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%.

Dax, that December Red graft is looking GREAT! I wish I still had my graft. I have been too embarrassed to tell you but one random day in July of 2012 (nearly right after it was planted IIRC) I was out watering my trees and the December Red was GONE. Tag was still in the cage I had configured to keep critters out. I talked it over with Arktrees and abciximab (Patrick) from the conifer forum when it happened. Best we could tell a gopher pulled it straight down and ate it. I planted a white oak seedling in the same spot that fall and in spring/summer of 2013, the same exact thing happened; it flat out disappeared one day! Really weird. I would love to try it again if you have extras and pay you or buy some rootstocks for you or something. Broke my heart when I found out it was gone. I immediately suspected it was the neighbor's kids (it was located 20' from property line) but they are well behaved. I talked to their Dad about it and I am pretty sure it wasn't taken by them/someone else since it was so small. Come to think of it, this same thing happened all the way across my property to an acer barbatum seedling I planted. Maybe I am in a Bermuda Triangle of sorts!!!Very strange... Another plus to this selection, the leaves on mine emerged a very pretty red before turning green. This is a common trait with red family oaks but it was very noticeable on my specimen. John

Sabji : do you have any fenugreek seeds? I have some variegated basil if you are interested Magick: Re you still looking for Stella d oro lily? Would like your white rebloom azalea. Or maybe you would like a variegated basil? Gail, I am jealous! Get something awesome! I will be joining everyone next year for that event. Camelialover: I have set aside purple balloon flower seeds, yellow iris, and Persian shield for your thalictrum, agapanthus, and spirea

Lori, mine is an acer palmatum atropurpurea I bought as a 10" seedling, I selected it becuase of its rich red color. I sited it well, babied it, and now it is my pride and joy. Its fall color this year was outstanding, a couple of people stopped and asked to take pictures. I don't do well with trees in pots, can never figure out how wet/dry they should be going into the winter, not sure of the light exposure, etc. All my JMs are in the ground. I also have a beautiful Inabe Shidare on the banks of my water garden, it's slow growing, but I love the weeping form, and a Ukigumo, or Floating Clouds JM, a very pretty variegated form that is growing by leaps and bounds, is over 6' tall in just a few years. I think it is one of the hardiest of them all. In addition I have Shaina--not much of a grower, lots of die back, reverts to the typical Bloodgood form frequently so needs pruning the reversions out--if I hadn't paid so much for her, she'd probably have gone to the compost pile several years ago. I have several plants I've grown from seed I traded for on Gardenweb, the seedlings from Viridis in particular have proven especially hardy, and I love their lace leaves. I planted another 75 seedlings in my nursery bed this year and am anticipating (hoping!) a good number will come through their first winter.