By: Patrick Troyer, Education Specialist
It’s that time of the year again for the Paulding Soil & Water Conservation District Spring Tree Sale! This year includes the return of many of your favorite tree species along with several new species that are carefully selected native tree species that are well suited for our area. Our annual event is running now through March 16th, 2018 and features a return of many favorites with the introduction of some new species and new products besides trees.
Below are some of the species making a return to this year’s sale, complete listings can be found in our sale guide:
• American Arborvitae
• Eastern Red Cedar
• Colorado Blue Spruce
• Norway Spruce
• Eastern White Pine
• Sugar Maple
• Red Maple
• Silver Maple
• White Flowering Dogwood
• Tulip Poplar
• Red Bud
• Common Lilac
• Dwarf Red Raspberry
• Domestic Apple
• Ohio Buckeye
New this year, the Paulding SWCD is offering Spicebush, Yellow Birch, and Common Persimmon to our tree offerings. Trees are availabled either as liners or seedlings. Liners will be about 2-3’ tall while seedlings will be about 6” to 18”. Quantities are limited, so be sure to get your order in as soon as possible! The Paulding SWCD can work one on one with landowners to help determine the trees that best fit for your own unique soil types based on the location of the property.
For 2018, we are selling more than just trees! New this year, we will be offering wildflower seed packets, tree tubes, and weed mats. The wildflower seed packets are a nice addition to our annual tree sale to help promote planting of native species that benefit the homeowner for aesthetics but also the animals and pollinators we are trying to protect. Seed packets are being offered in one-ounce packages that can cover an area of 270 to 390 square feet, depending on the species seed size in each mix. As part of the wildflower offering, we are selling three mixes which include: Annual & Perennial Wildflower Mix, Annual Wildflower Mix, and Butterfly/Hummingbird Mix.
The Annual & Perennial Wildflower mix is showy the second year and beyond, changing color and texture as it matures. This mix includes species such as Corn Flower (Bachelor’s Button), Cosmos, Purple Coneflower, Blanket flower, Scarletflax, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Oxeye Daisy; just to name a few. The Annual Wildflower Mix is showy the first year if planted before mid-June and with proper management, this mix will be showy the second year. Included in this mix are species such as: Sulphur Cosmos, Cosmos, Rocket Larkspur, Bachelor’s Button, Cornflower, Scarlet Flax, Painted Daisy; among many others.
Last in the wildflower selection is the Butterfly & Hummingbird Mix. This mix is designed specifically to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other native pollinators. Included in this mix are species such as: Little Bluestem, Riverbank Wildrye, Bachelor’s Button, Rocket Larkspur, Purple Coneflower, Bigleaf Lupine; among many others. Our sales guide has a complete listing of all species included in each mix along with seeding rates and planting recommendations.
Another new offering for this year’s sale are tree tubes and weed mats. Tree tubes are a good investment to consider for your trees, especially if you have young trees that you are attempting to establish and protect from wildlife who can damage them. As more people start living in areas where animals are found, encounters are simply bound to happen. The tree tubes are made from 100% recycled polyethylene (milk jug plastic) which are UV stabilized for five to seven years which means that the tubes will allow light to pass through. Tubes have a cuffed top and bottom which help to protect the tree as it grows out of the tube while also providing stability. Tree tubes will be available in sizes ranging from 24” to 72” in packs of either 10 or 25.
Weed mats is another new offering as part of our 2018 sale. Weed mats are used at the base of trees to help kill weeds and retain moisture. The weed mats that are part of our sale are designed to hold ground moisture for 3-6 weeks longer than other weed mats which are porous. Moisture is a critical thing to have for any young seedling. Weed mats come in 24”x 24” or 36”x 36” in bundles of either 10 or 25.
Order forms for the 2018 Tree Sale will be due by March 16th, 2018 at 4:00pm. Orders can be picked up on April 4th from 12:00pm-4:00pm and April 5th from 8:00am-12:00pm at the Black Swamp Nature Center, 753 Fairground Drive in Paulding. If you would like an order form or a sales guide of all trees/plants available, you may stop in our office (900 Fairground Drive), call 419-399-4771, visit our website at www.pauldingswcd.org, or “Like Us” on Facebook at Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District. Included in this guide you will find helpful information that will aid in your selection of trees, shrubs, wildflower seed, and tree tubes/weed mats. At the end of this guide, you will find an order form to mark down your selections. Tree quantities are limited so be sure to get your order in to reserve your species!
