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Higgins Tree Farms’ Quality Hardwood Seedlings
When Higgins Tree Farm began planting seedlings on CRP and conservation acreage the biggest obstacle that we faced was finding a source of quality seedlings at a cost that would allow us to operate at a profit. We eventually took charge of the situation by having our seedlings contract grown for us from acorns and tree seed which we gathered locally. We visited several nurseries and growers as we searched for the one which we felt could best meet our needs. The seedling grower which we finally settled on met all of the criteria that we were looking for; they were already producing quality seedlings with good caliper, height and root system, they have irrigated fields to ensure consistent seedling crops year after year and they have refrigerated facilities large enough to handle huge volumes of seedlings. We have been very pleased with the seedlings our grower has produced for us and have increased the amount of seed we supply them so that we can now offer these seedlings for sale to others who are interested in quality seedlings at a reasonable price. Why our seedlings are superior to others We found long ago that seedling quality cannot be compromised if one is to expect good survival and a successful planting. The quality of our seedlings begins with the seed source. We collect our own seed from healthy mature trees growing right here in Central Illinois. This is important as it ensures that our seedlings are genetically conditioned to the climate in this area. Next, our seedlings have a superior root system. This is due to a couple of growing practices. First, our seedlings are grown in rows (like corn) rather than in a bed as many nursery seedlings are grown. Being grown in rows allows each seedling the room to develop more lateral (outward) roots whereas a crowded bed forces the seedlings to grow their roots downward. Seedlings that are “bed-grown” develop strong tap-roots with fewer lateral roots. The downward growing roots are cut when the seedlings are harvested and major root loss occurs. This causes more stress on the seedlings which must use energy to re-generate this root loss before they are able to provide good top growth. Our row-grown seedlings are also “root-pruned” while growing. This practice cuts the roots of the growing seedling which causes them to branch out, thus creating a denser root system with more roots. Upon harvest, our seedlings are hand sorted and the smaller seedlings are discarded. They are then bundled “row-run”. Generally the height of our seedlings will average 18-24”. The roots are then dipped in a water retention gel and packaged in brown kraft-paper bags of 100-200 seedlings each. This packaging makes it easy to transport large numbers of seedlings to the field in a manner that keeps the roots moist until they are actually planted. Finally, the seedlings are placed in refrigerated storage to keep them alive and in good condition.
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One of our pin oak seedlings growing in an actual CRP field. This photo was taken in early June, only 2 months after being planted. Note the approximate 6-8 inches of new growth which is primarily due to the superior root system of our seedlings.
Without a doubt, the part of the seedling below the ground is more important to its survival than the portion that you see above the ground. A dense root system provides the moisture and nutrients needed for rapid growth of the seedling, whereas an inferior root system will have trouble even keeping a seedling alive under tough field growing conditions. This photo shows the root systems of two 18-inch bur oak seedlings. It is easy to see the difference between the Higgins Tree Farm seedling on the right and the Illinois state nursery seedling on the left.