Here's the dilemma.......I bought two Forest Pansy Redbuds last year in my
rabid first year of working in OL&G at Lowes. (among other trees and
shrubbery, and many many perennials). One lived quite well, the other, that
I planted next to a very long dead trunk of mimosa seemed happy, but when
the redbuds were blooming a few weeks ago, I noticed that it wasn't showing
ANY signs of life. I scratched the bark to see if any wick was underneath,
no green. Some end twigs of the 10 foot tree snapped too easy.

I was going to return it to Lowes (one year, unconditional guarantee,
replacement or gift card with total refund, ABSOLUTELY. they like you to
bring the dead plant back with the receipt, but most customers if they bring
the dead plant back without the receipt, they pretty much honor the
replacement) and get another one. I DID pay $29.97 minus my 10% employee
discount which actually only saved the tax which is a nightmare here in
Tennessee now (a shuddering disgusting 9.75%). I couldn't find the receipt.
I never throw them away, but going thru my desk and drawers will be a
headache and require days of searching and throwing away many, many
accumulated papery things. I have, on the other hand still the bar coded
white tag loosely attached to the tree still. And the bamboo it was
plastic'd to, also loose. And the identity tag that was on the tree with a
stretchy cord with directions on the tag and so forth. I have ALL of those
in a huge pile rubber banded and sitting in front of me still. It scares me
how many things I got last year, and that the five inch pile of plastic tags
only represents one of each variety. That I really got more than one
perennial..........oh lord....

My problem----------I was just about to pull up the tree and take it to be
returned and credited with another one. No receipt meant taking it to
another Lowes and since it's all legitimate, no problem. I even pulled it up
and left it sitting next to the dead trunk of the remaining mimosa. Today I
noticed little twigs on the bottom of the thin trunk..........with burgandy
leaves on them. 2/3'rds of the tree up top is dead. No growth. The roots and
lower trunk are still wick. Still alive. Should I cut the dead 2/3rds off
at angles and have a stumpy Forest Pansy redbud, or should I take the whole
thing in and get another replacement tree that might live this time? Let me
know, because if I keep it, fine. I'll cut it and see how it grows. It'll be
unusual, but it's still an awesome redbud. If I return it, I need to do it
now. That it survived lifting out of it's really good hole and started
growing is still amazing to me.......by the way, when I saw the new dark
burgandy leaves today, I tamped the soil and root ball back in and watered
it. I'm not cruel............

thanks for the opinions. the tally on this will be the deciding factor.
madgardener off to pass out now from overworking today (ramble about it
later when I can move again) g