Plant Tips
To provide a quality and properly established plant to our customers, we grow container Maples, Lindens, Lilacs and Viburnums for a second spring. We have found that these species are immature with only one year of growth in a container.
Avoid using nitrogen fertilizers after July 1st. In addition, on poorly drained sites, watering should be controlled, allowing the root zone to dry out in August/September. These two cultural practices will give the plant time to harden and prepare for winter. Plants listed as Zone 4 (such as Norway Maples) seem to especially benefit from the above cultural practices.
Fall digging is satisfactory for Green Ash, Canada Red Chokecherry and Lindens (we do not recommend fall digging Maples or Birch). Other varieties may work depending upon timing, site and weather conditions. Please give us a call, we would be happy to share our experiences with you.
We grow a number of trees that are excellent for planting beneath overhead utility wires or on smaller sized properties. This list would include: Acer ginnala and tataricum; Amelanchier species; Cornus racemosa; Crataegus species; Elaeagnus angustifolia; Malus species; Prunus species; Pyrus u. ‘Mordak’; Sorbus decora; Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’ and Viburnum lentago.
Planting slightly above grade (3-6”) may be beneficial for those selections that are susceptible to overwatering. This allows excess water to drain away from the tree and is especially useful where turf watering continues late into the fall. Mountain Ash, in particular, can benefit from this treatment.
Crabapples seem to benefit from “thinning” - removing 1/4 to 1/3 of the new growth in the spring after transplanting. This is especially true for B&B specimens.
We have found it necessary to grow container Maples and Lindens for a second spring before releasing them for sale so we can have a fully leafed, established tree.
We apply a white PVC trunk protector to all Lindens in the fall to prevent sun scald.
The S. bumalda and S. japonica species are kept neat, compact and tidy in the landscape by trimming hard each spring, or all the way to the ground. Most plants that flower on new wood perform well when trimmed similarly.
“
MONTANA
GROWN, YOU KNOW IT’S HARDY.”