Is this a good deal on trees?

[paulaswolfpack]

I got a thing through the mail from the Arbor Day Foundation.
They are asking $10.00 for 10 Flowering Trees,
2 Redbuds
2 White flowering dogwoods
2flowering crabapples
2 washington hawthorns
2 goldenraintrees
and 1 Lilac.
Has any one bought from them before and how did the trees do when you planted them?
Thanks for your input,Paula

[big rockpile]

Nope try here.

http://mdc.mo.gov/forest/nursery/seedling/

big rockpile

[Ravenlost]

Trees are the size of twigs. My mom and sister bought this deal several years ago and I think one out of twenty trees lived.

[NWMO]

Purchasing goes toward a great cause with the Foundation, but don't have any great expectations for what you will receive.
They are bare root and will need to be pampered. I have seen people plant them in 5 gallon containers and then water and fertilize to then transplant after a couple more years. Money better spent picking up something larger at the nursery or box store.

[paulaswolfpack]

Thanks guys I guess I will pass on the offer,Paula

[Common Tator]

I did that a few years back and got my moldy bag of twigs. They were all dead.

[ksfarmer]

The $10 goes to a good cause. The 10 trees are worth about what you paid for them.

[JasoninMN]

If planted as instructed and watered throught out the growing season they will be fine. Its a fact that bare root seedlings transplant better then container grown trees. I think its hilarious when people complain about getting a stick in the mail, what do you really expect for a couple dollars? A 5-6 ft tree with a huge canopy? My little foot high apple tree twigs grew over three feet their first season. I can't wait to see how high they grow this year. Most of the time the failure is do to the human error not the plants themselves. I always order bare root. Their trees are guaranteed so if they die they will replace them.

[EDDIE BUCK]

I agree with everyone about those little twigs they send. If they are not dead you might pot them and baby them for about three years and if you are lucky they should be ready to plant then. Too much time for me, but if you do spend that ten bucks to be a member, then you can order some nice shade and fruit trees that are 3-4 ft high and IMO, nice trees for 7 or 8 bucks. I ordered some peach and plum trees and they were pretty trees and 2 or 3 years I was eating peaches and plums. I've always wondered why they don't send one or two nice trees rather than those twigs, that give them a bad name. Eddie

[canfossi]

Pass this deal by. I dought any of them would live.
Chris

[brownegg]

I've been a member of the National Arbor Day Foundation for over 25 years.

Every year I've planted the 10 seedlings and have a couple hundred trees of different varietys growing on the property. Blue Spruce, Douglas Furs, Red Pines, White PInes, Maples, Oaks, Mountain Ash, Red Bud, Viburnums, and others.

It is best to plant them in a garden or nursery type setting for a couple years and then transplant to their permanent location.

Nursery stock is expensive to go out and buy. For 10 bucks you can't even buy one specimen. If you aren't a gardener and don't enjoy seeing the results of alittle effort, then It's best for you to pass on this offer.

I'm going to order 3 more apple trees from them this year for less money than the price of one tree anywhere else. I know all 3 will grow and produce apples for years to come, even if it takes a number of years before they produce.

[Cabin Fever]

If you are serious about planting trees in volume, visit this website --> http://www.itascagreenhouse.com/

I doubt if anyone can get better quality or a better price on tree seedlings anywhere.

[ericjeeper]

They were supposed to have sent us trees two years in a row.. Nothing ever showed. We know they did not lose our adress, as they had enough balls to send us a renewal the next year. Nothing wrong with giving to a good cause. But They lied and stole from us.

[brownegg]

Sounds to me that someone else is enjoying your trees. Simple phone call or letter to them would of at least made them aware of the fact that you didn't receive them. They would surely replace them for you.

[Sharon]

I joined; got a letter recently saying my trees would arrive between Feb 1 and May 31 depending on the right planting time for my area. I live in VA, so I expect to see them soon. I hope they do OK; I planted a tiny free dogwood from somewhere else before and I really thought it was dead and low and behold a couple months later (well after dogwood budding time here) it just came alive. It is growing and doing fine. It was bare root and only about a foot high when I got it, so I'm hopeful these trees will be OK too.

[BaronsMom]

I do it to support the Arbor Day Foundation - the little trees are an extra gift. So if you think of it that way - it is worth it.

We've always had about half of the little trees survive each year. Have some beautiful trees now after a decade.

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by paulaswolfpack

I got a thing through the mail from the Arbor Day Foundation.
They are asking $10.00 for 10 Flowering Trees,
2 Redbuds
2 White flowering dogwoods
2flowering crabapples
2 washington hawthorns
2 goldenraintrees
and 1 Lilac.
Has any one bought from them before and how did the trees do when you planted them?
Thanks for your input,Paula

We bought them about eight years ago. The Golden Raintrees were dead but the others were not. The Washington Hawthorns are about 8 feet tall now, their trunk is about as big around as a hot dog.

Personally, I would pay more and get bigger trees to start with, but as some of the others have mentioned here, it is a good organization to support, so I didn't mind the less-than-stellar trees. This is the first year that the Lilac is going to bloom, so I am really looking forward to it.

donsgal

[YounGrey]

I received two free red maples from them this year and haven't given them a dime. They are tiny - but maybe they will grow when the ground become soft enough to plant them.

[BetsyK in Mich]

This is the time of year that the Conservation Districts all over the US are having their spring tree sales. Our district here offers a wide variety of pines, hard and soft woods, wildlife shrubs and fruit trees. The nice thing about buying from the district is that the trees are started and grown in the area and have a better survival rate than trees shipped from another part of the country. Also, you get the trees within a couple weeks of being lifted from the nursery, not trees that have been in cold storage somewhere for months. Besides that, the people at the district, many districts have foresters on staff, can answer any questions and make suggestions as to what will grow in your soil types, just because you buy a tree doesn't mean it will grow where you put it. It is great to contribute to an organization, my choice would be to do it locally where your money goes to local education, conservation, workshops and any other help. All you have to do is ask. Most districts are housed with the federal farm offices, FSA, NRCS, or the county.

[Scrounger]

We got 10 Lilacs from them about 5 years ago. Planted them where we wanted them and they are doing fine. They just need more care then trees that are already 3 years old when you get them. I've never had ant problem with their trees.