In this webinar, participants will learn how to build their own simple and inexpensive air pruning beds with basic carpentry skills and equipment. These beds make it possible to grow hundreds of tree seedlings in small spaces with very low costs. Participants will learn the basics of collecting and storing tree seed, and step-by-step instructions for starting many tree species from seed or cuttings. The webinar will focus in particular on tree species that are valuable as livestock fodder or for fruit and nut production.

The knowledge gained in this workshop will allow participants to build their air pruning beds in the spring, summer, or early fall, in time for starting trees this fall.

Want to know more? Why air pruning? 

Air pruning is a technique for developing healthy, fibrous, non-circling and non-girdling root structures in trees and plants raised in a nursery setting. Air pruning beds use air to prune and shape root systems. Trees and plants can be grown from seed, cuttings or root divisions while still preserving a healthy tap root and creating a highly-branched root structure characteristic of a tree or plant grown from seed in-place.

Air pruned root systems have a much higher survival and rate of thriving in comparison with pot-grown root systems. Air pruning beds also offer protection from pests, and support seedlings to grow faster and maintain healthy tap roots, which is important for survival in harsh environments and challenging to do in pot-grown trees. Trees grown in air pruning beds have a reduced need for staking, and have grown in healthier soil through improved drainage.

Meet the Speaker:

Kevin Barkhouse is a nature lover and a certified seed collector with the Forest Gene Conservation Association. For the past five years, he has been growing trees and shrubs from seed in his backyard nursery, focusing on native species. Through careful collection and propagation, he contributes to biodiversity and reforestation efforts by donating his trees to various planting projects. His hands-on experience and deep appreciation for the natural world make him a dedicated advocate for growing trees from seed.