The Ames, Iowa DNR Nursery doesn't have any Eastern Red Cedars available this year, so I've been shopping around. I can buy 1,000 bare root seedlings from the Chief River Nursery, and have them shipped to me for $662.40. Does anyone else have a better / cheaper source they can recommend? Thanks in advance.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
North Central reforestation has ERC plugs which are much easier to plant and better overall survival for .59 each if you order 500 or more.... These plugs can be planted in short order with a plug planting tool, or dibble bar. 10-16 inch size
Based in MN, and they come in styrofoam trays which means you do not have to plant them all at once. Slick deal.
Based in MN, and they come in styrofoam trays which means you do not have to plant them all at once. Slick deal.
Jbohn
Well-Known Member
I second them get trees every year there, might be a touch late on Styro 4 last time I talked them they only had limited amount left.
Thanks guys! I've Emailed them requesting a shipping quote. It's a 6+ hour drive, so I'd rather have them shipped than go get them myself, but if it's going to be super expensive, I'll make the drive. I'd rather buy and plant plugs instead of bare-root seedlings too, so I hope this works out. If I missed the mark for this spring, I'll keep them on my radar for future planting efforts.
NCR got back to me with a shipping quote of 10%-15% of the cost, and they only had 900 Styro 10 ERC's left, so I ordered them all at $0.54 per, plus shipping. Depending on how healthy they look when they arrive and my short term survival rate, I'll more than likely be ordering from NCR again.
DarkArcher
Lung Buster
All great information above guys. I am also looking to create a permanent screen and for the prices mentioned above it would sure beat digging them up myself.
Sounds like they just sold out....any other reputable places to search for these?
Sounds like they just sold out....any other reputable places to search for these?
goatman
I hunt days ending in Y
I've also bought from Chief River Nursery and Missouri Conservation. Both bare root with good success. NRC's styro 10's run closer to 10" then 5". Got them last year and they jumped in growth but what didn't last year. Just keep them out of sunlight and moist and plant at will. They even grow in the blocks. When planting them I got a 1" bulb auger for my cordless drill. Popped a hole, dropped it in and stomped it shut. Cedars are tough.
DarkArcher
Lung Buster
Digging and transplanting is still an option for me as well. Did you find that the trees you transplanted took a growing season to rebound or re establish root system? Or did they continue growth above 2' the year they were moved?
DarkArcher
Lung Buster
I also meant to mention that these are in a spot where I can baby them along if need be, the access is very easy. Will it help to fertilize and/or water them if need be in dry situations? or is the growth you get out of a Cedar all the growth you're going to get regardless of pampering?
I've researched dibble bars and think I can manufacture an inexpensive simple one that will work great for planting these Styro 10 plugs.
Starting with a 60" section of threaded 1-1/4" black pipe.
I'll cut the treading off of one end, and then cut 2 - 5" sections off of that end as well.
I'll grind the threading down at the other end so that the outer threaded surface is smooth.
Using the grinder, I'll round out one end of each of the 2 - 5" sections.
Measuring 6" up from tip of the smoothly ground threaded end, I will weld on the 2 - 5" sections, (for foot pegs to step / jump on), in the form of a "t".
The end product will be about 48" long with a sharp plug hole puncher at the bottom that will punch 1-1/2" diameter - 6" deep holes. In theory, as I continue to punch new holes, the plug dirt will travel up through the handle and push out the top of the pipe. If it works, I imagine cleaning out the pipe prior to putting it away would be recommended vs letting it dry out and solidify.
48" may be too long, so I can always cut it down, and I can totally see welding on some handles at the top, similar to the foot pegs, but should be a good start.
The 60" segment of pipe is like $20 at Menard's, so I won't be out much if it doesn't work. I'll post a pic when I'm done fabricating it.
Thoughts?
Starting with a 60" section of threaded 1-1/4" black pipe.
I'll cut the treading off of one end, and then cut 2 - 5" sections off of that end as well.
I'll grind the threading down at the other end so that the outer threaded surface is smooth.
Using the grinder, I'll round out one end of each of the 2 - 5" sections.
Measuring 6" up from tip of the smoothly ground threaded end, I will weld on the 2 - 5" sections, (for foot pegs to step / jump on), in the form of a "t".
The end product will be about 48" long with a sharp plug hole puncher at the bottom that will punch 1-1/2" diameter - 6" deep holes. In theory, as I continue to punch new holes, the plug dirt will travel up through the handle and push out the top of the pipe. If it works, I imagine cleaning out the pipe prior to putting it away would be recommended vs letting it dry out and solidify.
48" may be too long, so I can always cut it down, and I can totally see welding on some handles at the top, similar to the foot pegs, but should be a good start.
The 60" segment of pipe is like $20 at Menard's, so I won't be out much if it doesn't work. I'll post a pic when I'm done fabricating it.
Thoughts?
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
That should work, looks nice!
Does anybody who has ever ordered ERCs from NCR b4 know what sub-species they are? Glauca (Silver ERC) or Canaertii (ERC)?
The reason I ask is they both have different diameter spreads and I want to use the best spacing when planting them.
NCRs response, "These are just straight Juniperus virginiana, no subspecies that we know of. Seed source is South Dakota but we don’t have any more specific information than that. Dave mentioned that there is a Platte River type that is more low-growing and spreading but we have no way of knowing now if these are from a tree like that. Sorry we can’t be more helpful."
Thanks.
The reason I ask is they both have different diameter spreads and I want to use the best spacing when planting them.
NCRs response, "These are just straight Juniperus virginiana, no subspecies that we know of. Seed source is South Dakota but we don’t have any more specific information than that. Dave mentioned that there is a Platte River type that is more low-growing and spreading but we have no way of knowing now if these are from a tree like that. Sorry we can’t be more helpful."
Thanks.
Thanks goatman! I either needed their adult spread diameter measurement or a qualified spacing recommendation, which you provided. I've got to burn a week of carry-over PTO b4 the 15th and my trees should be here on or around the 8th. Can't wait to get them in the ground.
My trees arrived Wednesday afternoon. I'm burning off a week of carry-over PTO, so I've planted about 300 so far, parts of Thursday and today. They wrapped the plugs in plastic wrap, and the first few tree root-balls are flattened pretty well, but other than that, they plant pretty easily. My dibble bar works great, but the dirt doesn't push out the top like I'd hoped. It clogged up pretty quickly, so I just punch a hole in the ground without removing any dirt. Fingers crossed I get some good survival rates.
arm
Leg
How did you turn out here? I want to order myself