Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Wow!!!! 17 out of the 20 seeds germinated within a week!! So the seeds and the seller get A+. I hope to see each of those to grow and become a tree. I used Burpee seed starter kit that I bought from Home Depot. Update...1 out of the 17 has survived. Most died due to fungus problem despite I was very careful. 1 died when I tried to move to a bigger pot. The one that has survived is now almost 3" tall!! I am learning in the process too. I was encourgaed by the survival of 1 out of 20. So I ordered one more set of 20, this time I am using different type of pots, so I don't need to change it but put it in the ground when ready. So far 12 out of 20 have germinated!! I was hoping for 20 :-). I hope they all will survive since I don't see fungus at all. I give the seller A+ again. Update on 12/19/2012..... Total 3 have survived so far!!! My 1st plant is now ~12" tall with a few branches. 2 from the second set are each ~3" tall. It is winter now, so they are inside and get sun through window. Occassionally I see fungus (not sure from where does it pop-up despite I don't over water) but my plants are able to deal with it I guess. Though internet search shows that this type of Eucalyptus can survive without water, it is not true when they are young. Once I forgot to water when soil was dry and it almost died :-( but luckily came back :-) It does require your regular attention. I might upload pictures with my next update. I should mention that I am using top soil (90%) mixed with potting soil (10%). To avoid fungus I have sometimes used white vinegar (5%) in water (95%). Top soil drys very fast, so keep an eye. Update 6/2/2013...... Okay, only one had survived from my second batch. I have now two that actually made it, meaning my success rate is 2/40 i.e.5%. I am not disappointed at all. In April, I put them both in my backyard soil(with pot) and I am surprised how much they have grown since then. At times I had wondered about seeing them as tree; sometimes they looked like vine and I could not smell the eucalyptus fragrance! They looked pale in late winter when they were inside. Both now look promising, seem to be growing really fast and I can tell each day. Leaves are lot greener. My first one is close to 3' (looks like a small tree) and second one is little over 6". Sorry, I did not take picture this time. Update 8/10/2013.... I have uploaded three pictures. The first picture shows what they looked like as of May18, second one shows as of July 28th, third one shows the pair as of August 3rd 2013. You can see how fast it grew from May 18th to July 28th. Younger one (on left) is really catching up fast. I hope this gives you an idea. Coming winter will be the first one outside for these plants. This kind of eucalyptus should survive up to 5 degree F, we get here as low as 10 degree F sometimes, so that should not be a problem. I will see what happens. Update 1/31/2014....All my uploaded pictures are gone! I contacted Amazon, they sent me a link that shows all the pictures exist, however, it is not tied to this product where the reviews are! I requested to fix it but nothing has been done. Well, very disappointed with Amazon. Anyways, coming back to the product...you know how cold this winter has been so far, the two trees are still alive and well. I had to cover them when temperature was in teens for a few days, not sure that would be possible when they will be big. oh well, they will have to rise up to the challenge then. I will update in a few months again. Customer images can be found at http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B000SQWB7Q/ref=cm_cmu_pg... Update 5/31/2014.... In the above mentioned link, I have now uploaded a picture of the pair as of 18th May 2014. You can compare with my previously uploaded picture as of 18th May 2013 to see exact one year growth. In the latest picture they still look below the fence, but if I hold the top branch straight up, they are well above the fence. I can say that they grew more than 6ft in one year!! The trees are spindly, looks like they will need support (stake) for a while. The growth on top is way faster/more than the trunk (thickness), so if I take away the support, I feel like they may come to the ground. I did some research, it seems this is normal and it is okay to provide support for first couple of years. The older (right in picture) tree has stronger trunk and holds up much better without support. The trees' branches don't grow straight up, they are kind of wavy, but that is natural. I water them twice a week max, they don't need much attention now. Ah, and one more thing... Even if you go close to the tree you won't smell anything but if you rub a leaf, you will be flooded with the Eucalyptus fragrance. I hope this review was helpful. I might upload picture in next few years or update this review if there is something significant to share. Update 7/29/2017.... I am sad to report that both trees have died!! Though the winter wasn't as bad as these trees have seen in the past, both of them had browning leaves in the late winter and early spring. My internet search showed that they could come back in late spring, so I was a bit patient. Then I noticed that along with my Japanese Cherry tree, some native trees nearby my house started dying too, so I thought some disease must be the cause. I tried to revive roots by using liquid copper fungicide, but it was too late for one tree, the other tree showed sign of life, new shoots started coming from the bottom but already standing part of the tree was already dead! Meaning, it had to start all over again and I have no desire left to put that effort again. I was really sad to see them go. I am no tree expert to deal with tree disease, but one thing I have learned is, it is always tempting to plant non-native trees for your area, but native trees have better chance of survival. Can I still say "Great results so far!!"? No. Was this still a great experience for me? Absolutely, I have learned a lot. I hope you will have better luck than I did. This is my final update and I wish my review is still very helpful to you.