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Small Cabin Forum / Useful Links and Resources / Where to get trees cheap
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cobra grover
# Posted: 1 Dec 2012 19:35
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We have been working on clearing a site for a future cabin and we would like to plant some evergreen trees around the borders for some additional privacy, especially in the winter when all the leaves fall. From what I can find the government does not give them away anymore. Where is the best place to get some seedlings from?

naturelover66
Member
# Posted: 1 Dec 2012 20:17
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the Arbor day Foundation........ they are inexpensive and will ship them to you.

neb
Member
# Posted: 1 Dec 2012 20:24
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County Extension Dept. in your area is a place to start. I have done this in the area I live and tree's are 1.50 or so for one tree. This would be another option for you. It may be an AG service you have in the County or State you are from. This is the time of year to see if they have a program. I have ordered about this time of year when I did it.

groingo
Member
# Posted: 1 Dec 2012 20:41
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Depending on the size of your property, maybe transplant from nearby.

Rob_O
# Posted: 1 Dec 2012 23:25
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Find your state nursery. In my state I can get 100 seedlings for about $80 delivered

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 00:13
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Cobra Grover, what is your location and elevation? Why types of trees do you have now, ie conifers, etc.

A wholesale nursery, check out:
http://www.henslernurseryindiana.com/wholesale-nursery/2012-catalog/

I see Douglas Fir, if you buy 20-90, .65 cents each, if you buy 100-390, >45 and over 400 is .31 cents each.

You want to get bare root seedlings. They will have no soil on the roots, be wrapped up in moist newspaper for shipping. But you dont want to plant them now.

When you do plant, make sure no air in on the roots, fill it in well, pack in in so there is no voids in the soil, leave a dip around the bast, this tends to draw in water rather than shed it away and a smidge of miracle grow plant food around the drip line, very small amount. Make sure your PH is right for these. If you are planting native species, that is a non issue.

I have purchased many seedlings. Including Colorado blue spruce, they didnt do so well. Suspect to warm in the summer at my place. I also rounded up acorn from western white oaks (September is when they fall off the tree, move fast, every animal and varmint eats these things, so they disappear quick). Mine (white oaks) didnt make it, soil PH was off.

cobra grover
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 01:23
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I'm in Southern Indiana. The property is within the Hoosier National Forest that's why I thought there might be some sort of gov. program to take advantage of. Hilly in the area but no real elevation like you are referring to. I was thinking white pines would do well but I'm not sure how quickly they grow. It's a long term plan really.

OwenChristensen
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 09:31
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Here in MN there is a group that is promoting White pine planting. I assume they have good program for that.
You must watch out for White pines, as the deer eat them. Reds are easier. Don't plant Scotch.

Rob_O
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 10:27
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Quoting: cobra grover
I'm in Southern Indiana


I happen to have that info handy

Click here for the ordering instructions for the Indiana state nursery

You can get seedling for about 50 cents each, delivered

cobra grover
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 10:43
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Thanks Rob, that's exactly what I needed.
I'll check out the Red Pines Owen, I know you have a little experience with trees.

TheWildMan
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 11:33
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a forest, depending on what will grow (trees don't just grow anywhere, they have soil and water limits-you may plant trees that simply will not survive at your place, I have been called out to help people who can't figure out why the trees they got at a nuresury are all dead, they insist its a disease but they planted wetland trees in dry soil)

the cheapest thing to do is find someone with similar topograghy to your place who has a lot of trees already growing, and ask if you can transplant some. around here white cedar grow in dense groups and i have seen stands of them cover over 40 acres. people who have an area like this are often willing to let you transplant a few.

Rob_O
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 11:55
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Happy to help.

If you need any hardwoods or red cedars, come on down to Louisville and you can have as many as you're willing to dig up

cobra grover
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:07
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Thanks Rob, that's exactly what I needed.
I'll check out the Red Pines Owen, I know you have a little experience with trees.

cobra grover
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:12
Reply 


Looks like Red Pines are recommended in Central and Northern Indiana. White Pine and Virginia Pine seem to be the thing in the southern part of the state.

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:21
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Quoting: cobra grover
It's a long term plan really.

Truer words have never been spoken. Cobra you must be a young fella.

Agreed that the safest bet is to plant more of what's already there, planting other trees can be a waste of your time. You can waste years tending a tree that doesn't want to be there. Or tending to 50 trees that don't want to be there. (Like me and my huckleberries....)

cobra grover
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:39
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No, not young. Maybe my kids (grown) will see them mature.

Anonymous
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:49
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You really should contact your county extension office. They will be able to give you the correct guidance - for free! Here is a list of indiana county extension offices: http://www.extension.purdue.edu/anr/field/fs/countyoffices2.html

Also, the pines now growing all over the Hoosier National Forest are not native. They were planted to stop erosion after the area was mostly clear cut in the last century. That area of the state was originally native hardwood forest - predominately oak and hickory.

TheWildMan
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 12:53
Reply 


depending on how good a gardener you are you can get a tree to grow faster. foresters manage forests with thinning (logging) that creates optimum conditions for the trees they don't remove, the extra light and water will increase growth rates. open grown trees will be stunted (not needing to get bigger/faster) but trees too dense will be crowding each other in fierce competition for light, too many trees rresults in them dying of starvation (basicly what happens), controling a balance between them you can get trees to grow up to 4 times as fast.

white pine (as discussed above) would be a reasonable option, they grow in a lot of places in the US and canada, get a local seed source though (southern white pines wont grow in the northern part of their range and vice versa). planted right they can grow to 10 or 15 feet in just a couple years (for the privacy mentioned).

Montanan
Member
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 13:13
Reply 


Thanks for all of the great information here. We want to diversify on our property, as there is a lot of beetle kill in our area. We are fortunate thus far and don't have too much on our acreage but we want to be proactive, especially in the area between our cabin and the road. So we're looking for evergreens that are not attacked by the pine beetles.

Rob_O
# Posted: 2 Dec 2012 13:13
Reply 


cobra grover


Click the link I provided and open the PDF order form. The first page of that order form will have the name and contact info for the state forester for your area.

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