Arbor Day Foundation Donation Trees?

[StickTime]

So last fall I guess the wife donated a few buck to the ADF we received 12 bare-root trees the other day and I was able to get them in the ground during some mild weather. Anyone ever get their donation trees? If so, did they survive?

We received hawthorns, crape myrtles, dogwoods, redbuds and crab apples

 

[Turkey Creek]

:D:D I saw my SIL received her twigs. Her trees were about 1/16" diameter and 10" tall. Most were already breaking bud when she took them out of the package. Considering we are in the dead of winter here I told her to put them in a couple of big flower pots indoors and just grow them that way until spring.

I got my Arbor day promotional/give us money packet in the mail the other day. It went in the circular file. I am starting to associate them with the other large non profits where the $$ goes for executive salaries and a small percentage to something worth while. I am all in favor of planting trees, but the Arbor Day Foundation is basically killing 12 trees at a time with this program!:rolleyes:

 

[StickTime]

haha- calling them twigs may be a little too generous! A few of them didn't look like they'd be able to hold their own weight! Well if they don't make it I guess we're only out a few bucks and I'll have some pre-dug spots for something else next fall

 

[chummer]

I have one of thier twigs still alive after two years. I think the rest were dead when I got them.

 

[Sconnie]

I took the bait and made made a $40 donation...for the trees. Everything looked nice when it arrived, last weekend I checked a few out and the firs are starting to brown. Makes me wonder if the winter winds desiccated (Swiss/Rhabocline needlecast markings not present) or they were D.O.A.. I'm hoping for more snow to cover them up till spring and do a recount then. In my opinion the A.D.F. looked like better "trees" then a high dollar nursery (...Chief River...) I have ordered from!

 

[habitat]

I used to have an insurance company that would send you your choice of oak or redbud sapling every year and they were 30" trees and grew great.They quit doing it and I changed companies

 

[TMIL]

I did it 10+ years ago. I didn't do much more than stick them in the ground, I didn't try very hard, protect, water or anything. 1 crab apple and 1 hawthorn are still alive. The hawthorn, when it was just hitting 6-7' tall got caught on a State DOT bush hog and snapped off right at the ground (just caught on a wheel or something, it didn't get mowed). Now a stump sprout is back to the same height, maybe taller now.

 

[StickTime]

My wife is getting sick of my 'habitat rehabilitation'. "You mean deer food." [eyeroll] yeah, she's on to my game :). Truth be told we had a dozen or so mature oaks die suddenly over the last two years so we've been planting stuff here and there, I figured a small donation wouldn't hurt anything but then I had to laugh when the "trees" Arrived. I was excited to see the BigRock has the hybrids back on the shelves, I think I had about 80% success rate last year and some of the 12" cuttings made it over 6' tall