When shopping for evergreen trees, you’ll often an age listed next to the size of the tree. Read further for a quick guide to understanding evergreen ages. If you are not regularly purchasing young trees or in the tree industry, you might not have any idea what those numbers indicate.
When I started working at the farm full-time twelve years ago, I had no idea how to interpret the age. Growing up here my dad, Pat, tried so diligently to teach me all about the trees he was cultivating. At that age I found it humorous to let the “boring” tree information go in one ear and right out the other ear. If I could have known that my future would be at the farm answering customer questions, I would have listened!
Back to Trees!
The first digit in the number sequence shows how many years the tree grew in a seedling bed. When they are in the seedling bed they are sown very close together. The goal for that bed is for the trees to grow taller.
The second digit shows how many years the tree spent in a transplant bed. Some trees are dug up and sold without ever being put into a transplant bed. Others have one, two or even three years of growing in a transplant bed.
For example, a tree labeled as a “2-0” spent two years in the seedling bed and was never moved to a transplant bed.
When a tree grows in a transplant bed it develops a larger root structure and fuller branching. In this bed, trees have more space to expand. We call any tree that has a zero for the second number a seedling, and trees with any other second digit a transplant.
Norway Spruce 2-2
Can you use evergreen ages to determine which is the better tree to plant?
Both seedlings and transplants are healthy and will thrive with proper care. However, a transplant usually has a more developed root system, stores more energy in it’s larger root system, and handles field planting better, making it a better choice when being put into a Christmas tree field. Smaller seedlings can get lost in grass if mowing or spraying isn’t consistent.
Budget can also guide your decision. Because seedlings need less labor and weight less, they are more economical to purchase and ship.
Need help choosing?
Below are photos showing the difference between seedlings and transplants. If you have questions about evergreen ages or want help choosing the best size for your planting, give me a call – I’m happy to help! Molly 231-544-6769
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