Specimen Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood)

When your customers are looking for a large specimen tree, be sure you are prepared to handle it - knowing what's involved with transporting and planting a larger tree will make the job so much easier! For many of you this is just a review...but you may find one or two points you haven't thought about!

 1. Truck weight & bed capacity

Know your truck's weight limit and the length of the bed. Large trees come with heavy root balls - many weighing over 1,500 lbs. They can easily reach 18'+ including the rootball. Most likely some portion will hang over the end so make sure it only extends about 6' beyond the back of the gate/trailer.  Keep a red flag handy to tie onto the end-no sense in risking a fine.   

Don't forget - we deliver! We can get the tree to your site if you can't. 

(Friendly reminder: Deliveries are only to the driveway or roadside. We cannot drive it over to the planting site) 

2. Tarping

This is a must, even when its not fully leafed out. Winds dessicate tender buds early in the season, and will rapidly dry out any plant that is fully leafed out. If you forgot your tarp, you can purchase a lightweight Bempro tarp in the sales office. The bulldog tarps are a heavier duty, perfect for larger material and will last for years. Either one is fine - just make sure the material is covered. 

3.  Off-loading at Your Site

It's important to know the capabilities of your machine on site for off-loading and transporting it to the planting location. Can it handle the weight safely? Is there an unobstructed path to the site or do you have to traverse bluestone walkways or bring it over fences or walls? You may need straps to secure it during transport, and you may need to protect the trunk from machine damage - have some trunk wrap or burlap handy for this job.

4.  Planting

• Try to get it in the gound as soon as possible. If you have to wait make sure you have an adequate water supply. Remember, they receive daily irrigation at the nursery, so make sure you can provide that as well.   
• The size of the hole is often skimpt on with smaller material - but make sure its not with larger specimens! Dig only as deep as the rootball but TWICE as WIDE! Ammend soil with organic matter if necessary. Compacted soil from new construction is a good candidate for needing some peat moss or composted cow manure. Fill the hole part way with water to check the drainage.
• Before placing it in the hole find the tree's best face and orient it accordingly. Mark it with ribbon. It's much easier to turn the tree while on the ground than in the hole.
• Check for the root flare. Many tree plantings fail if planted too deeply. Sometimes extra soil is mounded around the trunk through the balling process so look for the actual root flare by opening up the burlap.
• Once in the hole and you are sure of proper placement, remove the top third of burlap. the bottom 2/3rds will naturally decompose over time. The larger material sometimes has a wire basket. Bend the top loops of the basket back and down. It is not, in our view, necessary to remove the wire basket. 
• Back-fill with good soil amended with a quality fertilizer ie. Healthy Start, Roots or Roots One Step for example...Ask your salesperson for help with deciding which is best for your specimen. When the hole is half way filled, water well to make sure air pockets are gone. Finish backfilling then water well again.  
• Mulch the area with about 3" of a good natural, undyed mulch. KEEP MULCH AWAY FROM TRUNK. DO NOT give it the 'Volcano Look'. See the Archived Weekly Picks  on this topic! 

5.   Staking - Sometimes it Is Necessary  

Most trees do not need staking, however, there are some cases which warrant some support for the tree:

• If the tree is very top heavy
• If it's planted on a steep slope
• If it's planted in a very windy location

If it is necessary to stake, use ie. Duckbill Tree Anchors (available as kits) or oak stakes and wire. Whichever you use, make sure you protect the trunk of the tree with something like a piece of old garden hose,  so the wire doesn't injure the bark.  

6. Watering

As with any newly planted material, but especially a larger specimen, the homeowner needs to be educated on proper watering. The new tree needs watering once a week over a long period of time - actually until it has become established, which can take more than a year in some cases. Set up a hose for them and instruct them on long, deep waterings. Don't let them rely on their irrigation system as it doesn't give the tree the deep soaking it needs. You could also set them up with a Gator-bag, just remind them to fill it weekly! Don't just rely on this method however, as nothing compares to using the hose. Remind them to have someone 'on call' if they are away for any length of time.  

So the next time your customers demand sizes that give instant gratification, review these 6 points and you'll be well prepared to handle those big trees!                                        

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Introductions Are in Order...

Neil, Corrine, Juan and Adrian

This season you'll be seeing some new faces out in our Newtown Sales Yard. First we'd like to welcome Neil who has joined our sales team. He has 20+ years of experience in the Green Industry after getting his degree in Horticulture from UCONN. He has experience  both in wholesale nurseries and landscaping. A great guy with a lot of expertise!   

Corrine (pronounced 'cor-EEN') also comes from a wholesale background (11 years) and owning her own landscaping business (12 years). Her specialties are perennials, including annuals and tropicals! She is also well versed in trees and shrubs. Need perennial and container advice? She's the one to ask! 

Juan and Adrian have worked for many years in landscaping and in retail nursery yards. Very likely they'll be helping to load your larger material. 

We're excited to start off this season with a great team! Make sure you say hi and get to know them - they're anxious to help you out!

Magnolia grandiflora 'Alta' (Southern Magnolia)

Some beautiful material arrived this week - take a look!

Trees & Shrubs
Acer palmatum 'Orido Nishiki',  'Red Dragon', 'Shaina', 'Sharp's Pygmy', 'Tsuma gaki'
A. shirasawanum 'Aureum' (Fullmoon Maple) 6gal. & 20gal.

Azaleas - 'Aphrodite', 'Conversation Piece', 'Delaware Valley White', 'Johanna', 'Macrantha', 'Pleasant White', 'Rene Michelle' and more.
Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' (Variegated Kousa Dogwood) 5-6'
Fagus grandifolia (American Beech) 2"
Fagus sylvatica (European Beech) 'Purple Fountain', 'Red Obelisk'

Fothergilla gardenii 3-4' (Dwarf Fothergilla)

Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) 'Chi Chi'  which grows to about 5' and 'Mariken' a very slow growing dwarf from a witches broom. 2'x2' in 10 years!
Ilex crenata (Japanese  Holly) 'Compacta', 'Green Luster', 'Helleri', 'Hoogendorn', 'Schwoebel Upright', 'Soft Touch' assorted sizes in containers

I. glabra (Inkberry) 'Shamrock' 3gal.

Ilex x 'Blue Maid' (Blue Holly) 30-36"

Koelreuteria paniculata (Golden Rain Tree)

Magnolia grandiflora 'Alta' (Southern Magnolia) Columnar form, slow growing - 20' tall x 10 wide in 10 years.
Oxydendron arboreum (Sourwood) 7 gal. Summer blooming, great fall color.

Prunus cerasifera 'Thundercloud' (Purpleleaf Plum)
Salix alba 'Tristis' (Golden Weeping Willow) 3"
S. matsudana 'Scarlet Curls' (Corkscrew Willow) One of our favorites for year-round interest!
Stewartia pseudo. (Japanese Stewartia) Another summer bloomer, great bark too.

Freshly dug Sugar Maples in Newtown

Viburnum carlesii

V. pragense 3.5' (Leatherleaf Viburnum)

From our growing fields: Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) 'Fall Fiesta' and 'Green Mountain' have been dug from our farms. Locally grown - what could be better? 

Evergreens-Dwarf and Ornamental
Abies alba 'Green Spiral' European Silver Fir) An interesting evergreen that grows 8't x 4'w in 10 years.
Cedrus atlantica 'Fastigiata' (Blue Atlas Cedar)
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Wyckoff' (Hinoki Cypress) 

Picea abies (Norway Spruce) 'Acrocona', 'Clanbrassiliana', 'Elegans', 'Formanek', 'Lanham's Beehive', 'Pusch'-a dwarf of 'Acrocona' with red new cones growing only to about 3'.

P. pungens 'Globosa', 'Montgomery', 'Sester Dwarf'
Pinus leucodermis 'Emerald Arrow', 'Mint Truffle'
P. strobus 'Blue Shag', 'Niagara Falls'
Sciadopitis verticillata 'Winter Green' (Japanese Umbrella Pine)
Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire' 5/6', 6/7'
T. plicata (Western Arborvitae) 'Whipcord'   

Pinus strobus (White Pine)

Evergreens -Screening
Picea pungens (Colorado Spruce)

Pinus strobus (White Pine) 5/6', 6/7', 7/8'

Thuja plicata 'Green Giant' (Western Arborvitae) 8/10'  

Pansies have arrived in Watertown!

Flats and 10" bowls in both sales yards! 

Swing by anytime to see all our fresh, Spring material!  

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Magnolia x 'Galaxy' 4-4.5"

Acer triflorum (Three-flower Maple) 5-6"
Cornus controversa 'June Snow' (Giant Dogwood)2.5-3"

Ginkgo biloba (Weeping Ginkgo) 3"  Hard to find.

G. biloba 'Princeton Sentry' 4-4.5"

Koelruteria paniculata (Golden Rain Tree) 5-6"

Juglans nigra (Black Walnut) 3.5-4"

Malus bacata (Columnar Siberian Crabapple) 3" A narrow form, 30' T x 8-10' W.  

Magnolia x 'Butterflies' 5-5.5", M. x 'Galaxy' 4-4.5" seen at left. 

         plus many others... 

Galaxy Magnolia, seen here, is a cross between M. liliflora 'Nigra' and M. sprengeri 'Diva'. It resulted in pyramidal tree-form Magnolia with a wonderful branching habit. It is a profuse bloomer with large red-purple flowers opening before it leafs out. Flowers appear late enough to miss the occasional late frosts of Connecticut. It will do best in full sun in average most soil.  A good choice for narrow spaces - eventually reaching 30-40't x 20-25'w.  

Prunus x 'Okame'  (Okame Cherry)

Have a Fantastic Weekend!

Stop in and see us Saturday!

Mon-Sat. 7 am-4:30 pm