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Old 02-01-2004, 09:02 PM
Dish
 
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Default Advice on Pine Trees (Pine Tree "Farm")

Hi, we're considering buying a few acres of land, and there is a grove
that has rows of pine trees (over 600) on the property that a previous
owner planted. They refer to it as a tree farm, even though the
property has not been used as a tree farm (the current owners are not
selling trees, and I don't think they ever have). This is in the
midwest.

I would prefer open land to rows of pine trees, so i've been
considering a couple options: 1) selling them in November/December as
Christmas trees ($20-$30 each), but when people cut them down i'll be
left with all the stumps in the ground, 2) selling the whole trees
with the root ball, etc. ($40-$50 each?)to landscapers, garden
centers, or straight to the public (but i'm not interested in starting
a business - much too busy), or 3) trying to find the time to run a
tree farm and selling trees myself and planting new ones, etc. -
although i'm sure there are countless tree farms already.

I also thought about donating some of them each year to places like
schools, etc. to use as Christmas trees, earning myself some tax
savings.

I would prefer to do something that would get rid of the trees within
3 years or so for future plans, as this grove is on the front/side of
the property and prohibits any future building or driveway there.

What I wanted to ask here is: 1) if anyone has any advice on all of
this before we buy, and/or 2) if anyone knows what type of maintenance
is involved with pine trees in keeping them healthy, etc. so I don't
end up with 600-700 dead or unhealthy trees a year from now.

I'm trying to find out what type of pine trees they are, and I hope
the current owners know that, because I think they were planted before
they owned the property.

Most of the trees range in height from 6-8 feet. Some are even taller.

Thanks so much,

- D

















__
__
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Old 02-01-2004, 10:32 PM
David J Bockman
 
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Default Advice on Pine Trees (Pine Tree "Farm")

Hi Dish,

If you have access to a digital camera, take a few photos, including
close-ups of the needles, and post them to alt.binary.pictures.gardens.

I doubt you want to become involved in ball & burlapping your trees, it's
back breaking work and not for the unskilled. Perhaps you could make
inquiries at a few wholesale or growing nurseries in your area-- they might
be interested in lifting them en masse, or in taking them as they need them
for a year or two. Much depends upon what type of trees they are.

Where is your property?

Dave

"Dish" wrote in message
om...
Hi, we're considering buying a few acres of land, and there is a grove
that has rows of pine trees (over 600) on the property that a previous
owner planted. They refer to it as a tree farm, even though the
property has not been used as a tree farm (the current owners are not
selling trees, and I don't think they ever have). This is in the
midwest.

I would prefer open land to rows of pine trees, so i've been
considering a couple options: 1) selling them in November/December as
Christmas trees ($20-$30 each), but when people cut them down i'll be
left with all the stumps in the ground, 2) selling the whole trees
with the root ball, etc. ($40-$50 each?)to landscapers, garden
centers, or straight to the public (but i'm not interested in starting
a business - much too busy), or 3) trying to find the time to run a
tree farm and selling trees myself and planting new ones, etc. -
although i'm sure there are countless tree farms already.

I also thought about donating some of them each year to places like
schools, etc. to use as Christmas trees, earning myself some tax
savings.

I would prefer to do something that would get rid of the trees within
3 years or so for future plans, as this grove is on the front/side of
the property and prohibits any future building or driveway there.

What I wanted to ask here is: 1) if anyone has any advice on all of
this before we buy, and/or 2) if anyone knows what type of maintenance
is involved with pine trees in keeping them healthy, etc. so I don't
end up with 600-700 dead or unhealthy trees a year from now.

I'm trying to find out what type of pine trees they are, and I hope
the current owners know that, because I think they were planted before
they owned the property.

Most of the trees range in height from 6-8 feet. Some are even taller.

Thanks so much,

- D

















__
__



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Old 03-01-2004, 01:32 PM
John Bachman
 
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Default Advice on Pine Trees (Pine Tree "Farm")

On 2 Jan 2004 11:59:56 -0800, (Dish) wrote:

Hi, we're considering buying a few acres of land, and there is a grove
that has rows of pine trees (over 600) on the property that a previous
owner planted. They refer to it as a tree farm, even though the
property has not been used as a tree farm (the current owners are not
selling trees, and I don't think they ever have). This is in the
midwest.

I would prefer open land to rows of pine trees, so i've been
considering a couple options: 1) selling them in November/December as
Christmas trees ($20-$30 each), but when people cut them down i'll be
left with all the stumps in the ground, 2) selling the whole trees
with the root ball, etc. ($40-$50 each?)to landscapers, garden
centers, or straight to the public (but i'm not interested in starting
a business - much too busy), or 3) trying to find the time to run a
tree farm and selling trees myself and planting new ones, etc. -
although i'm sure there are countless tree farms already.

If they are really pine trees (posting photos will help identify them)
they are not good Christmas tree candidates. Most Christmas trees are
firs, balsam or fraser being the most popular.

What is more, if they have been neglected for a few years they will be
out of shape and difficult to bring back. People can buy "perfect"
Christmas trees today and will not settle for less.

The same goes for landscape trees, no one wants pines and the trees
they do want have to be a perfect shape.
JMHO

John

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Old 03-01-2004, 04:02 PM
Pam - gardengal
 
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Default Advice on Pine Trees (Pine Tree "Farm")


"John Bachman" wrote in message

The same goes for landscape trees, no one wants pines and the trees
they do want have to be a perfect shape.


NO ONE wants pines? Tell that to the scores of customers coming into the
nursery this season that complained because our pine selection was not large
enough (15 species, probably twice that many cultivars). And the 'perfect
shape' differs from person to person - some want a very regularly shaped
tree, others want a very sculptural tree. Many species of pine never offer a
"perfect' shape - they are very irregular in growth habit.What they DO want
are healthy trees.

I'd offer them to local landscapers and nurseries on a U-dig basis. Exact
identification of species and/or cultivar is essential though, as some
conifers (pines or otherwise) are much more desirable than others

pam - gardengal


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Old 03-01-2004, 09:42 PM
Jim Lewis
 
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Default Advice on Pine Trees (Pine Tree "Farm")


I'm trying to find out what type of pine trees they are, and I

hope
the current owners know that, because I think they were planted

before
they owned the property.

Most of the trees range in height from 6-8 feet. Some are even

taller.


For an excellent key to the identification of North American
pines, go he

http://www.nearctica.com/trees/conif...key/pinek1.htm

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only to the
white man was nature a wilderness -- Luther Standing Bear
(Ogallala Sioux Chief)

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