What we hope to always have and have growing...Self Sufficient

[Jared77]

GREAT POST THISTLEBLOOM!!!!

 

[secuono]

Box stores rarely have the trees I want, $20-25 each. Nurseries charge you an arm for a tree. Fiance bought me a willow, cost $85! I went to walmart, bought a willow for just $18. Almost the same size, both are doing fine.
But I'll keep checking around.

Uh-Oh, I'm going to have to stick up for nurseries now!
It's really not a fair comparison: Big Box versus nursery. I'm not saying you can't get a decent tree from a mega store, but usually, you get what you pay for.

Nurseries charge more because their stock costs them more.
They order or grow their stock based on their expertise of the local area
They can give you personalized service and expert opinions. They can recommend a particular tree for a particular problem spot.
Their nursery stock has been well cared for, not stressed by neglect. That's because if they lose a tree or shrub or perennial they have lost money, therefore they have a vested interest in the plants success. Even after you purchase it. They really want that plant to thrive for you.
You can develop a good working relationship with the owners of a good local nursery, and that's worth a lot.


When you buy from the mega chain you aren't necessarily getting a plant that will succeed in your climate. Most of the box stores plants are grown hundreds if not thousands of miles away and shipped in.
They are often taken care of indifferently.
Have you witnessed the carts full of wilted and dying plants that they write off?
That's because big box garden centers exist to get you into the store and sell you additional hard goods. Their garden centers are not expected to make a profit, it's just bait.

Try asking a mega chain garden center employee specific questions about plants. Rarely will they know what they're talking about.

Sure, they guarantee their plants for a year, because it's considered a loss from the beginning.

I know there are budget constraints that make it difficult to spend the extra for higher quality. That's where I live.
But 2 years down the road that plant that you payed extra for will likely out perform the discount one.

And I won't even mention supporting local businesses!


Well now I'll get off my soap box...

And if you want to spread more of those willows around it's as easy as trimming off some branch tips and putting them in pots with moist soil. They'll root and take off for you. Can't get any cheaper than that!

Oh, one more thing...if you can wait until fall, most nurseries will have huge markdowns on their stock that they don't want to overwinter.
That's an excellent way to get good plants for less.

Yea, I still rather a cheap tree than all that extra stuff.
H*ll, I rather buy the seeds and grow them from that than pay a fortune any day.

 

[897tgigvib]

Secuono, Yep yep yep what thistle said!

I promise, her words are good as gold!

 

[digitS']

. . . Try asking a mega chain garden center employee specific questions about plants. Rarely will they know what they're talking about. . .

They talk? Mostly, I thought, they just walk around and avoid eye contact. If you catch one - try sneaking up on them when they are putting things on the top shelf - they will take you on a wild goose chase to talk to "Brent." Brent will be just as clueless as the one you cornered and will grunt out about 2 sentences which will amount to getting something in that should help, "later this week."

Then, both of these helpful creatures will disappear outside to hide behind racks of plants.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Yea, I still rather a cheap tree than all that extra stuff.
H*ll, I rather buy the seeds and grow them from that than pay a fortune any day.

Well, there you go then!

 

[897tgigvib]

Secuono, actually most folks recommend not growing apple trees from seed...

However, I am in the minority who has done it, and can tell you it is possible... I used to grow crab apple trees from seed.

...however, there are some things you'll need to do right.

Certain Heritage heirloom varieties will breed KIND OF, SORT OF true.
Also, Macintosh Apples breed kind of sort of true.

Dolgo Crab Apples breed basically true. Those are like tart and only slightly sweet, but very flavorful little apples. I like them a lot! The ones I grew had fine root systems, and grew straight up nicely.

You sure can go to your local coop or whole food store or possibly farmers market in season and purchase some heritage heirloom apples to eat. Bonus is you also get a few seeds in the core of each one.

===

My method of sprouting apple seeds, and some others, was to feed them to the local raccoons. They had a favorite pooping spot near a Poplar tree. Come late spring early summer, sure enough, they'd be sprouting there.

Sticking the seeds in your dog's food might do the same thing. Heck, I considered doing the honor myself! Digestion makes them sprout easily, especially also going through the very cold winter of where I was living. Stratified they call it.

You grow them where they sprout, protected and cared for, until next winter when ya dig them up. Dig deep. They make a slightly curved taproot that first year's growth. It'll only be a few inches tall, but its root will be 3 times the height above ground. Well, accounting for individual differences and variety i suppose.

Have a bed prepared for them. That is your own nursery bed. You'll be doing no grafting here. Just remember, growing apples from seed is a PLAN B method. Doable, but iffy. You do not know exactly what you'll get. But if you plant seeds from Macintosh pollinated by a macintosh type, which they usually are, you will get something similar to a macintosh. NOT EXACTLY THOUGH! It may well be smaller. It may well not be as sweet, or its flesh may yellow quickly when opened.

Also, ungrafted and grown from seed, and grown as rapidly and well fertilized as possible and safe, fish emulsion diluted, fresh soil each year with meal type organic fertilizers, grown primo...

give your seedling 4 years absolutely bare minimum to first apple, and likely more like 6 years. Dolgo crab, 3 to 5 years.

+++

Secuono, you have to admit we are surely trying to help!

Also, not everyone will agree that it is even worth it to plant an apple seed. I think it is. And Rose seeds.

 

[secuono]

Secuono, you have to admit we are surely trying to help!

Also, not everyone will agree that it is even worth it to plant an apple seed. I think it is. And Rose seeds.

Yes, I know y'all are helping. Some forums just tell others what to do and gang up, but you guys are much nicer about everything.

 

[Nyboy]

I love how fruit tree flower in the spring and plant a lot of them. I wait till end of season when they are marked way down.

 

[ducks4you]

Easiest thing for a person to do is try to have another be able to share their flavor experiences...But I understand food pickiness.

Agreed. LOVE beets, but I tried cooking the stems and I tried growing and cooking Swish Chard--couldn't put my tastebuds around either. I'd rather use Spinach raw or cooked for greens. Everybody has different tastes.

I'd be saying bleyeeech if someone were to try to describe what they thought was the pleasure of anchovies on an otherwise perfectly good pizza. I think I'd starve before eating a pizza with anchovies on it!

THAT's where we differ. I treat myself to a personal pan anchovie pizza every once in awhile. I won't make anybody else eat any of it, but every so often I crave those super-salty fishies on my pizza!! Must be my 1/2 Croatian roots.

 

[897tgigvib]

Anchovies on pizza? Bleeeyech~~~