Pam, I'm not sure what you meant by that but i think you're missing the point. It's about developing better root system regardless of where you plant, what the climate is and what tree species are. Better root system means better/faster establishment. It is a pain in the butt dealing with one long tap root that get circled around in the container. You have to mess with it to get it straightened out and not to mention more digging to get it deep enough. You don't have to worry about it with rootmaker's way. You just simply dig a hole and drop the tree in and move on. Here is the info from rootmaker website about seedlings plant out.. Question: Do you have any information on the use/success on the out planting of container seedlings grown in RootMaker II containers directly in the field for conservation/reforestation type projects? Answer: Tree seedlings in RootMaker® II propagation containers are routinely taken to the field when they are 12 to 16 inches tall and 3 to 4 months old. This has been done by hundreds of nurseries across the country. Most do fall planting  September or October and some have drip irrigation and others do not. (Drip irrigation assures nearly 100% survival. But even without drip irrigation, the success rate is quite high, except for the occasional severe drought immediately following planting). The primary reason for planting tree seedlings at a larger size is that in the small growth stage, telling seedlings that will make winner trees from culls is tough and the cull rate may be as high as 25 to 30% or more for the oaks. In one gallons, the cull rate drops to 7 to 10% and with 3 gallons to 2 to 3%.

Glad you liked it, idig! I get more enjoyment from a movie or book when I share it with somone else. Never visited the Royal Horticultural Society site before, but did today. As usual, the British are veddy dedicated to their passions. One being gardening. Some of our native plants like phlox were taken across the ocean and given the full treatment by these avid gardeners, and became truly magnificent. Of course, it is good to know the old native is still available right here at home still. Our countryside has a wealth of plants coveted or appreciated by the rest of the gardening world. We are lucky to live in a climate which permits such things to flourish. If we begin a new thread, what would it cover? Movies for sure, books on gardening in general? Let me know what ou think of the movie CROSS CREEK. I pick many movies because of the scenery or the house or garden. I was sorely disappointed in MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE because I expected to see more of the old house interior. Not to be. And then by the same author, NIGHTS IN RODANTHE had a real spooky looking house perched with its toes in the Atlantic, which didn't look real but maybe it was, but the closeup details were interesting. Like the old exterior shutter mechanisms, the old kitchen and the furnishings, which reminded me of old bay houses along Mobile Bay here. I'm into "comfortable casual shack" which is a few steps beyond "shabby chic" if you know what I mean.

Tom, I grew up down in Lee Co., AL. The native red mulberry, M.rubra, is quite common there, and I've selected and grafted one M.rubra selection from Lee Co., which I'm now growing up here in KY, due to its heavy production of large, tasty fruits. Dr. A.J.Bullard, of Mt. Olive NC, the long-time chairman of the NAFEX Southern Mulberry Interest group ranked available(and some not all that readily available) mulberries in this manner, for the Southeast: M.nigra - generally agreed to be top-quality, but temperature fluctuations, humidity, and fungal leaf & twig problems preclude successfully growing & fruiting it in the Southeast. M.albaXrubra hybrids - Silk Hope, Sullivan, Illinois Everbearing, Wellington. (In my plantings, IE is the gold standard - large berries, good flavor, bears over a 4-6 week period; Wellington(selected in Geneva NY) is a piece of crap here; I've had no personal experience with Silk Hope or Sullivan, though I've seen good reviews for SH). M.rubra - (Carlton)English and (Janie)Watts M.alba - Shangri-La, Pakistan In his estimation, it's a toss-up between the top M.rubras and M.albas, with the rubras heavier on the acid component of flavor, and the albas not having quite enough acid. They are fast-growing trees. Most of mine have been purchased as bareroot graftlings, or I've transplanted M.alba seedlings and grafted named varieties onto them. I have purchased a couple of potted varieties from EL, but the bareroots have performed as well or better than the potted ones. For other potential sources, have a look at the nursery/supplier list at the NAFEX website. Here is a link that might be useful: NAFEX

Concords are the most often grown grape in the country and will grow anywhere they get enough moisture which is all over the Southeast. Probably the best place for you to get the plants is Arab Nursery about 10-15 miles down Hwy 231 from H'ville. You can plant them anytime from now till the spring sprout. Water them when you first plant them to settle the soil around the roots good,but they will probably get enough rainfall from then on. If we have a long dry spell next summer they will need additional water. Have you tried our native grape the muscadine? Or scuppernong? To me they are even sweeter and more flavorful than concords. Try them before you plant them. You can usually find them, the fruit that is, in the farmers markets in late August and all of September.