There's nothing wrong with bare root seedlings.....The issue is likely with how they were handled during the transplanting process either by the nursery or yourself. Did the roots stay moist the entire time they were out of the ground or did they dry out? Did they get planted properly in well dug holes.....at the proper depth..... with the dirt packed firmly around the roots?

When they got here, they only had about a handful of the gell stuff in them and the roots were wrapped farely loosely in plastic. I planted one that day, wrapped the roots from the rest in an old damp towel and put them in a walk in feed cooler @ work (55*).

I probably should have read up on how to plant them, as I am no gardener. I dug a hole a 2 or 3 times the size of the roots. Put soft dirt back in the hole until the top of the roots were just under the top of the hole and filled in with soft dirt. I made a point to make sure the roots didn't turn up as I've heard of that killing pine seedlings. I watered with probably just less than a quart of water. I put down some mulch to hold in moisture and have watered them every few days. For future reference, anything I should have done different?

The wood, even at the top, still is green when I barely scratch it with my fingernail. I'm holding out hope.

I'm sure there's nothing wrong with bare root trees, it's just the one I planted from mossy oak had leaves growing more within a few days. I think I played just over a dollar more a piece for them.