Somerville Seedlings, Your Ontario Source for Tree Seedlings

Planting Programs

Species Selection

Matching Species to Soil

Preplanting Care

Arrangement & Spacing

Online Price List & Order Form

Scientific Names

Printable Price List & Order Form

Terms & Conditions

Planting Programs

Deciding Your Objectives
You may want to plant trees for any number of objectives including forest timber production, recreation site enhancement, wildlife habitat establishment, or conservation purposes including wind and water erosion control. Your goals might also be more commercial in nature in the establishment of Christmas tree plantations or ornamental nursery production. To meet your goals it is important that the species chosen to plant meets your objectives as well as matches your site and soil. The accompanying tables highlight some considerations. Planting spacing is also pertinent, as well as choosing the appropriate size of nursery stock to plant.

CHOOSING SEEDLINGS OR TRANSPLANTS

Age Class Description (3+0, 2+2)
Nurserymen describe the age of transplanting stock by the use of two numbers separated by a plus sign (e.g. 3+0, 2+2). The 1st number represents the number of years the stock has grown in a seedbed; the second number represents the number the additional number of years grown after transplanting. Adding the two numbers gives the tree's total age.

Seedling Attributes (3+0 etc.)
Bareroot seedlings are an inexpensive planting option and have roots and tops of a medium height and density. (They are significantly smaller with a less heft than their transplant counterparts. Planting of bare root seedlings requires more intensive post planting grass and weed controls.

Transplant Attributes (2+2 etc.)
Transplants have a low top root ratio with a tendency to have fibrous roots, heavy branching and stout caliper stems. Generally a well-planted transplant will give maximum post planting survival and growth. They are suitable for difficult planting sites particularly where there is competition from established grasses and weeds. Transplants may tolerate less intensive weed control management after field planting.