I guess the advantage to having more than needed is that you won't be too heart-broken if a few don't make it.  I've had a few die for whatever reason but the overflow of cuttings I have make it easier to move on.

always make a backup of trees that you care about :)

Pete,
Sounds like you already planted the cherry blossom trees.  In the future you could get a half truck load of good top soil and build-up where you plant your trees. You can use big rocks, bricks, or timbers for retention, or just mound it.  Then you'll still get drainage, and yet the tree can send down some roots into the clay muck if it so desires.

Greed Greed and will say again Greed....
i am sick too :)

When I figured out that I am mentally ill over figs I checked around, our community center will be open to having any extras I want to cull. YEAH!!! The church wouldn't mind having a few planted. I am also finding that everyone I talk to raves about the figs the used to eat at Granny's on the weekends. They also can be wheedled into taking a tree if need be. HAHA....ducks in a row I can continue going full bore!

What is it really about these obsessions?  They're all different but we all have them.

We have a new young family next door from the south that asked about staying warm.  I told them many of us heat with wood.  Before long, log trucks began to arrive; the saws and splitter went endlessly and a woodstack I reckon to be 25 - 30 cords snaking across
the yard.  The wife said "You created the monster.....do something!"  

So I come home at 11PM one night and see the garage light on; decided to stop.  Now the
entire 2 car garage is filled floor to ceiling with split wood.  My neighbor calls from the ladder "Hi neighbor; could you just pass me a few more logs so I can finish tonight?

OMG that was hilarious. Thanks for the pick me up this afternoon Alan.

Central heating... sigh...

I've been collecting for 3 months, I have 27 varieties, is that obsessed? If you have extras send me a PM. I'd be happy to trade, pay postage, or a fair price.

Pete, try raised beds for the figs, that should help with some of the problems with the clay, not to mention a big load of manure and gravel.  I have seen in Pon's book and Baud's book when planting a fig tree they put around 4-6 inches of gravel, then good soil and manure on top if I understood it right, if you are able to do the same (I know it's a lot of work) then you should be doing not too bad that way.

If you need to get rid of light types, Martin would be able to help you out I think, the barrel seems well used.