“Dear PoPville,
I woke up this morning to see what’s in the attached pictures. It looks like sawdust around the base of the tree and also some just inside the retaining wall of my front yard.
Do you think any of your readers may have an idea of what’s going on?”
Uh – oh, termites? Renegade mulcher? Anyone know for sure?
From a DDOT Press release:
To prevent the notoriously unpleasant odor of the popular ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) from overtaking city streets, the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry Administration (DDOT Trees) will begin spraying the unsavory smelling female ginkgo fruits tonight. DDOT Trees will use the same spray that has been used for the past several years, Shield-3EC 24(C).
Spraying will begin in Wards 1, 2 and 6, where female ginkgo trees are most prevalent, and continue through Wards 4, 3, 7, 8 and 5. Spraying will occur overnight for the next few nights and there is no need to move vehicles parked on streets.
For additional information please contact DDOT Trees at 202-671-5133.
Matt lamented this unpleasantness a couple of years ago. Anyone notice the smell this year?
“Dear PoP,
I’ve got a bit of a neighbor dilemma, and am hoping your readers should shed some light on the situation.
I live next to two elderly ladies — we have a cordial relationship that I would like to maintain. Their son (let’s call him Sam) visits every couple of weeks and tends to things around the house. We also have a good relationship. Last year when the city went around and planted trees, a tree was placed in the tree box in front of their house. A few weeks later, I noticed the top of the tree had been cut off (effectively killing it.) Another one of my neighbors (no longer lives on the block) mentioned Sam had killed the tree. I was perhaps a bit peeved, but no big deal I suppose.
Now this year roles around and the city once again plants a tree in the tree box in front of my neighbors’ house. Yesterday I am in my back yard gardening and Sam mentions that he plans on killing off the tree. He notes that he generally hates trees and is convinced that the tree will eventually damage the water intake pipes to the house. I uneasily suggest that he should not do this. But. admittedly, I don’t press him. Today I am leaving for work and find he has once again decapitated a city planted tree (see picture attached.)
What should I do? Should I do anything? Who would technically enforce this type of violation? I have had disappointing experiences with the DC Department of Forestry in the past, so I’m not sure they would be of any help. I’m not sure talking to him will do much good, if he is convinced that this tree was going to be ruinous for his future inheritance. Also, if I do ‘tattle’ I am certain he will know it is me. Is it worth it to kill this relationship over a tree?”
It’s very rare that I’m speechless after receiving an email – but I am stone cold speechless. I am genuinely eager to see what others think because quite frankly I’m unable to give helpful advice that is not skewed by the emotions I have after seeing the above photo. For those who give advice – obviously there is an emotional reaction – but try to keep in mind that the reader needs to maintain neighborly relations. Keeping that in mind – what would you do in this situation?
I love how this one (red bud?) also buds right off the trunk:
I told you I spotted a lot of interesting trees this week. Both of these are from the Capitol grounds but I thought the one below was especially cool due to the dedication:
I happened to notice a lot of very cool trees this weekend but this was one of my favorites.
As many predicted it was a truly bizarre weather weekend but I think we scored on Sat. There were great blooming trees all over the city. I saw more spectacular than this one but I was amazed by how they were training the trunk to curve. Very cool.
If you get any good shot be sure to upload them to the PoPville flickr pool here.
And below’s wild contrast of snow and the cherry blossoms is from PoPville flickr user schmiddi:
I told you I saw some sweet ones this week. Which one do you think is more impressive – this one or the one from Monday? This one is from Mt. Pleasant.
I got some good ones from all over town but this one from Shaw might be my favorite.
Back in July the owner of Haydee’s had the tree cut down after an apparent miscommunication of whether or not it was actually legal to do so. Thanks to a reader for sending in the shot above of the newly planted tree in front of Haydee’s at 3102 Mount Pleasant Street NW.