Garden institute offers a membership bonus

The Progressive Gardening Institute is a non-profit corporation, based in Tennessee, which is doing research in the development of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are adaptable to all regions of the country, with specific emphasis on varieties suited to the home garden.

Currently the institute is seeking members - and joining is a bargain for a limited period.

For just $7.50 (tax deductible), you get not only a year's membership, but also two dwarf apple trees: a yellow and a red delicious apple.

Indeed, the membership fee even includes shipping.

The trees are sent bare-rooted, which isn't ideal for fall planting north of the Washington, D.C., area. But as long as soil temperatures remain above 40 degrees F., tree roots will develop.

So mulch your newly planted trees to lock the warm temperatures in the soil and stimulate the sort of late-season root development that will get the trees off to a sound start next spring.