Newly Coppiced Tree
Last Monday, May 16, I vowed to kill my long-languishing Meyer Lemon tree.
And then I didn’t. Instead, I agreed to give the tree another chance after my husband confessed that he “loved that tree” (news to me!). Several readers also wrote notes of protest. The weirdest reason not to carry out my plan came from my daughter, Sara, who called to tell me that May 16 is “National Love a Tree Day.” Who thinks this stuff up?
I granted the tree clemency. Its reprieve included adding more soil, applying different fertilizer and coppicing the poor thing. I really like the word “coppice.” It sounds so medieval, and it is. Here’ what it means:
Coppicing is an English term for a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stump or roots if cut down….Coppicing maintains trees at a juvenile stage and a regularly coppiced tree will never die of old age.
Who knew there exists a non-sci-fi method by which a living thing reverts to its juvenile stage and will never die of old age. On the other hand, who wants to be a juvenile again or, on the other hand, live forever?
Have a good week.
