When Your Trees Come...
Bareroot nursery stock should be left in the bag or box. Upon arrival, open a box. The roots should be slightly damp, but not necessarily wet. Moisture on the lid of the box indicates nearly 100 percent humidity (ideal for storage). Check for mold and note type and extent – if present. Certain anaerobic molds will fade with exposure to full air and do not usually harm the seedlings. Remove moldy trees – if present. Consider applying a fungicide. Sprinkle with water, especially root area, and close box.
Choosing a place to store your trees.
Pick a place to store your trees based on the following factors:
1. The ideal storage temperature for bareroot nursery stock ranges from 33 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Properly packed trees can be stored for weeks at these temperatures. The higher the temperature above this range, the sooner they should be planted. At about 45 to 50 degrees, you will have approximately a one week grace period. Trees stored at room temperature should be planted within a day or two. If the buds are starting to swell, this is an excellent time to plant. (The practice of sweating strives to produce bud swell prior to planting). Trees must be planted very soon after bud swell.
2. Basements are not the best place to store trees, as temperatures are cool only in comparison to your living room. The inside, north wall of an out building will provide an average temperature much cooler than a basement during most spring weather. Covering trees in the building with a canvas or tarp will also help reduce the fluctuations in daily temperatures.
