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Seedling question

I'm growing some Osage orange trees in small containers that I got with some cedar trees last year. I planted them in the spring and they are about a foot tall. Is this fall too early to try to transplant them or should I wait until next spring? If I keep them until spring what is the best way to store them through the winter? Leave them out in the elements or bring them inside? This will be my first attempt at growing my own trees. Please advise.

I have better luck planting them in the spring personally due to the lack of root acclimation in frozen ground (at least that's my theory).......I overwinter all mine typically by burring the pots in my garden....just burry them up to the soil-line in the pot.

Thanks for the advice. I don't want to bury them through the winter because the soil around my house in New Mexico is very alkaline. Only Russian Olives and Cottonwoods grow here.

I'm starting the trees to plant in Kansas and was planning to plant them in the spring but I wanted to make sure.

I have the seedling containers in large tubs that are doing really well. What are the option for getting them through the winter and leaving them in the tubs?

Interesting post. Here in SW Ohio I have 30 or so Osage Orange trees on my farm. Tough on chainsaw blades when need to cut down. Plus the deer eat them during the winter and my cattle love them. Lots of luck planting.

You could probably leave them in the tub and cover the bases with some kind of mulch. How cold does it get where they are?

It can get down close to zero but we are pretty consistent with 15-20 for a low and 40-50 for a high. I want the trees for visual cover. Plant a hedge row so there's less chance of drive by shootings.

If they don't work out you can buy seedlings from Kansas forestry

I would probably think about planting something else unless you have a reason,even mulberry feeds more animals.After 40 years I finally got a pic of a der with a hedge apple in it's mouth

I plant plenty of other things for the deer to eat. These trees will be strictly for cover and concealment.

I have also done the mulch thing where I just mound wood mulch all around the pots to help protect from freeing.......it works too but takes alot of mulch if you have more than a dozen trees.

Fall is my preferred time to plant! It gives them a chance to establish roots so that they need less watering during their first summer.

Have you considered sawtooth oak? They are quick growers and don't lose their leaves in the winter for a better screen. Might be a good addition to what you already have...

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