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A Profile of Blue Heron Farm
To most people who have heard
of Blue Heron Farm, the picture that comes to mind is one
of field grown shade trees. This is understandable, as the
nursery side of the operation began with B&B trees. However,
there is much more to the operation than just shade trees.
The farm is a producer of small fruit, (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, hardy kiwi) christmas trees and grass seed.
Field grown shade trees and
conifers were the start of the nursery, first planted in
1989 and now comprising 160 acres. Container grown shrubs
were added in 1994, and are now at 80 acres, while Pot-in-Pot
trees arrived in 1998, and now take 50 acres. Bare root tree
production was started in 1995 and we currently grow for
both growers throughout the country and for our own needs
on 150 acres.
One of the major advantages
Blue Heron has is the range of product styles and varieties.
With material ranging from one-gallon containers to seven-inch
caliper shade trees, we can put together a very broad package
of plant material. While the Ball and Burlap trees fill the
dormant season demand, the Pot-in-
Pot trees are available all summer. Of course, the expanding
line of container shrubs is also available year round.
A relatively new portion of
the nursery is the Pot-in-Pot growing system, which offers
advantages ranging from a better, more uniform root growth,
to superior over-wintering. It also eliminates blow down,
which means our trees have better head quality and less stress
due to lack of water. We currently grow in seven-gallon containers
to forty-five gallon containers. Part of this program includes
a fruit and nut tree section, with many selections being
hardy enough for cold climates. These trees target the demand
for a larger, more established tree than the typical 5 to
7 gallon Chain Store types. These trees offer larger caliper,
established branch structure, potential fruit bearing, and
a root system well established in a 10-gallon or larger container.
Visit the Decagon ech2o soil moisture monitoring system at www.ech2o.com
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