November's golden foliage and harvest hues remind us of the promise of renewal and eternal cycles of life—ideal for ecological restoration and resilient landscapes. This month's issue is brimming with expert insights on conservation, wetland remediation, urban forestry, and agroforestry to fuel your vital work.


And as holiday magic stirs, delight young nature enthusiasts with our enchanting new children's book, Tales and Trails with Grandpa Wayne. Inspired by a lifetime of storytelling and RPM-rooted innovation, it sparks backyard adventures in native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems—planting seed of wonder for generations.

At Forrest Keeling, we're your partners in cultivating thriving, restored worlds. Check out our catalog or real-time inventory on our website, FKNursery.com.

Sassafras:

Vibrant Landscape Star

Sassafras, a native North American tree, dazzles landscapes with fiery red, orange, and yellow fall foliage. This low-maintenance gem thrives in diverse soils, offering aromatic leaves and cinnamon-colored bark once used for root beer. Its deep roots stabilize soil, while dark blue berries on red pedicels attract birds, boosting biodiversity. Growing 30-60 feet, sassafras is perfect for spacious yards or woodland gardens, where it naturalizes into vibrant thickets for stunning screens. Plant it for shade, wildlife, and seasonal splendor.

Embrace sassafras to create an eco-friendly, bold-colored landscape! 

RPM-produced and available in #3 and #5 containers.

Discover the Magic of Nature with "Tales and Trails with Grandpa Wayne"

As leaves turn and holidays approach, gift young explorers the wonder of the wild! This enchanting children's book from Forrest Keeling Nursery celebrates Grandpa Wayne's timeless tales of bugs, birds, native plants, and RPM-powered roots—mirroring his pioneering conservation at Forrest Keeling Nursery.


Perfect for sparking backyard adventures, each story plants seeds of love for our planet. Secure your copy with a donation to the Jillian Young Memorial Scholarship Fund, honoring a legacy of growth and educating future leaders in agriculture and science.


Details at JillianYoungMemorial.com.

Forrest Keeling's proprietary soil media transforms remediations and mitigation sites by fostering microbial diversity and nutrient absorption. Designed for RPM-produced plants, our growing media, with over 30% air space, promotes robust root systems and helps to achieve a 95% survivability rate.


In the fall, cooler temperatures and moist soils optimize planting, allowing soil microbes to thrive and enhance soil structure. FKN’s Walk-A-Way system, which incorporates raised beds and companion crops like Red Top grass, further boosts soil health by reducing erosion and helping ensure resilient, nutrientrich soils for spring. Choose natives like prairie grasses or oaks to:


  • Restore Ecosystems: Support pollinators and keystone species through breeding and nesting seasons.
  • Stabilize Soils: Reduce erosion on slopes and degraded sites.
  • Meet Mitigation Goals: Achieve regulatory compliance with resilient, high-survival plantings.


These techniques support regenerative efforts and winter wildlife. Increase year-round habitat with a mix of diverse native vegetation that helps sustain wildlife through key life stages such as breeding, nesting, and young development.


Contact our team for suggestions to optimize your fall restoration project!

Overwintering Tips for RPM Plants 
in Urban and Agricultural Settings

Forrest Keeling's Root Production Method® (RPM), perfected over the past three decades, drives a 95% survivability rate for native plants like oaks and elderberries in urban and agricultural settings! This patented 12-step process creates dense, fibrous root systems that enhance nutrient uptake and resilience against winter stresses like frost and erosion. Fall planting leverages cooler temperatures and moist soils for robust root establishment. To protect newly planted natives, apply mulch or weed barriers to insulate roots and retain moisture. In urban areas, use tree guards to shield against rodents and equipment. With 75+ years of field-tested expertise, FKN’s 400+ native species ensure thriving. Explore our inventory at FKNursery.com for professional projects ready for spring vitality.

Amanda Horne is Forrest Keeling Nursery’s hard-working and versatile General Manager. Raised in Elsberry, Missouri, on a 50-acre farm, Amanda’s love for nature was sparked early, exploring woods and creeks. With a bachelor’s in animal science and a horticulture minor, she studied abroad in Greece, fueling her travel bug.


Amanda’s proudest moments come from knowing Forrest Keeling’s RPM trees transform a variety of habitats nationwide. “Our product makes a real environmental impact,” she says. "I may not always get to see our end product, but knowing the types of jobs our product goes to is very fulfilling.

An avid outdoorswoman, Amanda hunts, raises sheep, goats, chickens, and turkeys, and enjoys crocheting and reading.

Forrest Keeling Nursery (FKNursery.com) is the leading producer of native plants in North America. With over seventy-five years dedicated to environmental stewardship, Forrest Keeling’s innovative technology and meticulous attention to superior plant provenance make it exceptionally equipped to provide premium native plant materials for any project. 

WHOLESALE HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday-Friday: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm

Saturday: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Sunday: Closed

(800) 356-2401 | info@fknursery.com | Received from a friend? Subscribe Now!

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