Unless you plant a tree from seed, such as an acorn, samara, or pine nut for example, you will be at least, the second owner of your beloved tree.
If you acquire a property with mature planting you may be farther down the ownership line than that!
Kinda’ like buying a used vehicle, “you pay your money, and you take your chances…”
The original owner of any nursery tree you acquire will have been the grower, unless the nursery struck that tree from seed. The health and longevity of your new tree depends on the original owner, much like a used car. Like a used car lot, the goal of being in business is to move those cars off the lot, lest they sit there too long. When you buy a used car from a private party, you will ask for a maintenance history, that will be hard to do with a tree, but you should always ask if the seller would mind if you have your mechanic check under the hood before you make the decision to buy. Your arborist is a mechanic, of sorts…
There are good tree mechanics and some not so good, do your homework!
P.O.N.A. or previous owner neglect and abuse is the watchword for the day.
I have purchased used vehicles from previous owners that turned out to be the best investment I have ever made, and I knew from the minute I pulled into the driveway I was doing the right thing with my money. I have also bought the most wretched piece of crap from the wrong party just because I really wanted that make, model, year or color… If I would have just had my mechanic check it out first but, sigh, whatever…
The used car lots that line the strip malls in everytown U.S.A. are what I call “Lemon Orchards.” You may find a real peach amongst the lemons, but you will have to rely on your mechanic (arborist) to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Expect to pay for the service, as the mechanic has other cars to work on but unless you want a complete teardown, a check under the hood is a small investment, and may keep you from being stranded on the side of the road!
Make sure the car (tree) you are buying is up to the task at hand. You are not going to buy a shiny new corvette for a family camping rig, and a giant one ton dually truck will probably suck as a grocery getter, better to get the tree you need, than the tree you want…
Imagine the tree down the road a few years, that is the best advice as a mechanic I can possibly give.
Take care of your tree as if you were the one to buy it sometime in the future, the next owner will thank you!
Now is definitely not the time to plant trees but it doesn’t cost anything to look, so spend a day at the nursery or in the woods for some planting inspiration, fall is just around the corner.
As a side note, maybe someone out there reading my column could enlighten me on the reasoning behind the fact that while I can’t operate a gas powered chainsaw due to fire restrictions, there is a damn GIANT fireworks “superstore” on every corner…
There, I feel better.
Enjoy your summer, and as always, plant high and often.
