Norway Spruce Screen Decisions

[BuckSutherland]

When picking trees up from SWCD I was first in line one year and got to pick my own trees. 3 of 4 times the guy running the show has helped me pick them out. I've always left satisfied. 95-98% of the potted conifers are excellent quality from what I have seen. Very few scrubs, but expect the "best" to be gone when you get there. I will be first in line again this year... Only 2 weeks away. I would be shocked if I cant plant by May 1.






I'm assuming I will be unable to plant as originally planned cause of frost. I plan to store mine on the north side of my house or in the garage. I have delayed my shipments from Chief River and University of Idaho.


To store bare roots or plugs I bought a bale of peat moss. I will probably get 20-40lb of ice and put some peat moss and ice in pales and totes to store my stuff when it shows up. You can add some water to the peat moss to keep everything hydrated. Did it last year and it worked good. Too damn much snow at my land. As others have said moist, cool and dark when shit shows up and you cant plant. I think a potted conifer will be ok sitting outside after April 22. Highly unlikely to get cold enough to damage them.

 

[Brian662]

My trees have always been marked with my name and placed off to themselves when I pick them up. I've never bought potted trees from the SWCD before this year though.

Just got word the nursery is behind schedule and they delayed tree pickup day for 2 weeks. That's fine by me in this weather!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Is there any reason for concern if temps are below freezing?

I wouldnt be to worried, unless temps get close to 0, but that shouldnt be an issue.

 

[Ranger007]

Any websites show the current frost by area?
I talked to Kandiyohi SWCD today and they are still on schedule for April 22nd pickup. Hopefully the frost is out in Wadena county by the 23rd!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Any websites show the current frost by area?
I talked to Kandiyohi SWCD today and they are still on schedule for April 22nd pickup. Hopefully the frost is out in Wadena county by the 23rd!

Frost Depth

 

[chucker66]

If we get the rain the next few days we should see some of that frost come out.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If we get the rain the next few days we should see some of that frost come out.

Got a good 4-5 day stretch of thawin out around here before 2-3 days of mainly below freezing temps. I was able to get my sample probe into the ground deep enough for soil samples yesterday at least!

 

[Ranger007]

Forecast looks horrible.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Damn global warming!

I think with the early part of this week, and mid weeks for cast, the frost should be almost out, and the night time lows shouldnt add any frost though the weekend. I am hoping I can get out Tuesday or Wednesday in between rain storms and plant some cuttings. The rain should soften up the top layers, and it should help the cuttings seal themselves into the soil.

I am pretty confident I will be frost free to plant my trees the last week of the month.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

my trees are shipping next week from Cold Stream! between those and the new kiddo coming I'm gonna be pretty busy (and tired) for the next couple weeks/months/years

 

[Tree Spud]

Wisconsin nurseries have pushed back tree delivery dates because of frost. Earliest we will get trees from our County is April 30th.

 

[PatinPA]

my trees are shipping next week from Cold Stream! between those and the new kiddo coming I'm gonna be pretty busy (and tired) for the next couple weeks/months/years

Ya you're going to be a zombie for a while. So much fun but man so exhausting.

 

[Brian662]

SWCD dates I've been given for SE MN counties have been pushed back to May 6th pickup.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

SWCD dates I've been given for SE MN counties have been pushed back to May 6th pickup.

I would love it if Meeker and Kandi did the same!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

My local area is still showing 17 inched. The 10 day for cast wont help that out much either.

 

[Brian662]

This is the exact shovel I have....

View attachment 41996



I use it for planting small plugs, two gallon pots, bareroots, road ditch transplants, chopping tree roots, prying rocks, prying tree roots, etc..... The blade is sharper then most shovels and slices/chops through tree roots nicely for me. The handle and the shovel is all welded and indestructible through human use. Wish I would have had it a few years sooner. Its heavy, but the extra weight is worth the abuse that I put it through. I am 6 feet tall as well and think this shovel is the perfect tool for all the different trees I have planted. I would suggest a nice pair of leather knee pads when planting. I spend lots of time kneeling when I'm planting and my knee pads have also been a game changer. Here is the exact ones I wear.... Never get wet knees or stabbed by something sharp on the ground anymore....


View attachment 41997

I've called all over in the metro area and can't find a dealer who has anything similar. Everyone wants to sell me a fiberglass handled one.

Online purchases are generally limited to a qty of 6. The places I've seen that handle them individually want $40-100 for shipping.

Anybody buy one recently for a reasonable price?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I've called all over in the metro area and can't find a dealer who has anything similar. Everyone wants to sell me a fiberglass handled one.

Online purchases are generally limited to a qty of 6. The places I've seen that handle them individually want $40-100 for shipping.

Anybody buy one recently for a reasonable price?

Depends what a "reasonable price" is. I bought two wolverine shovels but it seems i still haven't gotten the one @BuckSutherland is sweet on.

I got this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/19
and this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/21
But it seems I shoulda got this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/22

They were around $100 shipped when you add the foot pad deal to them.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I've called all over in the metro area and can't find a dealer who has anything similar. Everyone wants to sell me a fiberglass handled one.

Online purchases are generally limited to a qty of 6. The places I've seen that handle them individually want $40-100 for shipping.

Anybody buy one recently for a reasonable price?

Ebay

 

[Brian662]

Depends what a "reasonable price" is. I bought two wolverine shovels but it seems i still haven't gotten the one @BuckSutherland is sweet on.

I got this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/19
and this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/21
But it seems I shoulda got this one: https://pacforest.com/Item/22

They were around $100 shipped when you add the foot pad deal to them.

What do you think of the two shovels you have? I saw the pacforest option and it does appear the most reasonable. Russo had one too but they wanted nearly $40 to ship. TerraTech wants $100 to ship.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

What do you think of the two shovels you have? I saw the pacforest option and it does appear the most reasonable. Russo had one too but they wanted nearly $40 to ship. TerraTech wants $100 to ship.

Got'em this winter due to the hype here. Haven't dug anything yet, just used em to chip some ice off of stairs.

I'll tell ya this, they are BEEFY. You wont want to use them for shoveling loose material because of how heavy they are. I think they'll be nice for planting though.