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Trees

We carry a large and changing variety of trees.
To see a list of our shade and ornamental trees click here.
To see a list of our fruit trees click here.

Trees

Trees act as the walls to your garden. Trees serve to alter the view, visually deleting undesirable elements or framing desirable ones.

Trees also offer defense against wind; by breaking the full force.

Protection from sun is equally important. A tree can help reduce heat buildup inside a home from afternoon sun, resulting in lower air-conditioning bills.

Many trees offer showy or fragrant flowers; foliage of intriguing form and texture; and brilliant or subtle fall coloration. Some trees make a winter show of handsome bark or striking branch structure.

Selecting a shade tree should be done with care. Remember that trees grow at different rates, and make sure it won’t outgrow its intended space or invade its surrounding with a greedy, competitive root system. Decide if full shade, filtered shade or dappled shade is required.

Pruning

Reasons for pruning

To stimulate shoot growth near cuts.
To reduce overall size of the tree.
To make the tree is easier to harvest and spray.
To improve structural strength.
To induce branching.
To increase production and improve fruit.
To reduce need to prop up branches.

General rules for pruning

It can be done at planting time to balance roots and tops.
Prune young trees lightly.
Prune mature trees heavier.
Prune the top heavier than the bottom.
Train young trees early.
Prune when danger of frost is past.

Fruit production

Different types of tree produce their fruit on different sections of the tree. These trees produce only on one-year-old wood:

Peaches
Nectarines

These trees produce only on spurs:

Apple
Pears

These trees produce on any wood:

Apricots
Cherries
Plums

Why not to "Top"

This list provides several reasons why you should not "Top" your trees.

Starvation: Good pruning practices rarely remove more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the crown, which in turn does not seriously interfere with the ability of a tree’s leafy crown to manufacture food. Topping removes so much of the crown that it upsets an older tree’s well developed crown-to-root ration and temporarily cuts off its food making ability.
Shock: A tree’s crown is like an umbrella that shields much of the tree from the direct rays of the sun. By suddenly removing this protection, the remaining bark tissue is so exposed that scalding may result. There may also be a dramatic effect on neighboring trees and shrubs. If these thrive in shade and the shade is removed, poor health or death may result.
Insects and Disease: The large stubs of a topped tree have a difficult time forming callus. The terminal location of these cuts, as well as their large diameter, prevent the tree’s chemically based natural defense system from doing its job. The stubs are highly vulnerable to insect invasion and the spores of decay fungi. If decay is already present in the limb, opening the limb will speed the spread of the disease.
Weak Limbs: At best, the wood of a new limb that sprouts after a larger limb is truncated is more weakly attached than a limb that is develops more normally. If rot exists or develops at the severed end of the limb, the weight of the sprout makes a bad situation even worse.
Rapid New Growth: The goal of topping is usually to control the height and spread of a tree. Actually , it has just the opposite effect. The resulting sprouts (often called water sprouts) are far more numerous than normal new growth and they elongate so rapidly that the tree returns to its original height in a very short time—and with a far more dense and dangerous crown.
Tree Death: Some species of trees are less tolerant to topping than others. Beeches, for example, do not sprout readily after sever pruning and the reduced foliage most surely will lead to death of the trees.
Ugliness: A topped tree is a disfigured tree. Even with its regrowth it never regains the grace and character of its species. The landscape and the community are robbed of a valuable asset.
Cost: To a worker with a say, topping a tree is much easier than applying the skill and judgement needed for good pruning. Therefore, topping may cost less in the short run. However, the true costs of topping are hidden. These include: reduced property value, the expense of removal and replacement if the tree dies, the loss of other trees and shrubs if they succumb to changed light conditions, the risk of liability from weakened branches, and increased future maintenance.