Thanks for your help, suggestions and encouragement. I'm sorry I wasn't able to respond promptly. We put out a new product this week - this involves a great deal of extra time and work for everyone. Getting back to the subject - Spruce: I'm sure you think I'm a nut case or an idiot but some of these concepts are difficult to grasp and internalize until you observe them firsthand. I've read about forest succession and how it unfolds over hundreds of years but I've never observed it nor have I tried to create a forest. I'm trying to find ways to bypass some stages - as you say "trying to grow a forest that is like a mid or late stage in the forest succession, without going through all the stages that lead up to it." At times, I've been confused by conflicting advice - for example, whether to use loblollies as a nurse tree. In any group, people will disagree. It's my responsibility to find more information to resolve the question or clarify the issue. I asked our forester this question. He advised me to use loblollies as nurse trees until oak seedlings are 3-4 feet tall - once they reach that height, the pines may cast too much shade. If this happens, they need to be removed. In another thread, you also recommended using black locusts as nurse trees, chopping them back as needed, so I did order black locusts. Given the type of shade they cast, it may not be necessary to remove them - I'll wait and see. Alabama & Sherry: Thanks for the posts about hardwoods growing under and around pines. I was beginning to think I'd lost my mind. I've decided that trees grow differently around the country and under different conditions - and that there are no one-size-fits-all answers to questions. Sherry: Why do I think you just got your 2008 FF catalog? So did I but I'm afraid to open it - too much going on right now. The seedlings I ordered from the NC nursery arrived 3 days ago - 2 weeks early - and they sent an additional 200 Atlantic white cedars that I didn't order. I've called but haven't heard back from them so I'm trying to keep the cedars cool. You said you ordered two nyssa biflora/swamp blackgum from FF. How would you describe these trees? I ordered 20 nysssa biflora seedlings, in addition to 50 Nyssa sylvatica seedlings. I have a wet area and thought N. biflora would be happy there, along with bald cypresses, Atlantic white cedars, maybe some red maples. I'm not familiar with the the Jefferson Elm. I'm working on an order from Mail Order Natives (I am a nut case!). In addition to Carpinus caroliniana, I'm looking at A. saccharum var. floridana, Acer saccharum var. leucoderme (Chalk maple), and Pistachia chinensis (Chinese pistache). She has Magnolia asheii - that's been on my list for years, and Magnolia macrophylla (Big Leaf Magnolia) but I think they both need more shade and protection than I can offer right now. I really need some big fast growing Magnolia grands to screen my neighbor's sheds across the pond. QM: I haven't received the seedlings from Indian Mound yet. They should arrive around Feb 15. But NC sent seedlings two weeks early so you never know. I'll let you know when they arrive. Take care, Pam

Hairmetal, just send me a envelope to J. Gogola 119 Vail lane Smock, Pa 15480. Put a couple stamps in it, and I'll send you some acorns. Some have the tip of a taproot coming out already. I planted out 2 or 3 acorns already in my yard. My friend's yard will get 3-4 of them. There are 6 (likely more) at least, it should be worth a couple stamps anyway. I am also going to order more Q. Virginiana "late drop" for spring planting. I would just put all faith in the Q. Fusi var. Virg, if not for the slow growth and die -back in winter2012 of my slow-growing Q. Fusiformis. I hope it's not all too confusing. My Quercus Virginiana "late drop" planted in spring 2012, have withstood 2 winters, and have good buds for spring 2014. The Q. Fusi I planted in winter 2011 (I think) have died back in 2 out of 3 winters. I hope that is less convoluted twisted explanation. I still put the most faith in the "late drop" Live oak, it has done the best. If your stamps aren't enough to cover the cost, I don't mind adding a quarter or so.

Looking at your pics I would say I REALLY think you have a Live oak there. Just be happy with it, it is a nice tree. I will not envy you in about 6 months, but, enjoy your beautiful Live oak in your shorts now Bossy. My Live oak is wrapped in christmas lights, it's 32F now, will be about 22F all day tomorrow, my potted little Live oak is in a makeshift greenhouse now, tomorrow my butt will be in thre house watching TV NOT leaving the house. Unless our weatherunderground channel gave a inaccurate forecast. It wasn't supposed to turn like that, but we don't get "the weather channel" so I will just protect the potted LO tree anyway in case. Seriously Bossy Live oaks are iconic trees of the south, unless you have no room for any other trees, why not grow one? I haven't read above, you may have 20 more in your yard. Enjoy your nice winter, btw, do you ever get any winter to speak of bossy?

The Techny Arborvitae could be planted in a row as a screen or standalone as a specimen. Mine are planted kind of intermediate to this. I have them on one of my property borders amongst other plantings (I did plant 2 next to each other). Ive got emerald green arborvitae and green giants and this can be thought of as intermediate solution to screen(more than EG, less that GG, also dense foliage like EG). Foliage is dense, a darker green, and elegant if I must say so myself. Love the (3d) look of the foliage and I get two tones of color as well. The color is real nice. Though I havent, if I could do it again, I would plant one as a specimen tree in a second. Depending on how much space you have/what other selections you have in mind other selections may be more appropriate(in regards to planting it as a specimen tree, lets face it there are other more beautiful conifers, though this is beautiful as well). Just thought Id throw it out there since they dont get mentioned much on here and Im quite happy with mine.