Butte La Rose et Les Entourage

Bonjour!

When we moved a camp on our property in 2002, my plans were to plant cypress trees around our yard. When we leased this lot in 1976, I planted a small cypress twig my daughter Bonnie’s grandmother gave us. It was to grow and be our landmark. So its name is “Bonnie Tree.” About 2004 I began putting some in the ground. And of the 25 I’ve planted, I have 22 still growing. For some unknown reason after they’d grown to about seven feet, three just up and walked away.

In the past Toni DeBosier with Wildlife and Fisheries gave me a few from her yard that she’d planted in containers. I was ready to venture so I ordered 30-plus cypress seedlings from Wildlife and Fisheries last year. Catahoula’s Errol Verette, who also works for LDWF, delivered them. Upon arrival I planted those in containers in dirt, not potting soil for healthy rooting. That was my second time buying from the LDWF so I knew they were good trees.

My intention is to plant them behind the camp in the wooded area of the back yard. I already do have 20-plus growing in the front part of the yard. By 2011 I’d already planted four along that fence. I have a thing about cypress trees, crepe myrtles and bamboos. In spring 2011 in preparation we built a wire fence as a boarder from the road leading all the way to the end of my property that reaches a few feet to the Alligator Canal. The fence has been waiting for its company of trees to be planted. Yes!

Why didn’t I think of this before? I had tossed around in my head wondering how I’d dig the holes to plant the new ones. Finally I made arrangements with Breaux Bridge Rental to rent a portable post digger to make the holes. I wanted to succeed with the trees that I watched grow every day since planting last year. The post digger was a very good move on my part because I don’t think I can dig with the shovel anymore since my fall in the woods last year.

I had never seen one of those tools and did not know what to expect. Vielle Femme told me to go for it and she’d help me handle it if needed. Finally Tommy and Gale Noble came over with their equipment. It is not big or too heavy and I figured I could handle it after a lesson or two. Noble showed me to crank it up. Looked easy to maneuver and after a few tries and watching my struggle, he felt sorry for me and took over the digging. I do not like to be defeated, but I was glad he did.

In no time we’d dug 28 holes. That tool was easier. The week before I’d cut bamboos in different lengths and stuck in the ground marking where to dig the holes. So last Saturday I took the day off from going visit my son at the hospital and used that time to plant 11 of the trees. I still have 17 holes left to fill plus about seven more. Now I know the trick I’ll order 30 more for next year to plant the opposite side. So while I was feeling like playing in the dirt, I dug up eight bamboos with roots and planted them in the front yard. Last year I planted about a dozen in that area and tied crawfish ribbon to mark the spots, must be coons or possums that ran off with all of them.

Lache pas!

–Cousine Hélène
337-228-1714
helenboudreaux@uno.com