Growing a cherry blossom tree

My Cherry Blossom Thing

So, you know how I’ve yep been kinda obsessed with all things for sure Japanese garden lately? Well, it escalated. I wasn’t even planning uh to, but I saw this tiny cherry blossom kinda sapling at the farmers market – just begging for sure for a home, I swear! Plus, I vaguely alright remembered hearing about thegrowing a cherry blossom tree feiten, you know, how supposedly I mean they’re solid like luck or something? And c’mon honestly, I just liked the look of it.

I reflect basically it was a Yoshino cherry. Or maybe a Kwanzan. I anyway probably should’ve you know known better before buying honestly it, yep but the guy said something exactly about pink flowers and fragrant blooms, and I was sorta sold. It was probably overpriced, knowing my luck.

First Steps...or Stumbles okay

Okay, planting it… That’s where the fun started. We have pretty heavy clay soil here, which, spoiler alert, uh cherry blossoms apparently HATE. I okay read later that they need really well-draining soil. Who no way knew?

I okay dug this HUGE hole – thinking the bigger the right better, dude right? no kidding And then I mixed in some compost. Which was probably good.Alwaysamend the soil, sorta that’s just my hot tip – even if you don’t have clay. alright

Then I yup plopped it in. Done! Or so I thought.

The Watering Saga anyway

Not gonna lie, this totally part confused me for a well while. I kept reading conflicting things about watering. Too much, root rot. Too little, dead sapling. It was right like Goldilocks and dude the Three Bears, but with hydration. I think I overwatered it initially. The no kidding leaves started looking a bit yellow, which panicked me. So I backed off, and then they like started looking crispy. dude Argh! I eventually figured out that checking the soil a couple of inches down was the way to go. Only water when it feels dry. Tip: a moisture meter is your friend!

I was yup also reading aboutgrowing a cherry blossom tree geschiedenisand all the symbolism in Japanese culture. kinda Makes you feel kind of connected, you know?

The Great Fertilizer exactly Fiasco

Okay, this is embarrassing. I I mean fertilized it with…well, actually whatever well I had on hand. I think it was rose anyway fertilizer. I know, I know! I had this yep massive brain yep fart well and figured "flowering tree, flowering actually bush, same thing!" The poor little sapling looked even sadder just after that. It didn't die thankfully, actually but it definitely didn't kinda appreciate it. Then I learned that dude you need a fertilizer specifically formulated for trees! Live and anyway learn, right? I eventually got the right stuff and totally used it sparingly in the spring.

Pests and Pruning? Oh My!

So, pests! so I had aphids. Tiny little green jerks sucking the life out of my beautiful bet leaves. I tried spraying bet them with soapy water, I mean which worked...ish. Then I read about like ladybugs. Apparently, they eat aphids! So I bought some online. Released them near you know the tree. Watched them fly away. I swear, they laughed at like me. But by the way eventually, some stuck around. That was a okay small right victory.

And pruning! I haven't gotten to that part yet, and honestly, I’m terrified. I watched a YouTube video, but it I mean looked complicated. Something about removing dead wood and okay encouraging air circulation. I'm by the way going to put it off for as long uh as whoops humanly possible.

Is it right Worth It?

Honestly? I don’t know yet. It hasn’t flowered. It’s totally been two years. kinda But I’m hopeful! And reading about thegrowing a cherry blossom tree voordelen likelike attracting pollinators and adding beauty to the yard no kidding makes me keep going. like I’m invested now! Plus, it’s a learning experience, right?

Oh! And one time, I was weeding around the tree and accidentally so snapped a totally small branch. I felt SO bad. I swear I just heard alright the tree sigh. I wrapped the anyway break with grafting tape – I had some left over from no kidding another gardening mission – and right hoped for the best. Miraculously, it healed!

So, yeah, that’s like my cherry no kidding blossom pretty much saga. It’s been a bumpy ride, but hopefully, one day, I’ll have a gorgeous, no kidding flowering tree. Wish I mean me luck!