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Additional trees can even be ordered, as needed, as the winter planting season <br /> progresses, provided they are of species that are readily available in most <br /> nurseries. <br /> DELIVERY AND STORAGE OF TREES <br /> Communities in the Willamette Valley are fortunate that there are many fine <br /> nurseries in the area from which to purchase trees. Some nurseries may <br /> deliver an order if it is large enough, but most of them prefer that the trees <br /> be picked up. A covered truck or van is best for this task, but if one is not <br /> available, a flatbed trunk can be used. During rainy weather, the trees do <br /> not really need to be covered during transport. On dry days, however, it is <br /> essential to cover the root wads of the trees with wet burlap, and then cover <br /> the burlap with a plastic tarp to ensure that the trees' roots will not dry <br /> out during transport. <br /> After lifting bare -root trees from the growing field, most nurseries remove a <br /> large portion of the root system to make it easier to ship the tree. Oc- <br /> casionally, if trees are ordered from a local nursery immediately before <br /> planting and have not yet been dug from the field, ask the nursery to retain <br /> the entire root system on each tree, if possible. Such well- endowed bare - <br /> root trees undergo very little shock following transplanting, and quickly re- <br /> establish themselves in their new homes. <br /> Once the trees arrive, they are stored upright in a holding bed of moist <br /> sawdust constructed for that purpose. It is best to locate the bed on the <br /> north side of a building (to prevent early leaf break), yet away from strong, <br /> drying north winds. A warehouse or covered parking bay, if available, would <br /> be even better for storage of dormant trees. During periods when the tempera- <br /> ture remains below freezing during the day, the holding bed should be covered <br /> with a thick layer of straw to help insulate the roots until the cold period <br /> passes. <br /> Should any trees remain in the holding bed at the end of the planting season, <br /> they should either be planted in city parks or given to neighbors in areas not <br /> yet participating in the NeighborWoods program (along with detailed instruc- <br /> tions on how to properly plant and care for the trees). It is generally not <br /> wise to try to attempt to carry over nursery stock from one season to the <br /> next, as the trees almost invariably begin to decline and, after beginning to <br /> develop a new root system while in the holding bed, must endure yet another <br /> transplanting shock when they are eventually moved to the final planting site. <br /> III. PLANTING <br /> BEFORE PLANTING DAY <br /> Planting Season and Setting a Date <br /> The planting season here usually lasts from mid - November until the end of <br /> March, with most plantings occurring in late fall and again in February and <br /> March, as December and January are usually the wettest months and volunteers <br /> are less available during the holiday season. As soon as possible, the <br /> 7 <br />