Advantages of an SFTF Tree
Our trees are special
Container Grown -- You get All the roots!
Container grown
A pot-grown tree can be transplanted any time the ground can be worked. (Truth time: I started this way because I couldn't afford a bobcat, a tree spade, or a root pruner, but I could afford a pickup load of pots.)
Container grown does not mean pot bound. A potbound plant has badly tangled roots from insufficient space. A field grown tree loses most of its roots when it's lifted out of the ground. It spends its first year or two in the ground putting most of its energy into regrowing roots.
No wussy beach resort for these guys.
Alberta hardy
All our trees winter here. You're not getting a tree from the coast that has never been exposed to an Alberta winter. This increases your chances of a successful transition. One owner of a landscaping company told me that they expect up to a 40% mortality on trees brought in from out of province.
Eastern White Pine -- Just one of our unusual you-won't-find-it-at-Revy trees.
Uncommon Species
You will have a hard time finding these trees elsewhere. Try finding Ponderosa Pine or Jack Pine at Home Depot. Ask the Rona people if they carry Concolor Fir, or Canoe Birch. We carry a fair number of native species, and trees that frankly get way too big for a city lot.
Unusual Sizes
Big enough to miss with the mower; small enough to plant with a shovel.
A 7-8 foot spruce costs several hundred dollars, weighs over 100 pounds, and without a pickup it's hard to get home. Once you get it home it's at least a two wheelbarrow hole. If you're doing more than a few it's also likely a visit to the chiropractor. The same money buys 10 or 20 Sherwood's Forests trees that are easier to plant and have a better survival rate.
Our trees are big enough to compete with the weeds, big enough to be seen from the saddle of a riding mower. This is a huge advantage over a tiny seedling.
These red pine are doing well in plain field soil.
Soil, not bark chips
Sure, it has compost, a bit of peat in it, but conventional field soil is a good part of the mix. This creates a heavier pot. I wouldn't want to pay to ship these to North Overshoe, Ontario. A heavier soil means that the boundary at the root ball when they are transplanted isn't as severe. It also doesn't drain as fast, so it's not necessary to water as frequently.
Two year old Birch in #2 Stuewe Tree Pots.
Pots make a difference
Some of our pots are tall and narrow to train roots to run deep, with vertical ridges to reduce root spiralling. This is a nuisance when moving trees to their new home, as the pots tend to fall over. It also means a deeper hole. We think these small temporary nuisances are worth a stronger tree. You will too.
Strong Common Sense Warranty
We offer a 13 month warranty on everything bigger than a seedling. If you give it reasonable care and it dies, bring us the stick. We will replace it, or if it was the wrong tree for the spot, we will give you credit for something else. We take your word for the reasonable care bit. You were there.
Moose, mice, and mowers are not covered.
Personal Service & Good Advice
An informed, educated customer makes better decisions. Much of my web site is devoted to helping you learn enough to turn your dreams and visions into reality, at a price you can afford.
Unlike most of the clerks at Big Box stores, my life is trees. I will give you the best advice I can, even if that means sending you to someone else. To me it is important that you get the right tree for your vision. Where other garden centres will give you a paragraph on Swedish Aspen, I'll give you 5 pages. Read. Learn. Enjoy. Ask questions.
I have often spent a dozen emails, or an hour on the phone, or two hours walking the farm teaching people about their options and choices. Comes with the package. Can you ask my advice and buy your trees from Walmart? Sure. We'll be happy to sell you replacements next year.
A good starting point to turn your dreams into reality: Click Ideas at left.
Got something to say? Email me: sfinfo@sherwoods-forests.com
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Want to talk right now? Call me: (8 am to 8 pm only, please) 1-780-848-2548
Do not arrive unannounced. Phone for an appointment. Why? See Contact & Hours That same page gives our hours of operation.
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Copyright © 2008 - 2021 S. G. Botsford
Sherwood's Forests is located about 75 km southwest of Edmonton, Alberta. Please refer to the map on our Contact page for directions.