This week I gave a little TLC to one of the Lewes Urban Arboretum trees — a Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) planted a few years ago on a suburban green. Like many of our street trees, it has faced weeks of drought on thin, dusty soil, with only a thin scattering of old mulch left around its base.
Armed with two 35-litre Really Useful Boxes (each holding the equivalent of two buckets of water), a smaller bucket for pouring, a stool, and some tools, I set about giving it some attention.
- Weeding & tidying: I clipped weeds and long grasses, clearing competition around the trunk.
- Watering: Four buckets of water (around 40 litres) were trickled slowly into the soil — enough for a deep soak.
- Mulching: The old, dry mulch was loosened and refreshed, and I added two more buckets’ worth of wood chips to hold the moisture in place.
The Tulip Tree already looks the better for it. Tulip trees are beautiful but thirsty, and while an established specimen doesn’t usually need routine watering, a deep soak in drought can make all the difference.
This evening I’ll return with more mulch and widen the circle, so that it extends further towards the dripline. A broader ring not only locks in more moisture but also helps suppress competing grass.
Small, regular acts of care like this keep the Lewes Urban Arboretum thriving — turning street corners and verges into living, breathing assets for the town.
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