FWIW, I would rather plant now than in the spring. They will be breaking dormancy much sooner in the spring coming from a warmer climate, than if you get them in the fall. I have had this happen, and ended up holding plants in pots for a few weeks due to them breaking bud immediately upon arrival, instead of the time they would have been. another option is to get them in spring, and keep them in sun when weather permits until it is safe to plant. Of just pot them up and keep them for the first growing season so that they are fully climate acclimated before planting. I have done this many times, including a Beni Fuji dogwood this past growing season. So to me the best options are get them now and plant if dormant. Get them now, hold until dormant then plant. Get them in spring, and hold until weather permits, or just hold until next fall. Just the same, graft size may be too small for planting anyway and need a years grow out.. I would probable get them this fall and adjust as required. JMHO Lastly, on the Bihou. Got to recommend against that one. Got one a couple years ago. Did not deal with winter well at all. Even a extremely mild winter resulted in significant die back. Then a more typical winter temp wise killed it. Seems to be VERY susceptible to bacterial canker while dormant. Arktrees

you know what a whorl is.. its the buds at the tip .. one vertical.. however many horizontal ... I THOUGHT ... once those are 'set' .. thats it on bud formation for the year.. they will switch hormones.. and do something else ... I THOUGHT.. you try to do the pruning.. BEFORE buds are set.. so new buds will be re-set below the cut ... before the hormones change ... any truth ... TO WHAT I WAS TOLD.. or the concept behind it??? its another way of saying.. there are NO dormant buds.. and if you cut off the ones already there.. there arent any hidden ones to trigger future growth [like a maple e.g.].. and that bud-less stick .. will die ... back to the next bud branch ... ken

Thanks Bridget. The nest did indeed fill up. Three eggs were laid and three young hatched. They are doing great and are due to fledge in a few days. Two of the young from the previous nesting have also come back to join them. Watching the hierarchy among them is interesting. If one of the young from the previous nesting is perched where momma blue wants, she will just give a peck and the young one will move to another perch. The young even know about the mealworms and how to use the feeder. Hopefully this will be beneficial if they decide to stay the winter like their parents do.

Me,too. Planted 2 one fall. They were root bound which I'm sure did not help. They did not come back. I also switched to spring/early summer planting and they were fine BTW, same for echinacea. I pass up good bargains in the fall because dead is not a bargain