Air Pruned Raised Beds

Explore air-pruned raised beds, harvest seedlings, collect local seeds, and learn strategies for overwintering, storage, and planting. Join us at the Agroforestry Resource Center for a hands-on workshop with Connor Youngerman, Agroforestry Lead with the Cornell Small Farms Program, exploring the innovative world of air-pruned raised beds (APRBs). APRBs are elevated nursery containers that encourage strong root development and improve transplant success, making them especially useful for propagating nut-bearing and other long-taproot tree species. This scalable and modular propagation technique can be used in both urban and rural settings with modest startup and input costs. This workshop will provide a brief introduction to the APRB system before focusing on seasonal management and propagation. Participants will learn how to harvest seedlings from an APRB, overwinter beds with or without seedlings, and successfully plant young trees. We’ll also collect local seed sources and discuss strategies for properly cleaning, storing, and preparing seeds for winter and future plantings. The workshop will also cover local seed collection and strategies for properly cleaning, storing, and preparing seeds for winter and future plantings. Participants will have an opportunity to review spring APRB plantings and explore how APRBs can support successful tree propagation from seed to transplant. The session will conclude with a discussion of markets, regulations, and enterprise planning for growing and selling tree seedlings. For more information, explore Cornell Small Farms’ online resources on Air-Pruned Raised Beds. Thank you to the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation for funding this program