7 gallon apple trees vs 3 year bare root stock

[Bszweda]

Hi All,

Going to be driving down to pickup my apple trees at the nursery tomorrow and then hopefully plant them that day. I ordered 4 - 7 gallon trees, but today when I called to confirm they said they didn't have any more 7 gallon in the two red dawn variety I had chosen, they offered me three year bare root stock in that variety instead or substitute another 7 gallon variety ( liberty or Arkansas black). Any suggestions on what I should do? I already paid for these trees. I want to make sure I'm getting what I paid for I know the bare root stock will be easier to plant from the perspective of digging the hole. If I went with substitution of the 7 gallons id go with the Arkansas blacks most likely. Rage consumes me

 

[jsasker007]

Poor business on their part. Don't know what to tell ya.

 

[bigboreblr]

My wfie's shops weekly at a nursery with a mom n pop style grocery attached to it. I go walking in the nursery drooling over this shrub , that tree, cactus collection and the koi pond too.

In june the apple trees go on sale 30% off. I pick up these big trees in little 7 gallon pots. I take them home and untwist and snip the root ball mess the best I can......... I'd pick bareroots over that if they were taken cared of. Your only happy if you got the tree you got. They did sucker me on a freedom and macoun on who knows what.

I dug up arkansas black and gave it to a coworker 2 weeks ago. Was going to ut another liberty in m111 in there, but dug up a kerr on anty that was too close to some spruce trees and relocated it.

Best is to order online, get what you want on known rootstock from a reputable vendor.

 

[Bszweda]

Thanks I think I'll just go with the bare root stock in the variety I want. I'm not looking forward to planting the 7 gallons because I heard they are prone to root balling.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I think if I had the choice of two dormant trees that were approximately the same size with the same root mass and one was in a pot and the other a bare root, I would take the bare root tree every day. You may not know until you get there whether the 3-year-old trees are the same size or larger than the seven gallon pots.
I would probably still take the bare root trees even if they were slightly smaller.

 

[MW22392]

Long term I would prefer the bare root tree. The structure of the root system will be much better in the long run.