Dipper's mini nursery

[dipper]

I've been feeding it organic material for two decades. I'd bet my organic matter is 20% plus. That 2"s of straw mulch around the apple trees is gone. I'm still amazed how quickly organic material breaks down.
Next springs hp cuttings are getting nothing more than mulch. The soil gets too compacted under the lumite making it harder to dig up the trees. When you have that good of soil and control weeds the lumite or plastic isn't necessary. I started a few cuttings without any plastic and I couldn't notice a difference.

 

[wbpdeer]

Dipper,

Your nursery success is impressive. I have some sawtooth oak acorns and some chinkapin acorns that I was thinking of direct seeding in a nursery bed I want to make/finish. I live on the TN / KY state law and we have only seen temps in the high 30s one night. I have 1/2 hardware cloth I would cover them with. This will be in the back yard - so I can care for as needed.

I would use straw and mulch to cover them. I have not created the soil mix for the plant bed yet but I have the 2 by 6 frame created.

Do you think I will be pleased if I go this route in the next 5 to 7 days?
Thanks for your post - a good read and great pics.
Wayne in TN

 

[dipper]

There is no need to get fancy. I just layer the acorns and throw some dirt on the top. I threw some dirt on the corners of window screen to prevent the screen from blowing away. It literally took 5 minutes

 

[dipper]

Well boys the 2015 growing season is just about to put it in first gear.
Chinese chest nuts thrown in the frig with some damp paper towel 10-9-14. They are starting to open up. I have about 70 nuts, had to throw 10 out. Game on!

 

[scott44]

I have to pull my chestnuts and acorns out and take a look at them, good luck!

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Are those HP going to get transplanted or are they in there final resting place?

 

[dipper]

About half are in their final place. The rest will be transplanted this spring.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

The only reason I ask is because I had the same thoughts once. I talked to John about it and he warned me about the tremendouse root system they make in one season. Was your plan to just half them off about ground and stick them in the groun somewhere or actually transplant them like you would an apple tree? Very interested to see how that goes for you. Love what you are doing with most of your stuff.

I have the blind that is shown off in the build something thread. I would love to get 6 mature trees to about 12 feet quicky around it without spending a million bucks on it. You might be on to something here.

 

[dipper]

the trees get transplanted, and they aren't that hard to dig up. The hardest ones to dig up are on the outside and it's not hard. The ones one the inside I don't even dig, just tug on them a little and manipulate the roots with my hands. The more room you give them the more roots you get.
I'm kinda a Eco hippie and I'm a bigger cheap skate so I avoid all that plastic.