Mail Order Fruit Trees and Bushes

[fishman]

I'll echo what others have said. My dad ordered trees and grapes from Stark Brothers several times over the years and was really happy with them. The same can't be said for other places we bought plants from. There is an apple tree on the homestead that was planted about 20 years ago that we always get a good harvest off of. It's a dwarf and that's all you need. We made almost 50 apple pies in one day a couple years ago and froze them. Enough for everyone! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I looked for them on the web last year and couldn't find them. It's good to see them up and running again. In my opinion, they were the best of the mail-order tree companies during the 80's and 90's.

 

[Chuck52]

Found it! I knew there was a thread here somewhere about ordering fruit trees from Stark Bros. I just ordered three English walnuts, two peaches and two plums because a friend brought me a catalog with 50% off on these things I was wanting to order anyway. The catalog prices are good through May 21. The catalog number, in the yellow box, is 05CM1071. I just checked their we site web page and didn't see where you could get to this catalog, but perhaps there's a way.

The friend who brought me this catalog has had mixed success with Stark Bros stuff, but he knew I wanted to order the walnuts and I had told him I wasn't having any luck locally. The peaches and plums are something I was planning to look for locally, but at 50% off I figured I'd give them a shot, especially since several of the guys commented positively on Stark Bros.

If you want to order and can't get this catalog or the prices in it, let me know and I'll supply whatever information I can. And, no, even though Stark Bros is a Missouri company, I don't have any affiliation with them.

The catalog doesn't specify the "supreme" trees mentioned by someone, but does let you request pruning at $1.00 per tree. Since I have an uncanny ability to always select the wrong branch to prune, I sprang for the extra $7.00.

Chuck

 

[BB_TX]

Regardless of where you get the trees, they will need great care at least the first couple years to do well. In the nursery they are grown in ideal soil, watered daily, and fed regularly. That is why everything in the nursery looks so good. When you stick them in the ground, that is basically a foreign environment for them. And their roots are confined in a small container, sometimes not more than a foot in diameter. Most will not grow substantially above ground until they develop an extensive root system underground. That usually takes a couple years at least.

 

[SnowRidge]

Anyone ordered from Veychek Gardens & Nursery in PA?

 

[Chuck52]

Good points. I have a couple of apple trees that have been in the ground for four years. They really only started showing impressive growth last year, and I had kept them watered during the dry spells we get here in Missery. This last fall I planted five pecans from the Forest Keeling nursey, also a Missouri company. They claim faster growth because of their special Root Production Method. They grow the trees in open bottom racks, and when the roots growing out the bottom reach air they die off. This "air pruning" is supposed to stimulate lateral root production. The write-ups I've read about it, including some from the state conservation department, indicate it does work. I hope so. Typically, pecans trees don't yield for about seven years, and that's a long time to wait!

Chuck

 

[Rch]

Now is the time to look for bare root stock locally. Bare root fruit trees are taken out of the ground late Fall when dormant, stored in the cold and shipped to local nurserys about now. They cut the roots to fit in pots. If you buy now they save the labor of potting. The problem is getting holes dug so early when it is wet but you get a tree with alot more root. I've dug holes in the fall so they are ready to go early. My experience with this strategy has been very good and the price is better. The trick is to find the trees you want before they are potted and the roots 'pruned'

 

[DocHeb]

Does anybody have any experience with Miller Nurseries out of Upstate New York? Although Stark Brothers seems to be heavily recommended, Missouri weather is nothing like Michigan weather - and I've always heard that it is best to get plants from similiar climates.

 

[homeinwestIL]

I've ordered grape vines and hardy pecans from Miller Nursery and they've all survived. The pecan trees were pretty small (compared to fruit and nut trees I've ordered from Stark) and didn't seem to have much root on them when I planted them, but, as I said, they are still alive after three years.

 

[GaryE]

<font color="blue"> Does anybody have any experience with Miller Nurseries </font>

I ordered 5 Hickory and 3 Pecans from Millers a couple of years ago. None of them are doing very well. They claimed to be cold tolerant enough for this area, but I have my doubts. Very little to no growth in two years. I hope they take hold this year.

Gary