When buying seeds from wholesaler, seeds are sold by weight. Seeds are mostly described with the following terms:

Common name

Some common names of tree species would be: maple, pine, boxwood.

Latin name

Latin name of the previous mentioned would be: acer for maple, pinus for pine and buxus for boxwood. These latin names constitute the scientific name for each species.

After the description section, the next information is technical. First, every supplier will have a monitor measure. Two measures are commonly used. The first is the count of seeds per pounds, and the second is the weight per thousand seeds.

Purity

Purity is expressed in %, and it represent the number of seeds versus the number of debris (dead leaves, stem) in the batch of seeds.

Germination rate

Germination rate is also expressed in %, it represents the number of seeds that will germinate with proper conditions.

Origin / source

The origin and source will determine the country the seeds originate from; where they were collected. Some suppliers will also list the state or province of origin.

Growing info

Growing info will refer to the needed condition for germination. Common details are pre-treatment, such as scarification and stratification, both hot or cold, and sowing technique.

Common use

Suppliers will often state the common uses or classification of species. For example, you could find all of the following:

Edible Fruit/Nuts

Fall Color
Medicinal
Rootstock
Shade Tree
Urban Tolerant
Tree
Poisonous
bonsai
Drought Tolerant.

Conditions of seeds

You can get winged or dewinged, refering to seeds that grow with a wing or two. Usually, dewinged seeds cost more since they require an additionnal step of preparation before they are sold.

You can get clean or uncleaned seeds. This usually happens with seeds that come from fruit trees. A clean seed will have the pulp of the fruit removed, while an unclean seed will almost come with the complete fruit.

You can also come across green or dry seeds. Green seeds are the freshest. The supplier has skipped drying the seeds for proper storage and is selling untreated seeds. A dry seed is not completely dry, but rather has a 5-8% humidity rate. The treatment is done to prevent decay of seeds in their shelf life. It mainly prevents rot.

As their name implies, fruit trees are simply trees that bear fruit. This may include apple, cherry, citrus (i.e., orange and lemon), durian, mango, morello cherry, pear, peach, nectarine and plum. In addition some nut bearing trees, such as walnuts, are also considered to be fruit trees. Virtually all trees of flowering plants will produce fruit which, in this case, is used to define trees that produce fruit that can be used as human food.

In order for fruit trees to remain healthy and continue producing quality fruits, they must be pruned for growth control purposes and also to remove dead or diseased wood. In addition, pruning fruit trees may also stimulate the growth of flowers and/or fruit buds. The best time for pruning, economic wise, is early in the season as the buds begin to break. At this point, the grower can simply pinch off the soft tissue with his/her finger. The problem that many growers face is neglecting to properly care for their fruit trees after planting. Careful attention to pruning will have the greatest impact on fruit trees and their productivity.

Did you know that formative pruning of apple and pear trees should occur during the dormant winter months ranging between November and March and should be done during the trees early years of life? This will help fruit trees to develop a strong frame that is capable of holding the weight of fruit as it begins to grow in later years. Other fruit trees, such as cherry, plum and gages should not be pruned during the winter.

From the age of five, fruit trees need to be pruned annually. The process of renewal pruning depends greatly on the tendency of most apple and pear trees to produce flower buds. Fruit trees that have strong laterals on the outer part of the tree, which also has room for growth, are best suited for this technique.

The regulatory pruning of fruit trees is performed on the tree as a whole and is done in an effort to keep both the tree and its environment healthy. Regulatory pruning entails keeping the center open so that air can circulate, removing dead or diseased wood and preventing branches from becoming crowded while also preventing the crossing of branches.

Fruit trees are popular among farmers who believe in growing their own food, but also for those who wish to resell fruits for profit. Whether fruit trees are your source of health food or extra cash, taking the time to care for them in such a way that will promote both their productivity and livelihood will be well worth the effort. For those who are truly creative and want to get the most use of their fruit trees, there is nothing better than creating a custom fruit basket to be given as gifts for holidays, birthdays and as your contribution to family gatherings.

Whatever the purpose for your fruit trees, nourish them with everything that they need in order to thrive and, when the time comes, they will produce a product capable of doing the same for you.

Many ways can be used to accentuate the beauty of your house, and make your backyard more attractive. In your yard design, having a nice patio, a pool or even toys for the kids is great. But having a tree is often overlooked. We will develop ten uses for a tree in your backyard.

1. Create a shade spot in your backyard
2. Create a wind barrier on your property
3. Use tree as an edge fence
4. Hang your self an hamac under your shade spot
5. Have fresh fruit at reach in your backyard
6. Create a scent with a fragrant fruit tree
7. Use a small tree as bonsai and patio tree
8. Add colors to an existing flower arrangement
9. Have a tree house or a swing rope for the kids
10. Hang a bird feeder and attract beautiful bird species

As you see, this is a small list of utilities for a tree in your backyard. Other then those, planting a tree helps the environment by cleaning the air. It will also embelishing your neighborhood and give the surrounding properties, including your home, an increase in value.

There are many ways of acquiring a tree. You can sow a seed, either collected yourself or bougth. Many online website specialize in seeds, especially tree seeds. You could also buy a juvenile tree from a garden center or take a cutting of a tree you like, given it is an appropriate time of the year. You can always hope a neighbors tree will drop a seed in fall and next spring a tree will arise like magic.