Getting trees- affordably???

1sttimemom · #1 06/14/12, 10:24 PM

We could really use more trees around the yard. We need shade, windbreaks, and fruit too. We have bought at end of season previously and got 2 nice apple trees which just started bearing fruit last year (got one huge apple). We planted a nice pricey maple in front yard for shade and decor and it didn't do well at all & finally died. Also bought several juniper "twigs" from county extension and a few survived the winter. But they are still only about 10 inches tall. We just bought another apple and pear from walmart, marked down from $25 to $10. Are in reasonable shape & good sized. Had some damage from horrible wind storm but I think are re-hab material.

So how do you all acquire assorted trees for your place. Getting trees of any decent size is sooo expensive and then with the death rate...Any ideas for affordable fast growing shade trees for dry windy north east colorado?

bajiay · #2 06/14/12, 11:14 PM

I was in Costco last week and they had some beautiful trees. A big variety even. Prices I saw were in the 20-30 range. Good luck!

vicker · #3 06/15/12, 12:11 AM

Check with your State Forestry Office. Many states have a nursery where they grow seedling that are sold in bundles. Usually early fall or spring is the time to plant. They usually also have a good selection of varieties that will do well in your area and provide things like lumber, pulpwood or wildlife food. Bargain basement prices to boot. You should be able to find them on the internet.

vicker · #4 06/15/12, 12:13 AM

Here ya go P

Seedling Tree Nursery - Colorado State Forest Service - Colorado State University

Wow, y'all have a great selection too! Look for the order form and check out the selection and really cheap prices.

flewism · #5 06/15/12, 02:49 AM

State soil conservation dept sells tree here, and we bought 200 to 300 each of the first three years we had our vacant farmers field.

DW · #6 06/15/12, 07:24 AM

We have some huge cottonwoods...all came f/Eaton Grove in Eaton, CO...not sure where you are located.

lemonthyme7 · #7 06/15/12, 07:31 AM

Ditto the conservation office. Every year our county conservation office has a tree sale and the prices are very reasonable for a large amount of trees. Of course they are smaller than what you would get from a nursery or big box store but in some cases that is a good things as they haven't been sitting around in a pot or bundled for a lengthy time.

**Cabin Fever** · #8 06/15/12, 07:55 AM

In our state, the county Soil and Water Conservation Districts have a spring tree sale. Not sure if you have SWCDs in CO.

Scott SW Ohio · #9 06/15/12, 08:00 AM

We transplant trees that spring up in the fencerows or planting beds. If you dig out enough of the roots, stake the tree and keep it watered they usually make it. We have transplanted up to six footers.

Silvercreek Farmer · #10 06/15/12, 08:10 AM

You can order bare root fruit tree whips (12-18 inches tall, 1/4-1/2 inch caliper or so) Pretty cheap ($5-10) from several mail order catalogs, (Willis, Summerstone), just be warned that they do not know anything more about the trees than what is on the website, you will several years behind a proper nursery tree, and service is spotty at best. But out of my 12 trees or so I ordered from Willis 3 years ago, all but one are still alive, they replaced that one, but the replacement died as well. However, it was a walnut tree, which I don't believe like to transplanted in the first place but the fact they cut the taproot short certainly doesn't help! I've also bought economical fruit trees from the local grocery store that stocks them as a special item in the spring, and a local wholesale nursery that will sell to individuals if you make an appoitment.

Pony · #11 06/15/12, 08:13 AM

The most important thing to remember, whether you're planting a well-grown tree or saplings, is to baby them like crazy for the first couple of years. ESPECIALLY those stubby little saplings you get from the DNR or conservation office.

The work up-front will carry the tree through hard times ahead.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #12 06/15/12, 08:19 AM

i get them thru the boy scouts , but i think they get them thru the arbor day foundation arborday.org

i get oaks and and a number of others they usually pick 10 then we all say how many of each of those we want and pay then when the order comes in they divide it up and call us to pic up our trees

when you get bare root trees , if you put them in compost it helps
i like to dig a extra large hole then add a wheel barrow of compost then get the roots down in and spread out in the compost then back fill with the dirt and make a nice dish to hold water then put wood chips around , then stake with 2-3 t-posts support with rope or webbing then water regular every few days for a month or two

in many places it is necessary to use those 3 t-posts with a wrap of wire fencing around them to keep the animals from grazing them , deer like the tender branches in spring, and rabbits will eat the back of fruit trees in the winter , you can also paint the first few feet of a fruit tree with white paint , it keeps things from eating at the bark and the tree form getting sun and wind damaged in the winter.

dlskidmore · #13 06/15/12, 08:37 AM

Trees for Sale at the Arbor Day Tree Nursery
Hardwood Tree Seedlings|walnut|oak|ash|aspen|birch|cherry|maple
Tree grower of quality seedlings and transplants

The more trees you get at once, the cheaper they are. If you have a post hole digger and a large supply of compost you can prep a large number of temporary holes in a nursery field where they will be easier to tend, then move them where you want them when they're a little more mature.

I got a bunch of hawthorn a couple years ago. Hubby double dug a trench with cow manure in the bed, and then there were a few extras "temporarily" stuck in the garden. Those ones in the garden really took off, and are maybe twice as tall as their brothers.

MichaelK! · #14 06/15/12, 08:50 AM

Nobody here has mentioned starting their own trees from seed. I've started apples, peaches, pears, apricots, chestnuts, pistachios, almonds, oak, and locust from seed. I've also dug up seedlings that sprouted up under mature trees in public areas. Have several nice California Black Walnuts that were initially dug up. Willows, figs, grapes, ect can be propagated via cuttings.

I use the fruit seed for grafting stock. I let the seedlings get pencil thick, then I graft known varieties onto them. You usually don't want to let seedlings bear fruit directly, because they're not likely to produce anything especially edible.

If you are collecting seeds from local trees, you're a step ahead because they're already adapted to your area. For exotics though, the suggestions given above are good. BTW, some seeds need treatment to sprout. Carob seed needs scarification with sandpaper to sprout. Locusts need soaking in hot (near boiling) water. Most nuts need winter vernilization. The internet can provide more information on propagting individual species.

jwal10 · #15 06/15/12, 09:47 AM

I have seen a lot of young trees at Bi-Mart here, $9.99, about 6' tall. Fruit and shade trees in the spring....James

mitchell3006 · #16 06/15/12, 09:52 AM

Go to your local Lowes, Home Depot, or whatever else you may have of the "big-box" type home improvement stores. Head to the garden center and meet the department manager. Ask if they have any fruit trees/ soft fruit brambles marked down. Let them know that you are inerested in stocking your yard and will be willing to take the culls at a reduced price. Better a loss than nothing. Give them your phone number. I have bought 6 plums, 7 peaches, 5 apples, 9 pears, 8 figs, as well as numerous blackberry and rasberry canes. She called the other day with with blueberry plants at 1/3 retail. The employees forgot to water while she was on vacation so the leaves were burned and wilted. No way to sell them but I can rejuvinate them and now have a nice little batch of blueberries!

bergere · #17 06/15/12, 04:04 PM

Do not buy from the Arbor Day foundation. Their stock is junk and where they state trees like the Leyland's as seedlings, they are not, they are branch grafts and won't live.
Save yourself frustration and money.

I have very good luck with the place below, with Leyland and Murray's. Yes, I bought the small ones but boy are they growing like gang busters!
Leyland Cypress Alternatives - Murray Cypress

Also seen some pretty good prices for this area at Lowes.

Wish you were closer to Portland Oregon. Can tell you of a great place to get really large discounted trees, at a plant outlet in Scappoose. That place is a tree lovers dream! LOL
Oh and in St Helen's Oregon, once a year in March, the Forestry people sell trees at a big discount.

Mike in Ohio · #18 06/17/12, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

The most important thing to remember, whether you're planting a well-grown tree or saplings, is to baby them like crazy for the first couple of years. ESPECIALLY those stubby little saplings you get from the DNR or conservation office.

The work up-front will carry the tree through hard times ahead.

Too true Pony. I get most of my tree (seedlings) from local Soil and Water Conservation Districts. I start them in pots the first few years. I currently have a bunch of mulberrys, pawpaws, butternuts, northern pecans, persimmons, silky dogwoods, hazelnuts, sugar maples, rasberries, elderberries, blue spruce and scotch pines. About 200+ various in pots

We water them daily and sometimes twice a day - It's been hot and dry this year. We fertilize regularly. After a year or two we plant in the field and depending on what it is we circle with field fencing to keep deer from munching them.

Mike

dlskidmore · #19 06/17/12, 09:26 PM

Around here, getting roots in the ground eliminates much of the water stress. Stuff it pots dehydrates much faster than stuff in the ground. I even bury pots when I want to keep something contained...