Eleven Eleven

• Posted on 10 November 2021
• Posted in Fall Planting Season, Tree Planting
• 0

BatesRewards members get 10% off ALL* shade, ornamental and fruiting trees!

The autumn days are scurrying past. Now, approaching mid-November, we have officially reached prime tree planting season. Judging by the number of different tree planting advocacy groups in middle Tennessee, the message is clear: Nashville needs more trees. The time is right for planting. Cooler temperatures and good ground moisture make for excellent planting attributes. The weather simply couldn’t be better.

We are enjoying a colorful fall season. When you plant container grown trees, you don’t have to sacrifice color this fall, if you hurry! (Fall leaf drop is happening now.) Field grown trees are a viable
choice, but the first year’s color is usually sacrificed, as there is an unavoidable amount of transplant shock. That shock doesn’t hurt the trees this time of year, but leaves frequently drop off before acquiring fall color.

While it is true that the best time for planting a shade tree was ten years ago…or more, it is equally true that the second best time is now. Just three years ago, we lost a 120 year-old sugar maple in our yard. Even though we tried for several years to ‘save’ the tree, and we most certainly did extend its life, ultimately we were forced to take it down. At the time, it seemed as though we would never have a suitable replacement tree, in our lifetime.

Regardless, we had the stump ground out. We moved several feet away from where the original tree was located. I planted a #15 Autumn Blaze Maple in 2018. That tree was about 1.25” in diameter when planted. Today it is 6”+ in diameter and is ‘putting on a show’! Time passes more quickly than we realize. It is natural to mourn the loss of a specimen tree, but the only way to get past that is to plant again.

Replace, or add to your existing tree canopy. We are extending to you 10% off ALL* shade, ornamental, and fruiting trees, through November 18, 2021.

Tree time!

David Bates

*Excluding Japanese Maples, in-store only!