TOPIC: Selling rootlets?

A guy is offering me $2 per 1 year old rootlet next year...he wants to plant the rootlets on his property. I should have some very thick patches of yearlings coming up this spring...so I figured I would thin out a thousand or 2 and sell these rootlets. Anyone ever had any experience doing this type of selling?

Good morning Boonerman,

First of all, that is a good price for one year old rootlets. If you two are friends, I would be sure that I dug them after they have gone dormant. You could lose a lot of them if you dig too early. I don't know what the laws are in the state that you are from so don't get involved in taking them across state lines without certifying them. Brad Castle can help you there. Put some markers up before they go dormant so you will know exactly where to dig. When you dig them be sure that you keep them moist. That means all the way through his hands until they go into the ground. One year old rootlets can have a high mortality rate if they are not handled properly. Good luck.

Hugh

I would not want to plant anything less than 2 year olds. as Hugh mentioned, one year olds will have a high mortality rate, even if handled optimaly. if you want future business from your buddy, then perhaps you should wait until you have two year olds[ meaning having had two years of growing].

'Course people do things, try things, for the experience of it...

Thanks for the tips guys!

The guys are right. I do not sell one year woodsgrown any more for that reason....its like digging match sticks. The going price for 1yr woodsgrown are around 40-50 cents each. So, you might want to rethink that deal if he is a friend.

As long as you wait until the middle of August or so, you should be able to dig them if they have seneced or not and they will be ok. Keep them a little on the dry side and they will be fine.

I have a newbie question. You expierenced hands say don't try to replant 1 year old rootlets. At least 2 years. Why is there such high mortality rate with 1 year olds? What is the average cost of 2 year old rootlets? I understand it varies with the seasons.

One year old roots are babies. As such, are very tender, and die off easy. pretty easy to damage them digging them out as well as putting them in. IMHO, look for 3 year old roots. 'way better survivability, however do cost more...

Very Very healthy specimens sold on this site! I got plenty larger than the large wild roots I dug this past fall and some even had two growth buds. Out of 950 (10 lbs.) I probably had ten with growth buds absent!

How old did you get?

Whitjr:

They were 3 year old rootlets. I believe that is all this site sells now; or at least last year. They have combo packages of 3 y.o. rootlets of various weight and various weight of seeds also that save you a little cash buying them together. Not enough savings to buy more than you need but every little bit helps.

Jim