I laughed as I read this, brought back a memory I had long forgotten.  Our first home had a decent size back yard and from the time my son could walk, it seemed as though every kid in the neighborhood congregated in and at our house.  We decided to give the older neighbors on one side of us a break and plant a row of trees to try to keep everyone in our yard.  Husband came home one day and said he had made a great deal with someone for something like 3 dozen trees.  I was in a state of shock.  What the heck were we going to do with that many trees.  They arrived a few days later--twigs!!  I am not sure they were even two feet high.  I can remember the look on his face (and probably mine).  It was a riot.  But they grew and grew!!  We only lived there 7 years but by the time we left they were really decent sized.  Oh, and no, we did not plant all 36, gave some away--to all the other people who were laughing at us!!

LOL! 36 is a big number! Thats a lotta trees! Even when they’re twigs.

It’s hard to imagine them growing into real trees, but I know that redbuds grow kind of like weeds, so I expect to see a real tree shape in another year or two. But it’ll take about 4 or 5 years for them to be a respectable size. But I knew I was getting twigs when I ordered them. Better to lose twigs than expensive trees. I’ve had no luck with bigger trees and was told the twigs would have a better chance at “acclimating and growing into their environment” than larger trees. The baby root systems seem to do better when they develop in the soil they’re going to grow in. I’m willing to give it a shot. With the time I’ve wasted planting larger trees and watching them die (or get backed over or weed whacked to death), I could’ve planted twigs and they’d be 20 feet tall by now!

It’s going to rain for the next week so at least they won’t go thirsty while they’re settling in.

We planted a redbud tree in our front yard a couple of years ago, and it’s just beautiful.  So pretty when it’s blooming, and pretty as well when it’s just leaves.

Best of luck.

May you have better luck with your two redbud trees than I have have with my 25. I think two of them may have survived, but they didn’t get all of the loving care I suspect yours will.

There are a couple of redbud trees in the neighborhood and they were magnificant this spring. I love the heart shaped leaves! I hope mine grow.

I’d like to put a protective device around the lower ‘trunk’ of each tree to protect them from errant weed whackers and bumps with lawn mowers. My neighbor is a lovely person who, nevertheless, managed to damage my dogwoods with his weedwhacker. It was a nice gesture and all, but stripping the bark off the trees was the final nail in their coffins. I was thinking of using a tin can as metal sleeve, but that’s not very aesthetic. It would probably work, though, and I think I’d rather go for surviving trees than aesthetics right now. Anyone seen/used any better ideas?

Pabo, did you plant the redbuds at Roundrock? You seem to have a lot of gravelly soil there where I have almost nothing but sand. Both are a real challenge.

I even had a truckload of quality top soil brought in about 6 years ago—regraded the lawn and spread the top soil to a depth of 8 inches and reseeded the lawn. It was beautiful for about two years. By the end of that time, the top soil had simply vanished into the sand and now I’m back to nothing but sand again. When I dug the holes for the trees, there was no sign of the top soil anywhere. Where the heck did it go? How far down did it sink?

Other people grow trees so easily. My neighborhood has done a yeoman’s service in keeping the ornamental tree industry thriving. Once a tree ‘takes’ around here, though, they’re golden. It’s just a struggle to get that to happen.

Something I have used around my tree plantings is black corrugated pipe, like some people use to lead the water from their downspouts. I put it around my pecans to keep the bunnies from eating the bark. If you could get about a foot of that as waste scrap at the hardware store, you could cut it in half and have enuf for the two trees. you’d need to secure it to something, though, like a stake. I know there is a paper wrap you can put around trees, but I think yours are too small for that.

The redbuds at Roundrock were mostly planted in decent soil. Their downfall was the lack of regular water. When I planted the, I knew they would have to live or die on their own.

Good idea, Pablo. Thanks. Black downspout would be less obtrusive and wouldn’t rust.