looking to buy some dogwood, need advice

[waxworm09]

We are looking for about 60 red osier dogwood shrubs and wondering where we can get a good deal on them? Looking to build a snow fence on our property. We live on 5 acres and need a fence on one side of the property. I measured out 58 bushes at 4.5 feet between them, does that sound like a good distance or should they be closer together? I have heard you can get the smaller shrubs at very little cost, but not sure where... thanks for any help.

[pushbutton]

I am a cheapskate, so my suggestion would be to look at going the barefoot route. Those thing are a weed and would not anticipate many problems doing it that way. Did a very brief google search and found some 1 to 2 footers for around 75 cents delivered. If taken care of decently, by the end of the year those would be in the 3 gallon range at a nursery. How close to plant depends on how much time you want to wait for them to fill in. Your right about the eventual spacing, but as well as being a cheapskate ....really like more immediate satisfaction....and would probably double up and go about 2 ft and transplant/remove when they start getting too close....maybe even do a double row alternating with everything at 4.5.

[LABS4ME]

Not to be a contradictary pain, but I would personally stick to 4.5'... I'd even go to 5'.or 6' no problem. These things get huge! 6-8' around. And they do not take long to get there as long as you have decent soil and they receive water and some food. Too many plants in too small a space just compete for food and water, lowing them down in growth...

Add some compost to the backfill soil and mulch them in after panting and you should be well on your way! For an even brighter red in the winter, look for Cardinal Dogwood. A good value would be to look for a garden center that has to shift at years 2gal plant to 5 gal this year. You are already getting healthy rooted plants at 2 gal price and 5 gal size.

Good Luck!

Ken

[delcecchi]

Check with your county soil and water conservation district. Here in Olmsted county they sell bundles of 20 to 25 (18 to 24 inch) plants of a variety of types, including red osier and gray dogwood for $40 per bundle.

Might be too late for this year but wouldn't hurt to ask.

[hockeybc69]

Here is the tree order form for the SWCD office in your area

http://www.kandiyohiswcd.org/documents/14%20treeform.doc

Call em up. Most of the time there are lots of leftover bundles of many varities. If you get lucky, you can get them for cheaper yet too.

Last year I picked up several bundles from our Ottertail office for 50% off in mid may.