Found some trees, need input

[Anonymous]

A newbie here... I've been just reading this forum lately - this is my first post so I apologize if I'm asking 'the same old question'

I found some railroad tree lots on ebay and was wondering if they are alright for a starter garden. It looks like a good deal to be had but, before I bid... where does one get scale trees for a railway garden?

Would love some input... thx.

[ttrigg]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Imhere

A newbie here... I've been just reading this forum lately - this is my first post so I apologize if I'm asking 'the same old question'

I found some railroad tree lots on ebay and was wondering if they are alright for a starter garden. It looks like a good deal to be had but, before I bid... where does one get scale trees for a railway garden?

Would love some input... thx.

You found some tree lots on Ebay. What kind of tree? 6 inches, 6 foot, or 6 yards tall? Give us a bit more information, Please!

Now if you had given us a link like http://cgi.ebay.com/Railroad-Garden-Trees-Lot-of-5-Dwrf-Minis-G-scale-S4-5_W0QQitemZ6057568834QQcategoryZ19157QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I would have said "read the fine print" on the offer. If you railroad is in BOTH full sun AND part shade, then go for it. If you live in a COLD climate. In the advertisement it clearly states that these plants are hardy at ten below freezing. These trees need some coldness to properly "sleep" in the winter. If you live in New England you can probably get away with these trees, if, on the other hand you live in southern New Mexico, the trees will probably die in a few days, no matter what you do.

QUOTE:
... where does one get scale trees for a railway garden?

From your local nursery. At your local nursery you will find plants that LIVE and thrive in your local environment. Go look in the dwarf and/or bonsai trees. Talk to the miniature tree specialist at every nursery in your area. Check with a club in your area. Looking at the trees in the "offer", they are quite similar to the ones I have on my GRR. The difference is in the hardiness zone. I live in sunny SoCal and doubt very much that this offered set of trees would survive here. Another factor is looking at their growth rates, ten inches per year! The plantings I have all top out at 20 to 24 inches, with an annual growth rate of 3 - 4 inches per year. Looks like your trees could get very tall very fast.

[Anonymous]

Yes Tom, those are the trees I had found on ebay. And I know they are conifers which prefer cool temps. It was more of a general question...

My local nursery doesn't carry the small trees in 4" pots. Although the trees on auction only grow 3-4" per year and can be pruned (the more vigorous ones can also be pruned to stay small) -they are small 4" pots to begin with and you would have several years of life to them, no? Coming at this hobby from a gardener's point of view, wouldn't you want to change things around every couple of years and try new things?

[tangerine-jack]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Imhere

...............Coming at this hobby from a gardener's point of view, wouldn't you want to change things around every couple of years and try new things?

My garden changes 4 times a year, once each time the seasons pass. You can adjust your garden to suit your personal tastes by using a combination of annuals and perennials. I prefer perennials and tough wildflowers so I don't have to do a lot of work, while others like the variety you can have by changing annuals every year. With careful selection of plants, you can have something green and blooming almost year round. But whatever works for you is what matters in the end.

[FJ and G]

Some of the leaves look way out of scale; but if you like them, that's all that matters (actually, nothing is in scale, but the really small leavees or needles give the impression of scale). Only U can decide.

[markperr]

Seems to me that you can do just as well by going to Home Depot or Lowe's. Home Depot right now is selling Dwarf Alberta Spruces (a staple on most GR's) for $3.99 apiece. They are in 4" or 6" pots, and average about 12" to 18" in height. Buy a dozen for 50 bucks and with some selected bonzai pruning, you have a pretty good looking scale pine grove.

You can also get boxwoods which make good looking ornamental trees around scale homes for $4.99. Later on in the year, you'll be able to get barberry and miniature arborvitae, which, by the way, looks a lot like the cypress in the photo.

In the Home Depots around us, they are also selling miniature annuals that would make nice looking miniature flowering shrubs. there are several other "chain" nurseries here in Michigan that offer pretty much the same thing as well.

Mark

[ttrigg]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Imhere

Yes Tom, those are the trees I had found on ebay. And I know they are conifers which prefer cool temps. It was more of a general question...

My local nursery doesn't carry the small trees in 4" pots. Although the trees on auction only grow 3-4" per year and can be pruned (the more vigorous ones can also be pruned to stay small) -they are small 4" pots to begin with and you would have several years of life to them, no?

Sorry if I came of sounding grumpy, did not intend to do that. You should be able to find small trees in your area somewhere. If you had included a hint as to where you live in your profile, we (and there are some real experts here on these pages) could give you better hints and information as to what is available closer to where you live.

Home Depot and Lowes are both good sources for the small plants and trees. Granted they do not carry them year round, but when they do have them, they have a very good selection.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Imhere
Coming at this hobby from a gardener's point of view, wouldn't you want to change things around every couple of years and try new things?

Short (but polite) answer here; NO! In the 10x50 ft. main area of my GRR, (around the Koi Pond) I want all of my vegetation to be representatively small (note: I use the word small, not scale). My wife and I have selected several types of trees for planting, by selecting some evergreens we have some stability of tall foliage along the wood fence. Selecting some deciduous trees for use in and around town, we will achieve the "seasonal changes". We have also decided upon a few annuals, to be placed near the water fall (to accent both the water fall and the tracks, and a few more for use in the yard area to accent the depot and such.) Notice: I use the word "selected" as this is a multi-year process, and have actually purchased maybe fifteen percent of what will eventually be planted in the GRR.

On the other hand, when my train takes off across the back fence it meanders through my wife's miniature roses and grape vines (areas known as: Rosebud Flats, and Vine Arbor). When the extension is complete (another couple of years) it will also circumnavigate some real apple, plum, avocado and orange trees (the area known as Green Apple Orchard). In time there will be about 400 ft of track running through a very out of scale world.

Well it looks as if I have been a little too verbose here. As I have been rather fond of saying "If all else fails, remember to have fun." If you enjoy continuos change the by all means replant every couple of years or so. For me, I spend so much time on weed control in the GRR as well as the rest of the property, that I do not look forward to changing vegetation around my trains.

It's a Hobby and hobbies are supposed to be fun! Enjoy it.

[tangerine-jack]

Hey Tom, didn't your railroad and surrounding woodlands burn to the ground a few months back?



Or do you need a friendly reminder?[:-,]

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Jack, I heard that, that's why I had that Carrales guy go out and flag down your special so as to send you back East! Hey, we just took over another RR! I'll find the correspondence ans send it to you!

[ttrigg]

Why do you think we are "replanting the forest!"

Not for the "S&G's"