I know there are pros and cons and it was nice and strong, had not been staked while at the farm. ==>>> well of course it wasnt.. it had an INTACT root system to hold it up ... i like to tell peeps.. that the root system underground.. is at least as big.. if not bigger than the tree above.. to help them conceptualize just what was cut off at transplant ... what does your have to hold it up??? HOPE???? stake it properly.. until it can grow enough roots.. to .. get this.. hold itself up ... and frankly.. we can only guess about all that ... you said: We got about 5" of rain in a 12 hr period yep.. the soil disturbed at planting.. liquified.. complicated by the fact that it leafed out.. and created what was basically a sailboat sail in a puddle ... and i dont see how you are going to stake ONLY the rootball with that sized sail ... looking forward.. start enjoying those stakes.. and leave them there for about 2 years.. until hopefully it will grow enough roots to maintain vertical .. ask if you need info on PROPER MULCHING.. and PROPER WATERING ... what you dont mention.. is your native soil type.. and what may or may not have been added to the planting hole ... i would disregard any worry about breaking a few branches.. or what little root growth there may have been ... and i presume it was warrantied .. and i would politely put the seller on notice.. especially if he installed it ... because apparently his stake theory was wrong ... and next time.. think about not going bigger than a one inch caliper.. they transplant easier.. cope better.. and are less stressed all things considered.. and in a given 5 years span.. would probably outgrow the 2 inch ... and this can be used as a bargaining chip for a smaller replacement.. should the seller balk for some reason. ... ken

hi pat ... i cant grow this plant out my way ... killed a couple .... i suspect winter wind and sun as the issue ... conifers... trees.. in pots... are very tricky ... to winter over .... i suggest you plant it ... but since its been fluctuating into the high 80 for the last week ... can i convince you to wait a week or two ... just place the pot where the pot stays out of sun ... i dont care about the greenery ... you could even dig a hole.. and put the pot and all in the hole ... and then come back in a few weeks and properly plant the plant ... but do keep in mind... if you hold it in the pot... that it does NOT need to be watered.. in the pot.. like annuals.. one good wetting ought to be enough for a week or two ... see link for planting guide any trees can be planted 6 to 8 weeks prior to ground freeze ... but that is not sept .. in mi ... lol .. i hope to have my potted plants planted by mid oct ... ground freeze is usually somewhere between thsgvg and new years... in SE MI ... i am sure that all raises more ???s ... have at it ... and i hope our friends chime in ... ken ps: a 4 foot conifer.. in a pot.. is probably going to need root surgery .... these are fairly aggressive growers... leading to such ..... see if you can find some old posts in that regard.. or do a new post not addressed only to me about such .... you could also pull it form the pot.. snap some pix.. and shove it back in the pot.. to get some good info ... rather than us guessing about it all until planting day ... Here is a link that might be useful: link

One of the things a Person never whats to us on an outdoor project is anything with thompson on the lable.My My do they advertise or what? like trex unlike t=junk they dont lie all they ever say is it will bead water but it parents mold and mildew. The Ken>>www.restore-a-deck.com

Please help us decide! Our beautiful new cedar front porch (modern, built by Japanese carpenter, yes I'm very pleased with it!) needs to be finished with some kind of sealer as we are in Canada and winter will be here before I blink twice. I am hoping to avoid the sad graying that befell our reclaimed cedar backyard deck that was never sealed! Japanese carpenter recommended yearly application of an oil finish to preserve the natural beauty of the cedar (he painstakingly nailed from underneath so the uncut cedar planks would not be marred) but was unable to source for us. We're considering tung oil of some kind, either Waterlox (hard to get and really expensive) or Lee Valley (local). We have used waterlox indoors in past (maple counter tops) with very good results. Should I use the Waterlox Original or perhaps the Marine Finish? Though hard to get in Canada but my husband is in Seattle on business next week so could lug some Waterlox back to Toronto on the plane. Or I could just mosey down the street to get the Lee Valley Polymerized Tung Oil that no one I know has ever used. If you were me what would you do?? Thanks for your recos, love the GW!