On an amazingly warm and calm morning we met at the Memorial Garden on Kimberlow Hill to plant donated trees. We followed the method of Yacouba Sawadogo who used traditional methods called Zaï, (digging pits and filling them with organic compost to trap water and nutrients) to create forest in the desert. One of us (who shall remain anonymous) was so busy concentrating on the organic matter they forgot to put the tree in! 🤣 The organic matter was a combination of Tiny Forest's own generated compost, biochar, eggshells & euphemistically malteser misshapes? We used some seriously spiky mulch to deter the rabbits. We finished the morning with a well deserved rest sharing flasks of drinks & tubs of goodies. Thankyou all.

As a patch of the Memorial Garden was looking bare and the saplings were struggling a different approach is being trialled using donated trees. The instructions included digging big holes, breaking through the clay layer with a big pole, adding various soil improvers (compost, rabbit poo, egg shells & biochar), tucking the trees in with a layer of mulch, hammering stakes & attaching recycled guards. There were lovely sounds of laughter and chatter as the glorious GoodGymers got on with the task alongside some Treemendous folk.

The session ended admiring Lucy's pond and Leanne educating us in Kula hygiene aids over hot drinks & cakes.

After an energising parkrun, supported by a bunch of Move Mate GoodGymers we headed up the hill. We spotted some of the Cherry Avenue in bloom which was planted by GoodGym York for Treemendous a couple of years ago. Then we got stuck in freeing larger trees from restrictive guards and ant citadels. Very satisfying. We peered at the partial eclipse bemoaning our lack of colanders, x-ray film & pin hole cameras. We enjoyed seeing the fresh leaves, blossom and amazing lichens on the trees. A productive & satisfying hour on the Hill, before setting off to the Tiny Forest.

A lovely bunch of GoodGymmers gathered after Heslington parkrun to join a Treemendous session, looking after some new trees. Our job was to check the trees and take whatever action needed to help them. This mostly consisted of securing loose tree guards and knocking down ant hill columns that had built up inside some of the guards and were in danger of stifling the young trees.

Good work everyone!

Yeay - 500 more trees planted! 2 Good Gymers opted out of parkrun to turn up early and help the Treemendous volunteers planting saplings next to the new Nursery at Kimberlow Hill. Claggy conditions meant we were 2 inches taller & half a stone heavier by the time we finished!

The young trees needed their support canes straightening & their guards reattaching / tying on to help them grow strong and give protection from those pesky rabbits. 2 good gymers made their way to help Treemendous in this task, at Diamond Wood, Kimberlow Hill.