Employees at the locally run tree farm, which opened in 1984, pick out the best acorns they can find from the best trees in and around the city. They maintain specific standards in an effort to provide customers with trees that look good, serve a purpose and will survive for years in the Central Texas climate.
The gist
Owner Terry Schultz said the tree farm sets itself apart from other tree sellers by caring for and growing trees rather than just selling them.
“Everything out here, we pretty much have grown or have a substantial amount of grow time in,” Schultz said. He explained that there are multiple stages of selection before an acorn even makes it into soil.
“We go to subdivision right-of-ways, entryways, stores, shopping center parking lots – wherever I see a tree that exhibits the best characteristics of its species, those are the acorns I want,” Schultz said, explaining his process for finding acorns for some of his trees.
Once gathered, the acorns are selected based on their size and buoyancy, then they are refrigerated for two to three months to improve their growth prospects with false winterization, Schultz said. The trees can then be nurtured at the property for years.
After putting in so much time and effort, Lauren Bishop, the farm’s general manager, said it can be hard to see a plant drive off with a customer, but it is rewarding.
“[It] kind of feels like I’m losing a child,” she explained. “But I’m happy that my tree is going to beautify somebody’s yard. It’s also just really cool to take in the whole process. They start so small. They just turn into huge living trees that provide shade, and most of these trees are going to live longer than us, so if you think about that, you’re starting something that’s going to outlive you.”
What you need to know
Trees offer multiple benefits to property owners, Schultz said. In addition to privacy, trees provide shade, which can cool both houses and yards, resulting in lower utility bills and healthier yards.
It’s also important to consider the needs of a tree and whether it will be able to survive in the hot Central Texas climate.
Schultz said he aims to buy only trees that will be able to survive in the local conditions.
“We try really hard not to buy a tree from a grower out of the state of Texas,” he said.
Employees at the farm will talk to customers about the needs of trees and what will work well where.
“We’re tree nerds,” Bishop said, noting that customers can decide which tree they want, tag it, and LAWNS will schedule them for delivery.
- 400 Honeycomb Mesa, Leander
- www.lawnstrees.com
