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Please recommend dwarf conifers and a nursery in NJ

15 years ago

Looking to buy some unusual dwarf conifers to combine with JMs in my garden. I already have Snow Sprite, Dwarf mugo pine, and Tom Thumb Gold all purchased online. I found dwarf pine Hagarumo 3 year old for $50 with shipping. Is it a good deal? Any nursery in NJ? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (6)

picea
15 years ago
Bethlehem nursery in Bethlehem,CT is know for its dwarf conifers. It might be worth the trip. David
mrgpag SW OH Z5/6
15 years ago
You've missed it this year so maybe mark you calendar for next----
Blue Sterling Nursery in Bridgeton - normally a wholesale only nursery - has an open house retail day the Saturday closest to the 4th of July
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OK. tsugajunkie and bboy are saying go for it, in theory. Dave's point of caution is well taken and appreciated. It makes me wonder how the conifer nursery trade works. Presumably, at least ideally, stock that we see in, say, April, at a good nursery, is just off the truck from a wholesale grower and has been freshly dug. Surely retail nurseries keep the previous year's stock on hand however and unless there is something visibly wrong with it it (signs of stress as Dave says) things should be fine, apart from some degree of being rootbound, which of course could create signs of stress? In the case of mail order, presumably these plants will be freshly dug in either Spring or Fall, if they are raised in the ground. If container grown they should be fine too, I would hope. So, the bottom line I'm sensing is Fall planting is fine but beware of leftover nursery stock.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
i got at least half of my plants.. mail order ....

i doubt you will find anyone willing to mail conifers this time of year .... but you never know ....

$50 bucks for hagarama .. however it is spelled .. seems high ... but it is an issue of size .... i have seen half dollar sized plants for 3 or 4 bucks [$10 for coffee cup size].... which is my price range.. i have more time than money ... lol ... but if you want size.. and you are happy with it.. then the price was perfect ....

google:

forest farm nursery
girards nursery
gee tree farm
arrowhead alpines

learn the latin names .... and you can google anything .... it really does matter when looking for pix and info ...

dont get caught up on finding something specific .... some of the coolest stuff .. is the rarest stuff.. and is REALLY expensive... because it is so hard to graft .... there are things i have had on wish lists for ten years .... and still cant find it .... there is really nothing so 'to die for' that you cant find something that looks just about the same ...

a good general knowledge of conifers can be found at the american conifer society website... learn about growth rates in particular.... and understand that most size estimates are at 10 years .... and they will continue to grow at the annual growth rate for the rest of your lifetime ...

and track down some relatively local LABELED collections to actually see live plants in person ...

the real question. in regard to your title is this ... DO YOU WANT MINIS OR DWARVES?????

though an exxageration.. if momma is 385 feet tall .. a dwarf of her might be 250 feet tall ...a mini of her might be 2 feet in 20 years ....

its all in the growth rate ... momma might grow 10 feet per year... her dwarf 5 feet .. and the mini... 1 to 3 inches per year ..... multiply all the growth rates by 20 years... and you will see how the knowledge of such will help you define what you need ....

so define EXACTLY what size potential you are looking for ....

good luck

ken
marchela
Original Author
15 years ago
picea & mrgpag thank you
thank you Ken for such descriptive explanation. looks like I am looking for minis, as I want it to grow no more than 1-3" per year.
oh' the 3 year old Hagarumo graft is 11x10" tall - $40 and $11 for shipping.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
so IF the Hag grows about an inch an inch a year ... you got a 10 year old plant for $40/50 bucks .... doesnt sound bad to me ....

my cheap price was for a golf ball.. you got a bowling ball ... lol ...

take care

ken
toucanjoe
15 years ago
Daves Nursery,Hillborogh N.J Joe

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