Tree and Shrub Sale
2023 Plant Sale is Open!
Plants will be distributed in late April-early May at the USDA NRCS office at 474 Bucksport Road (Route 1) in Ellsworth. Dates and times TBD.
Plants for sale are 6-12 inch Bare Root Seedlings.
Bare root seedlings are easy to transport and don’t carry invasive species in soil or pots. They should be stored in a cool, shady place and put in the ground quickly. See instructions below for more information.
Click on the Plant Images Below for more information and to order.
There is also the option to order items by phone at 207-667-8663 or through email at hcswcdinfo@hancockcountyswcd.org . Be sure to provide your name, address, and telephone number along with the items and quantity you’d like to purchase. As online sales are immediate, when email and phone orders are entered, inventory may have been depleted.
´Bare-root trees are shipped, sold, and transplanted in the early spring. Trees are planted when in dormancy, and are most tolerant of root disturbance. Bare-root trees are more economical than potted or burlap wrapped plants and are often easier (more successful) for novices. Keep bare-root plants in their wrappings, keep wrapping paper moist but not soaked, and store in a cool dark or shady place (a basement? garage?).
´Potted plants often become root-bound and when planted have a greater root ball density than the recently dug soils. When watered, the water infiltrates the new soil easily but not the dense root ball. The expensive potted tree can dry out and die. As a result, potted plants have different planting instructions.
´Be patient. Because your bare-root plant is dormant, it will take some time to break dormancy and sprout leaves and flowers (generally around mid-May). A bare-root plant that gets a good start in the spring can out-grow a potted plant of the same size.
Native plants are hardy and are co-adapted with the available wildlife. Oak, willow and maple are probably the most important trees for wildlife and pollinators. They provide critical pollen for the early bees and hummingbirds. Willow also produces nectar, double benefit. Oak and maple produce edible seeds. Acorns are one of the most important foods for deer.
Native plants are not invasive and are unlikely to become pests.
So why have any non-native plants at all? Some plants like crabapples and lilacs have been around for 200-300 years and have become adopted into the New England landscape. For instance, male hummingbirds appear just before the lilacs bloom and set up their territories. Female hummingbirds appear just as the lilacs bloom and generally will refuse to use feeders if lilac and quince blooms are available. Crabapples produce an abundance of fruit that is critical for bird as the go into migration or into winter. Some crabs hold fruit into the winter. Native berry plants have taken a beating from invasive bugs and diseases. Crabapples are a great substitute.