# Acer Spicatum Maple MI zone 4b



## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

Anyone plant/have Acer Spicatum? I have Red Maples already and am planting/transplanting Silvers and Sugars. I ordered some Acer Spicatum seeds to stratify and grow though as they appear to be a great under story tree/shrub AND they bud out/produce nectar in June whereas the other Maples are long done by that point. Just found a vendor that sells actual trees here in MI as well. Debating buying 3-5 to plant. 

I have Staghorn Sumac on order to help summer flow as well.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

PFiji said:


> Acer Spicatum?
> Debating buying 3-5 to plant.


Will 3-5 *full-grown* trees make *any* difference in your operation?
Maybe they will for 1-3 hives... OK, let's assume that.

*When *will these trees be *full-grown, *so to make any difference?
This projects should make sense for you to wait 10-20 years....

Will *you *be around that long AND still be beekeeping?

Will you plant them correctly so that they will *actually significantly bloom* (granted you wait that long)?

Surely you understand this, but you are playing with *full size !) trees*. This means you (should!) have plans for 10-20 years looking forward.

If NOT, then you have been warned. 
Surprisingly, too many people miss out this 10-20-30 years "into the future" perspective when casually tossing about ideas of planting few trees.


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

GregB said:


> Will 3-5 *full-grown* trees make *any* difference in your operation?
> Maybe they will for 1-3 hives... OK, let's assume that.
> 
> *When *will these trees be *full-grown, *so to make any difference?
> ...


All valid points. The best time to plant trees was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. For a little background/insight, I've planted trees for nearly a decade now. The majority of which I'll see little to no direct benefit from. Just buy them, give them away for others to plant. No real clue why. It's just something I find gives me enjoyment. Started out with fruit trees and then expanded.

This year I'm planting trees at my new house (built/moved in last fall). I had planted a few here prior to building, but the deer did a number on them. Even now, it's hard to keep them off the Red Maples. My freshly planted Reds (last year) should be able to be tapped in 20 years +/-, as should the ones from the local soil conservation district spring sale. The Sugars are transplants from my Grandmother's. More of a sentimental thing. I have 50 silvers being shipped in from the Iowa state forest nursery that I'm hoping for 10 years to tap on.

3-5 trees won't likely make a lick of difference in my operation. As you mentioned, who knows if I'll even still be beekeeping at the time they mature. It's an interesting tree that I've never planted before. They like shade and moist soil which I have (new house is on a river with a Spruce/Cedar/Aspen canopy with Red Maple sprinkled in). 

These showed up today!


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

PFiji said:


> I've planted trees for nearly a decade now
> It's just something I find gives me enjoyment.


Sure - this is a valid enough position.
You do what you like to do - talking of a hobby.
The rest is secondary.

This year first time ever I am actually making some money from my hobby fruit tree care and beekeeping. If I pay off the hobby expenses accumulated by now - I will be golden!


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

GregB said:


> Sure - this is a valid enough position.
> You do what you like to do - talking of a hobby.
> The rest is secondary.
> 
> This year first time ever I am actually making some money from my hobby fruit tree care and beekeeping. If I pay off the hobby expenses accumulated by now - I will be golden!


Ha! It would be great if we could make money with our hobbies! I am at the breakeven for Maple Syrup making this year (if I don't count my time lol). But have given it all to the kids. They helped quite a bit and have enjoyed the process. Plus I'm glad to show them something I did as a kid.

Walk me through your hobby fruit tree care and how you're getting paid with that. Definitely caught my attention.


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## GregB (Dec 26, 2017)

PFiji said:


> Walk me through your hobby fruit tree care and how you're getting paid with that. Definitely caught my attention.


As I have done lots of work for free in the past - one of the "customers" actually contacted me and offered to pay if I spend few hours pruning his fruit trees this spring.
So I did.

But also I was called back to run a grafting/pruning workshop the first time post-COVID.
We had two year break because of COVID, but now the organizer called me, I was available for the gig, and many people showed up AND paid for it. It is great when you have fun and get paid for it too.

You help others and work for free - eventually (IF you are any good), you should get paid offers.


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## PFiji (Dec 25, 2016)

GregB said:


> As I have done lots of work for free in the past - one of the "customers" actually contacted me and offered to pay if I spend few hours pruning his fruit trees this spring.
> So I did.
> 
> But also I was called back to run a grafting/pruning workshop the first time post-COVID.
> ...


That is an outstanding service to offer. Most people do not understand the value and importance of that.


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