Tree Nursery: What It Is‚ How It Works‚ and How to Choose the Right One․
A tree nursery is a working farm that grows trees and shrubs from seed‚ cutting‚ or graft to the point of being able to survive a move to your own home landscape․ TN Nursery has operated one in Tennessee for over 30 years‚ and the short answer to "what makes a good nursery" comes down to three things: healthy root systems‚ plants matched to your growing zone‚ and staff who know how to get them safely from field to yard․ Everything else is detail․
What Actually Happens at a Tree Nursery
Most people picture potted plants on benches in a garden center loading or parking dock․ That's retail․ In a real tree nursery‚ seedlings are planted long before the plants are sold․
On our Tennessee plantations the young trees are grown in nursery beds for one to three years‚ and the soil chemistry is continuously adjusted․ The nitrogen‚ phosphorus and potassium balance must be adjusted for each species: a red maple wants different feeding than a boxwood․ The pH of the soil is monitored; the clay-heavy soil in some of Tennessee's counties is more acidic than in others․ Trees are periodically root pruned while in this period‚ a strange-sounding practice that promotes the formation of a mass of fibrous roots rather than a few long taproots that do not transplant well․
By the time a tree or shrub is shipped‚ let alone set out in your yard‚ it has been in the ground (or fabric grow bags‚ depending on the species) long enough to develop the solid root system that can withstand the shock of going into a new yard․ That's the part that most big-box stores neglect․ They buy from wholesale brokers and stock plants that were field-grown somewhere else‚ shipped young‚ and potted up recently․ So a $20 maple from a hardware store can have a harder first year than a tree grown at a nursery․
Growing Zones: Why This Matters More Than Most Sites Admit
As a result of the range of elevations‚ Tennessee spans USDA zones 6b through 8a‚ with the higher elevations of East Tennessee being zone 6b-7a‚ and the region around Memphis being close to 8a․ This is important because a tree rated for zone 7 might survive a mild winter in Nashville but die outright in Kingsport during a hard freeze․
We grow and ship our trees for a hot‚ humid climate with clay soil and winters that can go from balmy to bitterly cold in a matter of hours․ Leyland cypress‚ Green Giant arborvitae‚ and many of our native dogwoods seem to grow well in this climate․ An example is a tree such as paper birch‚ which does well in zone 4‚ but would spend its entire life here battling ground moisture and fungal diseases․ A nursery that sells trees nationwide‚ but does not flag their trees as hardy to this area‚ is setting their customers up to lose plants within two years․
What We Grow
Our current stock includes:
- shade trees - red maple‚ oak and elm can be standard‚ weeping‚ columnar or dwarf forms to suit available space - Early to mid spring flowering ornamentals‚ such as the redbud‚ flowering dogwood and serviceberry‚ bloom before their leaves emerge․ - Evergreens such as boxwood‚ holly‚ yew and arborvitae‚ with several cultivars of each for various heights and shapes - Other plants for privacy or screening may include Green Giant arborvitae‚ Skyrocket juniper‚ and Leyland cypress which‚ once established‚ grow two to three feet a year - Flowering shrubs such as azalea‚ hydrangea‚ forsythia‚ and spirea provide seasonal interest - Native Tennessee plants have been bred and selected to handle the soil and rainfall common to Tennessee with minimal care
Leyland cypress and Green Giant arborvitae are the two most popular plants requested for a privacy screen‚ as these plants grow well in Tennessee clay soil and each will grow to 15 to 20 feet (5 to 6 m) within six to eight years under average growing conditions․
Soil and root development before shipping
Healthy trees start below the surface․ Our horticulturalists amend nursery beds with organic matter to break up dense clay and improve drainage․ Standing water around the root system is one of the fastest ways to kill a young tree․ Irrigation during the establishment period is important‚ as both under- and over-irrigation can stress or even drown the tree‚ with the correct amount depending on species and season․
These trees are pruned to develop a good branch structure‚ including the removal of unwanted competing leaders․ As young trees‚ maples and oaks may develop bad forks if not pruned‚ resulting in weak branches in their structure as they mature into large trees․ This is not just cosmetic; well-formed young trees are less likely to split during ice storms and high winds‚ both of which are common in late winter in Tennessee․
Delivery‚ Planting‚ and What Happens Next
The other half of the equation is the planting․ In addition to delivering your tree‚ we dig the hole to the proper depth (too deep a hole is a very common cause of failure to thrive)‚ amend the native soil‚ plant it with the root flare at or just above grade‚ backfill‚ and water it in well․
After that‚ you are responsible for its care․ Here are some tips beyond the always 'water it regularly' suggestions:
- For the first 2 weeks: water deeply every 2 to 3 days in the absence of rain‚ moistening the top 6 to 8 inches (150 to 200 mm) During the first growing season‚ mulch around the tree with 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) of mulch‚ but do not place the mulch against the trunk‚ to avoid rot and pests․ - Year 1: Avoid fertilizing entirely‚ as a newly planted tree is focused on developing roots and fertilizer may promote top growth that is too rapid․ - Pruning: wait until the second dormant season following the planting to do any major pruning; this lets the tree recover from transplant shock
We also provide planting guides‚ a plant-finder tool and seasonal care resources on our website for anyone who has questions about zones‚ soil preparation or spacing before their order arrives․
Choosing a Nursery Worth Trusting
So the difference between a nursery and a garden center is that if a tree has been grown in the field in local soil‚ root pruned here and there‚ and shipped out at its peak of maturity‚ it will establish itself faster and tolerate colder winters more easily than one shipped as an immature specimen by a wholesale broker from three states away․ If you are in Tennessee or anywhere else in the Southeast‚ ask about regional growing history; it tells you more about long-term survival than the price of the plant does․
