Every year as we start to bring in fresh trees in the fall we hear requests for any and every kind of tree. Unfortunately for us, the cold winters here don’t allow for just any tree to be dug and replanted in the fall. It is a great time to plant trees that have previously been dug and given time to recover in our yard. However, it can be dangerous to dig certain trees late in the year depending on the growth habits of the species and other environmental factors. There are many trees we try our best to avoid digging in the fall to protect ourselves and our customers from finding dead trees in the spring when everything else is nice and green.

Most trees go into dormancy in the fall, entering a state where metabolic processes slow down so they can survive the winter. Digging trees in early spring while they are still dormant minimizes the stress caused by cutting its roots and transplanting it. The root system is preserved more effectively, allowing the tree to recover quickly once replanted. As it warms up in spring, they break dormancy and start putting on new growth which is ideal timing for reestablishing the root system after being dug. Trees dug in spring also have the advantage of cooler but warming temperatures and higher moisture. This combination reduces how much water the tree is losing and provides ideal conditions for recovery. Most species acclimate to their new surroundings better when dug in the spring. This is why we bring in thousands of trees in the spring and hold them year-round. It gives the trees a chance to recover until you need them and minimizes the risk of transplant shock or failure to make sure your newly installed landscape looks good and will last.

Some trees are better suited for fall digging and can reestablish roots before winter. Most species of Amelanchier, Crabapple, Ginkgo, Linden, Lilac, and Maple do well with fall digging and some even seem to do better, avoiding transplant shock. These trees will still develop roots in the cooler months after being dug. With the ground still warm but air temperatures cooling, growth can continue even as the tree's leaves drop. This late growth enables the tree to adjust and recover before winter, preparing the tree to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil as soon as the weather warms up in spring. During spring, the tree’s energy is directed towards new growth and root development, instead of recovery, which can result in stronger and more vigorous plants. This can enhance the overall health of the tree, making it more resilient to inclement weather, diseases, and pests. In contrast, spring digging can lead to transplant shock, as trees may struggle to adjust and recover while also trying to grow new leaves.

In conclusion, digging and replanting trees is a practice grounded in ecological and botanical science. The combination of biological factors such as dormancy cycles and growth rates with environmental factors like soil conditions and moisture determine the optimal time for digging. By timing the transplanting process correctly, one can set the stage for healthy, vibrant trees that will thrive in their new environments for years to come. So, if you see a tree with some old deteriorating burlap in the fall don’t be too quick to write it off. That tree is not “old”, it was intentionally dug in the spring according to the best botanical practices and held all year just waiting to be planted. It has survived the stress of digging and is primed for replanting, more resilient and ready to thrive in its new environment.

Pruning is a powerful tool that can significantly impact how a tree grows and develops. Japanese Maple are elegant ornamental trees that can be delicate and require pruning to maintain an ideal shape. Pruning can alter growth patterns, improve structural development, and reallocate resources. It encourages vigorous, healthy new growth and contributes to the long-term well-being of the tree. However, it’s important to apply the right techniques and timing to ensure that the benefits are fully realized and that the tree continues to thrive.

Japanese Maples can be a significant investment for your clients and providing pruning maintenance to them can be a way to set your business apart. Just be sure you are prepared for the task, with knowledge, and with sharp shears!

Amelanchier, also commonly known as the Juneberry, Serviceberry, or Shadbush; is an ornamental fruiting shrub native to Michigan and much of North America. With its delicate flowers, flavorful berries, and vibrant foliage, it has earned its place in gardens and natural habitats all over. We carry a variety of Amelanchier, that can be seen flushing white flowers, row upon row, in late April or early May.

Amelanchier belong to the Rosaceae family, sharing their lineage with species such as roses, apples, and strawberries. They flower early and produce edible berries in the summer after the branches flush out with elliptic leaves. The leaves emerge as bronze in spring before maturing to a lush green in summer. Come fall, they turn an array of warm colors from golden yellow to deep red. They typically grow as a multi-stem shrub, reaching heights of 15 to 25 feet, and are also grown as a single-stem tree.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Amelanchier play a vital role in native ecosystems. As an early bloomer, it provides a crucial source of nectar and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Moreover, its berries serve as a vital food source for songbirds, small mammals, and people, too. Amelanchier produce small, round berries similar to blueberries, but with a distinct flavor of their own. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, they have a sweet-tart taste and are great for jams and pies.

Amelanchier also hold a special place in the cultural traditions and folklore of North America. For Indigenous peoples, the shrub has spiritual significance and has long been used for its fruit and medicinal properties. Among early European settlers, the “Juneberry” acquired many names reflecting its seasonal habits. The term "Shadbush" came from the synchronized timing of its flowering with the annual migration of shad fish in New England.

The Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is a fast-growing variety with an intense red fall color available as both a shrub and tree form that can grow 15-25 feet wide. Cumulus is a single-stem tree-form variety that has a strong upright growth habit that only spreads 5-10’ wide. Amelanchier are hardy and adaptable to a range of soils but prefer well-drained and slightly acidic soil. They can be planted in full sun or shade but typically produce more fruit with full sun. These characteristics make them a versatile plant perfect for applications from screening to an ornamental centerpiece.

Pick uo your Amelanchier-Juneberry-Serviceberry-Shadbush-Chuckley Pear (or whatever you call them) from Christensen’s beautiful selection!

Sargent and Sargent Tina Crabapples are two of the most unique and reliable ornamental trees you can find. They offer beautiful colors year-round, are very low maintenance, and are great for wildlife. These Crabapples are extremely versatile, they can be used anywhere from focal points in gardens to lining driveways. Due to their dense and spreading growth habit, they can also work well as a privacy screen.

Sargent Crabapple’s growth habits make them unique. With dense winding branches that spread wide from the tree, they can provide a large canopy. If left unpruned branches may grow all the way to the ground providing a more shrub-like appearance. Sargent Tina is the smaller of the two varieties, they will grow to a height and width of about 5 feet. For this reason, they work better as an ornamental focal point in smaller landscapes. Sargents can grow to a height and width of about 10 feet.

Beautiful year-round, these crabapples both start with pink buds in the early spring that open to bright white blossoms covering the whole tree. As their flowers begin to drop they reveal a dense canopy of dark green leaves. The leaves will turn shades of gold in the fall before dropping and revealing a beautiful winding branching structure. In the fall the tree will also produce bright red fruits that are very attractive to birds and can persist into the winter.

Both varieties prefer full sun, regular moisture, and require minimal pruning. When planted the trees require regular watering until established. Once established they are relatively resistant to drought, insects, and disease. Pruning in late winter to remove dead, damaged, or unwanted growth is the best practice. This is also when it is easiest to see the full branching structure of the tree allowing you to shape and alter its irregular spreading growth habits.

If you would like to learn more about crabapples, check out Jacob's article from last year, Don't Worry, Be Crabby!

Something about the Independence Day holiday weekend feels like a signal to slow down a little bit, even if it’s just for the weekend.  It’s an apt time to think about water features. 

Fountains and water features are some of the best ways to elevate any garden, patio, or walkway.  They’re a simple, excellent add-on when selling an installation. Everyone loves the peaceful sound of flowing water while taking in the surroundings of a beautiful landscape. We offer several Easy Pro kits in our store, and many more that can easily be ordered for pickup or delivery straight to you. These kits are easy to assemble and include everything you will need to install an elegant and relaxing water feature.

While these 2 fountains are all we keep in stock, we also offer many other features. Catalogs are available here at Christensen’s as well as online through Easy Pro. These features include different pillars, bowls, vases, and sculptures. They typically arrive within a few days and can be picked up here in our store or sent directly to you. Water feature kits include the basin, pump, plumbing, and lights. All you need to do is assemble, bury the basin, fill with water, and enjoy.

From “Just-A-Falls” kits to Spillways, you can relax, Christensen’s has you covered with Easy-Pro Pond Products (and pond-less products)!

Red Maples are some of the most commonly planted trees across North America due to their hardiness and beautiful fall color. There are dozens of varieties of Red Maples to choose from. Their differences may seem inconsequential but there are pros and cons to each variety depending on the location and desired appearance. I will outline the differences between two of the most popular varieties:
Redpointe^® and Red Sunset^®.

Red Sunset has been the standard for red maple for many years. They grow into a more oval and natural shape than Redpointe. Fall color of these trees is more of a reddish-orange and tends to last longer than other varieties. In the summer the leaves are a lighter green and may have hints of yellow due to leaf chlorosis caused by higher PH soils. Red Sunset are less resilient to heat and waterlogging but are more drought tolerant and require less sunlight. Consistent watering is still needed after planting but once established these trees require very little maintenance. They also are notably preferred for their sap production which can be used for maple syrup.

Both varieties will reach heights of 40-50 feet when mature. However, the spread of a Red Sunset can be 30-40 feet, 5-10 feet wider than a Redpointe depending on pruning. Redpointe may also require some maintenance once mature to remove some of the inner branches that become overcrowded due to their stronger upright growth habit. Both trees are fantastic options for a variety of landscapes. However, considering the conditions of the location and desired finished look of the landscape can help you decide what is best for every situation.

You may have noticed that the summer heat has broken here in Southeast Michigan. With a high of 74° yesterday, and temperatures projected to barely creep into the 80s for the rest of the week, as much as I hate to admit it, autumn is blowing in. And with that breath of fresh air, we start to consider fall planting.

We carry many varieties of crabapple that could be perfect for what your customer is looking for. Weeping, spreading, and upright shapes with pink, red, or white flowers and purple or green leaves can be used to fit beautifully in any landscape. My personal favorites are Coralburst with light pink flowers and the beautiful deep purple/red leaves of Purple Prince, Royal Raindrops, and the new columnar variety Gladiator.

Whatever the need, there is a crabapple for your customer. And here at Christensen’s we’re happy to help you find the perfect one.

Walking around Christensen’s this spring you may notice a few distinct differences from previous years. You may see our new signs or the new machines at the hardscape center. However, the difference I am talking about is nothing new at all, it is nothing. The most obvious change for many of us is the half-empty field and the lack of towering evergreens waiting in our yard. As our investor for Deciduous, Ornamental, and Evergreen Trees I have been looking across the country for this material and the simple answer is that it just does not exist in many cases.

Arborvitae are experiencing an exceptionally brutal year on the east and west coast. After severe drought hit the west coast last spring and summer fires started burning across Oregon. We were being sent images of entire fields turned brown due to a lack of rain in what is historically one of the wettest regions in the country. Further east in Tennessee certain varieties of arborvitae have been hit by a yet to be identified disease. Paired with the unusually wet spring they have experienced and high demand these plants are not as readily available in large sizes (7-8’) as they once were. We have been buying up as much as we can stock due to the unpredictability of this crop.  Currently, we are overstocked in 4-5-6’ Emerald Green and have placed them on sale, but it’s hard to say what will continue to happen throughout this season with this genus.

Red Flowering Cherokee Dogwood are experiencing a similar issue. These trees are particularly susceptible to damage from excessive water, but also fungus and mold which thrive in wet conditions. Tennessee’s wet spring has resulted in crop failures and a lack of available material.

These droughts and diseases only account for a small part of the shortages, but they do contribute to the problem.  As we’ve mentioned before, the real disease behind the shortage is the pandemic we have all been living through. In addition to the increased desire to landscape, everyone sitting at home also pointed us towards a recession which was combated with a huge drop in interest rates. This created a boom in the housing market. Now demand for plants was not only surging for renovation but also for new housing developments.

This new housing boom is the largest our country has seen since well before the market crashed in 2008. As we mentioned in Eric’s article, Bring On Spring, trees take 5-10 years to size up, and 5-10 years ago we were on the back end of a huge recession. Due to financial difficulties, planting heavily to plan for the next demand surge was not an option. Pulling ahead on smaller and smaller crops starting in 2020 caused size shortages. This “overselling” is most obvious with evergreens, most large sizes are not available because they have all been sold as smaller trees in previous years.

So here we are in 2022, available product on many popular varieties is down to 6’ and 2” trees. As long as demand stays high, and everyone keeps selling, the next year’s available material will be smaller and smaller. And while the economy is slowing down, historically, an increase in fuel prices drives down vacations and increases investments in homes for “staycations.” If fuel costs stay high, we may be looking at yet another season of homeowners pouring financial resources into their landscapes.

Unfortunately, there are no real substitutes for pine, spruce, and arborvitae but there are some options. While larger sizes of popular varieties such as Emerald Green and Green Giant Arborvitae are harder to come by, similar varieties can be easier to find. We have good quantities of Hetz Wintergreen Arborvitae available which work great as a narrow evergreen and for screening. If you can substitute smaller sizes, check out the Emerald Green Arborvitae sale (see Sticks & Stones e-mail). Crabapples or Pink Dogwoods work as a bright flowering substitute for red flowering Cherokee Dogwoods. Many growers we have spoken with have learned from this unprecedented situation the industry is in. They are planting as much as they can to try and keep up, but it could be 5 years before we see a full recovery.

We’ll continue to keep scouring our sources to keep you supplied with the best plant material as long as this landscaping boom keeps going.