Tuesday, March 19, 2024

This spring, new life for the mucky tree well that smells like dead things on Avenue A

Prologue 
Text and photos by EVG

Since last summer, the tree well on Avenue A just south of Sixth Street has been a mucky cesspool of stagnant water, soggy bread, and other snacks for pigeons adjacent to the block-long Con Edison substation. 

On warm days, when the winds are just right, you can smell the fragrant pit nearly a block away — an aroma that smells like decaying rodents, sewer water, and stale bread.
Despite the muck, life found a way last summer ... 
On Dec. 31, we noticed something remarkable: someone had tilled the plot, turning the earth and providing hope. And after the most recent MulchFest in Tompkins Square Park in January, someone even put down a fresh bed of chips. 

We've never seen anyone drop off the pigeon smorgasbord, but we haven't spotted the person (or people?) tending to the plot either. 

Until last week. 

Hope Springs Eternal
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Last week, you may have noticed that someone had been giving the mucky tree well some TLC. I spotted East Village artist Siobhan Meow working here with a shovel and asked her about the project. 

"I decided to adopt a tree well!" she said. 

She has named it the Noel Reed Memorial Tree Pit after her friend Noel Reed, aka Leon Deer, aka Mr. Twilight, "who died much too young." He was a dancer with the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and worked for Con Edison as a welder. 
"I noticed last summer that this amazing cornstalk is growing here. Just the one cornstalk. And then when it was gone, it smelled so bad here in the summer," she said. "All the pigeons…there was so much pigeon guano, which is really good for plants."

Carrying a shovel from her garden, she said, "I turned it over, added some compost from my rooftop garden, some soil from an abandoned outdoor restaurant shack planter, and then a layer of Christmas tree shavings, mulch from the park." 

What does she see for the tree pit? "Shrubs only. Nothing over 12 feet tall. I'd love to see a pussy willow in there. But don't feel too precious about what you put in it. It needs earthworms, too. Nightcrawlers. The best worms."

She's putting out an open call for plants, hoping someone will donate roses or shrubbery. "I don't want to be too controlling," she said
She plans to maintain the pit to be more "civically conscious and to get some exercise."

Epilogue
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15 comments:

  1. GebMarch 19, 2024 at 7:46 AM

    Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. BrianMarch 19, 2024 at 8:57 AM

    Thank you for being a kind neighbor. It has a nice tree guard. But easily accessible by dogs on one side. People will use this for their dogs to stomp on, pee and poop in. And people with throw garbage and garbage may blow in there too. Good luck, sometimes these things work out well for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  3. billMarch 19, 2024 at 9:07 AM

    To the person who puts bread crumbs there, please stop. It attracts birds, who then defecate in this area. I've been hit by twice by this s**t.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DuchessofNYCMarch 19, 2024 at 9:52 AM

    Thank you Siobahn!! Meow!!

    NY Restoration has a tree giveaway in April but not sure if they are coming to the East Village: https://www.nyrp.org/en/get-involved/tree-giveaways/

    But Loisaida Center is giving a talk on tree pit care on Thursday:
    https://2024.open-data.nyc/event/ecolibrium-healthy-soil-healthy-trees-healthy-city/

    ReplyDelete
  5. arts+projectsMarch 19, 2024 at 10:20 AM

    Thank you Siobhan Meow! You are brave and wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. NeighborMarch 19, 2024 at 10:26 AM

    Love this. Wish whoever keeps feeding the rats and sky rats would just stop.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lola SáenzMarch 19, 2024 at 10:56 AM

    Siobhan Meow, it looks good and ready, Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. SonyaMarch 19, 2024 at 11:01 AM

    Knee-high shrubs on the perimeter would keep dogs out--Siobhan is on the right track.

    ReplyDelete
  9. BabsMarch 19, 2024 at 12:42 PM

    Thank you Siobhan Meow. Please, be controlling! Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  10. rowlandMarch 19, 2024 at 2:51 PM

    I call it... Gerald Field.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Eden BeeMarch 19, 2024 at 9:02 PM

    I love Siobhan Meow.

    ReplyDelete
  12. XTCMarch 19, 2024 at 9:42 PM

    Much as I'd like, Buddleia (butterfly bush) might be too precious. As many species are cold hardy I think I'd go with a big clump of bamboo for a more dramatic look and year round interest.

    ReplyDelete
  13. An EVerMarch 22, 2024 at 10:19 PM

    Awwww. This is lovely. Check in with LUNGS or Green Guerillas and see if they can connect you with free plantings. Also for peeps criticizing the tree guard..This is an example of a legal tree guard. Yep, there are regulations even if some don't adhere to them. Must be open on curb side and start one foot from the curb, check out the parks dept. So dog owners, just keep the dogs out. They kill plants.

    ReplyDelete
  14. CaraMarch 23, 2024 at 1:35 PM

    Siobhan Meow is an inspiration, what a sweet memorial as well. Great post

    ReplyDelete
  15. Scuba DivaMarch 30, 2024 at 9:38 AM

    Unfortunately, I notice people are still throwing bread there; I'd love to fine them for littering.

    ReplyDelete

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