Thank you for ordering trees from Lake Erie Chestnuts!! Here is how to get your trees off to a great start!!
IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING YOUR ORDER:
If your trees were shipped BAREROOT:
Try to plant your trees as soon as possible! However, we recognize that it is often difficult to plant immediately. If it will be a few days before you can plant, keep your trees in the box in a cool dark place(the garage is usually a good spot).
When you are ready to plant your trees, remove them from packaging and soak the roots for 4-12 hours. Then plant the trees. Dig a hole twice the size of the roots and loosen the soil. Plant the tree into the soil so that the former dirt line is AT or SLIGHTLY ABOVE the soil level.
Water the tree generously. We do NOT recommend fertilizing your tree the first year so that it can focus on root production. If you DO fertilize, only fertilize very lightly about 1 month after planting.
If your trees were shipped LIVE(Leaves on):
OPEN THE BOX IMMEDIATELY. IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE BOX, TAKE PICTURES AND SAVE THE BOX!! Report it to the Post Office and let us know. Your trees often will be slightly bent over to fit into the box. This will correct within a couple days after opening the box. If the soil remains moist, wait until the soil becomes crumbly on top before watering again. Chestnuts especially do not like wet feet.
Place the trees near a window indoors and let them receive some indirect sunlight(Not directly in the sun, but NEAR the window). If the temperature is above 55 degrees during the day, place the tree outside for a few hours for the first 3-4 days to allow them to acclimate. After that, you may plant them in their final location.
SPECIAL NOTE: If the seed is still attached to your plant and you are ready to plant them outside, you MUST cut/twist off the nut before planting or rodents/deer will pull the entire tree up by the nut and your tree will be compromised. The tree will do FINE without the nut attached.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING YOUR ORDER:
If your trees were shipped BAREROOT:
Try to plant your trees as soon as possible! However, we recognize that it is often difficult to plant immediately. If it will be a few days before you can plant, keep your trees in the box in a cool dark place(the garage is usually a good spot).
When you are ready to plant your trees, remove them from packaging and soak the roots for 4-12 hours. Then plant the trees. Dig a hole twice the size of the roots and loosen the soil. Plant the tree into the soil so that the former dirt line is AT or SLIGHTLY ABOVE the soil level.
Water the tree generously. We do NOT recommend fertilizing your tree the first year so that it can focus on root production. If you DO fertilize, only fertilize very lightly about 1 month after planting.
If your trees were shipped LIVE(Leaves on):
OPEN THE BOX IMMEDIATELY. IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE BOX, TAKE PICTURES AND SAVE THE BOX!! Report it to the Post Office and let us know. Your trees often will be slightly bent over to fit into the box. This will correct within a couple days after opening the box. If the soil remains moist, wait until the soil becomes crumbly on top before watering again. Chestnuts especially do not like wet feet.
Place the trees near a window indoors and let them receive some indirect sunlight(Not directly in the sun, but NEAR the window). If the temperature is above 55 degrees during the day, place the tree outside for a few hours for the first 3-4 days to allow them to acclimate. After that, you may plant them in their final location.
SPECIAL NOTE: If the seed is still attached to your plant and you are ready to plant them outside, you MUST cut/twist off the nut before planting or rodents/deer will pull the entire tree up by the nut and your tree will be compromised. The tree will do FINE without the nut attached.
