How We Grow

Growing great trees is our passion, and our business.

Our production inventory includes thousands of trees, and over 100 varieties that are excellent tree specimens for the nursery trade, large plantings, and landscape projects.

We are a Pennsylvania licensed wholesale nursery growing in quantity and selling in quantity – with a modest 3 tree minimum order (mix or match) to the nursery trade, or individuals.  We only sell in quantity, and do Not sell just one tree.

Our customers include arboretums, landscape architects, large landowners, universities, tree collectors, homeowners, reforestation and remediation projects, and more.

Tree Selection

We select specific tree varieties to grow based on their growth habit and adaptability to USDA zones 5, 6 and 7, but also on their origin, desirability, beauty, and rarity.  A few of our tree varieties are so hard-to-find today that it would be a great disappointment not to grow these rare varieties especially for our specialty buyers to enjoy. 

Some of the great native trees that used to be so commonly available are now almost forgotten and so hard to find, but we do try to grow many of them.

Growing Methods

Our natural production methods are totally focused on growing healthy fast-growing trees.  We do not use chemical pesticides or herbicides, and all of our fertilizers are well-balanced and certified organic.  

Our special slow-release fertilizers include both macro-nutrients (N,P,K) and micro-nutrients (B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn), plus mycorrhizae is added to every tree’s root system to produce extensive and very healthy root systems.

Mycorrhizae greatly increases a root system’s capacity in the exchange of nutrients and water with the soil.  This is highly beneficial to the trees, and to our buyers.  Few nurseries even do this.

Starting with healthy high quality seedlings, a custom organic growing mix, and our focused root development of the trees, we grow outstanding tree specimens that only happens because of the level of care and attention given at the individual tree level.

Although we have thousands of trees in production at any one time, each tree variety is grown and managed on an individualized basis to produce the best results.

Root System Development

Our custom growing process focuses on the entire tree from top to bottom, but most importantly on the tree’s root system that are often forgotten by many.

The tree’s roots are our primary focus because the roots are the real future of the tree’s growth and health.

We grow in special pots and tree bags which help generate significant new root development greatly enhancing the tree’s root system.  The superior root systems capacity is increased substantially which increases its water and nutrient uptake.  More roots = more growth and better tree health.

In addition, because our trees are Transplant Ready Trees™ and are not grown in the ground, they do not have to be dug out which causes significant root loss. Our trees are literally available 12 months of the year.

Tree Availability

We have a large local and regional customer base in the Philadelphia tri-state region where we are located, and over 90% of the tree varieties that we sell, we grow ourselves.  We occasionally source trees from our grower partners based upon specific buyer requests, current tree stock availability, or market demand.  Other grower’s production methods may differ from ours.

Irrigation

Our irrigation systems are fed by mineral-rich springs flowing from the Brandywine River basin in Chester County, PA.   

Our larger trees are irrigated with highly-efficient drip irrigation to directly place the water at the root systems where it is needed the most.  This reduces our water usage by as much as 50%. 

Growing Focus

All of our trees are organically grown in healthy air and fed by the clean pristine spring waters of Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

Our trees generally go through two to three root-pruning pot upstages (very labor intensive, costly, and all trees are manually re-potted by hand).  We also add mycorrhizae to each tree’s root system.

We grow Transplant Ready Trees™ with up to100% of their roots included. Our trees are lighter, easier to move, easier to plant, and they flourish!

They quickly establish in their new planting location with their fibrous root systems with generally little-to-no transplant shock… and can safely be planted from March through December in USDA zones 6 and higher.

All of this extra attention and hard work benefits the trees, and you, our buyers.

We are life-long growers and tree collectors who fully appreciate high-quality gardens, estates, and beautiful landscapes.

“We will not sell any tree… that we personally would not buy.”