Tiny little trees...best chance for survival?

[snewman]

In the past I have ordered small bare-root trees from various companies. I have had very poor luck keeping them alive. Does anyone have a suggestion for how to nurse little things along until they are strong enough to survive in a permanent spot? Should I pot them? Plant them in a temporary "nursery" spot where they can get lots of attention? I really want some nut trees, have just ordered some little ones, and I know they're going to be tiny. I just want to make them live, and could use some help.

Thanks!

 

[ducks4you]

Definitely Pot them. You can take the whole season to nurse them, and you can put in a well protected place around your house or other buildings, and plant them in the final spots in the early fall. I have done this several times, being the procrastinator that I am, and all survived. I did put plenty of mulch around them each time to blanket protection for the winter.
I have HEARD that the only thing you want to be consistant about is to mark where NORTH is with a ribbon, and keep them facing the same direction each time they are moved. Hope this helps!

 

[journey11]

I bought two hazelnut trees last year, bareroot, and very skimpy on the root system too. I wish I had thought to pot them! I dug them a nice hole with amendments, maybe could have watered them more, I don't know. Something killed them and I was out $30!

 

[vfem]

Learning from my mistakes, I have much better luck with bareroot trees I planted in the fall rather then spring. I had more casualties from spring planted trees so far.

Potting them, and caring for them not and then transplanting in the fall so they are dormant and safe all winter seem to be their best hope!

@Journey, that's how I felt when I lost my apricots!! ARGH!!!

 

[Mattemma]

Yes,probably pot them. I loose a lot of tree seedlings by putting them directly into the ground,and then I do not tend to them as well as I should.

 

[patandchickens]

Biggest thing IME is to be very, very selective in who you buy from. Most mail-order outfits selling bareroot trees should be ashamed of themselves, for what they are charging for what they are selling. You can almost always get a VASTLY better plant for the same or less, even if it means driving an hour to some local nursery.

Anyhow, if you HAVE mail-ordered bareroot little woody plants (and I do it, I have just become verrrrry picky and only do it when unavoidable), yes, pot them up in gallon or 2-gallon pots and take very very good care of them for the next year. You can plant them in the ground when they are good n ready, preferably while leafless. It may be best to start them out in a wind-protected area with afternoon shade, and you ahve to be very attentive to watering them. In the north you may need to sink the pots in the ground for wintertime.

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat, who just last week planted two amur chokecherries that were bought bareroot and have been living in big pots on the E side fo my house for two years (should not have been that long, but, oh well, things come up and distract me , and they are doing fine in the ground now)