# Best tree selection



## Randy Dandy (Aug 29, 2004)

If all goes well then we might be getting ready to get us a small house built. We need a good wind block along a fence row. Could someone suggest a no maintenance fast growing wind block ? We will also be wanting to plant 3 to 4 trees around the house. I was once told that we would be better off to but a small established tree and it would just about catch up to a tree that is about 10 to 15 years old if we was to try and pay someone to transplant it. They said that by the time the 10 to 15 year old tree establishes its root system again that a smaller tree will have just about caught up with it in about(aprox) 5 years. This doesnt make sence to me as nursuries have to dig up theyre trees and transplant them as well no matter how big they are. I was thinking that we would be alright to just have holes dug and backhoe the larger trees up and transplant and support them. If we did then I guess a soil sample would be in order before putting tree in the hole. Is the winter time a better time to transplant a large tree, or is spring ??? Any thoughts or suggestions ??? Thanks


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## Pat (Jul 24, 2004)

Randy Dandy,

If you posted this on the Gardening and Plant Propagation sub forum I think you'd get the response you are looking for.

Just because nurseries transplant the big trees don't mean they don't take the time to recover. (I like to buy the younger tree.) I also like the eatable landscape (meaning think about Pecans, Chestnuts, or walnuts for those "shade" trees, maybe even a full size apple or pear) around the house. For your windbreak Poplars (or maybe something like the bush cherries or the bush plums keeping with the eatable landscape idea). This is without knowing where you live. Maybe these won't work well there.

As I said earlier, if you post on the Gardening and Plant Propagation sub forum you'll get more (and probably better) answers and ideas. They will need your zone for what grows well in your area also. 

Pat


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## Randy Dandy (Aug 29, 2004)

Yes. Thank you very much. I guess I looked over that. Thanks very much for your input on the trees.


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## Randy Dandy (Aug 29, 2004)

I forgot to mention that my wife just pointed out. We met with what we thought was finally going to be our house contractor earlier today and things did not work out at all. So we are on hold. Possibly another year now that its this late in the season. Most contractors have jobs lined up for the spring and summer. So I better not post the question as I will probably forget what is said or misplace any notes until we are ready to build for sure. We might plant some trees but the majority of them was going to be included in the landscaping price. Thanks again for your input/response.


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## Pat (Jul 24, 2004)

Sorry to hear the news. However you can plant the wind break now. Even if I had landscaping done, I'd request eatable landscaping. You can have the same shade, same flowering bushes etc., but be able to harvest them also. Most landscapers I've met just want to put in the "standard" things. Why have them plant a Pink Dog Wood when you can have a Red Star cornus mas (belongs to the Dog Wood family but has "cherry" eatable fruit in the fall), or a Chinese Chestnut instead of that Red Maple or an Asian Pear instead of that flowering pear (can't remember the exact name).

You might want to look at Raintree Nursery (http://www.raintreenursery.com/) , or One Green World Nursery (http://www.onegreenworld.com/) - their site isn't really on online nursery, but you can request a catalog from them (actually I'd get a catalog from both). Both have more the eatable type landscape and after looking at them, be able to talk with the landscaping people and tell them what y'all would like. They both have the "traditional" fruit trees that have been bred to be resistant to many of the problems (don't need to be sprayed or at least sprayed as much). Vernon Barnes and Son (nothing on line but is located in near Memphis Tenn) has some of the eatable landscaping (and what appear to be great prices and a good rating on the Catalog Watch). I think you'd have to look up the their telephone number and ask for their catalog, or if y'all are close go by the nursery. 

Having the catalogs you can select what y'all like, and tell them (and have something to show them).

Again, sorry to hear about the contractor problems. 

Pat


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## Randy Dandy (Aug 29, 2004)

Thank you very much Pat. What you say makes a lot of sense. I guess we have been upset over the contractor thing and lost sight of our goal. Your right about looking now for the future. We like your ideas about the trees that bare fruit of some kind. You see there, we didnt need to post this question no where else. We was just waiting on someone like you :worship: Thanks for the great and welcome advise


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## Pat (Jul 24, 2004)

Your quite Welcome... but unfortunately all you received is my opinions. With more people reading and responding you will get more opinions. Then you can either take what works best (or agrees with y'alls gardening philosophy) or do like I do and take parts of several responses and make your own.

I'd still suggest you read the posts on the Gardening and Plant Propagation (if you still want to wait until it's closer to when you can get a contractor before asking your question) just to get some ideas, get to know the posters better (who agrees with your style) etc.

If you know where your house will be built, calculate what they will need for a work zone around it, and you could still start to plant some traditional fruit trees in the areas they won't be working. (Most fruit trees take at least 3 years before they start to bare fruit). You originally asked about planting in fall or spring. I like to plant in the fall. Prices are better and the trees seem to like the chance to start working on their roots before the stress of summer heat. Saying all that, this is only if y'all live close to where you will be building. Trees need extra water the first year, (any time they don't get a inch of rain water per week, you need to supply it) so if it's close you can supply the extra water. I'd be going to where I was moving to very often anyway. (wouldn't be a trip just to water the trees).

Good luck finding a good contractor, and the more you can tell them exactly what you want (both the builder and the landscaper) the happier y'all will be when it's finished. Maybe having to delay will be a blessing in disguise and having the time to detail what you really want will give y'all a much better home (more in line with your dreams instead of the contractors).

Pat


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## Randy Dandy (Aug 29, 2004)

Thanks Pat. We might just do that. What my wife said is somewhat true. If you plant any kind of fruit trees close to your house then it does seem to attract alot of bugs, flies, spiders, ect...We do have a spot further from the house to plant those though, but that has to be landscaped first. Your points are very well taken though and welcome. You have made us think about a couple of different ideas, and we will keep that in the back of our minds as we are trying to plan. We are trying to plan and take things a step at a time. Thanks again ver much, Randy


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