Another 'is it too late to plant' question

10 years ago

I am in zone 6b but it is due to being in a valley. I am not far off from zone 5 areas (within 30 minutes of). I am still planting trees I have bought at the great local nursery sales. Most of our days are in the 50s with nights in the 30s, but we have had a few 30-40 days and high 20 nights. I just discovered Whitman Farms online and they have a few things I am looking for. I will be ordering the following:
Cornus kousa 'Hearth Throb'
Cornus kousa 'Summer Fun'
The following Acer palmatum -
Olsen's Frosted Strawberry
Pixie
Bihou
Beni kawa
and probably a Ginkgo biloba 'Snowcloud'.

Unlike the bigger trees I am purchasing at the nurseries, I will probably be purchasing graft size and one gallon plants from Whitman. I can purchase and plant when they come in this fall (so probably next week sometime) or I can purchase and wait for Spring delivery. I think it is safer to do early spring delivery but that is also bareroot rose time and I barely have enough time to get through that and thus I am hoping fall delivery isn't the worst idea in the world. The top few inches of ground usually does freeze here around mid January and stays that way until sometime in March.

What do you think? Is it definitely a better idea to wait until Spring to plant these young, immature plants?

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Comments (6)

shadeyplace
10 years ago
I think it would be fine to plant now. However, I am no expert>>>fall is a good time to plant trees.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
local plants .. are accustomed to local conditions ...

mail order plants.. can come from much warmer zones.. and not be hardened off to your location ... e.g. if you bring in a plant grown in z8 ... regardless of its hardiness ...... and the day after it freezes ... the plant.. not the soil .. will it have a sense of humor about it.. or will it die????

i dont know whitman from your location ...

for me.. it would come down to warranty ... will they replace anything that does not bud out in spring ...

what do they think of the risk ..

ken
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drpraetorius
10 years ago
In order to answer this it would be important to know what condition the trees are in. If they are dormant there would be no problem. Usually, bare root plants are shipped in a dormant state. Pot grown or pot shipped may not be dormant. You should ask Whitman Farms what condition the trees are in. Part of gardening is learning patience. You will not loose anything by planting in the spring.
Karolina11
Original Author
10 years ago
Ken, great point on the transition from there to here. They are shipped in pots so I guess I will be waiting until Spring. Thanks again!
arktrees
10 years ago
FWIW,
I would rather plant now than in the spring. They will be breaking dormancy much sooner in the spring coming from a warmer climate, than if you get them in the fall. I have had this happen, and ended up holding plants in pots for a few weeks due to them breaking bud immediately upon arrival, instead of the time they would have been. another option is to get them in spring, and keep them in sun when weather permits until it is safe to plant. Of just pot them up and keep them for the first growing season so that they are fully climate acclimated before planting. I have done this many times, including a Beni Fuji dogwood this past growing season.

So to me the best options are get them now and plant if dormant. Get them now, hold until dormant then plant. Get them in spring, and hold until weather permits, or just hold until next fall. Just the same, graft size may be too small for planting anyway and need a years grow out.. I would probable get them this fall and adjust as required. JMHO

Lastly, on the Bihou. Got to recommend against that one. Got one a couple years ago. Did not deal with winter well at all. Even a extremely mild winter resulted in significant die back. Then a more typical winter temp wise killed it. Seems to be VERY susceptible to bacterial canker while dormant.

Arktrees
poaky1
10 years ago
Just being zone nosey. Are you on the eastern side of the Appalaccian mtns? I am way over to the western side in Fayette county, close to WV. Which county are you in. I have just came to the conclusion that I am zone 6 b also.