The National Arbor Day Foundation -Buying trees from them

I wanted a Catalpa tree and when I checked at a local nursery, they thought $145.40 was a good price for me to pay for a tree. I didn't agree.
A friend told me about The National Arbor Day Foundation so I looked them up on the web. The site is well done and I found many trees I would like to have that are fast to medium growers. I'm too old to wait too long for anything else. The trees are a few feet in length and not shipped until dormant. The price doesn't seem too bad.

Has anyone here dealt with them and bought trees? If so, what are your thoughts on the trees and anything else about the site?

Did you check Garden Watchdog?

http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/91/

I have read a number of good comments about ForrestFarm

http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/25/

BTW, I have never ordered trees mail order (except for the current co-op).

- Brent

I do not like them as they say they are saving the rain forrest and entice you to plant a tree. And with membership of 10 dollars they give you 10 trees. I wrote to them once wanting to rejoin and could not use 10 trees and had no one that could. I ask them to please send me 1 golden rain tree and save the others where someone could save them. They sent them anyway and told me to give them away after I told them I had no one who wanted them. They died. How is this saving a tree?
I do not care for that practice as to kill 9 trees to save one is not my idea of arbor day.
I see they practice the same membership today. Join for 10.00 and get 10 trees. It is great if you can use 10 trees.
Just my 2 cents

Bingsbell...also..if you order from them...make sure of what they sent you ! I planted trees from them...and several were not what they said they were! And of course...I planted them in the wrong place for the type of tree!

Blings:

I cannot say that I have heard of a company that generates more consistently terrible comments. I once thought out about joining or ordering some trees but I have gotten over that notion. They do have a pretty decent website.

I love the "neutral" review where the guy got his 10 trees delivered at the wrong time of year and only 1 survived. I guess they would have to send somebody over to yell insults about his mother to elicit a "negative". ;-)

I posted the Forrestfarm link figuring that you would be looking for another option. I have read good things about them and they have good prices. Can anybody recommend a similar source of small trees that is located closer to the East coast?

- Brent

Thank you all. I thought I looked up every way you could find The National Arbor Day Foundation at GWD but I missed the most obvious. Well DUH! This isn't even Monday. LOL

I was really disappointed with this organization after I read the comments. What a shame. I thought it would be better run than it is. I will be looking elsewhere.
Thanks again.

You would think it would be better run but it was 16 years ago that they did this with me. Go figure. I have never heard of the other place but anything has to be better than National Arbor day Foundation.

you may want to read the thread from 10-14-2003 from 2kidsmom at this thread before you decide on a catalpa. They are beautiful but sounds like high maintance on the ground. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/284922/Catalpa+tree

also check out classic threads there was alot of people who offer seeds and plants. One said theirs grew 3 ft the first year from seed.
Good luck. They truely are gorgeous and make true landmarks.
Sandy

aI have gotten the trees from the Nat. AArbor Day F. a couple of times the first time more that 30 years ago i received 10 tiny White Spruce trees. As i remember most of them grew, and the ones still growing are very tall and vigorous. The a few years ago i ordered again as I had plenty of space. They were the tiniest little things, a variety of shrub-trees. Most of the ten grew and now are large enough to be transplanted from their nursery area. But I would not advise anyone to go that route. I do thing FF is a very good firm to order from. I have ordered from them for many years and have been very satisfied . My daughter and i drove to their place of business last year 2003 and got four large trees I had ordered and loaded up my little pickup with things from their greenhouses. Was great fun. Donna

I have plenty of catalpa seeds if youd like some Shirley

If you have the time and patience, I would highly suggest that you try the catalpa seeds. I have been growing them from seed, and indeed they are easy to grow, and grow quickly. A very satisfying feeling, and the price tag is nil. Legit

I would love some seeds. I have never rec'd seeds through the mail like this before. How do I go about doing it.

I have Honey Locust seeds available for trade if you are interested.

Happy Autumn....Belle

I bought Catalpa from Musser Forests. The price was low; the trees were small but they are fast growers. I was very satisfied.

I was a NAF member for years. I too managed to kill most of the first 2 years of freebies. What I started doing was potting them up and didn't lose anymore.
I ordered my first Dawn Redwood from them. Now my favorite tree and I've started 5 from cuttings of the original and ordered 3 others.
I also ordered a bunch of boxwoods from them. Of course they were very small sticks but have grown and I've moved or given away many. This spring I just transplanted 21 of them as the beds change.

I don't know - for the membership price they're good if you have patience to grow out seedlings. OR a small lot that you can't plant all the trees you want so grow them out for a couple of years in pots and trade or give them away. Still - the 10 freebies each year is a good deal and recently they've even offered choices on flowering trees or conifers. Just have some nice nursery pots ready and potting soil and I think you'll be happy. Definitely gives you some trading power at plant swaps. I got my first lilac in the freebies and some double hibiscus that were pleasant surprises.

I've ordered from Musser several times as well. They've got some good bulk deals.

Forest Farms is my new favorite for trees though. Wide variety and everything has been excellent quality. They have a good selection of dwarf and variegated conifers and this spring I found the 'Eskimo Sunset' sycamore maple. I was surprised at the tree I got in the mail.

That is some gorgeous tree. I could use that one in my gardens.

If I am not mistaken, Blaine, you grow Brugs don't you? How do you accomplish that in ZONE 5a?

I'm thinking I will run off and check a few more nurseries, including Forest Farms.
Thanks for the tip.

This message was edited Jun 26, 2005 12:16 PM

Brugs and a little bit everything it seems.
With the brugs, from cuttings taken in the fall and seeds that's been given. I start on a table and shelves in the basement with fluorescent lights on about 12hrs. But I go ahead water / fertilize to get growing and keep them growing. Taller ones then move up to a large south facing window then in March go outside into a hoop house with a space heater to keep it about 45' at night. This was actually my first year growing brugs. I stumbled into that forum last November and had ordered my first rooted cuttings by 22 Nov. Was given some others by a couple of DG members in Feb and March and 3 of them also sent me some seeds of their seeds to trial for them. Their own crosses. Many up here have them in big pots that they move into garage that doesn't freeze and let them go dormant. Or they take potted plants or big cuttings into a basement or something and keep them alive until late winter then start feeding and watering again.