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Harvest Windows & Dig Times
Harvest Windows
Throughout the spring season, we hear from a lot of panicked people who think that their trees have to be in the ground by June. So not true! And although this video pertains to harvesting field-grown plants in the spring, the theme is the same for harvesting plants in the fall.
Generally speaking, plants are grown in two ways:
- Container-grown plants are growing in plastic containers and typically refer to smaller plants like perennials, young shrubs, and young trees.
- Field-grown plants, like we're discussing here, refers to older, more mature plants, which are typically born on our farm in fields. We care for them (sometimes for up to 10+ years) before they're ready to get installed in your yard.
Field grown trees, shrubs, and evergreens have certain times of the year that they'll tolerate having their roots cut for harvesting. After all, they've been sitting comfortably, getting acclimated to the field for years. Not all plants are the same, and harvest dates are often plant-specific. Once we wrap the roots in burlap and a wire cage, plant them any time the ground is completely frozen. Or, they can sit above ground under our care until they transfer to your yard.
Why does this matter to you? Many folks are OK with younger trees in containers, while many prefer larger trees with more instant gratification. Harvest windows affects the availability of larger (more mature) trees. If a certain plant (i.e. Birch) only tolerates harvesting in April, then our inventory can only include what was dug during that window. If we sell out of that tree, ask about pre-ordering that plant for next season’s harvest, or ask about container-grown trees.
Harvest & Dig Times
The Dig List & Times is color-coded as to which deciduous trees can be dug at which time of year. A "green" month means that's an ideal time for us to harvest. Yellow means we don’t recommend it. Red means that we typically will not harvest in that month. Weather patterns can shorten or widen the harvest windows.
Spring Only Dig Times
Some plants only tolerate a spring harvest. A good example is Oaks, which only tolerate harvest during the spring. We'll stock as many as we can in our holding yards, but once they are gone, that’s it until next year. Fortunately, we also grow Oaks in containers, allowing Oak inventory to last through the entire season. Other trees that are only dug in spring are Musclewood, Ironwood, Hawthorn, Eastern Redbud, and Magnolia. Shrub examples include Hazelnuts, Hydrangeas, and Bladdernut.
Spring & Fall Dig Times
Some plants can tolerate a spring AND fall harvest. Some popular examples are Maples, Kentucky Coffeetree, and Crabapples. Shrub examples include Burning Bush, Witchhazel, Lilacs, and Viburnums
From the time the frost leaves the ground in spring, our harvesting crews work tirelessly and efficiently to dig field grown plants for pre-orders and for stocking our holding and sales yards. This continues all growing season in summer and fall.
