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Meet the Sugar Maple
New England’s Ubiquitous Beauty The most gracious and beautiful tree in New England is a mature sugar maple tree. Growing up to 90 feet tall and 300 years old, its leaves are luscious and green, and in fall, the leaves famously turn gorgeous shades of yellow and orange.
Late February and March are the best times to harvest the maple syrup sap from the trees. The trees are tapped to retrieve the sap, which is then boiled down into syrup. One sugar maple tree will produce enough sap to make 1 quart of syrup. So, if you’re looking to make syrup at home, one big tree will get you enough to share with the family over a few breakfasts. There are several modern cultivars of the native sugar maple. These cultivars are more tolerant of severe heat and cold and more resistant to aphid insects that suck the sap. You can choose from Apollo, Green Mountain Maple, Fall Fiesta, and many others. Each variation is just as beautiful as the original sugar maple and would make a wonderful addition to your front yard. The sugar maple is a majestic, strong-wooded choice for establishing a leafy canopy in your neighborhood.
It is ubiquitous in the Northeastern state forests and is Canada’s national tree, with the maple leaf adorning the flag. The sugar maple is one of three common species of maple in Connecticut, the others being Red Maple and Silver Maple. Transplanted trees are easy to establish and tolerant of shade or sun. The trunks are strong and dense, great for open, exposed yards and yard corners. There are many traditional uses of sugar maple wood, including premium furniture, butcher block, and high-end flooring and trim pieces.
HOW TO MAKE GARDENING A FAMILY ADVENTURE Green Thumbs in Training
Make space and plant together. After choosing your seeds, you must ensure your garden is ready to sustain life. Dedicate a section of your lawn or patio to your gardening efforts and start laying soil or filling your planters. Help your children transplant their seeds or young plants directly into the area. Now, put them in charge of caring for the plants by checking on and watering them. You may want to follow behind to ensure they aren’t over or under-watering. encouraging them to research their plants and track their growth. They can even look online to see how their plants should be developing. Soon enough, those fruits and vegetables will be ready to eat, and you should let your children pick anything ripe when possible. Seeing the fruits of their labor (literally) will make this experience even more enlightening and enjoyable for them. Make it fun and informative! You can get your kids more involved by
There’s nothing better than spending time with your kids outside, enjoying an entertaining, creative, and informative activity. But sometimes, these activities are hard to coordinate. Thankfully, gardening appeals to parents and kids from all walks of life. All you need is a dedicated area in your yard or patio and seeds, and you’re ready to get started. igniting your children’s interest in gardening. If you pick out the fruits, veggies, and flowers you want to grow and invite your kids to help plant, water, and pick, they may lose interest quickly. Instead, include them in the process from the get-go. Take them to the store and let them pick out seeds or plants. Encourage them to choose produce they already enjoy eating, making it even more fun for them! Just be sure their choices can grow in your area during the current season. Let your kids choose the plants. This is arguably the most crucial part of
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