Fruit Tree Suppliers

[Bruce L]

For those of us who also grow fruit trees,just curious where you get them from. I have gotten quite a few from Stark Brothers and Millers before,also Grandpas Orchard,where I have found the trees to be larger.Have read on another site about Raintree nursery having larger trees,but shipping is also quite a bit more.

[spud]

Starks is my main source for fruit trees. In the last six years I have bought about 30 fruit trees from a local greenhouse down the road. The owner is very quite about where he gets his trees though. When I find out I will let you know. All the trees from him have been outstanding and I have not lost any.

Spud

[johnpma]

I order all of my apple, and pear trees from Wafler Nursery in NY

[buckeye gold]

Do not be lured into believing a bigger tree is always better. You need to know how it has been handled. If it is potted I will bet you the roots have been trimmed back to fit the pot. If it's balled and burlap probably better but still missing roots. Now you can miss some roots, but often the biggest main roots are the ones trimmed. Bare root stock shipped in the spring shows you what roots look like but again they will be trimmed to fit packaging. If they have been completely container grown then you'll have some root bounding to work on, but that is still a better scenario. For many nurseries the larger trees have been dug and replanted a couple times as more are dug than projected sales call for to maintain selection. My best recommendation would be a 2-3 or 4 foot tree. They will have had little to no root amending and they will suffer less transplant shock. In the end they will often surpass a large tree planted at the same time. Bigger is not always better. In the 70s I worked 5 years in a fruit tree nursery and grafted, planted and shipped tens of thousands of trees. I would never buy a tree over 4 feet if I did not know it's history. I left the nursery business for 30 plus years then went back to it in retirement working in a Lowes garden center the last 5 years. In between I raised some of my own and helped establish an orchard several years ago. So I have a little experience on the matter.

[maple flats]

For the ones we purchase most come from Stark. We also start our own and we buy clearance trees from Lowes, Walmart and TSC, when they cut the price by about 75%. We've had fairly good results with those too, but they often need to be planted immediately because both it's getting late and they've not had the best care at the store.

[Chickenman]

I get whips from Hennery Fields. They guaranty their stock as long as you garden. Prices are usually better then Stark, Miller and others.