FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have compiled a
list of the most frequently asked questions from our customers. Please
check this page to see if we have answered your questions here first.
1. Are you open
to the Public? Yes, by
appointment only. Please call 1-800-669-2067, or 386-462-2820, or email us to
set up an appointment. These are normally scheduled on Fridays. We ask that you call or email your order by the Wednesday prior to the
Friday pick up date to allow us time to have your order pulled and ready
for you.
2. What are your
hours? The office is open
Mon-Fri 8:30-4pm.
3. Are you open on
weekends? We are CLOSED on the
weekends.
4. Can we select our
own trees? At our office we
have a small sample of trees available that you can choose from, it is best to call ahead and make an appointment. For orders we pull the plants from the 150 acre production nursery so you
cannot choose the plants we pull. Our insurance does not allow people to
walk around the farm.
5. Where are you
located? Click this Link for
a map. From Exit 390 on I-75, the northern Gainesville, FL exit, go West
on SR 222 for 3.0 miles to a stoplight dead end. Turn right or North and
go 3.5 miles on CR 241/NW 143 St. Turn left or West and go 0.5 miles on
NW 94 Ave to the top of the hill. The sign and driveway are on the left
at the top of the hill.
6. Do you sell
wholesale? We offer our
wholesale prices to members of the commercial landscape and nursery
trade. You must provide us with a landscape or nursery business license
and State of Florida resale tax certificate. We also offer wholesale
pricing to commercial orchards (minimum order of 100 trees).
7. When do you ship
mail order? We ship during the spring from January to April, starting with the southern states first and then
shipping progressively north as spring comes to the northern states, ending in
April. We also ship in the fall, starting with northern states in
September and southern states in Oct-Nov. You can pick up plants from the
nursery year-round.
8. Do you offer a
guarantee? No, we do not offer
an unconditional guarantee. We guarantee that the trees are true to type
and are in good condition when we ship, there are too many things that
can happen that are beyond our control that can damage the trees during
growth. Please read our guarantee Here.
9. How many trees fit
on a pallet? (50) 3-gallon trees or (15)
7-gallon will fit in a palletized box for shipping via
Fedex Freight.
Growing questions:
1. When is the best
time to plant trees? In
the South, you can plant from Oct-Apr, as long as the ground is not
frozen. In the north, late August-September and March-May are planting
seasons. Fall planting is good because the trees root into the ground as
long as the ground is not frozen, and they come out in the spring with less
shock.
2. Does ________ need a
pollinator? Each variety
description lists whether or not a pollinator is needed or they are
self-fertile. This is also shown on the complete variety list.
3. How far apart should
I space the trees? Chestnuts
should be planted 35-40’ apart, and most fruit trees can be planted 10-20'
apart. Allow enough space between rows for mowing equipment. Each variety
description includes recommended spacing.
4. How soon will I get
fruit? Chestnuts will begin to
bear in 3-5 years after planting and most fruit trees and berries will produce
fruit within 1-2 years after planting. You should not allow a tree to
overbear when it is young, so remove some fruit if the crop appears too heavy,
or it will stunt the growth of the tree.
5. When should I
fertilize? Use a balanced
fertilizer with minor elements such as Scott's Osmocote or Espoma Holly Tone organic per package
directions. Put half around the tree in the spring, and half after summer
rains have started. Don't fertilize in the late summer or fall, as this
could lead to vigorous growth and damage from early frosts. Do not put in
the hole, but on top of the soil.
6. When do I
prune? Most plants
are pruned when dormant in the winter or just after fruit harvest.
7. Do I need
irrigation? Water is the single
most important element in tree survival. We highly recommend installing an
irrigation system. Infrequent watering from a hose is not enough,
especially in the first year of growth. If you are planting in the woods
where there is no water (especially for chestnuts and wildlife trees) we
strongly suggest you use Grow Tubes and supplement with water.
8. How often should I
water? You must water the trees in
thoroughly at transplanting, preferably 2-3x/week the first year. In
woodland plantings, if the trees are not getting regular (1-2x/week) rains, you
will need to water supplementally.
9. Should I use Grow
Tubes? They act like
mini-greenhouses and make small trees grow faster, especially in forest
plantings. They also recycle water that breathes off the leaves at night
during photosynthesis, and protects the trees from animal damage and herbicide
over spray. Leave them on the trees until the trunks outgrow the tubes,
then cut them off.
10. Should I put
compost or peat moss in the hole when planting? No, this can cause root fungus. Put topsoil
back in the hole but do not amend with compost, peat moss or manure (which can
burn the roots).
11. Should I use Weed
Mats? Yes it is very important to
protect young trees from weeds – they compete with the roots for water and
nutrients. Herbicides such as Roundup can kill young trees even if it
just hits the trunk. Weed mats are very helpful in eliminating weed
competition.
12. What is the best
way to protect against damage from deer? Build a cage with t-bar posts and 5’ concrete reinforcing wire at least
3’ in diameter. If you have a lot of pressure from deer, it is the best
method and protects your investment in the trees.
13. Do I need to spray
my trees? No unless there is a
reason. Contact your local extension agent if you see signs of bug damage, and
they can help you ID the pest and give recommendations for treatment.
14. Will all persimmons
bear fruit? All Oriental
Persimmons are grafted and will bear in 2-3 years after planting. The
same for grafted American Persimmons. Seedling American persimmons are
either male (flowers only) or female (will bear fruit), so you need to plant
4-5 seedling American persimmon trees together to make sure you get some fruit.
15. What % success rate
should I get? With an irrigation
system you should get 80-90% or better live from planting, but if you plant
them in the woods, it depends on how much rain and care they get after
planting. If you do not water, and it is a dry year, your success could
go down considerably.
Chestnut questions:
1. Do Dunstan Chestnuts
require pollinators? Yes, all
chestnuts need pollinators. You must plant a minimum of 2 Dunstan trees
together to get nut production, while 4-5 together is better.
2. Will other chestnuts
(such as Chinese) pollinate Dunstan Chestnuts? Yes, but the nut production will not be as
good.
3. How far apart can I
plant chestnuts and still get pollination? A minimum of 20' and a maximum of 50'.
4. What is the spacing
for chestnuts? We recommend
30'x30' (=54 trees/acre). They will begin to touch after 15 years, and
can be thinned at that time. Or 40'x40' (=25 trees/acre).
5. When should I plant
chestnuts? In the north, early
spring (when we ship) or early fall (Sept-Oct). In the south, they can be
planted most of the year, except during the coldest part of winter, or during
extended droughts.
6. Do you sell Dunstan
nuts? No, we use all of our
crop for planting and our Dunstan is a trademarked tree.
7. Should I use Grow Tubes?
How long do they stay on the trees? Yes, we highly recommend Grow Tubes if you are planting in an area where
you do not have access to water, or there is pressure from deer browsing on the
young trees. The tubes stay on until the trees become constricted around
the trunk.
8. How similar are the
Dunstan Chestnuts to the American Chestnut? Dunstan Chestnuts are blight resistant, which
American Chestnuts are not. They produce larger nuts than American
Chestnuts. If grown in the open, Dunstan Chestnuts will spread (just like
American Chestnuts) and if grown in the forest or tight spacing, will be more timber
form.
9. What is the range of
Dunstan Chestnuts? They will grow
from Zones 5-9 (see USDA Hardiness Zone Map). They need at least 250 Chill Hours (Orlando FL
north). They will withstand temperatures down to -20F for established trees.
10. Do chestnuts bear every year? Yes, chestnuts
bear every year (unlike oaks). If they experience a late freeze in the
spring after leaf-out, or early fall freeze before the nuts ripen, can damage
production or growth.