State Tree Seedling Nurseries – A Cost-Effective Resource for Purchase of Bulk Trees

By Guest Author Willow

You may be surprised to learn that your state forestry department maintains a special nursery for producing seedlings of trees native to your state and those appropriate for the state’s growing zones. These trees are made available annually for bulk purchase, usually in spring, to commercial and governmental groups around the state, as well as direct sales to individuals. At least 30 states and territories of the United States currently maintain a state seedling nursery.

Bulk tree seedlings reforested our property

We discovered this great gardening and landscaping resource back when we first purchased our rural property.

Our property was previously used for running cattle. It is characterized by ridges with steep side slopes and many of the slopes had been cleared and then grazed by cattle. Consequently, without the roots of trees and larger vegetation to hold it together, the soil was subsiding down the slopes and large gaps were opening up, some of them large enough to step in almost up to the knee. We decided to reforest our slopes and reclaim the large blocks of soil that were sliding downhill towards the streams.

We knew we had our work cut out for us so we did some research and ultimately turned to our State Division of Forestry’s tree seedling nursery. We were able to purchase thousands of bulk tree seedlings at a reasonable cost and over the next few years, we labored to put in roughly 5000 seedlings to restore our land’s side slopes, both preventing further erosion and helping to build new top soil.

Now, you may not need 5000 tree seedlings to reforest your side slopes, but there are a lot of other great reasons to look to your state tree nursery for bulk orders of tree seedlings.

Why purchase tree seedlings in bulk?

Besides slope stabilization and erosion control, there are lots of other uses for bulk tree seedling plantings.

• Visual block or privacy screen – trees are an excellent alternative to a privacy fence, especially when you need a screen taller than a fence, or along road frontage where fences might not be allowed.
• Wildlife habitat – trees provide food and shelter for wildlife, keeping them satisfied and less likely to invade your garden. Trees also attract native birds which keep local insect populations in check.
• Noise and dust reduction – trees suppress noise and airborne dirt and dust along roadways and property lines, near busy highways and commercial areas.
• Windbreaks – trees protect your home, backyard and tender garden plants from high winds, especially near plains, farmland and other cleared landscapes.
• Beautification – the right combination of flowering varieties of native trees can create a boulevard along your driveway or a landscaped nature walk.
• Wild edibles – fruit and nut trees provide food for you and wildlife as well.

Why use your state’s tree seedling nursery?

There are significant advantages to buying bulk seedlings from your state’s tree seedling nursery:

• Your state division of forestry or natural resources puts study and effort into cultivating species of trees that are native to your state. This means you’ll be getting a tree that has a greater chance of not only surviving, but thriving in your growing conditions. It also means that neighboring plants and local wildlife are more likely to coexist well with your new trees.
• Purchasing tree seedlings through your state nursery is relatively inexpensive. Depending on how many you purchase, seedlings might cost anywhere from $4 each to as low as 70 cents each. Shipping is often free for deliveries within the state. Prices will, of course, vary from state to state.
• The reasonable costs of these seedlings make it possible to overplant your landscape design plan to ensure enough trees survive to fulfill your needs. You can always thin them later and choose the best looking and healthiest of those you planted.
• One beneficial situation to planting trees in bulk is when the site you’re planting lacks easy access to water or the ability to tend them closely. You can overplant cheaply and rely on the survival of the fittest.

How do you purchase bulk tree seedlings from your state’s tree seedling nursery?

To find out if your state has a tree seedling nursery, use your search engine and enter “state tree nursery” or “state nursery” as keywords. Another online resource is Reforestation, Nurseries and Genetics Resources, operated by the USDA Forest Service. There you’ll find a nursery directory organized by state to find your local native tree resource.

Plan ahead for your bulk tree seedling purchase. You should order trees before the Spring planting season, which is when a lot of states dig their seedlings. Tree orders are first come, first served and if you order late, you may find that the tree species you want has already sold out. For example, pine and spruce trees can often go quickly to Christmas tree farms.

When is ordering from a state tree nursery not recommended?

While there are a lot of compelling reasons to use a state tree nursery for bulk orders of trees, this method of tree purchase is not for everyone. If you are looking for a very specific or fancy cultivar, you may not find what you want at a state tree nursery. Also, these are seedlings – very small plants – if you want a sapling or larger tree immediately (local nursery stock is typically 3-5 years old), you aren’t going to find that at a seedling nursery.

Other resources for purchasing bulk tree seedlings

At the end of the planting season, big box home stores will often have closeouts and good deals on saplings. These are larger than what you might get from the state seedling nursery, but you must pay attention to what you are getting. Home stores will often sell varieties that won’t survive well in your growing area and they may no longer be healthy if they are stressed from sitting at the store too long.

Guest Author’s Bio: Willow, an avid organic gardener, and TJ, a Certified Permaculture Designer, when not gardening or working their acreage, are busy helping you make the most of your outdoor corner of the world at LawnLifestyles.com.