One of the nurseries I get supplies from just dug out their spring tree

==>>> where are they in relation to you ... and what do they say about it???

does your ground freeze?? .. are the plants zone appropriate for your area ... do THEY really care about cold soil??? ... as compared to say.. frozen soil???

ken

Ken, they are just down the road. I only plant natives or proven trees for the area. I will ask them, its just that the knowledge base here is better generally so best to ask here first. The ground around here will not be solid frozen until well into December. All depends on the whims of nature, of course.

also ask him what he is doing with them for winter..... is he putting them in a refrigerated warehouse to hold them dormant until spring???

isnt that the only alternative to him just potting or replanting them???

if hes working for a profit ... its his biz ... one would think he might know better than a bunch of navel gazers like us ... lol ...

ken

Yes they dug the spring stuff out already for storage as bare root. So I figure they would be available for me if I ask.

A common annual cycle is to dig and warehouse in November with shipping to follow in late winter/early spring the following year. The bare rooting makes the plant functionally a cutting because most feeder roots are lost in the process, will not start to be replaced until after spring bud break. Because what makes the cut root ends grow replacement roots is hormones sent to them from the opening winter stem buds. So it is usual to wait until winter is mostly over to plant bare rooted stock - anything you might buy and plant now will have to be kinds that are able to tough out spending the winter in the ground in your area. In a bare rooted condition. USDA 6 is just mild enough for there to be much scope for this, with USDA 5 being the start of where it is too cold for there to be a large number of different plants suitable for routine fall planting.