I bet you will be ok on the Pear and the Maple, maybe stress the birch as I think it is the least heat tolerant of the bunch. Sure a month later would increase your percentage chance of success.

Be careful with sod being placed over the root balls. Don't wanny bury your trees.

The Pear is going to get some frowns on line because of what it is. They are rather weedy and invasive here and blow apart quickly. Up north maybe the snow load does not bother them as hopefully they have no leaves when snow is falling!

Figure out how to water your trees and not just the grass btw.

Darn! The birch just so happens to be the one going on the back corner of the lot so will be the hardest to plant any......hmmmmmm.....
I had no idea people dislike cleveland select pears. I thought they looked very nice. Interesting.

Yeah, as I typed this out I started to think about how I was going to ensure they get plenty of water. Luckily they will all be accessible from other areas so even if I have to bring buckets of water.

I am planning to leave about 4" around the trunk of the tree (at least that is what I have read to do)

thanks very much for your input!!

Run from this nursery immediately if they are digging these plants in August.

Really, run now. And my lord, are those caliper ratings? Why earth are you wasting your money on such large trees that have a much higher rate of failure and will struggle to establish.

I'd strongly suggest not planting a cleveland pear either. I still don't understand why nurseries continue to grow this inferior invasive plant.

New home owners are continously dupped by this pear tree, autumn blaze maple and birch (hopefully its a least a river birch).

My advice, get the plants in spring and plant them then.

As long as the grass seed s a quality mix of rye, fescue and bluegrass, then well watered this fall, it will establish itself by spring.

A completely negative post but giving it to you straight.

What nursery are you working with by the way? I can recommend several for you if you'd like.

those trunk measurements were off the top of my head based on how my hands wrapped around them (very scientific i know). So might be off, but yes these tree's are much larger than any planted in our neighborhood already.

the nursery is called Arbor Glenn and is in Sturtevant, WI.
They are moving locations so selling every tree for $200 each, so that is what lured us in.

Go to Minor's in MIlwaukee. You can get nice 1.5" caliper trees for $120. Perhaps that dim you gave was trunk diameter.

If you desire a freeman maple they have more desirable cultivars like Autumn Fantasy.

Stock is picked over for those plants already dug but if you can wait they will dig (some species) in late September...the time you're supposed to dig to ensure success.

Yeah, that was the diameter of the trunk. Sorry, I assumed that's what you measured when you measured a tree (yeah, total n00b here!)

Does $200 include delivery and planting? That sounds cheap for 6" - 8" caliper trees. Assuming you have a choice, you could get another maple instead of the pear. Maybe a sugar maple..

I'm pretty sure that you'd mess up the lawn if you plant 6"-8" maples. They must be gigantic. Leaving 4" around the trunk doesn't sound right.

If you instead plant a reasonable sized tree (2" caliper?), you won't mess up the lawn. I'd personally just lay the sod now and plant smaller trees later. If that big trees die (which may be likely if you move them in August), the cost of removal is significant.

$200 per tree plus $75 for delivery in install.

We could definitely pick something else instead of the pear.

Oooh I see why you're tempted..

Sarcasm?

No I mean they are really cheap! In my area, it costs more than $300 to have 2" caliper(=diameter) tree to be purchased and planted. They are much smaller than what you're planning to plant. I would be tempted to take the risk and go with the plan. But I would find out how much it costs (in terms of $$ and the lawn damage) to remove them in case they don't do well. It's not that you're guaranteed to save the tree or kill the tree. It's all about probability I guess.

This post was edited by ttonk on Fri, Aug 23, 13 at 17:03

They do have a one year warranty, if that means anything and yeah, the price is the only reason we contemplated getting them.

What size balls do they plan on putting on these monsters? It's going to be hot and humid in SE Wisconsin next week. I wouldn't be digging these trees in August. Even if they survive they will probably die back and take years to recover. Probably better off in the long run to use the money to buy smaller trees that are dug at the right time in the fall. They will probably out grow the bigger ones in a few years. You probably meant to say 4 FEET sod free around the trunks. I really don't see that many Cleveland Selects breaking apart around here (SE WI), but a lot of people really can't stand the smell of the flowers.