Delaware Valley
Backyard Native Tree Nursery
We are a small family specialty nursery focusing on conservation projects in the Delaware Valley Region. All sales go towards supporting these projects.
Serving
Maryland - Delaware - Pennsylvania- New Jersey
Who we are
We are a small home based backyard nursery in Newark, Delaware. We grow trees right in our suburban yard, and have a secondary larger 11 acre site in southeastern PA where we plant trees for seed stock, research, and conservation.
"Naked” refers to our focus on what is often hidden - the roots. We strive to form excellent root growth for each tree. Each winter, every single tree that is being up-potted is bare-rooted and inspected for proper root development and stem growth. We also have a very strict grading system and cull aggressively to ensure that the trees we have on sale are the best of the best.
Trees are always grown without any synthetic herbicides or pesticides.
Does organic ideology matter for growing trees? We think so. Why would you want to plant a chemically treated tree with pesticide residue on the leaves, branches, soil, or roots when your goal is to feed the local ecosystem (particularly insects) with native trees?
Our growing space, about 1000 sq.ft, is state licensed and inspected annually by DNREC, who provides our certificates of inspection, phytosanitary certificates, and Nursery License.
What We Do
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Seed Sourcing
We are passionate about seed sourcing. Unlike most nurseries, our value comes in the form of up-front provenance information. We select seed from various sources including local, regional, or national populations and specify if the source is from wild or cultivated parentage. This gives you the choice to plant what you want, how you want it.
It is important to balance local ecotype genetics (best for conservation) with consideration for future warming trends. Trees can live for several hundred years - they may be planted today in a zone 7, but may mature in a zone 9.
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Root Development
The “Naked” in our name comes from our focus on what is often hidden under the soil - the ROOTS!
Our #1 focus during the growth stage is on root development. You only get one chance at this with seedlings. Trees start life in air prune beds and root pouches to train them to grow strong and resilient root systems. They are then graded and sold as bare root or up-potted to air prune root pouches. These seedlings will take final transplanting in stride and grow trouble free for the life of the tree. We believe so strongly in the quality of our root systems, that all trees are guaranteed for 1 full year.
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Growing Conditions
Trees are grown in high density air prune beds so that they are naturally tall and straight. They often form closed canopies with all manner of insect and small animal life throughout the season. Native insects help control pests through our use of Integrated Pest Management.
Our nursery is a certified wildlife habitat and we grow without synthetic pesticides or herbicides so that the trees you take home are healthy food for our native wildlife.