As a final addition to the sidewalk work for the season, tree grates and cages were installed around the newly planted trees. These kind of tree protection grates are so much better for the trees (as opposed to the standard cement slabs and collars that are used in other places) as they let lots of water in. We are told this system is also outfitted for tubes that will be installed when the ground has thawed to allow for a hose to be slid in and water delivered deep into the planting medium.
The cages also provide much needed protection for the new trees to avoid stressing them in this critical time of growth. This is already a challenging environment for trees to grow in so anything we can do to improve their chances is well worth the effort.
