Each year Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District introduces thousands of bare root seedlings into Chautauqua County, New York. All plants that are selected for the District’s annual sale are selected for their quality rating for hardiness in Chautauqua County and are made available to the public at an affordable rate to promote landowner conservation.
Landowners can practice conservation by planting seedlings and wildflowers to support pollinators and provide food and shelter to wildlife, reduce heating/cooling expenses, protect water quality with buffers, reduce air pollution and stabilize eroded land. Seedlings are an inexpensive way to replace trees that have been damaged, harvested or lost to disease.
All stock that is sold is bare root, meaning the plant is harvested with little or no soil attached to the roots. Because the stock is bare root, plants must be harvested and replanted while in a dormant state and while soil conditions are still moist.
For the upcoming 2021 sale, the District selected thirty-five species that are native to the State of New York, twenty-five of which are native to Chautauqua County.
A total of thirteen conifer varieties will be offered: including Eastern Larch and European Larch. A total of seventeen hardwood varieties will be offered: including Common Persimmon and Paw Paw. A total of sixteen shrub varieties will be offered: including Coralberry, Elderberry, and Rose of Sharon.
A total of two native fern varieties will be offered. A total of five berry varieties will be offered. New this year, Goji berries are self-pollinating plants that produce white to purple blossoms. Like Elderberries, Goji berries are prized for their immune boosting qualities and can be eaten fresh or dried, or made into tea or wine.
Apple, Peach, Pear and Fruit Cocktail (Apricot, Cherry, Nectarine, Peach and Plum) packages will also be offered. Please note that stone fruit varieties included in the Fruit Cocktail package will have the best survival rate when introduced into Northern Chautauqua County, closest to Lake Erie.
In addition to domestic fruit tree packages, Apple, Cherry (Tart), Pear and mixed (Apple, Cherry, and Pear) wildlife tree packages will also be available. Please note that fruit trees that are included in wildlife tree packages may be slightly misshapen but are still hardy and suitable enough to be planted to enhance or develop a wildlife area.
Wildlife tree packages and conservation seed mixes are extremely popular with local conservationists and sportsman. The eight conservation seed mixes that will be offered in this year’s catalog are ideal for food plots, thrive in a variety of soil types and support wildlife and wild game. (Conservation seed mixes are also available outside of the Districts annual sale.)
Tree protector tubes and stakes, weed control mats, tree plantation signs, fertilizer pellets, conservation seed mixes and other nonperishable items are also made available during the annual sale.
Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District’s 2021 Tree & Shrub Catalog is anticipated to be mailed out by January 1st, the deadline to order fruit trees will be March 12th and the deadline for the remainder of the catalog will be April 1st.
Visit SoilWater.org to download a catalog and order form or feel free to call 716-664-2351 Ext. 5 or to email Chaut-Co@soilwater.org to make sure that you are on the District’s tree and shrub mailing list. Be sure to specify if you would like to receive a paper catalog in the mail or if you prefer to receive a digital copy by email.
Please be advised that our office located on Fluvanna Avenue is currently closed to the public and that Tree & Shrub orders will be distributed via curb-side pick-up with COVID-19 safety measures in place at our Storage Barn located at 3542 Turner Road in Jamestown, New York on a specified date at the end of April. The exact date will be announced as soon as it is determined.
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