Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

How to Plant a Tree

In honor of Los Angeles' plan to plant one million trees, here are instructions on planting a tree from a five gallon bucket. You will need a shovel and maybe a pick ax if your soil is hard also a big bag of potting soil.
1. Get tree, preferably one that will thrive in your climate. Talk to your local nursery for help in picking tree.
2. Dig a hole about twenty inches in circumference and twenty inches deep. Put your shovel alongside bucket grasp the handle at the top of the dirt line, and then stick the shovel in the hole to see if it is deep enough.
3. Pull tree out of bucket and place in hole, then mix potting soil with dirt from the hole and then pack around tree.
4. Create a berm using remaining dirt from hole and more potting soil around the tree to hold water. Pack the berm tightly so it will hold water.
5. Separate the steak attached to tree and discard. Drive in two larger stakes about one foot apart from tree on opposite sides. Be sure and place the stakes in the direction that the wind usually comes from.
6. Attach the tree to the two stakes using soft rubber making sure it does not bind against your young tree. You will need these stakes for about one year
7. Water immediately with about ten gallons of water, letting the water soak in.
It will take about five years for you to enjoy the shade your new tree will make, but you will take pride immediately in your knowledge that you have added to your neighborhood's green belt.

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