TREE PLANTING EVENT – Avon Woods Arboretum

Saturday, Nov. 21 • 2:00-3:30 p.m.

408 Cecilia Drive (home of Dawn and Tim Edwards)

The tree planting — our first ever Avon Woods Arboretum event — was a success! We had perfect weather, a nice turnout of about two dozen neighbors who gathered to see a Nuttall Oak tree planted in the front yard of Dawn and Tim Edwards. Mark Follis, a certified arborist with a PhD in agroforestry and owner of Follis Tree Preservation, offered expert instructions and answered several questions.

Event photos by Brent Vaughan

Certified arborist Mark Follis answers tree planting questions as Avon Woods Arboretum founder Judith Rutschman looks on
Arborist Mark Follis sprinkles mycorrhizal fungi around the tree's root ball.
Neighbors gathered at social distances in the front lawn of Tim and Dawn Edwards' home to observe the tree planting.
Neighbors, including families with children and dogs, gathered at social distances to watch and learn.
Mark Follis tamps down the soil as arborist Ted McLaughlin assists in backfilling with dirt piled onto a tarp for easier cleanup.
Arborist Ted McLaughlin finishes up backfilling soil around the burlap-wrapped root ball of the Nuttall Oak tree.
Tim and Dawn Edwards (left) pose with their family and newly planted tree.

Thinking about planting a tree in your yard? Want ideas on what to plant, where, and how? Then join us for an Avon Woods tree planting at 408 Cecilia Drive, the home of Dawn and Tim Edwards. Mark Follis, owner of Follis Tree Preservation and an urban forester, will demonstrate how to plant a tree. We welcome your interest and questions. We will be distributing tree planting tips and sources for purchasing trees.

The tree we will be planting, a Nuttall Oak, is from Mid-South Tree Farm, located in Halls, Tenn., a fantastic source for shade and ornamental trees suitable for our area, sold at wholesale prices — and they deliver to your door for only $10. Their trees are grown from seed in the field, so they are well-acclimated to our yards and ready to take off growing!

The height of the tree we are planting is 5 to 6 feet, and approximately 5/8-7/8 inch in diameter, and it sells for $35. Tree experts recommend planting young and smaller trees, as they adapt faster and grow faster than larger ones, which are also more expensive.