Bare-root tree sizes on a Tennessee Wholesale Nursery order are height ranges. Seedlings come in 6–12 inch, 12–18 inch and row run 6–24 inch grades, sold in bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000. Trees come in 1–2, 2–3 and 3–4 foot grades, sold in bundles of 25, 50, 100 or 500.
Tennessee Wholesale Nursery is a family-owned wholesale nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, near McMinnville, growing trees, shrubs, perennials, wetland and native plants. The nursery runs this blog to show how its plants are grown, dug, graded and shipped, starting with what the size on your order means.
Bare-root tree sizes on a Tennessee Wholesale Nursery order
Every listing asks you to choose two things: a size grade and a bundle count. The size grade is a height range. Seedling listings such as White Oak Seedlings, Sugar Maple Seedlings and Redbud Seedlings are graded in inches. Tree listings such as the Red Oak Tree, Red Maple Tree, Pin Oak Tree and Redbud Trees are graded in feet.
| Size grade | Stock | Bundle counts |
|---|---|---|
| 6–12 inches | Seedlings | 100, 500 or 1,000 |
| 12–18 inches | Seedlings | 100, 500 or 1,000 |
| Row run 6–24 inches | Seedlings | 100, 500 or 1,000 |
| 1–2 feet | Trees | 25, 50, 100 or 500 |
| 2–3 feet | Trees | 25, 50, 100 or 500 |
| 3–4 feet | Trees | 25, 50, 100 or 500 |
On a seedling listing, the row run option reads “Row Run 6–24 Inches” next to the bundle count. It spans 6 to 24 inches, wider than either sorted seedling grade, so expect a mix of heights within that range in one bundle. Choose 6–12 or 12–18 inches when you want the seedlings closer to one size.
What size tree should I get?
Choose by two things: how much height you want on planting day, and how many trees the job needs.
- Large plantings: seedling grades come in bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000.
- Smaller plantings: tree grades start at bundles of 25.
- More height from day one: 3–4 feet is the tallest grade on these tree listings.
- An even look: pick one sorted grade rather than row run.
Whatever grade you choose, small trees and saplings may need a stake. The nursery's planting instructions note that many of them need support so they don't fall over and their trunks grow upright.
What is a bare-root tree?
A bare-root tree is dug from the field while dormant and shipped without a pot or soil around its roots. The nursery's bare-root plant guide puts dormant plainly: the plant is asleep, with no foliage, leaves or blooms. A leafless tree arriving in late fall or winter is exactly what you ordered.
Trees, shrubs and seedlings ship in the dormant season, from the end of October through May. Perennials, ferns, vines, live stakes and mosses can ship year round.
How Tennessee Wholesale Nursery grows and digs bare-root trees
The nursery opened in 1959 and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership, as its About Us page tells it. It began on a couple of acres with hand plows and mules. Today it works with transplanters and tree digging spades on a 67-acre home farm, plus 104-acre and 12-acre farms in production. It grows much of its own stock and buys from other local growers to keep up with demand.
Bare-root trees are either freshly dug in the dormant season or pulled from the nursery's commercial coolers. For a fresh dig, the crew takes large tubs of Terra-Sorb out to the field, digs your order and dips the roots in it right there.
From the field to your door
Once dug, each order is prepared the way the nursery's packaging page describes, packed in accordance with American Nurseryman standards:
- The roots soak for 2 to 4 hours in cattle feeder troughs filled with water and Terra-Sorb gel.
- The roots are packed in wet paper filler and surrounded with plastic.
- The plants go into corrugated boxes for shipping.
Plants waiting to ship are held in the nursery's large refrigerated coolers, which keep them dormant until they leave.
Planting the trees you receive
Plant while the trees are still dormant. Once temperatures reach 58 degrees, plants leave dormancy and start budding, and the nursery advises planting before that happens. Avoid planting when temperatures are below 31 degrees. The steps below follow the nursery's planting instructions.
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Dig the hole
Use a post-hole digger or a shovel to dig a hole twice the size of the roots.
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Set the tree
Add fertilizer to the hole, place the tree in it and fill in the soil around the roots.
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Water and mulch
Water right away, then add mulch or pine needles around the trunk so the water soaks in slowly.
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Support young trees
Stake small trees or saplings that need it, so they stay upright as they grow.
Bare-root tree questions
Do bare root trees grow well?
The nursery's packaging page says bare-root plants have a very high success rate when they are properly prepared. That is why the roots are dipped in Terra-Sorb, soaked, packed wet and kept in coolers before shipping. Your part is to plant them while they are still dormant, before they start budding, and water them in right away.
What does 2 inch caliper tree mean?
Caliper is the diameter of a tree's trunk, a measure used for larger nursery stock. It does not convert to a height grade. Tennessee Wholesale Nursery lists its bare-root trees by height, in 1–2, 2–3 and 3–4 foot grades, so choose the height that suits the job rather than looking for a caliper match.
