Virginia Evergreen Summer 2018

eliminates the frantic push to or- der in the spring when shipments begin and availability is low or sold out. This job will be behind you so other priorities can take precedence. Ordering early also requires a deposit as outlined in most nursery policies and terms. This ensures your order will hon- ored and shipped when you choose the time, (March-May).

well developed, Winter hardiness is an issue with these two tree types. Developed in a warmer cli- matic zone, these are hardy only to zone 6( 0 to minus 10 degrees). However, if these are grown in a mountain valley or the foothills better winter survival is possible as opposed to higher elevations. Extreme cold winters with several hours of sub zero weather may cause some winter burn or com- plete kill. Therefore, the best cli- matic zones are zone 6 (warmer 6a) to zone 9.

Others to consider is Vans Pine Nursery, West Olive Michigan and Walmhoff’s in Michigan. Vans Pines is a large scale green- house nursery dealing in peat pots and standard nursery pot produc- tion as well as bare root super jumbo transplants. Peat pots are a good choice due to bio degradable action and no transplant shock. I have seen Gary Van Slooten’s se- lections as a vendor at the NCCTA winter and summer meetings. They are quite superior in appearance with a good root system, but the drawback is they are pricey. For those interested to grow the cypresses I order from Byron’s Lakeview Nursery in Byron, Georgia and Griffith’s Nursery in Watkinsville, Georgia. When or- dering these cypress types, be sure they are available and it may be best to placed on ‘standing order’ which means you will receive the same species and quantity or more if requested each succeeding year until otherwise specified. Both these nurseries offer superior quality in their plant production. For all growers, I hope this infor- mation will be helpful. Consider- ing the plant shortages now appar- ent in the nursery industry it is best to order early for the next planting season. I recommend or- dering late summer or early fall when nurseries mails out their cat- alogs and price lists. It is good to get contacts with as many possible sources so choosing what you need will be available in different ages and sizes. Personally, I enjoy looking over the many nursery catalogs and have for years. Early ordering is essential because it

This year’s planting season has been good despite a set back due to a colder than normal spring. Rains have been abundant and new growth has pushed forward. What the summer holds remains to be seen, hopefully the rains can ease up and more sunnier days can be had. What we desire to to see is less summer mortality since the plants are a costly investment. Better cultural practices can equate into more survivability and realize a faster return on the in- vestment. Hopefully, more availa- ble trees and fewer shortages can result if we plan ahead properly. By Tommy Naylor, North Lake Christmas Tree & Nursery, Benson, NC, VTCGA Director, tenaylor07@embarqmail.com Looking for Alternative Farm Income in the Off Seasons? Don’t miss the Alternative Farm Income Panel at the VCTGA Conference at Natural Bridge!

My choice nurseries includes the following; Bosch’s Countryview Nursery, Allendale, Michigan Alpha Nurseries, Holland, Michigan New Life Nursery, Holland, Michigan Reliable Source (Jim Rockis) Morgantown ,WV Berkey’s Nursery, Spartansburg, Pennsylvania

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Summer 2018 VCTGA News Journal –Summer 2018  

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