The Phantom Planter

 Turning the hood into a nature loving Buddhahood one tree at a time! I love it when people greet me in the estate with the peace symbol.  So many also that I chat too when saying goodbye they say peace and love... This is epic for me. As Big D says, if you think your too small to make a difference try sleeping in the same room as a mosquito! I love Belvoir estate South Belfast and the people in it.  Home of the Phantom Planters HQ.  Everyone in the estate has been so supportive and respectful of my mission. Its only with community support its grown like this. Thank you!  I challenge you to phantom plant a tree! Peace and love  The Phantom Planter and Wee Betty

 Got our first load of stones dropped yesterday for making some car parking spaces at our Lisnabreeny community orchard. We've a digger rented for Friday to get all this muddy patch along the fence dug out. We will then compress the stone along the fence creating a good few neat and tidy car parking spaces. So much to be done at Lisnabreeny this week and so much money needing spent also. I'm looking forward to getting the last of my oaks planted this week too.  Just recently The Phantom Planter has been taking up so much of my time and money. Its one of the reasons I've been putting out so many requests for donations. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't need it. January and February are the worst 2 months for my own business so I've been struggling a bit myself. The winter months are also the busiest for tree planting so more time has been going into The Phantom Planter than usual with less money coming in at the same time too. You can support us on any of the 2 li...

 That was the last of all my apple trees planted yesterday. Over 500 heritage Irish apple trees planted in the past few months! The last tree was a Franks Seedling variety from County Offaly, planted right down at the bottom of our Lisnabreeny orchard. Cant wait to watch them all come into leaf here very soon. We now have well over 600 heritage Irish apple trees at our Lisnabreeny community orchard. Now all I have left to plant is the iconic oak trees in our spiral which I will be planting this week. Looks like the weather is looking ok too so happy days. I have a about 10 potted oaks left to plant, from the Brian Boru oak to the Belvoir oak which is oldest oak in Ireland. Also have around another 20 batches of acorns germinating which were collected autumn past.  These ones I'm going to sow directly into the ground at the spiral and keep a close eye on them.  After this the Lisnabreeny site will be completely finished with tree planting. Who knows what I will be getting ...

 Busy day yesterday tidying up and pruning loads of fruit trees around the estates on council land.  Its important to take ownership of your trees on council land. And also important to give them a good tidy before the council grass cutters come out for their first cut of the year.  Loving the mistletoe on one of our trees. Mistletoe is very rare in Northern Ireland. Think this was a gift from the fairies!  Got the last 22 apple trees to plant today at our Lisnabreeny community orchard and that'll be the last for me for a while.  So much work to be done this week at our orchards would appreciate any support at all guys.  https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAJZHB3TBXMSL And if you cant support us I challenge you to phantom plant a tree  Peace and love  The Phantom Planter and Wee Betty

 Everything is slowly coming to life now. Love this type of willow I just planted a month or so ago. Me and wee Betty planted another 20 oak trees yesterday. I have about another 20 or so specialist oaks to be planted in the spiral and 22 heritage apple trees left to plant then that'll be my planting done for a bit. Well over a thousand trees I've planted in the past few months. The most I've ever planted in one season. We now have over 600 heritage Irish apple trees at our Lisnabreeny community orchard, now time just to sit back and watch them all come to life. Be part of some good vibes today guys and go and plant some trees, I challenge you... We need donations guys to help with the up keep of all our orchards. Would appreciate anything at all.  https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FAJZHB3TBXMSL Peace and love  The Phantom Planter and Wee Betty

 Was on a bit of a mission yesterday out round the country getting apple tree scions/cuttings from some heritage Irish orchards. Love the Lichens all over the apple trees behind me in the pic. I found a broken branch with loads of Lichens on it and I'm bringing it up to one of our orchards to see if it will spread. I think I heard before though that Lichens only grow in clean environments which is maybe the reason you dont see it too much on city apple trees. After we got our cuttings we went to Jampa Ling Buddhist Monastery to add some tree guards to trees I planted there a few weeks ago as I heard the place is full of Hares. Then as we were sitting getting our lunch this massive Hare just walked through the garden in the direction of the 7 apple trees I planted there. Was an amazing sight! Think I got there just in time!  Grafting season is coming up soon guys, right after the Spring Equinox (20th March) when nature pushes the life button and the sap starts to rise is the be...