Planting Trees

Home Depot Landscape Supply in Lewisville is going out of business - they have already been sold to a liquidator. I was in there on Tuesday and they still had lots of trees at 20-40% off and their prices are already 30-50% below Calloways (I priced them for my bid). They will probably be taking further markdowns. I've used Reggie Crawford at Crawford Lawn & Landscape for planting trees and shrubs in my yard. His number is ###-###-####. I love doing business with him - a great person - very honest! I bought the trees at Home Depot Landscape Supply and Reggie and his crew picked them up with his truck and planted them.

The trees Reggie planted for me were 5 ft - not super huge. If you are talking really big ones that require cranes and stuff I would check with him - I don't think he has that kind of equipment.

Also, now that Home Depot landscape supply is going out of business they may require cash and carry instead of allowing you to pay and then holding it until Reggie can come with his truck . . . again I would check with them.

If you use Reggie, tell him you got his name from K. in Flower Mound!

I would just call a landscaper, like Rica Potenz of Living Landscape ###-###-####. She's a Master Gardener and she's read all the books and taken all the classes, so you don't have to become an expert.

You want big trees fast, but I agree with the other poster... if you go for a tree like that you won't be getting good trees. You can buy good trees that are large already. It might cost you $600 or more a tree depending on the size.

Buying them from a place going out of business might fit your budget, but then you lose an warranty available. I know Rica usually provides a 1 year warranty on trees.

If you're looking for Summer shade till your trees are grown in (and I mean for your backyard) you could buy one of those canopy type tents for outdoors next Spring. Then your child could have their toys under there etc and little table, sandbox, whatever.

I wouldn't skimp on the trees though. They will help you resell and the right trees are very important.

The problem with trees that grow to full size in a couple years is that they're often not the hardiest or the prettiest (e.g., Fruitless Mulberries). I would recommend buying a good book on gardening in texas (e.g., Neil Sperry, Howard Garrett) and looking through that to find something that might work for you. Bradford Pears do grow fairly quickly. Our experience has been that the smaller ones adjust faster than the bigger ones and in the end, they'll be larger in a few years than the bigger ones, which are often seriously shocked by the transition. We saw this with our neighbors who had expensive (more mature) ones planted by the nursery and we just planted the smallest ones from Callaways. Ours were grew far faster than theirs and were larger within one year. Live oaks are also a good choice IF you want year round shade - they just shed their leaves in the Spring when the new ones come in.

There are several landscaping companies already listed in the Mamasource Business directory.

We used Mikes Garden Center on 114 in S0uthlakeKeller. They helped us pick the right trees and planted them and gave a one year warranty.

I have the same question could you share the good tips?