Trees and shrubs are the most essential part of our home landscape. Invest wisely by obtaining good, healthy plants which are well adapted to this area. Whenever possible, buy your trees and shrubs from local nurseries. They will be familiar with the plants and have the varieties best suited for our area. Trees and shrubs purchased from other areas of the country may be tender and entirely unsuited to local conditions.

Trees and shrubs are available in sizes varying from seedlings to large trees. The size of a tree or shrub at planting often affects it's ability to become established and produce a healthy plant. For practical and economic reasons, buy medium sizes of trees and shrubs since they recover quicker from transplanting shock and become established faster than larger plants.

Bare-root plants are the most economical to buy, but the most difficult to store and get established. Care is necessary to protect these plants until planting time. Keep moist material around the roots and store in a cool place until you are ready to plant. Plant bare-root trees and shrubs in early spring before growth begins. You may wish to place their roots in a pail of water for a few hours before planting.

Balled and burlapped (B & B) plants are dug with a ball of soil. Evergreens are commonly sold in this manner. Balled and burlapped material is very expensive to ship, but much easier to get establish than bare-root trees.

Potted nursery stock is plant material which has been purchased bare-root by the nurseries and potted up for resale. You can plant potted stock throughout the growing season. Remove the container and take care to maintain the root ball at planting time.

Container grown trees and shrubs have been grown in a container for at least a year. The soil is usually well bound by a dense root system, making transplanting an easy task. Always remove containers before planting.

"Instant trees" include large sized plants moved by a machine. Large non-evergreen trees are best moved in early spring before growth starts. Hardy species can also be moved in fall at leaf drop. Large evergreens are also best moved in early spring but spruce and pine can successfully moved in late August or September. Remember if the tree mover is large enough and the tree small enough, it can be moved any time.

This page was last updated April 2003

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