What to Expect When You Buy a Tree From NTCC's Tree Sale
Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ 10th annual tree sale will be open from September 15 until February! Shop with us to access a range of locally grown tree species, which we can offer at below-retail prices. In this post, we’ll go over the process of choosing and purchasing trees through our sale. Then, we’ll explain how delivery works, and how to follow up with us about possible concerns and difficulties after trees are planted.
Tree Selection and Purchase
Before you visit the tree sale catalog, you likely have an idea of where you could plant one or more trees on your property. That location should have enough room for the tree(s) to grow to maturity without reaching into utility lines, water lines, or the housing foundation. Verifying the ground’s pH level and the soil type will also inform you on which species will grow on your property.
Knowing the site conditions helps make identifying the right tree easier, with a much higher potential for successful establishment and long-term health. Through the tree sale catalog, we offer a range of tree species that serve multiple purposes, and our sale page has a filter tool that allows you to isolate a group of trees to choose from based on purpose or features, such as size, resilience, wildlife support, and ornament, among other characteristics.
We carefully select the types of trees available through the sale to ensure that every specimen:
Thrives in Middle Tennessee conditions.
Expands Nashville’s tree canopy.
Contributes to native biodiversity.
Avoids invasive or problem species.
The trees we offer are high-quality landscape stock sourced from Middle Tennessee nurseries with a trunk diameter of at least 1.5 inches and typically 6 to 10 feet tall, depending on the species.
Nashvillians can order trees directly through our tree sale page during the active sales season (September through February).
Delivery and Planting
Tree deliveries happen in batches every 30-45 days during the planting season (generally between October and April). This is because we submit our orders in batches to our local nursery suppliers, who then have to prepare the trees for delivery. We mostly sell ball and burlap trees, which means they grow in the ground and are dug up, then wrapped in burlap and wire to be transported and replanted.
This method reduces root binding, in contrast to container-grown trees, whose roots grow in their containers. However, our suppliers may provide container-grown trees if stock is otherwise low.
Learn more about nursery saplings in our article, “How Nurseries Supply Nashville With Its Trees.”
Trees may be delivered to be planted by you, or you can elect to have the tree(s) planted at the time of delivery for an additional fee. Special instructions regarding tree placement must be included at the time of order, or communicated by email to help@treeconservationcorps.org at least 24 hours before scheduled planting.
When you purchase the tree-planting service, you will receive a letter by mail from NTCC with a flag and instructions to place the flag(s) at the exact location(s) where you would like your tree(s) planted before the planting crew arrives.
NTCC will arrange for 811 utility marking so underground public utility lines are identified prior to planting. NTCC is not responsible for damage to unmarked private lines (such as irrigation systems, invisible pet fencing, low-voltage lighting) that fall outside the public 811 marking process.
You are not required to be home during planting, provided the flag(s) are in place and the site is accessible. If the designated planting location is inaccessible at the time of delivery or planting (impeded by locked gate, fenced area, object, etc.), the crew will leave the tree in the front yard, and any planting fees will be refunded.
If you’d like to plant your tree(s) yourself, keep our guidelines flyer with information on planting and caring for a ball and burlap tree sapling.
Follow-Ups and Returns
If your order is not fulfilled within 60 days of purchase, contact help@treeconservationcorps.org for a status update. If NTCC cannot complete fulfillment within a reasonable additional timeframe, you may request a full refund or store credit for that order.
Because trees are ordered and prepared in batches, cancellations are limited. Orders may be canceled and refunded in full at any time before delivery or planting has begun. Once delivery or planting has begun for a given order, that order is final and non-refundable, except in the case of delayed fulfillment.
Installation concerns (incorrect planting location, planting depth, staking, or a damaged or incorrect tree at delivery) should be reported to help@treeconservationcorps.org within 30 days of your planting date. NTCC will address valid installation concerns raised within this window at no additional cost.
NTCC cannot guarantee that your tree will survive after planting. Tree health depends primarily on regular watering and care by the homeowner, which is outside NTCC's control once planting is complete; tree success also depends on site conditions. However, we’ll work with you if your tree struggles soon after planting, but unfortunately, we’re unable to provide replacements.
If you have any questions about your order, email us at help@treeconservationcorps.org, and our team will respond as quickly as possible.
Post-Planting Tree Care
To protect your tree investment, follow the steps in our Tree Planting and Care Instructions for watering and mulching best practices.
We also encourage homeowners to work with an arborist when possible to keep your property’s trees in the best form and in good health as they grow. Learn more about arborist services in our article “The Importance of Working With a Certified Arborist.”
After planting a tree in a Nashville yard, the goal becomes keeping it there up to and throughout maturity! Planting a tree is the first step in long-term, ongoing care of a living specimen, a productive feature in the neighborhood landscape ecology, and green infrastructure in urban environments like Nashville. Learn more in our article on caring for mature trees.
Each tree is a contributing member of the city’s urban forest at large, and Nashville residents are many of their stewards. As we often note, the majority of the city’s canopy is on residential property, so homeowners are major stakeholders and decision-makers about the state of the city’s canopy and whether or not trees are present and cared for in their yards.
The best time to plant in Middle Tennessee is October through February when trees are dormant, and cool weather encourages strong root growth before summer heat. Our tree sale coincides with planting season, open from September to February!
On September 26, 2026, NTCC will be holding a volunteer event to do cleanup work in Shelby Arboretum in the East Nashville neighborhood. Check out this post for more information on the event, or click here to sign up to volunteer!
Join us on October 17th for An Evening Among the Trees, an intimate gathering with NTCC that provides us with an opportunity to connect with you, our supporters, and celebrate Nashville’s tree canopy. RSVP by October 9th. Get details and buy tickets on our events page.
There are more ways to support NTCC’s work in our urban canopy: donate a tree for us to plant, or donate a dollar amount to NTCC to help fund our mission-driven work. Sign up to receive our email newsletter, and check out our Linktree for more ways to connect!