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Twigger (Readers' Emails)
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Most emails to the Redwood World website are regarding locations of Redwood trees that are not yet in the Locations page, or they are enquiries about the care of Redwood saplings. This page is for those emails that don't fall into the these categories, it is for items that other people might find interesting or helpful.
I do not publish any correspondence without first gaining approval from the person concerned. |
December 2017: Stephen would like to find out more information about a significant plantation of Giant Sequoia at Nocton Hall in Lincolnshire.
"Nocton Hall was leased to the US for WWI, WWII, in 1917-1919, in the 1940s and again in 1984, so it could be that they planted them a century ago, the trees did seem to be quite large/mature (half their full height). I am very surprised that so little/no information on the origin, existence of a significant, mature plantation of the world's largest tree is so hard to find, and they would surely be protected from being cut down, so I remain intrigued. Being from Lincolnshire myself, this would surely be something to shout home about or to attract visitors, and yet the whole place (and its, albeit renovated 16th century adjacent building) is now derelict and cordoned off. "
If anyone has any more information for Stephen please write to the website and I will pass it on.
March 2019: * * * Update * * *
Although we've yet to receive any details on the Redwood plantation, John has provided the following with links to background information on the Hall itself.
"I found this history of the Manor on the Genuki webiste:
Manors
Nocton Hall stood on the site of a former mansion destroyed by fire in 1834. Nocton Hall was rebuilt in 1841 as the seat of the first Marquis of Ripon.
Nocton Hall was unoccupied in 1913. At that time it was the property of the HODGSON family.
In 1917, the HODGSON family moved into Embassy House in the village.
Arsonists set the Hall on fire in October of 2004. A second fire the next year caused further damage.
Geo-graph has a photograph of burned out Nocton Hall, taken in 2005.
The remains of the Hall are listed as a "building at risk" by British Heritage.
So which Marquis of Ripon built the house.
There is a problem with the statement above that "Nocton Hall was rebuilt in 1841 as the seat of the first Marquis of Ripon."
The 1st Marquis was only created a Marquis in 1871. He was born (in 10 Downing Street) on the 24/10/1827.
In 1841 he would only have been 14 years old, probably far too young to be having a house built.
So the 1st Marquess' father was Frederick John Robinson born 1782.
In 1827 he was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Viscount Goderich, of Nocton in the County of Lincoln.
This was a revival of the viscountcy of Goderich created for his great-great-grandfather the Duke of Kent in 1706." Viscount Goderich married in 1814 died 1859.
When the Prime Minister, George Canning, died in 1827 Goderich succeeded him, but was unable to hold together Canning's fragile coalition.
He resigned after 144 days in office, the shortest in history for any British prime minister who did not die in office.
In fact at 144 days he only lasted 3 days longer than his predecessor George Canning who holds the record for the shortest length of holding the office of Prime Minister.
I think he is a much more likely candidate for the builder of Nocton Hall in 1841.
Apart from his political career Goderich served as first president of the Royal Geographical Society from 1830 to 1833.
So preumably a man who mixed with the explorers who were bringing back the fine forest trees from around the world.
He was also a man who changed his surname three times in order to succeed to different titles, this does make him difficult to track.
The Geograph picture is worth having a look."
On the Geograph picture notice a Redwood tree standing next to the Hall. |
July 2015: James Hilley from Scotland is keen to find a Redwood project.
To contact James please email: jameshilley01 @ yahoo.co.uk (remove the spaces)
"I'm interested in any long term projects about planting sequoia trees in Scotland. Any feedback about seedlings, ideal terrain and general advice would be welcome." |
June 2015: James Cleaver from Norfolk wrote about a Redwood Legacy Woodland
"I would like to plant a Redwood woodland nearby to create natural heritage, engage local community, leave a positive legacy and do my bit for climate change. Are there any others out there that have the same idea?"
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f you are able to support James in his venture in any way please click on his poster for contact details. |
Legacy Woodland poster |
June 2015: Alison Kibbey from California, U.S.A. sent us some hints and tips on growing Coast Redwoods
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I have a family background with redwoods and have studied them and worked with them most of my life. I was so delighted to see them in the UK, and then to find so many over the years.
After a fire my folks made a hedge of Coast Redwoods. It grew quickly and filled out. We placed them about 2.5-3.5m apart, and we capped them every three or four years once they reached 4.5m to maintain neighbors view (dispelling the idea you can't cap them. But if you cap a more mature tree, for overhead wires for instance, cutting a tree top that is 12m and you lop a lot off say 4.5m, that can kill the tree, although might not, they survive lightening strikes and forest neighbor falls as shown on your site.)
California is obviously in a drought and I've seen the red spotting you show in Giant Redwoods, in Coast Redwoods in my yard. It is fungal, but can come with under-watering as well. All diseases are opportunistic. Drought stresses redwoods faster and more than over-watering.
A little ground raw salmon is also a decent food for Coast Redwoods - their natural historic fertilizer - bears bring them up, they leave bits behind, trees take it in. Tucking the salmon in under mulch covers the smell.
Just an opinion, the woman with the redwood in the small yard is fighting the very nature of the redwood. Grow big, grow fast! My folks have redwoods they planted 50+ years ago lining their yard. The trunks are up to 1.8m in diameter, and between 20-28m tall. She can "box" the tree (I would do this with a new tree, they can take a beating, but not to their roots.) If she starts over and sinks a very large cement box with walls at least .15m thick to contain the roots, she will in effect create a bonzai-like redwood (bottom open for taproot.) It will grow, but she'll limit the span and therefore the height. It will be a little stressed and I wouldn't expect it to reach a great age, but you never know.
Growing from seed - ziplock bags! I collect the cones in bags, bring home and refrigerate in darkness for a short period. Then, keeping the cones in the bag, place in the sun, and the heat pops the seeds out. Then I take the healthy looking seeds put them spaced about 1.5 inches apart on a paper towel. Put the towel in a gallon size ziplock, wet the towel so it's thoroughly moist. Seal bag almost, then blow until the bag looks like a pillow and seal. Your trees first breath will be one of yours! Place bag in partial to full sun, without letting them cook. The ones that make it I plant in paper pots when they're between 1-2" and keep in a tray and water about a table spoon each morning. I transfer them to a wide pot when they take, and keep them close to the house with only morning sun, protected from bright sun until about 5 years old.
To deal with frost on young ones: Water roots well, a lot of water is less likely to freeze. If it's a light frost, spray tree with water. The mist on the surface will freeze and insulate the tree from frostbite. If it's going to be a deeper freeze or for many days, tent with stakes and cover tree with plastic to create a tent of warm air, don't let the plastic touch the tree that defeats the purpose of insulating the tree against the cold."
Thank you Alison for some interesting hints and tips, I will have a go with them and I'm sure others will too. See the Growing Your Own page for other tips on growing Redwoods. |
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