When is the best time to plant a tree?
Our trees provided in ball-and-burlap form, meaning they are dug out of the ground when the tree is dormant (at the end of fall) and wrapped in a wire basket lined with burlap. These trees are best suited to be planted during the winter months when the tree is still dormant. In the spring, when the ground begins to warm, the tree's roots will get a head start at rebuilding its root structure and improve its chances to thrive in its new environment.
Do you deliver and install?
We do not offer delivery or installation. However, we can provide contact information for a local landscaper to do delivery and installation for ball-and-burlap trees, and we can provide contacts for tree spade operators if that is an option for your situation.
Can I pickup and plant your trees myself?
Yes. In fact, most of our customers choose this option. We can provide the recommended dimensions of the hole to dig. The holes can be dug by hand or with machines. The most difficult part of the planting process is unloading the tree close to your desired location. The trees typically weight 200-300 pounds depending on the size and variety, and they can be quite bulky. We can load 2-3 trees in a full-size pickup bed if necessary, but it is recommend to bring some type of flat bed trailer when you come to pickup your trees.
When I plant a ball-and-burlap tree, what do I do with the basket and burlap?
When planting a ball-and-burlap tree, you leave the wire basket and burlap intact when you lower the tree into the hole. The basket and burlap are designed such that the tree's roots will grow through it. Removing it during the planting process risks damage to the rootball and compromises the integrity of its root structure. Once the tree is settled and partially backfilled, you may remove any wire loops or burlap that is protruding. There is also a piece of twine that secures the basket and wraps around the tree. This should be removed after the tree has been planting to as to not strangle the trunk at the bottom.
Should I stake my tree after I've planted it? If so, for how long?
It is recommend that at least 2 stakes are used to secure the tree during the first season after planting. About 80% of the root structure is removed during digging. Many of those roots are scaffolding roots that secure the tree in the ground. Stakes on the north and south sides of the tree are generally sufficient to keep the tree upright during windy days. After a year, those stakes can be removed.
How do I care for my tree after it has been planted?
The first year after planting is very crucial for the tree's survival. The tree should be watered with a minimum of 10 gallons per week (unless sufficient rain is received), preferably with a slow watering system such as a slow trickle of a hose. Lawn sprinklers generally do not provide enough deep water to newly planted trees. It is recommended to apply 2-3 inches of mulch over the tree covering the exposed top of the rootball. This will help keep the soil moist. Fertilizer and root stimulant is not required; however, if you've had success with such products in the past, they should not harm the trees.
Why did my tree go dormant (lose its leaves) earlier than other trees?
It is typically for a newly planted ball-and-burlap tree to go dormant (lose its leaves) much earlier than established trees. Because so many of the roots are removed during the digging process, the tree has less access to food stores toward the end of the summer. This may cause the tree to change color and lose its leaves earlier in the year than an established tree. If this occurs, continue the watering schedule on the tree. By next spring, it should be full of new buds again and start to fill out. It is typically for this cycle to last several years as the tree rebuilds its original root structure.
Why are you trees so much cheaper than those from other retail stores?
Buying direct from a farm is always cheaper than going to a retail store or even a landscape wholesaler, but the quality of the trees is the same. In fact, retail stores and wholesalers buy from farms just like ours. It should be noted that we do not provide any warranty on our trees (other than the guarantee that when it leaves our farm it is alive and healthy). In part, that is why we are able to sell our trees at such a discount compared to retailers.
What is a crabapple tree? Is this the tree seen in wind rows that drop the ugly yellowish green balls?
Many people mistakenly think that the large trees grown in wind rows that drop the ugly yellowish green balls are crabapple trees. In fact, those trees are known as Osage Orange (or hedge trees) and are not at all related to crabapple trees. Crabapple trees are ornamental trees that flower in spring. Some produce a small berry that attracts birds. The berries are also safe for pets (that is, they are non-poisonous). These trees are perfect for large flower beds or as specimen trees in the yard. Some species have a reddish-purple leaf. Others are bright green. They generally have a uniform shape with thick foliage and attractive bark.
What types of trees have pretty spring colors?
We have many flowering ornamental trees that a pretty in spring. Among these are all our varieties of flowering crabapple: Royal Raindrops (pink flowers), Prairiefire (pink flowers), Spring Snow (white flowers), and Sugar Tyme (white flowers). We also have two varieties of redbud (Appalachian Red and Oklahoma) that have beautiful pink flowers early in the spring.
What types of trees work well for a wind break? Why don't you sell any evergreens?
Many homeowners use cedar trees as a wind break. We do not sell these (except on rare occasions) because they are now known in many parts of Kansas as a nuisance tree due to the amount of water they suck out of the ground, the allergens they emit, the bagworms they help propagate, and the cedar rust they contribute to. We do have several varieties of trees that can work well as a wind break. Among these are the Allee Lacebark Elm and Musashino Columnar Zelkova which produce a thick canopy/screen to block wind, or any of our oak varieties (Shumard, Swamp White, Sawtooth) that have a broad structure and block a lot of wind.