Holmes SWCD tree seedling sale underway
The Holmes Soil & Water Conservation District’s annual tree seedling sale benefits its educational programs and provides access to a wide selection of native seedlings, with a list offering 25 different species of seedlings, as well as two different types of tree shelters, which are effective in controlling wildlife damage to seedlings.
There is nothing more enjoyable than a 50 F December day in the woods, unless you’re a logger hoping for frozen ground to skid out those trees you just felled.
Yes, it is Ohio, so by the time this publishes, we will be back to the frozen trails, versus mud. As I walked through the selective harvest our family’s consulting forester marked back in August, we started talking about what’s next.
Thinning a fully stocked wood lot allows mature trees to be harvested, opening the canopy to younger trees, giving them the room and sunlight they need to reach their potential. It also provides opportunities for change. In my case there is little that needs adjusted with an understory of seedlings waiting for the space and sunlight to grow, but this doesn’t mean we can’t help them along or add something different.
This year my family has discussed how we can add to the wildlife value of our property while maintaining the hardwoods several generations have fostered. An easy way to do this is to add diversity and food stock in these newly cut openings. Similarly, if you’ve got field edges, trails or open land you’d like to foster back into woodlands, go for it. We have a plan, but it’s not required to plant what you like, attracting everything from birds to the bees or the deer.
All great conversations to have with a forester. Now I have grown up with one and know many, but everyone can speak with and in many cases walk with these service foresters in your wood lot too. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has great resources; all you need to do is reach out. I can’t help but also add a shameless plug for your local Soil & Water Conservation District: We’re not all foresters, but we know a few, along with wildlife specialists, watershed coordinators, extension agents and the like that would love to help guide your decisions.
So you want to jump in and don’t know where to get those tree seedlings to get started? We can help with that as well. Each year most SWCDs have a tree seedling sale. Holmes is no different. Many locals got our winter newsletter, which included our tree sale order forms, but if we missed you, just give us a call or drop an email. They are on our website too. Our tree seedling sale not only benefits our educational programs, but also allows you to have access to a wide selection of native seedlings.
Our list includes 25 different species of seedlings, from hardwoods and flowering to fruiting and shrubby options. New offerings this year include some great wildlife food stocks: Chinkapin oak, red buckeye, domestic apple or red mulberry. There also is an assortment of wildlife or pollinator shrubs: black elderberry, blackhaw viburnum, ninebark or steeplebush spirea. We didn’t forget the classic evergreens: white pine, Norway spruce, Douglas fir or Scotch pine.
Another new addition to our sale is two different types of tree shelters. They are an investment in themselves but are extremely effective in controlling wildlife damage to seedlings. We are offering Plantra “SunFlex” Tree Tubes with a fiberglass stake and TreePro Tree Tubes with a white oak stake. Regardless of which type you prefer, I’ve personally seen the effectiveness of tree shelters, allowing seedlings to focus first on root growth and then springing straight up and out.
Beyond protection from wildlife, these shelters act as a greenhouse, letting sunlight in and protecting from the harsh weather we sometimes see. For reference, some of my oak seedlings purchased in 2022 are 6-7 feet and tulip poplars 8-10 feet, and redbuds planted in 2023 are easily 6-7 feet as well.
While there are no guarantees in life, or trees, we pick ours up directly from the nursery and deliver them straight to you within the week. Last year we sold or planted over 14,000 seedlings with over 16,000 on order for 2025. With the help of our Holmes County FFA students, each are sorted, dipped in a moisture-retaining mix, bagged, boxed and ready for you to plant.
For the full list with descriptions, hop over to our website at www.holmesswcd.com, give us a call at 330-674-2811 ext. 3 or drop us an email. Orders are taken on a first come, first served basis as we have limited quantities from our nursery, and we will update our website as trees sell out.
Orders are due by Friday, March 7, and if you’re worried about getting this in on time, give us a call and let us know it is in the mail. We accept cash or checks; we cannot accept credit cards. Pickup for Holmes County will be April 3 at Harvest Ridge from 8-5:30 p.m. Holmes County addresses are eligible for home delivery, for a very nominal fee, and delivery to schools and teachers is free (just let us know when you order).
Trevor Berger is the administrator for the Holmes Soil & Water Conservation District.