Best Source for Wildlife Trees?

[fireman32]

Not a nursery recommendation but a comment on pears and to a lesser degree apples.

European pears in general are highly susceptible to fireblight which thrives in climates with warm humid springs during the bloom which is how fireblight invades the tree. Apples are also vulnerable though much less so.
However, there are crosses of European and Asian pears, which are more resistant from the Asian parentage, such as kieffer, orient, pineapple that do well in the south. Look for those or selections developed or naturally arising in the south. Fortunately there is a huge interest in southern pears and there are dozens of selections available.
Apples struggle more with their need for cooler climates as they originated on the eurasian steppe. Some selections just won't do outside the mountain south while there are many arose on the coastal south so use due diligence.
A couple nursery lists to look at for southern cultivars are Just Fruits and Exotics out of Florida and Kuffel Creek out of southern California for apples that do well in the heat.
Both to expensive for wildlife plantings but a starting point on what may do well in the south.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Cedar trees are a cause for the blight in pear and apple trees. If you have little or no cedar trees nearby, wouldn’t that make the blight less likely? Or is that only for rust?

 

[gawildlife]

Only for cedar apple rust. Affects mainly apples but can affect some pears. Not all apples are susceptible but most are.
General recommendation a half mile distance from cedars. Though it's rarely of such issue to remove all cedars. We have cedars everywhere yet folks successfully grow apples everywhere.

Fireblight is a bacteria that enters the plant through the blooms. Bees and pollinators are the prime movers of the bacteria unfortunately. Preventative treatment can be done with antibiotics, Streptomycin, in wet years or after stress events such as heavy rain or hail. Other treatments involve the application of benign bacterium that preempt and occupy the space fireblight need.

 

[SRShunter]

Man if you will do a search in here I put a guy's number last year or so who sold Chinese chestnut trees and sawtooths. They are seedlings, but will save you a ton of money and they are good trees...in other words he takes pride in what he does. If I had time I would look. Search my name or Chinese chestnut trees

 

[crackerdave]

The Ga.Forestry Commission takes orders for bare root seedlings in the summer for winter delivery.
They have a Wildlife Pack that is very popular,but it sells out quick.
Very reasonable prices.

 

[GAEngineer]

The Ga.Forestry Commission takes orders for bare root seedlings in the summer for winter delivery.
They have a Wildlife Pack that is very popular,but it sells out quick.
Very reasonable prices.

https://gatrees.org/forest-management-conservation/tree-seedlings/

 

[sportsman94]

If lived closer to this place I would be there when they opened

Her prices are good. Me and people I know have had varying luck with her stuff. Just bought a few trees from there a couple weeks back so hoping for the best this go around. They’ll go in the ground at the house so I should be able to baby them pretty good

 

[glynr329]

Her prices are good. Me and people I know have had varying luck with her stuff. Just bought a few trees from there a couple weeks back so hoping for the best this go around. They’ll go in the ground at the house so I should be able to baby them pretty good

You must have bought all the good ones. We went this past weekend didn't have much.

 

[arrendale8105]

I just got the crab apple package from wildlife group in today. I’ll plant them tomorrow. 7 different varieties. Chestnut hill nursery is extremely short on stuff except dunstans this year for some reason.

 

[fatback]

I’ve got pears, persimmons, sawtooth oaks and Dustan chestnuts coming next week from the wildlife group. I’m going to start on some of the site prep work in the morning. Got the hole digger hooked up to the tractor and read to go. I appreciate all the input on this thread.

 

[sportsman94]

I’ve got pears, persimmons, sawtooth oaks and Dustan chestnuts coming next week from the wildlife group. I’m going to start on some of the site prep work in the morning. Got the hole digger hooked up to the tractor and read to go. I appreciate all the input on this thread.

Keep us updated on the progress! I planted some pears, sawtooths, dwarf chinkapin, Allegheny chinquapin, mulberries, and crabapples from them last year. Lucked up with the wet summer so I didn’t have to carry water to them all year and all are doing great. The growth on the mulberries has been pretty unreal. They are both probably between 8-10 foot when they started at about 3’ this spring. Pretty much all other trees are out of the tubes at this point. Can’t wait to see the progress and some mast production. Good luck to you!

 

[fatback]

Got my trees delivered yesterday. Got 30 bare root persimmons and 40 chestnut trees (3 gallon size) in the ground yesterday. Going back today to work on getting the pears and sawtooths planted. Probably gonna take longer as these are 7 gallon sized trees and will have to build wire cages instead of the tubes for protection. Headed out in a bit to get busy. I’ll try and post some pictures when we get done.

 

[fatback]

Spent the last 3 days planting wildlife trees on my place. Got my trees from Wildlife Group. Planted a variety of pears , persimmons, chestnuts and sawtooth oaks. Planted a total of 150 trees. The sawtooths and pears were 7 gallon trees and I put cages around each of them. The persimmons and chestnuts were smaller trees and went into tree tubes. I was impressed with the quality of the trees. The folks at the wildlife group were very good about answering questions. Looking forward to watching this project play out over the next several years. Thanks again for all of the input.

 

[fireman32]

Looks like a great start to a wildlife buffet! Hopefully they’ll get to producing in record time.

 

[b8hickman]

All those trees look nice. Makes me wish I had more open are and less pines.

 

[bhouston]

Hallman Farms in Little Mountain, S.C. They ship in Fed Ex boxes. Several par hybrids that are blight resistant, female persimmons, apples plums, etc. I have been buying from them for last 6 years - lost maybe 2% of their trees. Mr. Benny knows his trees.