Less Expensive Trees

Nurseries and landscape companies haven't been immune from the economic downturn, and that means landscape contractors can find great deals. Nurseries are stuck with inventories of trees. Tory Schwope of Kat Nurseries in Olathe, Kansas is either selling his trees at a significant mark down or destroying them.

"We naturally over supplied our own industry," Schwope said. "And then with the collapse of the housing market and the financial crisis, there's just very low demand for plants right now." He is hosting a tree-and-plant auction every Saturday. He then burns or chips what doesn't sell. "The only way to cut costs is to stop planting trees. So in two or three years, plants may cost ten times as much. Or you could buy a tree at this auction for $30 today and the same tree three years from now will cost you $600," Schwope said.