Rewilding My Lot

I planted a small Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) tree in spring 2024. This is an understory tree that prefers part shade, but in our subdivision where there are no mature trees, shade is a rare commodity. I planted it near the back fence, hoping that it would get a little protection from there in the afternoons while I wait for other things to grow (like the neighbor’s young oak tree on the other side of the fence).

In its first spring, the Red Buckeye grew leaves, dropped them in the summer as expected, and then became dormant for the rest of the year. I kept it watered and waited for it to wake up in spring this year.

However, even when other Red Buckeyes nearby were budding out, mine did not. I was beginning to think it might be dead when I saw two little shoots regrowing from the roots.

So the tree is still alive, but I think it’s going to need more care before it grows strong enough to survive here. In particular, I want to give it more shade.

I’ve rigged up a makeshift shade structure that shields the Red Buckeye from the sun part of the time. I didn’t take the time to sink the poles very deeply (although even for the depth I went I used a pickax!), so hopefully it won’t sail away in high winds.