Tree sale program

The city of Minnetonka tree sale will help you celebrate spring and Arbor Day. In order to keep our community green and to encourage replanting of trees lost to disease, the city is pleased to offer residents a selection of tree and large shrub species at below-cost prices as part of a special reforestation effort. Each year, the species composition offered will differ in order to encourage residents to plant a wide variety of trees. If you planted a maple or oak last year, consider planting a less popular species such as hackberry this year—it provides food for birds, has a lovely vase-shaped canopy, and its yellow fall color contrasts nicely with a showy maple.

Planting a diversity of tree species makes your yard and the city’s community forest more resilient. Most forest pests are very selective, with insects and diseases tending to thrive on specific tree species, so tree diversity allows a community to recover from a forest health setback and help avoid future, wide-spread damage to tree cover.

Answers to frequently asked questions are available below, and the most current tree sale order form and tree information will be available during the tree sale each year.

Frequently asked questions about the tree sale

Q: When will order forms be available?
A: They will be available in the February edition of the Minnetonka Memo. If you lose the Memo, duplicates will be available at city hall or the public works building.
Q: When is the order form and payment due?
A: The due date will be in March of each year, listed on the order form in the Minnetonka Memo. You must pre-pay for the trees in order to secure your order.
Q: How many trees can I order? What if I have a need for a lot of trees?
A: Residents may order 2 trees per property, without exceptions. Since the tree sale is a special program subsidized by the city to encourage replanting and tree diversity, we do our very best to make sure the program is as fair as possible and reaches as many households as possible. In the first two years of the program, we have completely sold out—1,230 the first year and 1,857 the second year. This program’s intent is to encourage replacement of diseased or storm damaged trees, not landscape an entire yard. There are several retail nurseries in the area who can meet a high volume order.
Q: How can I learn more about the trees offered and if they are right for my yard?
A: Information is prepared each year by the city forester specifically for the tree sale program. It is posted on the city website for your convenience. For those without internet access, a reference packet with the tree information will also be available at city hall and public works.
Q: What are the options for submitting my order? Can I make payments online?
A: Forms may be mailed in via US Mail or dropped off in person at city hall between 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and the public works building during business hours of 7 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Forms are processed at public works, and orders are filled in the order they are received.
Q: Can you guarantee I will get the tree I requested in my order form?
A: We will do our best to fill your order, but there are sometimes limited quantities of certain species, and orders are filled in the order they are received. Order early, and please be sure to rank your 2nd choice as instructed in the order form in the event your first choice(s) are sold out.
Q: I missed the deadline; can I still submit my order?
A: You should call Public Works at 952.988.8400 first to check on availability. If we have trees left, we will fill your order.
Q: I live in a townhome/condo with a homeowner’s association. Can I place an order?
A: Residents living in a homeowner’s association must order as a group. The allocation for the association will be handled on a case-by-case basis and the association may not receive the full 2 trees per property address, depending on tree availability. The chair or lead of the association or landscape committee should contact the forester at 952.988.8400 prior to placing the order.
Q: When can I pick up my trees?
A: You should show up on one of the two designated dates, noted in the Minnetonka Memo article or on the website. If you know ahead of time that you won’t be in town on the pickup dates, be sure to get a friend or neighbor to agree to pick them up for you.
Q: Can my neighbor/friend/daughter/contractor or other representative pick up my trees for me? What do they need to pick the trees up?
A: Yes, you may choose someone else to pick up your tree. We encourage neighbors and friends to send one trailer or truck to pick up a big group of trees. This decreases the volume of cars waiting in line, and conserves fuel. Be sure to give your representative the confirmation post card so they can hand it to city staff on the pick-up dates.
Q: Where is the tree pick up site?
A: It is located at the City of Minnetonka Public Works facility. Enter the eastern-most driveway at 11522 Minnetonka Boulevard.
Q: I forgot to pick up my tree on the two designated days; when can I stop by and pick it up?
A: In order to use staff time most efficiently, starting in 2009, trees that are not picked up on the two designated days will be reallocated to city park projects.
Q: My tree died right away or within a year; can I bring it in for a refund or a new tree?
A: Don’t worry, this isn’t a common question! Most tree sale tree deaths will occur due to a lack of, or too much water. Unlike a retail nursery, though, these trees do not carry a warranty. If the tree doesn’t leaf out after you pick it up, please call the forester within 2 weeks of the pickup event, and we will track it and report it to our supplier. Although we won’t be able to replace it, we want to know if there are excessive losses of certain species.