Giving the Seedlings Away

Materials needed for display:
- Bagged seedlings
- A nice container
- A stand (maybe)
- Signage identifying tree species (handwritten, typed, or photoshop-ed)

Distribution Locations:

Locations can be anywhere… Coffee shops, ice cream parlors, restaurants, grocery stores, art/craft shows, events, business district sidewalk, your place of business, exercise class, doctor/dentist office, places of worship, etc. Displays can be indoors or outdoors, manned or unmanned Manning a display is a lot of fun, especially for children, because of the positive feedback you receive. The primary criteria for choosing a location is that gets an abundance of foot traffic.

Timing:

Late Fall and Winter:
Seedlings must be completely dormant when given away (being ‘bare root’), thus late fall and winter are perfect. This also gives the seedling plenty of time to settle-in before spring leaf-out.

Late winter is especially good because people are starting to get ‘spring fever’. This greatly increases a seedling’s chance of being planted in a timely manner.

Watch the Weather:
The seedlings need to be planted as soon as possible, but that will only happen if people can do so in relative comfort. So, watch the weather report and plan your giveaways to coincide with warm spells.

Types of Displays:

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Freestanding displays:

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Counter-sitting displays:

Containers:

‘Presentation is everything’…
Wicker baskets are lovely, but need to be lined with plastic because bagged seedlings will always leak. Attractive ceramic crocks and plastic containers work well too. Silk flowers are a classy, attention grabbing embellishment.

Stands:

Lightweight stands are easier to move around than heavy ones. They should be high enough that the container and sign catch a standing person’s attention.

Signage:

Each display needs a sign indicating the tree species being offering. It can be hand written, typed, or a Photoshop creation with lots of pictures.

Signs should be protected with a plastic sleeve, being that seedlings will invariably drip water on them when they are removed from the container. Protective covers can be ‘sheet protectors’ from an office supply store or Ziploc bags. If using ‘sheet protectors’, cut off the 3-holed edge.

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Hanging signs:
To hang a sign:
1. Reinforce the top of the plastic
sleeve with clear packing tape.
2. Punch (or cut) 2 holes in the top of
plastic sleeve.
3. Hooks can be mounted on the
stands, to correspond with holes in
the plastic sleeve (see pics below):
Wooden stands - use screw hooks.
Wrought iron stands - bend paper clips into hooks.

Wrought iron stands - Make a hook out of a large paper clip.

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Leaning Signs:

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Hand Written Signs:
Add a piece of cardboard behind the sign for rigidity.

Approaching Location Owners/Managers:

1. Before you approach the owner/manager of a business/organization:
   - Check out the location and select the best spot for your display.
   (High visibility and traffic flow is crucial. A good location is often by
   the front door.)
   - Print a picture your display, to show the manager.

2. Tell the owner/manager that you are a volunteer dedicated to community beautification and helping the environment, through the planting of trees. You are participating in a grassroots movement called Seeds to Trees, where individuals grow tree seedlings for the sole purpose of giving them away for free within their community.

3. Show them this website (on your phone), pointing out the mission statement, and the sequential picture that shows the process.

4. Show them the picture of your display and ask if they might be willing to let you set it up, while pointing out the location you prefer (hopefully they agree). Explain that you will restock the display until you run out of seedlings, after which you will remove it.

5. If all goes well, give them your name and phone number in case they need to contact you, and set up your display.

Misc:

Restocking: Every distribution location is unique, but the seedlings seem to be most popular Friday through Sunday. Check your display often until you get a sense of when to restock. Factor in the upcoming weather as well - if inclement weather will preclude planting in the foreseeable future, fewer people are likely to take the seedlings.

Materials for your display: The best place to find the components of your display is thrift stores, rummage sales, garage sales, or on-line sources such as freecycle.org.

Keep seedlings cool: Warmth encourages sprouting, so, the less time they sit indoors, the better. 

  Remember…
Whether you give away 5 trees to friends or 100 at a bustling market…
You have made the world a more beautiful, healthier place…
Thank you!