Tree farmers set seedling sale

Thousands of tree seedlings will be offered by the Clark County Farm Forestry Association during a public sale set for Sat., March 22, 8 a.m.-noon, at the Albertson’s parking lot, 2108 W. Main St., Battle Ground.

Most trees will be priced at $1 to $2, including Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir, Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, Ponderosa Pine, Scotch Pine, Sitka Spruce, Giant Sequoia, Oregon White Oak, Oregon Ash and Red Alder.

A few trees will be priced higher, including Incense Cedar ($4), Western Larch, ($3), Pacific Madrone ($4), Red Osier Dogwood ($3), and Vine Maple ($3). 

Trees available at the annual sale will range in size from 1 to 3 feet.

Members of the Master Gardener program of Washington State University will be on hand to answer questions about planting and caring for trees.

The Farm Forestry Association recommends that trees be planted as soon as possible. Trees should be stored in a cool, shady place with roots kept wet until planting. The planting hole should be deep enough so that the roots do not curl in the hole. It is not necessary to fertilize the newly-planted seedlings during the first year.

About 14,000 trees were sold in last year’s public tree sale, including about 4,000 Douglas fir trees and 3,000 Western Red Cedar.

Proceeds from the sale are used for educational and scholarship purposes in forestry and related fields, including money for a scholarship in a forest-related field at Clark College. Some funding is also given to the Pomeroy Living History Farm in Yacolt, the North Clark Museum in Amboy, and the Amboy Logging Show.

The Clark County Farm Forestry Association is an organization of tree farmers with about 260 members. In addition to the public tree sale, members of the Association purchase seedlings annually for planting on their own properties. Last year, Association members planted about 75,000 trees, and may plant another 100,000 trees this year.

More information is available by calling Jared Larwick, (360) 852-6041.