Karsten Nursery is a small family-owned production nursery that sells a variety of trees and shrubs.  About 15 years ago Glen Karsten stumbled across an amazing new cultivar of Willow Tree he dubbed the "Hybrid Willow" and he began to propogate this cultivar and sell it as a replacement for other less desirable windbreak trees, such as the HoneySuckle or the Dogwood.  The Hybrid Willow tree had one amazing characteristic: it grew extremely rapidly.  By simply watering and adding some fertilizer, the trees would easily reach 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide in three to four years.  This amazing growth rate was highly desirable for a windbreak tree.  Farmers and ranchers loved this species as they could plant them across a field and within a short time have a wonderful thick hedge row to stop the wind and snow.  Suburban homeowners also love this species as it provides an attractive visual barrier from neighbors, without the time and expense of installing a fence.  The Hybrid Willow is also somewhat drought tolerant once established, doesn't require pruning, and has very few insect or disease problems. 

Glen Karsten - Owner of Karsten Nursery - Glen has a background in farming for nearly fifty years.  He started his tree nursery in the early 1980s and has grown thousands of trees and shrubs that have been sold throughout Southern Minnesota, Northern Iowa and Eastern South Dakota.   

Joel Karsten - JOEL@KARSTENNURSERY.COM  - BS in Horticulture Science from the University of Minnesota, Certified Nursery Professional through the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association - Joel has a background in Landscape Design, Gardening and Teaching Horticulture.  Visit www.StrawBaleGardens.com to see more about his ventures outside of the family nursery.