Arbor Day Tree Sale in Idaho County is an annual program operated by the Idaho County Soil and Water Conservation District. If you call to find out more details you’ll find that by ordering these trees, plants, shrubs, and fruit trees offers a opportunity to obtain select foliage for your property at very affordable prices.
Whether you’ve recently purchased a piece of real estate or under contract to buy a property, or still looking, trees, plants and shrubs are an important feature in property design and management.
The reasons for planting trees and shrubs vary and can include, but are not limited to fast growing trees for a windbreak, fruit orchard planning, planting for wildlife nourishment and habitat, planting trees for shade or even planting for erosion control. Landscaping is one of the more popular reasons for planting trees and shrubs. Ornamental trees and shrubs placed in strategic locations on your property can enhance the value of your property as well as the cosmetic beauty throughout many seasons of the year.
BUYING TREES CAN PUT A PINCH IN THE POCKETBOOK
Buying multiple trees, shrubs and fruit trees can be a very expensive endeavor when purchasing from retail nurseries. But where can one get a variety of trees and shrubs if not for the local nurseries? Well, here in Idaho County we have an alternative option to purchase trees once per year from Idaho County Soil and Water Conservation District during their “Tree” sale.
IDAHO COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Idaho County SWCD administers its annual Arbor Day sale of plants and trees beginning in the fall when they publish the newest catalog of trees and shrubs available. The Idaho County SWCD Tree Catalog is posted on their website at http://idahocountyswcd.com. Each year they add new species of trees and shrubs to select and through the winter months, you can scan through the catalog to decide what you’ll order before the end of February deadline. From Decidious Trees to Conifers and Fruit Trees, there are a wide variety of trees and plants to choose from. In addition, the Idaho County SWCD Tree Catalog makes use of a very nice key of symbols to help buyers know some important characteristics that may incline you to select one tree over another. Features like “fragrance”, “drought tolerance”, “color”, “wildlife value” or “native” species to Idaho are all considerations when planning your tree planting project.
MONEY AVAILABLE FOR PLANTING WINDBREAKS
Cost-share funds may be available for tree and shrub plantings on small and large acreages through several state and federally funded programs. These programs help to cover the costs of site preparation, seedlings, planting, fencing and irrigation. ¹ For more information about the cost-share programs available, please contact Stefanie Bowman at http://idahocountyswcd.com
What Trees Are Available?
DECIDUOUS TREES
Deciduous means “falling off at maturity” or “tending to fall off”, and it is typically used in order to refer to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant material. ² Among deciduous trees that are available through Idaho County Soil and Water Conservation District are Manchurian Apricots, Quaking Aspen, Chokecherry, Cinquefoil, Crabapple, Cranberry, Currant, Dogwood, Elderberry, Meadowlark Forsythia, Common Purple Lilac, Rocky Mountain or Douglas Maple, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple, Poplar, Smokebush, Black Walnut and Golden Willow.
CONIFERS
Available through Idaho County SWCD as both plugs and seedlings, conifers are generally considered to be fir trees from the Douglas Fir and Junipers to Ponderosa Pines and Blue Spruce. Conifers cover a huge portion of the American landscape. The narrow conical shape of northern conifers, and their downward-drooping limbs, help them shed snow. Many of them seasonally alter their biochemistry to make them more resistant to freezing, called “hardening”.
FRUIT TREES
Availability of the fruit trees are limited because of the high cost so its recommended you do place your order early or call ahead if you’re interested in seeing what is available when the trees are available for pickup in April. Generally the fruit trees are very popular and are available on a first come first served basis.
Fruit trees available from Idaho County SWCD include Golden Delicious and Red McIntosh Apples, Apricot, Peach, and Plum varieties.
Fruit tree prices for the 2013/2014 season were $16 per tree. This price is a fantastic deal for budget minded property owners, as most nurseries sell fruit trees in the $60 to $75 range. Personally I found that the overall health of the trees I purchased from Idaho County SWCD were of comparable quality to the more expensive nursery fruit tree varieties. Why not plan ahead and save some money at the same time.
Unfortunately the Idaho County sWCD does not warranty the survival of tree stock, however the quality and health of your trees can easily be sustained by planting the trees as soon as possible after picking them up. If you’ve ordered in advance, you will be notified by mail when the trees are available for pickup, usually the last week of April.
NATIONAL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION
Mid to late April each year is noted as National Arbor Day for the coming year. Arbor Day is observed in spring for the United States but globally dates vary depending on the region’s climate and planting season. Arbor Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/ observed on Friday, April 26th.
Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. Today, many countries observe this holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, depending on climate and suitable planting season.³
²Wikipedia
³Wikipedia
