This becomes important when hundreds or thousands of seedlings are planted. Older, larger seedlings often require a shovel or a post-hole digger and more time and work. Some Districts rent planting bars for a nominal fee. These bars are often sold at hardware stores. Smaller seedlings can be quickly planted using a planting bar. The first number indicates the age of the seedling, two years or three years, in this example. Seedlings might have the coding “2-0” or “3-1”. The older seedlings are larger, have better survival potential, but are a bit more expensive and can be more difficult to plant. The seedlings are usually available in different sizes and ages. The moist spring soil helps roots recover from being “pulled” from the nursery beds. The spring seedling programs sell mostly “bare root” stock. Keep in mind that planting only a few apple trees is a different deal than dozens (or more) of conifers or hardwoods. Some Districts have a second round of tree seedling sales, using containerized stock, for the fall planting season. Orders are prepared by District employees and volunteers, then distributed from one or two locations within a county, on a spring date that is printed in the catalogues and on the District websites. Most nurseries are geared-up for larger economies of scale. However, the advantage of buying through a Conservation District is that it’s nearby, the dollars support local conservation efforts and trees can be bought in smaller quantities. The Michigan DNR maintains a list of seedling nurseries. Of course, forest owners can buy directly from a tree nursery, which may be a good idea when thousands of seedlings are needed for reforestation. If your county doesn’t have such a seedling program, then maybe the next county does. Tree seedling sales are an important fundraiser for many Districts. They have elected boards and are usually grant-driven. Most counties are served by a Conservation District ( ), which is an organization that tries to serve local conservation needs. Ordering sooner, rather than later, is a good idea if you have a site ready for spring planting. The stock is sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Nevertheless, that’s when most of Michigan’s Conservation Districts distribute and post their catalogues. Buying tree seedlings may not be on the top of the “to-do” list during the middle of winter.
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