In the Open: SWCD Tree Sales Underway

By Jim Freeman

Most soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) across Ohio have an annual tree sale, and Gallia and Meigs county are no exception. Annual tree sales are one way for districts to reach out to citizens in their county, and they help fund district programs.

There is enough difference between the two sales that one of the districts should have what you are looking for; Gallia SWCD has fewer trees per packet but they are slightly older seedlings, while the Meigs SWCD has more trees per packet. The hardwood seedling offerings are also different.

Starting with the Gallia SWCD, it is offering Norway Spruce, packet of 10, $10; Eastern White Pine, packet of 10, $20; Colorado Blue Spruce, packet of five, $15; White Oak, packet of five, $15; Pin Oak, packet of five, $15.

A streamside/erosion packet consisting of two each of Swamp White Oak and Bankers Dwarf Willow is also available for $10.

Other trees include: Sweetgum, packet of five, $15; Red Mulberry, packet of five, $10; American Hazelnut, packet of two, $15; Hardy Pecan Tree, packet of two, $15; Eastern Redbud, packet of five, $15; Northern Catalpa, packet of five, $10; Apple Tree Packet consisting of one each Red and Yellow Delicious Apple, $25; Early Elberta Peach, packet of two, $25, and marker flags, $.05 each

The last day to order trees from the Gallia SWCD is March 20

For more information, contact the Gallia SWCD at 740-446-6173 or stop in and pick up an order form weekdays at Gallia SWCD office at 111 Jackson Pike, Suite 1569, Gallipolis (In the C.H. McKenzie Agricultural Building near the Gallia County Junior Fairgrounds). Trees should be in around the second week of April.

The Meigs SWCD hardwood offerings this year include Black Walnut, White Oak, Northern Red Oak, Sugar Maple and Black Cherry in packets of 25 seedlings for $17.

Also available are Colorado Blue Spruce, White Spruce, Norway Spruce, Canadian Hemlock, Scotch Pine, Eastern White Pine, Virginia Pine and Loblolly Pine, in packets of 25 for $15.

American Chestnut trees are again available in packets of five for $15, and the native flowering packet consists of 10 trees with two each Red Osier Dogwood, Mountain Laurel, White Flowering Dogwood, Sweetshrub (Carolina Allspice), and Strawberry Bush seedlings for $15.

Other offerings include Dwarf Gala/Fuji Apples and Bruce/Methley Plum, in packets of two seedlings each for $18; Shiitake Mushroom kits (consisting of 200 plugs) for $25; English Ivy, and Pachysandra trays of 100 plants for $25.

Seed mixes include erosion control (two pounds for $15), wildflower and grass (one ounce for $6), bird and butterfly (one ounce for $5), and wildlife food plot mixes (25 pounds for $40)

Also available are bluebird boxes and bat boxes ($20 each), marking flags ($.10 each) and Plantskyydd deer and rabbit repellant available in ready-to-spray quart bottles ($25) or in a powder concentrate (2.2 pounds for $40).

The deadline for ordering trees or seed packets from the Meigs SWCD is Friday, Feb. 27 with trees being available for pickup around the second week in April.

For an order form or for more information, contact the Meigs SWCD at 740-992-4282 or stop in weekdays at 113 E. Memorial Drive, Suite D, Pomeroy. Order forms are also available at www.meigsswcd.com.

If you are reading this from somewhere in the United States, odds are you are served by an SWCD. There are at least 3,000 conservation districts nationwide, according the National Association of Conservation District. Here in Ohio, there are 88 SWCDs, one per county, with each of those governed by a five-member elected board of supervisors.

Jim Freeman is wildlife specialist for the Meigs Soil and Water Conservation District. He can be contacted weekdays at 740-992-4282 or at [email protected]