I have been a member of the Arbor Day Foundation since 2004. I became a member when I decided to give trees as wedding favors. I’m not sure if anyone was able to grow their tree (ours didn’t grow), but I continue to renew my membership every year.
Each year they give me the opportunity to receive 10 free trees. I did take them a few years ago, but none of them survived. This year I decided to give it another go. Earlier this week I received a Colorado Blue Spruce, White Pine, White Flowering Dogwood, Pin Oak, Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, Red Maple, Northern Red Oak, River Birch and Eastern Redbud.
They arrived while I was out of town, so Jamie stored them in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The trees have a small painted area above the roots to distinguish them but I like to make tags so I don’t forget which is which. I soaked the roots in lukewarm water for about 2-3 hours.
I found these cute colorful plastic pots at Walmart for $2 each. I filled them with topsoil and then added a tree to each one. I added a layer of mulch to help keep them from drying out.
I gave the White Pine, Blue Spruce and Flowering Dogwood to a friend and I have one to give to my BIL to celebrate his new home. Let me know if you would like to plant one in your yard. They can stay in these pots for 1-2 years before finding their permanent home in the ground.
3 comments:
I'd love a flowering tree, but we have to wait until we cut down our dying spruces. Maybe next year. Let me know if you still have them around then!
I can also order trees at a discount. They have lots of flowering trees less than $10 and are larger (2-3 ft). Keep it in mind when you are ready.
Shelly,
The Dogwood and Red Maple you gave me in 2009 are both doing well in my yard. We also planted a Redbud tree late last spring after the bloom was over, had good growth last summer, survived the mild winter and it's been flowering beautifully for over a month now! We got some sort of hybrid from Redbud Nursery in Illinois that's adapted to Wisconsin winters. I'd highly recommend planting:)
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