Ontario Fruit Explorers

["bert dunn" <helbert@idirect.com>]

Good morning Tom
We planted, then transplanted several years later a bunch of Jack & Red
Pines. Did it as early in spring as possible. Had the holes dug to move
plants into before I dug the previous one out. Had the fewest mortality with
the smaller ones- guess as we took more soil with each. overall very little
mortality. Did not water them at all, nor fertilize. Did not augment the
soil with manure, etc.
 The big problem I have with pines (15/20 years later) the bottom branches
become such a large diameter that I have to trim them so they don't run into
my grape rows. I understand pines do not replace a lower limb removed and
the trimmed ones show ugly stubs which may not bother your b-i-l.
If I had it to do again, I'd use white cedar (red cedar is the alternate
host to WPB I am told) as it stays more columnar and of course you can trim
them bottoms with having ugly stubs as new growth appears there you cut the
limbs back. I transplanted a bunch of white cedar to our north hill, again
in early spring, did not water, fertilize etc. Today they are 20 + feet
high.
We have dozens of Jack Pine seedlings you can have for the digging. Anywhere
from 12" to 36 " high
Or check your local county ag dept. In Peel County they have an annual
offering of about 8-10 varieties at a very low price.

Bert Dunn  Box 352 Schomberg    LOG1T0     1-905-880-4453


Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 1:27 PM
> Hello Bert,
> You have planted a lot of trees atop a sand morraine.  What is the best
> techinique?
>
> My brother inlaw took down a large old barn, and wind took down a large
> old mulberry tree.  This leaves him with snow drifts in the farmyard.
> That are large enough to mire down vehicles.
>
> He wants to put in 15 evergreens (collected from wild) to act as a
> windblock.  The problem is establishing trees atop a morraine.  Snow fence
> will be used until the trees are of size.
>
> Advice?
>
> Where can trees for this purpose be bought cheaply?  Is there an Arbor day
> society, or Ag. school that sells them inexpensively in Ontario?
>
> Thanks,
> Tom