I have many acres of hunting woods in Southern Ohio with native trees such as maple, oak, cherry, etc.
I got started because I am interested in bonsai. I have about 20 maple bonsais going with a hard trunk chop. They all survived and are thriving.
After visiting my local nursery, I found that they are selling Ohio native trees in 2 gallon pots for $100-200!! And they were sold out of many types including oaks and sugar maples. Seeing these prices got me thinking.
My question is, is it better to find trees that are maintainable but with a smaller trunk or find the ones with big trunks and cut them back as shown in the pictures?
Obviously I wouldn’t cut them all back to stumps (I am doing that for bonsai), but is it marketable to cut a 15’ tree back to 5’ so it has a thicker trunk and is easier to maintain and stand up in a pot without falling over.
Also any tips for Ohio native trees or starting a small nursery business is greatly appreciated!
by hashtagprimal
3 Comments
Selection is critical to finish well. Tag trees now for harvesting in the winter. Take bare root in most trees up to 2” caliper, and get as much of the roots as possible. For trees larger than 2”, you could root prune now for harvesting in the winter, but be sure to get deep enough to cut the roots. Wait until winter and you’ll have much better results and the trees should take off in spring. Larger container sizes are needed for trees over 2” caliper. Think ahead in order to keep the trees standing upright (in the center of their containers) until they’re fully rooted in. Check state resources https://ohiodnr.gov/home/news-and-events/all-events/forestry-events/ohiotreefarmtour2023
Grow the best quality trees and they’ll sell themselves.
Why don’t you just grow them in the ground? Field grown trees tend to have healthier root structure and they bulk up much faster that potted
What. The. Fuck.