Your Tree Care Answers

1. What kind of trees will be sent?
2. What kind of soil should I use?
3. Where should I plant my tree seedling?
4. Why instructions call for digging up a large hole for such a small seedling?
5. Should I fertilize?
6. It's getting very cold outside. Should I bring my seedling indoors?
7. The ground is frozen. What should I do with my seedling?
8. Planting Instructions for your tree seedlings

What kind of trees will be sent?

Your tree seedling was specially selected for your area. The following are the various species we will send:

Afghan Pine (sent to very warm, dry climates)
Full or partial shade a medium growing evergreen tree. Can grow up to 80 ft. tall and 30 ft. wide. Grows best in acidic, alkaline, loamy, sandy, well drained soil. Be very careful not to over water this tree type and mulch should be filled around and over the planting hole. This will reduce the possibility of your tree from drying out

Black Hills Spruce Has short blue-green needles; medium growth rate; prefers full to partial sun; does best in moist soils but is tolerant of a variety of soils; often grown for timber or wildlife. It is a tough tree for difficult sites and adapts to a variety of conditions including shade, drought, hot and cold.

Colorado Blue Spruce (sent to the majority of our states) The Colorado Blue Spruce, our most popular species, is a hardy, adaptable tree with short needles; slow growth rate; prefers full to partial sun; does best in moist, well drained soils, but is tolerant of other soils.

Loblolly Pine - Evergreen needles, 6 to 9 inches long, with (usually) three yellow-green needles per fascicle. A medium to large tree can reach well over 100 feet tall, self-prunes well and develops a fairly straight trunk and an oval, somewhat open crown. Grows on a wide variety of soils, but it grows best in moist, deep soils with fine-textured subsoils.

Meyer Spruce (sent only to our most Southern/warm states due to availability)
Originated in China the Meyer Spruce (Picea meyeri)  can withstand a wide range of temperatures.  Soft uniform blue-green color; slow growth rate; is tolerant of shade, tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is very drought tolerant. 

Norway Spruce - Has dark green draping branches; fast growth rate; prefers full to partial sun; does best in moist, well drained soils; often grown for timber, shelter belts, wildlife, and ornamentals.

Slash Pine - is a medium to large tree that reaches heights of 80' to 115' tall. It has crown characterized by a round top and "brooms" of needles at the ends of the branches. It grows in the infertile soils of sandhills, flatwoods, and near wet lowlands, such as swamps and ponds

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What type of soil should I use?

A soilless mixture is best. Also referred to as a sterile mix because it doesn't contain soil, which can contain bacteria and fungi that is harmful to seedlings and indoor plants. Click here for seedling care products

Garden soil tends to be heavy and begins to compact after several waterings. This compaction is especially hard on the tender roots of young seedlings just getting established.

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Where should I plant my tree seedling?

Be sure and select a location away from house foundations, driveways, sidewalks, power lines and foundation walls of any kind. Though your seedling is small now, it will eventually reach heights of 50 ft or more with annual growth at 6 to 12 inches. If you're undecided on where to plant your seedling, starting them in a pot for the first couple of years is acceptable.

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Why instructions call for digging up a large hole for such a small seedling?

It is important to make the hole wide because the roots on the seedling must push through surrounding soil in order to establish. Breaking up the soil in a large area around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to expand into loose soil to hasten establishment. Adding mulch acts as a blanket to hold moisture, it moderates soil temperature extremes, and it reduces competition from grass and weeds.

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Should I fertilize it?

The first year your tree is planted it is important to establish a good strong root system to support your tree seedling. Many fertilizers encourage the top of your tree to grow, not the roots. For that reason many experts recommend waiting until the second year to fertilize.

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It's getting very cold outside. Should I bring my seedling indoors?

Your seedling is "happiest" outdoors and requires 6 to 8 weeks of dormancy annually. By leaving it outdoors Mother Nature can provide just the right conditions for this to occur. If your seedling is in a pot and weather conditions are below zero, bring your seedling indoors. Potted tree seedlings do not have adequite insulation protecting the roots from freezing and ultimately killing them.

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The ground is frozen. What should I do with my seedling?

This time of year the tree seedling you received is dormant. This means that it has shut down for the winter and is not actively growing. If you have winter weather now, you have a couple of options to care for the seedlings until spring.

To hold the seedling for Spring planting: Carefully remove the plastic bag covering the roots and place entire seedling in a plastic bag that can be closed. Put a pin hole in the bag so the tree can "breathe". The seedling may now be kept in your refrigerator until early spring. Keep the root ball moist and the bag closed. Check every few weeks to make sure the seedling is not too moist (beginning to mold) or too dry. plant in early spring after ground thaws, following outside planting instructions.

OR

Follow indoor planting instructions.

Planting suggestions for your tree seedlings

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