RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Give your trees every advantage.
These essential products protect seedlings, improve soil health, and accelerate growth, helping your investment thrive from day one.
Tree Tubes/Shelters
Give your new trees the best start with professional-grade protection. Plantra SunFlex tree shelters work like mini-greenhouses to protect young seedlings from deer, rabbits, wind damage, and herbicide drift while promoting faster, healthier growth. We have used thousands of these to plant our orchards and we would not recommend another brand.
Key Benefits:
Deer Protection: 5-foot height keeps seedlings safe from browse damage
Greenhouse Effect: Twin-wall design promotes 20% faster growth
Wind Protection: Creates shock prevention zone for delicate seedlings
Straight Growth: Flexible stakes build stronger trunks naturally
Long-Lasting: UV-resistant for 7+ years of protection
Perfect for fruit trees, nut trees, and all deciduous hardwood seedlings.
Tree Squares
Suppress weeds and conserve soil moisture around your newly planted trees with Plantra's Water-Saver weed mats. These 40" x 40" weed barriers eliminate competition for water and nutrients during establishment, significantly improving survival rates. You can also use wood chips and cardboard to suppress weeds, but at a certain scale, plastic becomes much easier. Be sure to install before the vegetative growth in the spring.
Key Benefits:
Reduces maintenance and mowing around trees
Durable, long-lasting material
Comes in 10-pack for multiple trees
Note: Each weed mat requires 5 anchor staples for installation (staples sold separately)
Premium Compost
Give your trees the nutrient-rich foundation they need with locally-produced, high-quality compost. Incorporating compost at planting time improves soil structure, provides slow-release nutrients, and supports beneficial soil microorganisms essential for healthy root development.
If you are local to Cincinnati, you could grab compost from the Common Orchard Project, a non-profit community orcharding effort Chris manages, all proceeds help us fulfill our mission to plant fruit and nut trees in communities of need.
Key Benefits:
Improves soil structure and drainage
Provides organic nutrients for establishment
Supports beneficial soil biology
Locally produced in Cincinnati
Note: Available for local pickup in Cincinnati, Ohio. For customers outside our region, we recommend finding a quality compost supplier near you.
MycoApply Mycorrhizal Inoculant
Supercharge your tree's root system with beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. These naturally occurring organisms form symbiotic relationships with tree roots, dramatically expanding their ability to absorb water and nutrients. MycoApply is a professional-grade inoculant used by nurseries and orchardists to ensure strong establishment. Add to a bucket of water and dip your bare root trees in for a few minutes and then plant!
Key Benefits:
Increases nutrient and water uptake by 10-1000x
Improves drought tolerance
Enhances root development
Professional-grade formulation
Bone Meal
Organic Fertilizer
We hope these recommendations help you get the most out of your orchard. If you have questions or want guidance, feel free to reach out, we’re here to help! Contact us for personalized recommendations or explore our latest trees and resources to keep growing.
Bone Meal provides a slow-release source of phosphorus to support strong root development and support flowering over years for fruit and nut trees. It doesnt leach from the soil like nitrogen, so it will remain in the tree hole for years to come, might as well add it in while you are planting the tree
Key Benefits:
High in phosphorus
Slow-release nutrition (won't burn plants)
Organic and safe for edible crops
Supports flowering and fruiting