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Does anyone know when they will be accepting orders at Howard Nurseries? I have tried looking for information on the GC website but don't see anything about the Seedling program. Did they do away with it?
Howard Nurseries
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check back after the new year
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Seems the link is not in operation yet. The PA Game Commission is working on this new website. When you go on to their website at the top you click on "Self-Help" and then click on "Download Forms and Brochures". A list comes up and Howard Nursery Seedling Program is on the list but there is not a link. Should be a link there to more information. If I remember correctly the old website said that orders for trees wouldn't be available until like the first week on January 2009. I am going to try to pay close attention to this program because last year we ordered some oaks trees and we wanted a certain kind of oak but they were sold out real quick. Want to get an order in for those particular oaks as early as possible. There is a member on this site that works with the program, so maybe he can help tell us what is going on.
The Pa Game Commission's Howard Nursery will have seedlings for sale for spring 2010. Teh brochure is completed and at our printer (so many copies go to each region, various sport shows and up here to us to mail out to those w/ointernet). The brochure is in the hands of the IT people-goal is to have the website form live between Christmas and New Year. Website changes and changes in personnel may (but hopefully not) delay things. Pricing remains the same for 2010-this is not a money maker-its recovery of some of the production cost and getting the product out there to improve food and cover for wildlife. Variety will change somewhat each year. Some of these natives trees and shrubs can take 4-5 years to get out from teh time we collect the seed. All the hardwood seed is hand collected from PA sources.
This years list-White pine, mugo pine, red pine, white spruce, douglas fir, common elderberry, red elderberry, graystem dogwood, silky dogwood, flowering dogwood, nannyberry viburnum, American highbush cranberry, winterberry holy, button bush, comon alder, sawtooth oak, scrub oak, pin oak, red oak, black walnut, butternut, American hazelnut, black locust, American mountain ash, Hawthorne, asst. crabapple, American sweet crabapple, asst. standard apple, eastern redbud, bartlett pear, and seckel pear.
Orders will not be accepted until 01/04. Orders submitted over the internet thru the PGC website are preferred-we have only one phone line.
We are also continueing the "Seedlings for Schools" program for the third year. Last year we donated over 95,000 seedlings to 526 schools for educational and enviromental projects. We donate the seedlings and the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation solicits donations and covers the S&H costs. Notices will be going out to schools in PA shortly-but most that get involved in the program find out by word of mouth. If your on this site you have an interest in wildlife habitat. As soon as the information for the "Seedlings for Schools" program is put up on the website how about printing off some copies and sending to school with your kids, grand kids, neighbor kids, etc.
Cliff Guindon
Pa Game Commission
Howard Nursery
This years list-White pine, mugo pine, red pine, white spruce, douglas fir, common elderberry, red elderberry, graystem dogwood, silky dogwood, flowering dogwood, nannyberry viburnum, American highbush cranberry, winterberry holy, button bush, comon alder, sawtooth oak, scrub oak, pin oak, red oak, black walnut, butternut, American hazelnut, black locust, American mountain ash, Hawthorne, asst. crabapple, American sweet crabapple, asst. standard apple, eastern redbud, bartlett pear, and seckel pear.
Orders will not be accepted until 01/04. Orders submitted over the internet thru the PGC website are preferred-we have only one phone line.
We are also continueing the "Seedlings for Schools" program for the third year. Last year we donated over 95,000 seedlings to 526 schools for educational and enviromental projects. We donate the seedlings and the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation solicits donations and covers the S&H costs. Notices will be going out to schools in PA shortly-but most that get involved in the program find out by word of mouth. If your on this site you have an interest in wildlife habitat. As soon as the information for the "Seedlings for Schools" program is put up on the website how about printing off some copies and sending to school with your kids, grand kids, neighbor kids, etc.
Cliff Guindon
Pa Game Commission
Howard Nursery
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Thank you so much for the information Cliff! I have one last question for you. I'm planning on ordering crab apples and I was wondering if you know how far apart they should be spaced? I have about 1 acre of my property that I want to plant and I'm not sure how many to order. I don't want to plant them so close that they will shade each other out as they grow. And I don't want them too far apart either. I would like a nice thick crabapple orchard that will provide cover and lots of food. Also I would like to throw a little suggestion out there to those IT guys at the GC. If they could possibly set a page up on the web site that would give information about tree spacing, I think that would help a lot of guys out in figuring out how many trees to order. I know that it would help me out big time anyways. Thanks again for the info Cliff!
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Harley, the reason why I want to plant crabs is because I have a field that is starting to grow up with locust and other non wanted trees. I'm figuring on clearing and brushing this field and letting it grow up with crabs instead. This field is useless to me and I'm sick of trying to keep it cleared off. I have a friend that has crabs on his property, don't know how they got there, but the deer love them! Its so thick in places that you can't walk through them. The ground is complete mud from the deer walking around in there and they also use it for a bedding area. I'm not picking crabs over the Std apple, just figure if I'm going to let it grow up, I want it to grow up with something that will benefit me and the wildlife. I also plan on ordering 50 of the Std assorted apples too. Can't forget those! Haha..
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Thank you for the information on Howard Nursery, quick question on your list of trees I don't see Chinese chestnut. I was hoping to order some this spring, will they have any this year?
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Nes,
Tubes will help protect the seedlings from the critters and also promote growth:
www.plantra.com
www.growtubes.com
Tubes will help protect the seedlings from the critters and also promote growth:
www.plantra.com
www.growtubes.com
Yote-no chinese chestnut for 2010. We grow what we can gather in the way of seed. Gypsy moth followed by record cicada emergence in 2008 eliminated our seed chestnut sources. Up thru 2004 we purchased $5000 worht of chestnuts annually from a SC PA source. That was one of the first things to go with budget cuts.
Sixpoint-crabapples planted for maximum fruit production would be planted 15-20 feet apart and would canopy over in about 25 years. From a wildlife food and cover perspective I prefer a 8' x 8' spacing (750-800/acre). Bare root seedling survival should run 70% or better-but that varies by species, year and a whold host of other variables (including deer, rabbits, mice, etc.). This year we have American sweet crabapple and an asst. mixture. You might think of a 1/4 acre thicket of sweet crab on 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 for the asst. on rest.
Sixpoint-crabapples planted for maximum fruit production would be planted 15-20 feet apart and would canopy over in about 25 years. From a wildlife food and cover perspective I prefer a 8' x 8' spacing (750-800/acre). Bare root seedling survival should run 70% or better-but that varies by species, year and a whold host of other variables (including deer, rabbits, mice, etc.). This year we have American sweet crabapple and an asst. mixture. You might think of a 1/4 acre thicket of sweet crab on 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 for the asst. on rest.
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Thank you so much for all of the valuable info Thumper! Can't wait to place my order!!
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Thank you for the information, I was looking forward to ordering the chestnuts hopefully you will have them next year. Thanks again
Update: The computer folks have the on line form ready to go and will activate it on the website on Monday 01/04. the website has been updated. First go to http://www.pgc.state.pa.us. On the top bar as you place the pointer over General Store a drop down menu comes up-click on Howard Nursery. This year the form allows you to print out a copy for yourself and email it to us.
Cliff Guindon
Howard Nursery
Cliff Guindon
Howard Nursery
Very useful thread. I too have 7 acres that I'd like to plant on and have been looking at the Howard Nursery options over the last few months. A few questions,, can you order just a few trees (say 4 or 5 oaks) or do you have to buy in bulk. Is there a minimum that you would have to order. Also can you mix & match, (4 pines, 5 pears, 4 oaks, etc.) I don't see myself buying much more than 25 plants. Last question is - you have to drive to Howard nursery to pick them up correct? Thanks in advance.
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YEAH BABY!! Just placed my order! 425 white pine, 350 asst crab, 25 each of the bartlett and seckel pear, 25 asst standard apple, and 25 hazelnut! I'm going to be planting my butt off! I can't wait!
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I was dissapointed they didn't have Chinese Chestnut, Dwarf Chinkapin(this hurt) and plum this year.
Still ordered:
500 White Pine
250 White Spruce
50 Sawtooth Oak
50 Northern Red Oak
200 Assorted Crabapple
200 American Sweet Crabapple
My shoulders are already sore from the planting bar.
Also have a big order in from Adam's Country for 100 Apple trees(feathered) but neighbor will be coming over with mini excavator to save my back.
Still ordered:
500 White Pine
250 White Spruce
50 Sawtooth Oak
50 Northern Red Oak
200 Assorted Crabapple
200 American Sweet Crabapple
My shoulders are already sore from the planting bar.
Also have a big order in from Adam's Country for 100 Apple trees(feathered) but neighbor will be coming over with mini excavator to save my back.
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