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Tips

USDA Hardiness Zones

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a guide for determining how likely certain plants are to grow successfully in certain climates. The zones go from 1 to 13 (coldest to warmest) based on the extreme minimum temperatures experienced in the area. While developed by the USDA to map out regions of the United States, the system has been adopted by other countries as well. Most trees sold in the US will include their hardiness zone for growers’ reference.

Selecting a Healthy Tree

When shopping for a tree, look for firm, healthy leaves that have good color. The branches should be relatively symmetrical and well spaced along the trunk. Check for signs of insect damage or disease, as well as physical damage from mishandling or sunscald.

If possible, you should also check the roots. They should be firm and relatively light in color. Avoid buying a tree with roots that are dark brown or black, mushy, slimy, or have an odor. These are signs of root rot from overwatering. In general, selecting a reliable retailer that cares for and handles plants properly is the best way to be sure you’re getting a healthy specimen.

Growing Trees from Kitchen Scraps

Lots of the fruits that we buy from the grocery store can provide viable seeds that can grow into a new tree. Try saving seeds from apples, avocados, cherries, all kinds of citrus, peaches, and plums to grow into trees. However, be aware that you may not reproduce the exact variety of fruit that you purchased, because growers use grafting and selective breeding to grow the exact fruit they want. However, you can still grow a beautiful tree from what would have otherwise been thrown away.

Getting Trees for Free

There are several ways you can get trees or seeds absolutely free! First, many local governments and nonprofit organizations will offer trees upon request. Some will even deliver! You may not be able to choose exactly what type of tree they give you, but the price can’t be beat.

Some trees can be propagated from branch cuttings, including willows, fig, olive, maples, oaks, and most citrus trees. You may be able to find seeds or even seedlings that have already sprouted up near mature trees. Be sure to ask for permission before taking any plant material from other people’s yards or from public lands such as parks.

Finally, check your public library for a seed library (and if they don’t have one, you can suggest it!). Online groups can also be a good way to find other gardeners who are willing to share or swap seeds in your area.

Bringing Your Tree Home

Once you get your tree home, obviously the first thing you’re going to want to do is plant it. Unfortunately, though, a newly planted tree can sometimes take some time to adapt to its new circumstances. The tree that looked beautiful and healthy at the nursery may suddenly wilt or develop brown leaves.

Recovery and Adaptation Time

Newly planted trees can go through a period of adjustment called transplant shock. This is a totally normal reaction to a stressful event as the tree adapts to its new circumstances. The symptoms of transplant shock are leaves wilting and turning yellow or brown.

It’s important not to overcorrect if your new tree displays these symptoms. The best approach is to keep a close eye on the tree and allow it several weeks to recover. Be sure not to overwater or underwater during this time. If your tree takes a turn for the worse or continues to look unhealthy, you may need to consult with a professional to determine what the problem is.

When to Plant/Water/Fertilize a New Tree

Autumn is typically considered the ideal time of year to plant new trees. During the window of time between the heat of summer and when the ground freezes, it’s fine to plant new trees.

Water the tree immediately after planting it. Newly planted trees need more frequent watering than established trees, but you should avoid overwatering. Check the soil before watering, but expect that you will need to monitor your new tree’s watering needs closely over the first few weeks. In general, new trees need water every two to three days, but this will depend on many factors, including temperature, humidity, and soil conditions.

Fertilizer should not be used on a tree for at least the first year after planting. During this time, the tree will have minimal nutrient needs that should be easily available from the soil. And, in fact, most mature trees also do not need supplemental fertilizer.

Where to Get Trees

Once you’ve chosen what type of tree you want to purchase and where you want to plant it, it’s time to actually get your tree! But there are lots of options for buying trees — which one is best for you?

Purchasing a Tree at a Nursery or Large Retail Store

There are several advantages to purchasing a tree from a local retailer such as a specialty tree nursery or garden center. First and probably most importantly, you can see the trees in person and choose exactly which one(s) you like. The staff at the store should also be knowledgeable about the local climate and what trees can thrive there.

If you are looking for a particular species of tree, it’s best to call ahead and make sure they have some in stock before you head out. You may also want to confirm if the retailer offers delivery, and the cost for delivery if so. Otherwise, be sure you have a plan for transporting your new tree back home.

Buying Trees Online

If you are looking for more unusual trees, or don’t live near a tree nursery, you’ll likely find yourself shopping online. It’s incredibly convenient, since you can shop whenever and wherever you like.

However, shipping costs can sometimes be high, depending on how large and unwieldy your new tree is. It’s also possible that the tree could be damaged during the shipping process. Be sure to double-check whether the seller offers any guarantees, and read reviews from past customers to see how they handle customer complaints.

Growing Trees from Seeds

If you don’t mind waiting for your tree to grow, starting from seed can be a satisfying process that is also cost-effective (especially if you need to plant a lot of trees). Most tree seeds require a cold period followed by a season of warm and wet weather. So, you might choose to sow your seeds outside in the autumn, and allow them to grow naturally. This is an easy option, but you risk losing a number of seeds to birds, animals, or unfavorable conditions.

The other option is to start your seeds in a controlled environment, and then plant the saplings once they have established themselves. This method takes more effort, but yields more trees overall and also allows you to select the strongest of the trees that have sprouted for planting.

To start seeds indoors, research the specific requirements for the tree species you want to grow. For example, some types of seeds have a hard coating that needs to be softened or sanded away to make it easier for the tree to sprout. Ideally the place where you purchase the seeds should be able to give you information on how to plant them, but the internet or a knowledgeable friend can also help.

How to Select a Perfect Tree for Your Yard

Like any plant you may want to grow, trees have their own individual conditions. If you try to plant a tree in an environment that doesn’t support its growth, your tree is unlikely to grow well. It may grow slowly, develop diseases, and eventually die. That’s why you should do your research before investing in a tree to plant in your yard.

Environmental Conditions to Successfully Grow Trees

Sunlight is one of the main keys for successfully growing trees. If you plant a young tree in the shade of other, more mature trees, it may not be able to get enough light to survive. Planting a tree near a building or other obstruction can also limit the amount of sunlight available to it. On the other hand, a tree that is exposed to too much intense sunlight may experience a condition called sunscald. Young trees and species with thin bark are most susceptible to sun damage. Check light requirements before purchasing a tree.

Soil type is another important factor in growing trees successfully. Garden soil is made up of different types of organic matter, and the ratio between them can change the properties of the soil itself. For example, clay soil is nutrient-rich, but drains slowly. Sandy soil drains easily but gardeners need to fertilize more because of its lower nutrient content. Soil pH can also be a factor in successfully growing trees, as some prefer a more alkaline soil and others do well in acidic soil. Soil can be amended to make it more suitable for plants.

Moisture will be influenced by the amount of rainfall in your climate, as well as proximity to bodies of water, outside temperatures, and soil drainage. Some tree species are very drought-tolerant, while others need consistent moisture to thrive.

Temperature ranges need to be suitable for the trees you choose to plant. Check the USDA Hardiness Zone (see the tip below) to be sure that you are purchasing a tree that is suitable for the temperatures in your area.

Required Care and Maintenance for Trees

Ideally, you will not need to provide a lot of additional care once your tree is planted and established. However, certain types of trees will require routine maintenance to maintain their health long-term.

Nutrients are available in the soil from decaying organic matter, but may not be sufficient to support your trees. If your tree is growing slowly or losing color, a fertilizer application can help to encourage new growth.

Some trees also require protection from insects and disease. This usually comes from an application of a pesticide or fungicide. This is particularly important if other trees in your area are affected by these problems.

Finally, many trees do best with regular pruning. By removing some branches, you can be sure that your tree’s overall health is maintained and it is able to focus its growth in the way you prefer.

Types of Trees

The two major categories of tree are deciduous (hardwood) and coniferous (softwood). Both types have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to choosing what kind of tree you want to plant at your home.

Evergreen or Deciduous Trees: What Type Is Right for You?

Deciduous trees’ main distinguishing feature is that they lose leaves in autumn and have bare branches over the winter, then they produce new leaves in the spring. There are many more varieties of deciduous trees than there are coniferous trees, meaning there are more colors, leaf shapes, sizes, etc. that you can choose to suit your preferences. Examples of deciduous tree species are birch, oak, elm, willow, and beech trees.

One benefit of growing deciduous trees is that they provide shade during the summer when their leaves are largest. When the leaves drop off in the autumn, the bare branches allow more sunlight through, meaning having plenty of mature deciduous trees around your home can help with lowering utility bills.

If you enjoy having colorful leaves in the fall, you could get a maple, quaking aspen, or another variety with bright leaves.

Falling leaves can also be a disadvantage, though. Some people may dislike having to rake lots of leaves to keep their yard clean.

Evergreens generally have needles instead of leaves, and they do not change with the seasons in the way deciduous trees do. For this reason, they can be a welcome dash of color in snowy climates. This also makes them ideal to use as protection against strong winter winds. They can also be used to create an all-season privacy barrier. Some popular varieties of evergreen tree are cedar, fir, pine, and spruce.

Although evergreens don’t drop their needles the same way that deciduous trees lose leaves, they do shed needles. Pine needles can be difficult to remove from a lawn.

The majority of evergreens are conifers, meaning they reproduce by producing seed-containing cones. These cones also drop off the trees and can get in the way of lawn mowers if they are in a yard.

Finally, most evergreens contain a sticky sap. While it doesn’t cause problems most of the time, it can attract undesirable insects such as beetles and weevils. The sap is also likely to get on your hands and clothes when you prune the tree or try to collect cones or needles.

Growing Trees for Fruit, Flowers, and Fall Foliage

If you’re planting a tree anyway, why not choose one that can provide you with something beautiful to look at or something delicious to eat? There are any number of trees that fall into these categories (a few examples are listed below), but be aware of growing conditions for each of them before you try to plant these in your yard. It may also take years for a young tree to bear fruit.

Fruits and Nuts:

Apple
Avocado
Cherry
Hazelnut
Mulberry
Peach
Pecan
Persimmon
Plum
Walnut

Flowers:

Colorful Foliage:

General Introduction to Trees

Scientists estimate there are around 73,000 species of trees found around the world, on every continent except Antarctica. Trees exert a tremendous influence on the Earth’s environment and climate, as well as providing humans with food, building material, paper, and much more.

What Is a Tree?

Of course, most people can identify a tree just by looking at it, but what makes a tree a tree? From a taxonomic point of view, trees are not part of the same group or family, but are instead a variety of species of plant with similar characteristics. The majority of tree species are woody plants with a single main stem, or trunk, and branches concentrated at the top of the plant.

Outside of this typical type of hardwood deciduous tree (such as elms, oaks, and maples), there are softwood gymnosperms that are most often evergreen plants (including ginkgos, cycads, and all types of conifers). And of course there are palm trees, bananas, and bamboos that fall outside of the normal definition but are still considered to be trees.

Why Do People Grow Trees?

There are many great reasons that people decide to grow trees, from appearance to energy efficiency to providing a habitat for birds and animals. Here are some of the popular reasons to consider adding one or more trees to your yard:

Trees filter toxins and pollutants from the environment and release oxygen. Because they produce so much oxygen (as well as absorbing carbon dioxide), planting a tree can be a small but concrete step toward reversing the effects of climate change.
Tree roots reduce soil erosion and flooding.
Shade trees protect your home from the intense summer sun, keeping it cooler and lowering energy consumption.
Trees make a home more private by providing a visual barrier and absorbing noise from the street or neighbors.
Fruit trees provide food right in your own yard. Citrus, avocado, pear, apple, and cherry are popular options.
Mature trees in the landscape can increase the property value of your home by as much as 15%.
Trees provide shelter for birds and animals. Flowering trees attract and feed bees and other pollinators. This brings more life to your yard and supports the local ecosystem.

Some Popular Trees for Yards

The choice of what tree to grow is clearly going to depend on the environmental conditions (water, sunlight, soil, etc.) and your purpose in growing the tree. But this list goes through some of the best and most popular tree species and what makes each one special.

How to Start Your Cut Flower Garden

Once you have a planting plan in place, it’s time to start the fun part — planting flowers! Some varieties can be sown directly in the soil, while others need a longer growing season and benefit more from getting a head start indoors.

Note: If your goal is to grow cut flowers to sell, it’s usually not profitable to purchase plants from nurseries. You’ll get far more flowers for a fraction of the cost if you stick with seed packets instead.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Seed starting setups can be as simple or complicated as you choose. So long as you have a stable surface and a south-facing window or some grow lights, you can germinate plants in your house.

Research different seed starting techniques to find one that makes the most sense for your space and gardening goals. Take the time to plan it out right the first time, and you’ll likely be able to use the same setup for years to come.

Set Up Garden Beds

Once you have plants established, it’s time to prep the garden beds. The most efficient way to work with a flower cutting garden is to set up rows that you can easily walk down, harvesting or weeding as you go. However, others prefer working in small beds following the square-foot gardening method, or even to keep everything contained within raised beds.

Regardless, you’ll want to ensure that the growing space contains plenty of nutrient-rich soil and good drainage. It’s smart to add a healthy dose of compost several weeks before planting.

Harden Flowers Outdoors

Before your plants can go in the garden, you’ll need to ease them into the outdoor conditions. The process, called hardening, requires you to slowly bring seedlings outdoors for a few hours at a time so they can acclimate to heat, sunlight, and wind. Increase the time spent outdoors over two weeks before planting them in the garden beds.

Get Everything Planted

Planting guidelines for flowers will vary too much by variety to give much advice here. However, it’s usually best to plant on cloudy days to prevent heat stress, and to water immediately after planting.

Make sure you read each seed packet carefully to ensure you know the planting depth and spacing needs before starting.

Have a Weeding Strategy (and Stick With It!)

Once your seedlings are established in the garden, the biggest risk to their survival is weed growth. These tenacious plants can survive in any condition, and they can quickly outcompete delicate flowers. The best way to get ahead is to weed early and weed often. Try to go in the garden weekly at a minimum, as weeds are easier to remove when they are small.

The Three Main Steps for Designing a Cut-Flower Garden

You’re ready to get to work growing cut flowers. Great! But before you put a single seed in the ground, it’s important to have a plan in place. Gardening without a vision will lead to a lot of wasted effort, and it will mean you’ll do some tasks twice because you got it wrong the first time.

So, take the time to design your garden beforehand, and you’ll reap the rewards of your effort throughout the growing season. Here are the steps you should follow.

1. Pick a Garden Space

Before you can determine what cut flowers to grow, you need to look at the garden space. How many square meters are you working with? Does the area get full sun, or is it partially shaded? Is the soil nutrient-rich and well-drained?

Consider getting a soil test in the months before planting so you can determine what it might be deficient in and what amendments are necessary to improve things.

If you already have a vegetable garden, consider turning one or two rows into flowers so you can take advantage of space that’s already established.

Note: While some people prefer to grow cut flowers directly in the ground, others use raised beds or even flowerpots when their soil isn’t suitable. Be willing to get creative to find enough planting space for your flower goals.

2. Choose Your (Number of) Varieties

First-time flower gardeners will feel tempted to go crazy and purchase seeds from every pretty variety in the seed catalog. That’s a recipe for getting overwhelmed fast and giving up on cut flowers altogether before you can master any of them. We’ll talk more about which varieties to choose in a later chapter, but for now, plan to choose six types or fewer for your first year.

3. Create a Planting Plan

Tempting as it may be to scatter seeds wherever convenient, the best cut flower gardens require a planting plan. This lets you determine how many plants you can fit in your space in order to maximize the harvest.

Use a grid to set up the plan and pay attention to each plant’s mature height and width. A general rule is to look at the spacing requirements on each seed packet and reduce them by 30% for denser plantings. Remember: The closer the flowers are planted together, the less space for weeds to grow!

Unlike regular flower gardens, the goal of a cut-flower garden is efficiency, not beauty. Make decisions around minimizing maintenance, including large, easy-to-access paths lined with mulch or landscaping fabric to suppress weed growth.

It’s also usually best to keep plants of the same type together, meaning you should plant perennials with other perennials and keep the plants that need staking or trellising together.

Once your grid is complete, you can superimpose it on your actual planting space for a precise planting guide.

Can You Really Make Money From Cut Flowers?

One of the most popular reasons people commit to growing cut flowers at home is the opportunity to make money from selling them. Homegrown bouquets can be a profitable side business, but making money isn’t guaranteed. One bad hailstorm or bug infestation can ruin your entire crop, and even the world’s most beautiful bouquets won’t make you money if you can’t find buyers before they wilt.

For this reason, it’s important to keep your expectations realistic, especially when first starting. Think of cut flower gardens as a way to get paid for spending time in your garden and to offset the costs of the bouquets you display in your own home. If you make more money than that, great! Just keep in mind it might take a few growing seasons to scale up a truly successful business.

The key to making money from cut flowers is to start small while you’re still learning. Don’t commit to more than you can maintain. Otherwise, you might give up in the middle of the growing season and lose money in the long run.

If you want to try selling flowers for profit, ask yourself these questions before starting to ensure your plans are realistic:

1. Can You Pay the Startup Costs?

It’s going to cost money to make money selling flowers. Can you commit to the price of seeds, garden tools, pruning equipment, soil amendments, flower vases, and more? Without basic supplies, your business won’t be a success.

2. Do You Know Where You Will Sell Them?

There’s no point in starting a cut-flower business if you don’t have a plan for where customers can buy them. Some people do well with a simple roadside stand in their yard, while others prefer to go to a local farmers’ market once or twice a week. Others make arrangements with other business owners to sell flowers from their storefronts. Each option can work, but it’s always best to have a plan before starting.

3. Can You Commit to a Full Garden Season of Work?

Maintaining a cut-flower business is hard work. Are you willing to put in long hours pulling weeds, planting seeds, and arranging the blossoms into bouquets? Most of the harvesting work needs to happen in the early morning or late evening to ensure the flowers are as fresh as possible — will that work with your schedule?

4. Where Will You Store Them Before Selling?

Fresh cut flowers are highly perishable, especially if they spend time out in the sun. Do you have a cool space to store them before selling, or are you better off drying them first so they will last longer?

5. What's Your Marketing Strategy?

In today’s world, it can be hard to manage a business without social media. Are you willing to create a website (or at least an Instagram page) to promote them? If you want to skip the internet, make sure you have a plan in place to get the word out about your bouquets in other ways.

Should I Start Growing Cut Flowers at Home?

Now that you understand the appeal of cut flowers, it’s time to decide if you want to commit to cultivating them. Growing cut flowers takes a different gardening strategy than other plants, but the effort is well worth it for the right people.

Before you get started, you need to determine if you fit into that category. Here are the top reasons to grow cut flowers. Do they describe your motivations?

1. Improve the Beauty of Your Home — and Your Backyard

Surrounding yourself with plants is great for mental health. The appeal of cut flowers is that they will look beautiful both in your garden and within vases in your home. In essence, you get double the value from every plant, making them twice as worthwhile to grow.

2. Control Exactly Where Your Flowers Come From

The commercial cut-flower industry isn’t good for the environment. It takes a lot of natural resources to grow flowers indoors and ship them around the world. Grow your own instead, and you use fewer fossil fuels and control exactly what pesticides and herbicides are used in the process so you can avoid using toxic compounds.

3. Get Outside and Exercising

There’s no denying that gardening is great exercise. Working up a sweat while moving around outside can boost cardiovascular health and improve your flexibility. If growing beautiful flowers is what it takes to get you outdoors, then a cut-flower garden is well worth the effort.

4. Experiment with Rare Varieties

Most commercial flower shops stick with tried-and-true varieties. This can make it hard to get bouquets that stand out from the crowd. Grow your own cut flowers, in contrast, and you can have complete control over the varieties and colors you plant. This makes it possible to enjoy entirely original bouquets that highlight your unique personality.

5. Bless Others

Giving someone a bouquet of fresh flowers is an easy way to make them feel loved. Grow your own, and you’ll always have some on hand. So, pass out a bouquet to the brand-new neighbors, send some to a sick friend, or even give them away for free in front of your house. It’s an easy way to give a gift to those around you.

6. Start a Side Business

One of the biggest appeals of growing cut flowers at home is the opportunity to make money from doing so. This is a relatively simple farming business to set up because you won’t need much space and can sell the flowers without a permit, depending on where you live.

Many people find that a simple farm stand out front offers an easy way to make a side income from cut flowers, and you can easily make enough to cover the costs of raising your own — and potentially a lot more.