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.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I think it's a good idea to pick the variety you want, rather than being forced to pick between the Liberty and Arkansas Black. But don't forget to keep the rootstock they are offering in mind. You might want pick your prefered rootstock first, then the variety. I prefer bare root over 7 gallon myself, but I have purchased both, and had decent results. Good luck.

 

[Bszweda]

My fitbit says I'm at 5208 calories burned. 6 hours of solid back breaking work. The bare root stock looked pretty good from a size standpoint. The one without the flowers are them. I always feel like I'm planting dead expensive sticks with bare root. The other two are deer candy and rut master.

 

[Mortenson]

Sligh is in the news a lot these days. It's been some years, but before I joined here I joined at Iowa. He wasn't even the owner there yet, but he used to say ark black was his #1 fav deer hunting apple. Wonder if he still says the same.

 

[MW22392]

Sligh is in the news a lot these days. It's been some years, but before I joined here I joined at Iowa. He wasn't even the owner there yet, but he used to say ark black was his #1 fav deer hunting apple. Wonder if he still says the same.

I always was under the impression Arkansas black was a great choice, I planted a few this year, but after reading the variety description on Cummins nursery website it’s making me second guess my selection! The third sentence reads “this is not a very productive tree”. Does any one have much experience with a mature Arkansas black on their property?

 

[Teeder]

I have one tree thats going on its 4th summer ( no apples ), 1 that I put in last year and a graft . The graft I did on a Frankenstein tree produced last year. The apples were huge and hard as a rock on November 5. Not exactly what I would picture as a deer apple. As a matter of fact, I just grafted over the one that I put in last year to Buckman.

 

[bigboreblr]

I always was under the impression Arkansas black was a great choice, I planted a few this year, but after reading the variety description on Cummins nursery website it’s making me second guess my selection! The third sentence reads “this is not a very productive tree”. Does any one have much experience with a mature Arkansas black on their property?

Guys down south and northern too during drought get zero apples. Arkansas black is pretty good for hot climates and no watering.

Thinking dolgo x arkansas black would make a great combination.

 

[Apple Junkie]

Nice job getting those trees off to a good start, Lol... I feel your pain! As for the Arkansas Black, I planted one just to see how it would do up here in NY, but I lost it in a flood 3 years later. But, in those 3 years, it did not impress me compared to some other varieties I planted that same year. According to the Pomiferous website, "it produces light crops on a biennial basis. Best suited to regions with a long growing season". Any apple is a good apple in my mind, but in hindsight, I would not plant another one where I am (5a).

 

[Telemark]

I planted one in the hopes it would be a good late season apple. We'll see.

 

[Teeder]

Something I've read, but haven't seen mentioned here.
Regarding Arkansas Black:
"Pollination: It is a triploid variety and requires two other diploid apple varieties for full pollination. "

 

[Bszweda]

I always was under the impression Arkansas black was a great choice, I planted a few this year, but after reading the variety description on Cummins nursery website it’s making me second guess my selection! The third sentence reads “this is not a very productive tree”.

Man that's like reading fine print, and realizing maybe Arkansas blacks aren't ideal for deer. I liked them because of the late drop time. I just assumed these big name apple trees are productive every year if they pollinate.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Thinking dolgo x arkansas black would make a great combination.

I put one of these in this year. BlueHill sells them.

 

[Teeder]

I put one of these in this year. BlueHill sells them.

That's what both of my planted trees are.