"DaddyMonkey" wrote in message
...
Yeah, I've heard about the Texas sun in the summer (and learning how to
drive a car with two fingers because of the heat). LOL....

The Tri-Colored Beech tree at my local nursery is available in a Ball &
Burlap at about 8 to 10 feet tall. I know that this tree may reach 50
feet tall, but is THIS SIZE something to consider with the over-all
height/out-come of it's mature size?... in other words should I look for
a 5 or 7 gallon container size tree?

Ball & Burlap trees are just as good as container grown ones. My reasonings
for buying smaller sized trees are basically threefold.

1) Most importantly, I would never buy a tree that needed to be staked.
Young trees need to sway in the wind because it encourages strength and size
at the base of the trunk and it also encourages root growth. I've planted
dozens of 5 gal trees and never had to stake one of them.

2) The smaller a tree is at planting, the better it is about getting over
transplant shock. Larger trees are more likely to die after transplant and
even if they live may take several years before they start actively growing
again. Within 3 years or so the smaller trees I plant will overtake a tree
which was much larger at transplant. 3 years ago I planted several trees
which were little more than sticks. Today most of them have 5" calipers and
one has a 6" caliper. At least 5 years ago the developer of my edition
planted dozens of trees with a 3" caliper. Today the largest one has about
a 4" caliper. So my trees have bypassed the developer's trees in growth,
despite starting out much smaller and having a 2 year deficit.

3) Smaller trees are cheaper. If one dies, I'm only out $20 or so vs
hundreds of dollars I could pay for a tree with just a 3" caliper.


When removing the OLD Red Bud, I dug down about 18 inches and then cut
the root/tree with a chainsaw at this level... the new tree will go in
the same location.

I also understand about your comment with the watering deep (much like
when watering grass to encourage root growth).
However, I'm a little confused about the "Raised Beds"... I've never
had a raise bed within my landscape. If I raise the height of the
tree, will I get MORE root growth. Please don't don't get me wrong,
because I really think this tree will look great in my front yard...
Thanks for you input!

The root growth will probably be the same either way, unless the topsoil you
haul in is much better quality than your existing topsoil. The reason I
suggested a raised bed for a beech tree was if you do get surface roots,
you'll have more options for hiding those roots by using bedding plants or
ground covers. Creating a raised bed after the tree is planted is not an
option because it will probably kill the tree.