Frequently Asked Questions

See below for common questions and their answers. If your question isn't answered here, you can contact Doug Reith, Resource Specialist, by email or phone:  doug@washtenawcd.org / (734) 302-8713 

Do I have to live in Washtenaw County to participate? 

Nope! We open the sales to anyone willing to drive to pick up trees and plants although we design the sale to serve the needs of residents in Washtenaw County. We encourage everyone to connect with the local Conservation District, find yours here! 

Why are there two products of the same plant/species? 

In some cases, we are selling a plant product from different nurseries and they may be different sizes, for differences check the product's page for details on size/age/pot size/etc. 

Are all the plants native to Michigan?

We did our best to accurately indicate which plants are Native to Michigan. Some are introduced, we should be tagged or mentioned in their description accordingly. We offer various species for a wide range of uses, and avoid any species that are considered invasive. 

Are the apple/fruit trees non-GMO? 

All the fruit trees offered in the WCCD Spring Tree Sales have been conventionally bred or have been selected natural sports of conventionally bred varieties.

The only GMO apple in the industry are the Arctic(R) line of apples (Arctic Granny, Actic Golden, and Arctic Golden) which have been modified to prevent browning when sliced. The gene is actually common in many varieties but they manipulated these to make it either active or suppressed to be effective.

What is the difference between Seedlings and Transplants? What does 2-0, 2-1, 2-2 mean? 

Transplants vs Seedlings

We follow the definition that a Seedling is a plant grown from seed in a nursery for 1 to 2 years. Most of the seedlings in the WCCD sales are 2 years old.
And a Transplant is 1 to 2 year old seedling grown and then replanted into another bed at the nursery to allow the plant to develop a better fibrous root system and more side branching. Most of the Transplants we sell are 3 or 4 years old.

A standard way of distinguishing the age of these plants is
[years in seedling bed]-[years in transplant bed]
For instance, a plant that grew two years as a seedling was replanted and grew for two more years, would have the age specified as 2-2. 
More details (PDF).

What is the Bundle Size?

Many of our Tree & Shrubs can be purchased in different bundle sizes. This is the quantity of individual plants per bundle. The tiered pricing allows you to buy a bulk quantity for less per plant. It's best to choose the biggest bundle size that you're interested to buy, for example, don't buy 25 bundles of 1 plant, when you can get 1 of the 25 plant bundle.  

The quantity/bundle size that I want is not available, but smaller quantities are, can I get a larger quantity at the bulk price?

If the inventory isn't sold out, we can adjust to make a larger bundle size available. Contact doug@washtenawcd.org / (734) 302-8713 with your request. 

How does the Mix & Match Bundle Discount work?

See this page for all the available Mix & Match Bundle Coupons.

Why did the checkout ask for my shipping information? Is shipping/delivery an option? 

No, shipping or delivery aren't currently options we offer. Our online store asks for shipping information by default. 

Why don't you offer this (product/plant)? 

We're open to suggestions to meet the needs of our customers. Submit your suggestion here.

Can I resell the trees/shrubs that I purchase?

Any trees/shrubs purchased from the WCCD sales for the purpose to grow and resell must do so with proper licensing, certificates, and inspections, in accordance with the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act, P.A. 189 of 1931, as amended.

We ask that the bare root stock, potted plants, flats, planting aids and other items purchased through WCCD sales to not be purchased with the purpose to be resold soon after at a different price. We price our offerings to be accessible to our customers as a resource for conservation practices. 

Can I purchase more than 100 of a tree/shrub?

Yes, we can accommodate larger orders. We ask that you contact us in advance to ensure that we meet larger order requests while still meeting the needs of residents with smaller quantities desired.

Large order request or new species requests can be directed to: Doug Reith, (734) 302 8713 or doug@washtenawcd.org.

Can I submit an order that is tax exempt? 

Yes, please send your Michigan Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption (PDF) to doug@washtenawcd.org, and create an account on the online store. We will verify and mark your account for tax exemption and this will be applied to orders you make from that account. 

Do you offer financial support, fundraisers, or discounts for organizations?

Please fill out the request form for any special requests for giveaways, etc. We do also have another program, the School & Community Habitat Grant, that supports provides plant materials and habitat design support for local organizations.

What species do you sell that will survive with deer/rabbit/animal browsing pressure?

Given deer, rabbits, weather and other natural conditions, it can be hard to achieve high rates of survival for young plants. If deer are a significant concern, we recommend checking out this list of deer-resistant plants, and we do our best to research our species and tag them as Deer Resistant or Deer Damage Potential: low.  No guarantees as there are many variables that might influence deer browsing. 
We do offer animal repellant products from PlantSkydd, that can work in some conditions, but do require reapplication periodically.