Buying Fruit Trees

[DENALI]

We are wanting to plant some fruit trees this year. Is it better to order them (from where?) or to visit local nurseries in my area to buy them? Also is there any place to buy started trees rather than small saplings? Wouldn't mind getting a year or two head start in getting fruit on them.
Also i am in Kansas, anyone have any experience with what varieties grow best in my area which is region 6.
Thanks

[blooba]

Larger trees increase in price quite a bit but they may very well be worth it since it takes a while to produce. I would look for tree farms in your area. Call local nurseries about finding places for more mature trees. Unless you were buying a large quantity (20-100) I would think local would be better (shipping costs and stress).

[tyusclan]

Always buy fruit trees locally. Your local nurseries will have varieties that are suited for your area.

[Forerunner]

You can jump start your fruit trees, no matter their size, by going overboard digging the holes and filling them with compost. I sprinkle in a cup or so of kelp meal, the same amount of my own homemade bone meal, some wood ash and maybe some Redmond brand conditioner (from the folks who mine and sell Redmond salt).
I also lay in some small boulders to set the roots on directly to give some stability to the young tree and to provide a very long term source of trace minerals.

To give some idea, when I plant a fruit tree, I dig a hole that will accommodate at least a large pickup bed worth of compost.

I agree with the notion of buying trees from local sources.

[Callieslamb]

My experience has been the older trees don't produce any faster than the smaller ones. Transplanting is easier on the younger ones.

If your local nursery is a box store - they carry the same varieties no matter where you live. I would check out varieties online to find ones you want - then look for them at your local nurseries. You will find a better selection through catalog/online ordering.

[Danaus29]

I have transplanted both small and large trees. You don't gain any time by starting with bigger trees. Not one day. I bought a large apple tree several years ago and planted it in a good location. A few years later I transplanted a small apple seedling that sprouted in my garden. They produced for the first time the same year! And now the small seedling is much bigger than the purchased tree. Small seedlings recover from transplant shock much faster than big trees. Big trees have lost more than 3/4 of their root system when they are dug. It takes a very long time to recover from that. I don't add anything to the soil when transplanting trees, except peach trees. Studies have shown that trees replanted with ammended soil don't spread their roots into the poor surrounding soil. I do add fertilizer to peach tree soil because peach trees don't live very long in this area.

[ksfarmer]

Denali: I don't know what part of Kansas you are in , but some good local nurseries such as Skinners in Topeka; and, Blueville nursery and The Horticulture center in Manhattan would be a good source of both information and trees suited to our area. I also have had good luck ordering fruit trees from Stark Bros in Missouri. I would think there would be a good local nursery somewhere close to you and that might be the best source of your larger trees.

Also, I would add that your local extension office will have lots of information and I think they have information on varietys recommended for Kansas.

[Windy in Kansas]

Kansas isn't populated enough to be well blessed with tree nurseries in my opinion so buying from a local nursery is unlikely to happen. No, that isn't correct at all. You can buy from local nurseries but the trees will have been shipped in from elsewhere such as Stark Bros or bargain basement companies depending upon quality. Take a look at the labels when visiting to confirm that if you wish.

As to buying from a big box store----yes the variety you wish to buy may very well be a desired one, but what rootstock does it come on? Many fruit trees are basically assembled from two parts, i.e. grafted. Selection of vigorous rootstock can be costly in comparison to a bargain basement rootstock so all trees are not alike even if of the same variety.

For those of us in Kansas that will be ordering I really don't think you can go wrong with ordering from Stark Bros. They once again have an excellent reputation and will replace trees through their guarantee program.

Their facilities are on the eastern border of Missouri about even with the northern border of Kansas.

[bruce2288]

Stark bros is good. I have recieved nice trees from burnt ridge nursery (on the web) and they have very good prices also various root stock to choose from.

[hotzcatz]

I order in trees from Bay Laurel nursery in California and their trees are large, grow out quickly and survive shipping quite well. Our problem is lack of winter chill, though, so we have to find specific varieties which can handle the lack of cold winter. Ordering from someone growing trees in your area might be best since they would know the specific growing conditions you are in.

[cowboy joe]

Local nurseries are limited around here, good ones anyway. The ones we do have normally sell the larger (4-6') trees which are very expensive.

Typically, my trees come from the Soil Conservation tree program. The trees are grown at a State funded nursery, then sold as 12-24" bare root, usually ~$10/10 trees. Yep, they're small so it's a trade off of time versus money.

I've also ordered from Gurney's. Seems every year they send me a $25 off $50 purchase coupon so I'll buy a few trees and some seeds to meet the requirement. This year, I bought nectarines that they had on sale of $15 each. Always been happy with their products and service. One year, I received a potted blueberry plant that looked as if it was dragged behind the delivery truck. Called them up and within a few days I had a replacement, no questions asked. I like dealing with companies like that.

[7thswan]

I no longer will buy anything from a catalog unless it has a Lifetime guarantee.

[geo in mi]

Originally Posted by 7thswan

I no longer will buy anything from a catalog unless it has a Lifetime guarantee.

I'm not aware of anyone offering such a guarantee. Usually a one year replace/refund, but how would you define lifetime? Have you gotten nursery stock with that specific guarantee locally? I don't think very many people would guarantee apple or pear trees because of fireblight. And, what is the lifetime of a peach or cherry tree?

[blooba]

Originally Posted by geo in mi

I'm not aware of anyone offering such a guarantee. Usually a one year replace/refund, but how would you define lifetime? Have you gotten nursery stock with that specific guarantee locally? I don't think very many people would guarantee apple or pear trees because of fireblight. And, what is the lifetime of a peach or cherry tree?

They guarantee it won't die until its lifetime is over (died). lol Makes alot of sense.

[mnn2501]

Originally Posted by tyusclan

Always buy fruit trees locally. Your local nurseries will have varieties that are suited for your area.

Make sure its a local nursery and not a branch of some national chain store that also sells plants/tree's (like home depot, lowes, etc).

[Charly]

Denali, I'm a newbie to this whole homesteading thing, but really excited. Want to start my orchard this year. Just ordered plants on Monday from Kansas City Community Gardens. Told by friends they have good trees and that they research what does well here. Don't know where you are from in KS. I live in Overland Park, but am moving to Linn County.
Here is a link to Kansas City Community Gardens - http://www.kccg.org/
If you scroll to the bottom of the main page, there is an order form for the 2010 trees. There is a discount if you are a member. Membership is $10 a year and you get a bunch of seeds and some other things as part of your membership. In the past when I haven't been able to start my own plants, I have also purchased vegetable plants from them. They have always done well.
Good luck.

[piccololily]

I agree about the big chain stores (and even some smaller ones)...they are not always good places to buy. Case in point, a few of those places right in my neighborhood sell trees that are not cold-hardy for my zone 4! Now why would I want to go to all that trouble and expense to plant a tree that will die the next winter? Always check the tags carefully.

[Stephen in SOKY]

I bought my peach trees (60) from a local orchard. When he ordered his replacement stock he simply included extras for me and a few other people. The price compared well with ordering myself and the stock was obviously professional grade.

[piccololily]

Anyone have experience with the Arbor Day Foundation? What are their trees like--particularly fruit?

[ronbre]

be very very careful of putting money into larger potted trees, i have had really lousy luck with larger potted trees, generally they prune way way way too many roots off of them to get them into the pots..even large pots..and they just don't recover.

i have always had better luck with smaller bare root trees from places like Starks or Millers, they do guarantee and replace.

if you buy them locally, see if you can watch them being dug.