Fall 2011 Tree Order Form

Fall pick-up will be held Saturday, October 8th from 8am to 12 noon at the Caro Fairgrounds. For directions, or if you are unable to pick up your order at this time, call our office at 989-673-8174 ext 3.”

New Varieties for 2011

Environmental Packets for 2011 include 2 colorado blue spruce, 2 lilac, 2 nanking cherry, 2 white birch, 2 red maple, 2 rosa rugosa, 2 cranberry, 2 red barberry, 2 forsythia and 2 ninebark. Bird-Butterfly packets include 10 plants total from the following list, butterfly bush, liatris spicata bulb, rosa rubriflia, trumpet vine, and rose of sharon.

Die-hard Root Dip

Tree Descriptions

Tree Planting Guide

We have added several new tree varieties to our 2010 sales!

BUTTERFLY BUSH
Vigorous shrub producing long spike of blue/purple flowers in July to August. Grows 6 feet tall. Does best in full sun and moist well drained soils. Attracts butterflies. In cold climates acts as a perennial and dies back to the ground.
Called the Summer Lilac.
TRUMPET VINE
Clusters of orange to orange/red trumpet shaped flowers are produced on this vine. Climbs up to 25 feet. Not particular to soil types but takes full sun.
RED BARBERRY
Grows 3 to 4 feet with brilliant red-maroon foliage when planted in full sun. Small yellow flowers in the spring. Red berries in the fall. Great specimen plant or hedge in landscape. Tolerant of many soil types, but does not do well in wet to moist soils.
NANKING CHERRY
This bush will tolerate extremes in growing conditions. In winter its bark is orange/brown. In the spring it is one of the first shrubs to flower with pink buds unfolding to white petals. Flowering is profuse. In summer it produces an abundance of red fruits. Fruit is edible. It is grown single, as a hedge or as a windbreak. Prefers well drained loam to sandy soils.
FORSYTHIA
Brilliant yellow early spring flowers cover upright stems. Great for borders. Best in full sun. Tolerates varied soil conditions from sand to some clays. Grows to ten feet.
FRUIT TREES
STANLEY PLUMS
The Stanley's flesh is greenish/yellow, juicy, tender, firm and sweet. (Very Hardy)
SHIRO YELLOW PLUM
One of the best yellow plums available. The fruit is round, of medium size, yellow and clear. Very productive. Requires another Japanese plum for best pollination.
SANTA ROSA PLUM
One of the largest and most beautiful plums. The flesh is yellow with a delicious flavor. Requires another Japanese plum for best pollination.
BARTLETT PEAR
Fruit is large and has a smooth and attractive appearance with a golden/yellow color slightly blushed with red, sometimes dotted with russet. Its flesh is tender and juicy, buttery and of high dessert quality. Bears young and tree has a tendency for compact, upright growth. Plant at least two different varieties for better success.
BOSC PEAR
A late russet pear with excellent eating and storing characteristics. Trees are large and vigorous and require cross pollination.
WHITNEY CRABAPPLE
Pollinizer Tree. A good quality crab apple. Skin color is yellow striped with red. Whitney makes good jelly. Trees bear early.
NORTHERN SPY APPLE
Excellent cooking apple. Large red striped, greenish apples. Crisp and firm flesh holds up well in pies. Stores well, very vigorous.

Be A Backyard Conservationist

Some people believe that you need hundreds of acres to be considered a conservationist, but many of the practices that the big land owners implement can be used right in your own backyard.

Planting trees in your yard has more than just an aesthetic appeal, they can be functional as well. By planting the right type of tree you can bring in a wider variety of birds to your backyard. If you feed birds, especially in the winter, it is important to provide them with a nesting place as well. Planting pine and spruce trees close to your home will reduce the distance the birds have to travel to find food and therefore make surviving the winter easier. You can also plant fruit or nut bearing trees and shrubs to provide food without having to fill a bird feeder all the time.

Properly placing a few trees around your house can save you time and money. Planting trees to block out the summer sun and the winter wind will help you save on your heating and cooling bills. To minimize the need for snow removal, plant shrubs next to your driveway or sidewalk, they will stop the blowing snow.

In addition to these benefits, trees are good for the environment. Trees improve air and water quality by reducing erosion and removing carbon dioxide and impurities. A tree can remove 10 lbs of carbon dioxide a year.

Your lawn may be the next place where you can improve the environment. Over fertilizing your lawn can have detrimental effects on the local water quality. Excess fertilizer runs off when it rains and washes the fertilizer into the nearest waterway. The fertilizer increases algae growth in the water and ultimately reduces the amount of oxygen available for aquatic life. Pesticides will also runoff into streams and lakes and will kill beneficial plants and animals.

Improving the environment does not take a lot of time, money or land. Spend a little time thinking about what you can do in your own backyard, devise a plan, and act on it!!