Plan It, Plant It, for the Planet
By Marilyn Shy, Kalkaska Conservation District
If you’re like me, you’re probably itching to plant something, now that the weather is warming up. The snow is just about gone, except for a few piles here and there. Geese are on the wing, and robins are back, and my daffodils are just poking out of the ground. So it’s spring, right?
RIGHT! And that means that staff at the Kalkaska Conservation District are busily taking orders for their Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale, to be held April 23rd and 24th at the Kalkaska County Recycling Center. Many species are available for wildlife food and cover, windbreaks and hedges, reforestation, showy spring flowers and spectacular fall colors.
So now is the time to start dreaming, start planning, and start planting!
Not sure what to plant? Browse the KCD’s Tree Sale Catalog, complete with pictures and full descriptions, to get some ideas. Still have questions, or need a site visit? Then call Larry, the Conservation District Forester at (231) 7681, ext. 3, or email him at larry.czelusta@macd.org. Larry loves to help find the right trees for the right space.
A note about the seedlings: They are just little guys. They average 3 years old and are about 8 inches to 3 feet high, depending on the species. If you need a larger landscape tree, you should look for a native species from a local garden center.
Depending on the number of trees you buy, your planting plan will emphasize different activities in order to get your seedlings established. If you are planting for reforestation (100 trees or more), you will be thinking on a large scale. For this amount, site preparation, including some form of weed control, is very important. This may take the form of furrowing, scalping, or chemical control, since you may not be able to water or mulch the trees after they get into the ground. Most of the after care will be provided by Mother Nature.
However, for small quantities of trees, you may want to add compost to your planting site, especially if you have a poor, low fertility, gravelly site. And care afterward is highly recommended! Mulching right after planting, and watering during the dry parts of the spring and summer will go a long way in helping your seedlings to get established. Mulch can be in the form of a variety of materials, from un-dyed wood chips, to straw, hay, or grass clippings, or even dead leaves.
Trees provide many benefits both for us and for the natural world. They provide oxygen for us to breathe, help us to control erosion, and provide food and countless homes for wildlife. They shade us in the summer, and can provide snow control in the winter. And best of all, they provide beauty and enjoyment for us, our children, and our grandchildren.
If you are thinking about planting trees this spring, the time to start your planning is NOW. You can download the Tree Sale Catalog at kalkaskaconservation.org. Or if you would like a hard copy mailed to you, call Mark or Renee at (231) 258-3307. You can order on-line, by mail, or buy phone. Orders should be placed by April 13th for priority packing. If you miss this deadline, you may order between April 14 and 22, but your order will be filled based on leftover inventory.
Further questions? Call Mark, Renee, or Larry, and GET READY to plant some trees!