Remember this little palm tree we grew from a coconut?
Well, it just kept growing and started to outgrow the container we had it in, so we decided it was time to actually plant it.
And last weekend we did.
I was so happy to plant our very first tree at the house. It felt really symbolic like we were not only planting a tree, but also planting our roots, making this house into our home just one little step at a time.
T. has been working very hard on this part of our lot. It’s directly in front of the house and the porch where we spent most of our time, so he really wanted it to be nice to look at. Which meant we had to somehow cover the concrete slab that’s over the cesspit.
He had this vision in his head. It took me a while to actually see it, but now I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. We still need to get more gravel for the path, but it’s close to done.
We have a second little palm tree, that will be planted when it’s big enough to leave its container.
And I got carte blanche to buy some more pots and plants to fill that flat space (that’s the concrete slab I was talking about). That will be fun!
It’s all artificial grass, by the way. Partly because it had to cover the concrete, partly because we wanted this to be low maintenance, but mostly because we can’t afford the water bills to keep real grass alive. Water is very expensive here and you need a lot to keep the grass green. I heard people with green gardens easily pay 400 USD each month on water alone. Also, it would be a waste of drinking water. One day we want to have a deep well, but until then, artificial grass it is. Collecting greywater and rainwater to water the rest of the garden is a lot higher on our list of things to do though.
How to plant a palm tree (or any plant or tree)
1. dig a hole that is larger than the container the tree used to live in
2. pour water into the hole
3. fill the hole partly with potting soil and put the tree in. Press the soil down gently.
4. water carefully if the soil was really dry, but don’t make overdo it. You watered the hole and you want to roots to find there way there. That will help to really root the tree.
How to root yourself into a new home
1. remember why you moved; bigger house, better location, closer to job, cheaper – there’s usually a benefit and you got to remind yourself of that.
2. Move your stuff. Don’t just unpack the essentials. Fill the house with books, knitting, photos, sentimental items.
3. Work, relax, cook your favorite meals. grow plants. Do the things you love to do.
4. Be aware of the fact that this is your home now, but don’t make too big a deal of it. It has to become part of your “normal” to really root in this space.