Chapter 9: Some Important Notes Before We Begin

Ch 9: Some Important Notes Before We Begin

In the remaining sections of this book, I’m going to teach you what I have learned during my career. Some instructions will be very easy (e.g., leaving fallen leaves under a tree) and some will be more complicated (e.g., how to plant native meadows). I have attempted to start with the easiest options and work toward more complicated ones as the book progresses. Before we begin, here are some important notes:

Rooted in Real Work

Everything that comes next is based on the cumulative knowledge and experience we have built at Leaf & Limb and Project Pando. We are a team of highly credentialed tree experts who care for trees because we love this planet. We also focus a great deal on building healthy soil, creating meadows with native flowers and grasses, and encouraging life to return to the sub/urban landscape. We are gardeners, mushroom foragers, bird watchers, ecological do-gooders, hikers, ecology nerds, and general lovers of life. All this to say, everything in this book has been tested in the real-world arena. It is essentially a collection and synthesis of the things we do every day with clients, volunteers, and the surrounding community. The ideas in this book work.

This does not mean we know everything; we don’t. Working with trees, soil, and natural systems is a humbling experience because there is so much to learn. Five lifetimes would not be enough to absorb it all.

Guiding Frameworks

One of our guiding frameworks at Leaf & Limb is when in doubt, look to ecosystems for guidance. Many of the approaches in this book originate from what we observe in the forests and fields around us. Another related framework is this: life was doing fine without humans for a long time. This is not to say that humans are not great! Rather, it is to remind us that many of our actions in the sub/urban landscape are unnecessary.

Some Information Must Be Regionally Filtered

The information in this book is based primarily on my experiences working in Raleigh, North Carolina and the surrounding cities (Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, and others). If you live in a different region, you will need to make adjustments based on when your seasons start and stop. Please note that I do not refer to seasons like Winter, Spring, and Summer. Instead, I refer to the only two seasons that matter for plants and soil: the growing season and dormant season.

We can sync our seasons through soil temperature. As a rule of thumb, 50°F is the magic number. This temperature roughly correlates to important seasonal changes, buds growing, leaves falling, insects emerging, birds migrating, and many others. When the soil temperature heats to 50°F on average, this marks the approximate beginning of the growing season. When it cools back to 50°F on average, this marks the approximate beginning of the dormant season. We should measure soil temperature by placing a soil temperature probe approximately 4 inches below the surface of the soil. Or we can find information about current soil temperatures online from our local weather groups and universities.

Do not worry about being super exact. I’m intentionally keeping this loose because the truth is working with plants offers a lot of leeway. This is not like baking a cake, which requires precision. It’s more like making a fun salad with our favorite vegetables and toppings—it is ok and encouraged to be inexact and experimental.

The 80/20 Rule

One of the biggest challenges of writing this book was figuring out how to walk the line between giving enough information necessary to perform a task without creating information overload, since so many of these topics are very dense. I decided to go with the 80/20 Rule. I attempt to provide you with 20% of the actions required to obtain 80% of the desired results in an effort to keep this book enjoyable and easy to implement.

There is a lot more to be learned about every single topic featured in this book. For those interested, there are additional books, articles, and resources available in the Appendix and via various QR codes throughout the book.

Signs Are Game Changers

Many of the practices put forth in this book run contrary to cultural norms and traditional landscape paradigms. Some may raise eyebrows from passersby, generate complaints from neighbors, and attract the attention of HOA and municipal inspectors. One remedy is the use of educational signs. I have found that I can turn anything—even a brush pile—into something that attracts positive attention and engagement if I place a sign nearby. I recommend a sign with a pleasing design and QR code linking to an online article, video, etc. Not everybody knows how to use a QR code, so it is important to provide very clear instructions on how to use it. Here is an example of one we use at Leaf & Limb that works quite well:

An example of a sign Leaf & Limb has created

A Note Regarding How-To Videos

I have included many how-to videos in Sections 3, 4, and 5. I included these because I think it is generally easier to learn from videos than it is to learn from written text. Some are videos from other experts. Most are videos we made for the sake of educating clients, volunteers, and internal training at Leaf & Limb. They depict a variety of production quality and characters. The videos do not always perfectly align with what is written here. If in doubt, defer to the content in the book. If you decide to use a video tutorial, my recommendation is to treat it as a supplement to the text, not an alternative. The text has more precise information.

Feedback Please

Please send me feedback! Your insights and ideas could pave the way for a better, revised edition in the future. I would love to hear where you were confused and struggled. I would also love to hear about the moments that provided you with inspiration or an “ah-ha!” You can reach me at wonder@leaflimb.com.