Buckly... thanks, that seems to be the consensus on how to proceed, will do.
PoorSand… The light bulb just went off, I seem to remember that now. I know these guys know what they are doing, thanks for cluing me in on the reason.
Chickenlittle… I am going to do as you and Buckly suggest and prune each branch back to one inch. I confess, this was giving me pause, but it’s nice to know you took the plunge first and the water was fine!!
My camp is a little over an hour from home, so I grow in a pot from mid-April to mid-October. This way, I can make sure the trees get off to a good start with lots of protection, sun, and water. I plant after the leaves have dropped in the fall, and have yet to lose a tree to any transplant stress. Thanks to all for the useful advice!