Best season to order plants?

[kale]

Is now a good time to order from evergreen gardenworks and other nurseries? Just got my xmas bonus and looking to load up!

 

[penumbra]

Only if you are prepared for their winter care.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I order “dormant season” trees.. the nursery workers are more likely to send pictures of the ACTUAL trees you will be purchasing, though this is still not SUPER common...

Depending on the plants hardiness, both the rated, air temperature tolerance as well as the Root Damaging Temperature analysis (if available... I’ve been having a hard time locating Forsythia documentation), I might prune.. but either way.. roots remain undisturbed, and I would place in a cold-frame, or (if cold-frame not available) “tuck-in” and mulch/bury.

So basically...

Only if you are prepared for their winter care.

...is spot on.

 

[sorce]

I don't think it's ever a good time to order trees in the mail.

I reckon the $ is better spent on tools applied to local material.

Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

Is now a good time to order from evergreen gardenworks

Maybe maybe not. It depends on what you're ordering.
Much of what Brent sells are grafts. Young grafts 1-2 yr old, are best left in their care
as they're prepared for this and have been doing it for many years.

On 3 year old grafts and older seedlings...

I order “dormant season” trees.

This should be ok. I just received 4 JWP and a hemlock on the way.
Just be aware that shipping is taking quite a hit right now.
I shipped a pair of Danner boots to Wisconsin 12/4 and nothing since it left
sorting facility on the 5th. Today's the 10th sent 2-3 day priority mail.
My JWP were in shipping 5 or 6 days.

Only if you are prepared for their winter care.

+1

 

[Japonicus]

I don't think it's ever a good time to order trees in the mail.

I reckon the $ is better spent on tools applied to local material.

Sorce

You mean like this fugly looking tree I just got?


The new growth is horrendously scary looking.
I doubt it will ever work for bonsai. I really think the graft will be ok in a few years, but not the branches.
You have a point, but wouldn't say never...

I don't think it's ever a good time to order trees in the mail.

...On the other hand I got my $'s worth with the vendors recommendation (Conifer Kingdom)
on this cultivar. It's full, 360º full, and the union is a smooth transition.

Then the tree in my avatar was an eBay purchase back when the graft looked worse than
this new one I got a week or so ago.

But many folks have been burned with mail order purchases for sure, no question.
I ordered 3 trees, got a fourth free, and free shipping. Could have faired worse I agree.

 

[penumbra]

I don't think it's ever a good time to order trees in the mail.

I reckon the $ is better spent on tools applied to local material.

Sorce

That is pretty much the way I feel. I won't be ordering any more plants until the end of winter. Too much risk for my climate.

 

[MrWunderful]

Only if you are prepared for their winter care.

This should be the main determining factor.

But what type of trees are you looking for?

 

[kale]

This should be the main determining factor.

But what type of trees are you looking for?

Yes I have cold protection ready. Im kind of in the market for an elm or zelkova.

 

[MrWunderful]

Yes I have cold protection ready. Im kind of in the market for an elm or zelkova.

You can buy whatever you want then

 

[Japonicus]

That is pretty much the way I feel. I won't be ordering any more plants until the end of winter. Too much risk for my climate.

You know what? It just struck me watching TV this evening (yeh I'm that slow, and that's fast for me) that
this is another crucial reason for members to provide their location and grow zone.
@kale lives in zone 5b Brent at EGGW grows and distributes from near Kelseyville, CA
in zone 8b to 9a. It would NOT be prudent at this point in time for the OP to order outdoor
trees from EGGW unless he had some sort of over the top way to provide similar conditions
I don't think.

 

[Japonicus]

Im kind of in the market for an elm

At Plant City Bonsai last year near Atlanta, I wanted a very small leafed elm tree they had several of.
When I asked Steve how cold hardy that particular cultivar was, it ranked a bit higher up the scale.
I forget what it was called, but sadly I told him I'd have to pass. This is not true with most other elms though.
Have you tried any bonsai clubs in Colorado?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If you have a cool area, between 32 and 40 F to store new purchases, you are good. You can not expect trees from warmer climates to be hardened off adequately to tolerate a Colorado winter without protection.

Second, I must call foul on @Japonicus evaluation of Evergreen Gardenworks, Brent's trees. All Brent's maples and deciduous trees are cutting grown, absolutely no grafts. Only Brent's pines are grafted, and the quality of his grafting is superb for bonsai. I strongly recommend purchasing pines from Brent. I really like the wide range of cutting grown maples, flowering quince, crab apples, and cutting grown Ume that Brent makes available. You can not get young, affordable material like that anywhere else.

It is true that it takes about 5 years for grafts to fuse completely, and about 10 or more years to heal to the point of being nearly invisible. But this is the case no matter who makes the graft.

 

[Japonicus]

Second, I must call foul on @Japonicus evaluation of Evergreen Gardenworks

Well that really wasn't an evaluation, maybe it was... I highly praise Brent for his trees.
The ones I've ordered except for malus, have been grafts, and though not many I've bought from him,
you're right I should not base "most" of his trees in the category of what I'm familiar with.
So I will stand corrected, but still don't feel it is prudent to order from such a warmer climate
going to such a colder climate in the face of Winter. Grafted or not. There's nothing wrong with grafted trees for bonsai
when it's done right.