs, bon
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
Hi Bon...yep, found the keys...they were literally right in front of me.
I have always loved palm trees. I think those tall ones look so majestic. When I lived in Queensland, I bought a house that had 13 palm trees. I just loved the garden there. I moved into a rental house in a few years and it had a couple too then the next place I went to had a pool and clumps of palm trees all round the pool.
There are a few in this little village and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to save this one. It's looking rather poorly but I haven't given up hoped yet.
I have always loved palm trees. I think those tall ones look so majestic. When I lived in Queensland, I bought a house that had 13 palm trees. I just loved the garden there. I moved into a rental house in a few years and it had a couple too then the next place I went to had a pool and clumps of palm trees all round the pool.
There are a few in this little village and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to save this one. It's looking rather poorly but I haven't given up hoped yet.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
28 Feb 11
Sounds like you have been quite nurturing with your tree. Hopefully as the weather progresses it will grow and blossom.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
Thanks M. I have been babying it and talking to it and asking Mother Nature to bless her. We desperately need it to rain though. I have been watering every day but we only have bore water which is full of harsh salts and heavy minerals.
Thanks for the healing thoughts...there have been two birds come sit on it so far. That has done my heart good.
1 person likes this
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
28 Feb 11
I did not add that I will include your tree in my thoughts and hope that my positivity will allow it to grow more.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157692)
• United States
28 Feb 11
If it has a new green growth in the center you may indeed have saved it. I think I have tried lately and not succeeded with pictures myself. Just the other day. I would have done something similar to rescuing a tree . Is there something you can put around where it was damaged to help it not loose so much moisture? I am not sure what, for people they say to put honey on a wound. I have not tried it on a plant though. I know that you can buy a commercial rooting product that is actually Vitamin B 1. I know you cannot go driving to the nearest town all the time, though.
I think I have tried lately and not succeeded with pictures myself. Just the other day. I would have done something similar to rescuing a tree . Is there something you can put around where it was damaged to help it not loose so much moisture? I am not sure what, for people they say to put honey on a wound. I have not tried it on a plant though. I know that you can buy a commercial rooting product that is actually Vitamin B 1. I know you cannot go driving to the nearest town all the time, though.2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
I was telling my sister this morning, where they dragged it, the old cut off branches that form the trunk have worn away but they did not actually get down to the actual flesh of the trunk. I think they may have cut off quite a lot of the roots though, I haven't spotted the guy who pulled it out lately. I watered it with some fish emulsion which is supposed to be good for transplant shock but I'm not sure if I did it enough. I may have been under-watering it too when we first put it in the ground. I was giving it a triy and now I'm giving the ground a drenching for a hour a day.
All I can do now is water it and hope for the best. It's up to the little tree now.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Mar 11
I don't know much about trees. But I do know trees like pine have roots that can go for hundreds of feet, tiny and hard to see. If it has a similar root system with large roots to anchor the plant and then tiny tiny ones that go a long ways are the ones that get water. I know they are certain fertilizers you use when planting a tree did you use any of those to help stimulate the roots that were remaining? GL I hope it continues to show some signs of life.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
6 Mar 11
This is a palm tree rather than a pine. I researched transplanting and nowhere did it mention fertilisers. The tree is badly damaged and needs to get over the shock ...it will take a while if it is to survive. The wind has given the new shoot a bit of a battering and I think the green colour is fading. I'm going to be away overnight so I will probably notice a change when I return home. Fingers crossed.
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
3 Mar 11
It appears s that you are very kind and like to take care of living things including a tree and that is very admirable. If there is some new growth there may be hope. I pray that the tree will be saved. It would be wonderful to return to it when it is grown and looking healthy. That would make all your efforts worthwhile. Good on you!
1 person likes this
@rameshchow (4426)
• India
2 Mar 11
Trees are also having life.
So we have to think about them also.
Yes trees can also cry.
Don't you believe in it?
But i am believing in it, we have to save the trees,they have so much threat from the human beings...
1 person likes this
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
28 Feb 11
A life is a life, no matter what shape it takes. Good work, Ms Tickle. Hope my positive thoughts and all others' here helps this life come back. I know that a plant, when uprooted and planted somewhere else, sheds all its leaves and grows new ones. But I don't know much about trees. Let us all hope that what you have done for this life is enough and will save it.
Hope my positive thoughts and all others' here helps this life come back. I know that a plant, when uprooted and planted somewhere else, sheds all its leaves and grows new ones. But I don't know much about trees. Let us all hope that what you have done for this life is enough and will save it.2 people like this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
28 Feb 11
Hi MsTickle,
I am so happy that you have rescue the poor tree, I am same with you as I love trees and they have the right to grow same as anybody as they have life, I am sending healing to the tree and bless you for saving it from a nasty fate, I have also been rescuing treees in past and even couple little oak trees to a friend who has grown them in his back and it is growing very nicely now. Thank you for doing that and hopefull it will grow to be a beautifull tree.
Tamara
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
28 Feb 11
Hi Tamara...thanks for your kind and thoughtful words. I really hope it grows too. There have been birds landing there already and seeing them gave me such a lift but also a bit of sadness too because the little palm tree is looking very unhappy. We had a little rain last night but today there is a hot wind blowing and I'm sure that is not good for delicate baby trees or recovering trees. Keep the healing wishes coming please.
