Stark -Franklins

[White Birch Farm]

Stark has Franklin whips on sale. With coupons and low priced shipping they are reasonably priced now.

Also, if you are looking for an early fall pear. Their Blakes Prides are on sale now as well.

https://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/apple-trees/stark-franklin-cider-apple

 

[KylePa]

Thanks quite tempting. Headed to my cabin this weekend was thinking if they had them at my house by Friday I could put some in the ground. The M7 rootstock is all that is scaring me.

 

[g squared 23]

Yeah, my tree budget is tapped out this spring. I’m trying to be good and get my student loans paid off by August so my order NEXT year will be voluminous


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[silver_yummies]

Just received my 2 today and got them in the ground. Roots looked great but caliper wasn’t the thickest. Excited for this variety to produce!

 

[Apple Junkie]

Thanks quite tempting. Headed to my cabin this weekend was thinking if they had them at my house by Friday I could put some in the ground. The M7 rootstock is all that is scaring me.

That pretty much hits the nail on the head for me too. I really like the Franklin I got on B.118 rootsrock. Now that it's a Stark Bros. exclusive, the options are a lot more limited. Still, it's a nice tree to have.

 

[sandbur]

I also purchased some limb spreaders.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[roth2000]

Nice sandbur. How well do those limb spreaders work when the wind gets to blowing?

 

[Apple Junkie]

I am dying to know how you managed to order that Sandbur. Am I missing something when I go to the web-site? ....luck? ....phone call? I'd be a lot more likely to buy from them if I could determine the rootstock.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^ X-2. I'd love to get some Franklins on standard rootstock, like Antonovka. Our 2 Franklins on B-118 are growing well - but we got them from Cummins when they had them 2 years ago.

 

[silver_yummies]

Oh wow Sandbur, B118!

I honestly didn’t even check what my tag said when I planted them. I’ll be sure to look next time I get back to the land.

 

[sandbur]

Nice sandbur. How well do those limb spreaders work when the wind gets to blowing?

The wind is blowing now and I will know in a few days.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sandbur]

I am dying to know how you managed to order that Sandbur. Am I missing something when I go to the web-site? ....luck? ....phone call? I'd be a lot more likely to buy from them if I could determine the rootstock.

I ordered via phone last fall and said I preferred B118 but would take whatever they had.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^ - Bur - Based on what I've seen of our 2 Franklins on B-118, I think you'll find they grow pretty well. Not slow by any means. I like what I see so far.

 

[Appleman]

I also purchased some limb spreaders.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If the spreaders start to slide Wooden close pins fastens just above where it could slide works great.

 

[Appleman]

I ordered via phone last fall and said I preferred B118 but would take whatever they had.
I plant an additional 20 Franklins to my orchard this spring. Franklins in my tree plot for wildlife did exceptionally well outpacing growth of other varieties. Trees planted on my property and at the University of Vermont cider project were found to be loaded with fruit blossoms on B118 a year after planting. Not typical of most other varieties.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yoderjac]

I ordered two of them a while back. They greened up nice and I got about 6" of top growth. Then, out of the clear blue, the green stems and leaves began to wilt. They are now both dead. I emailed Stark a week or two ago and sent them pictures. I didn't ask them to do anything. I figured they would eventually contact me back and ask how to proceed. Instead, the next email I got was a new order for two trees with a cost of $0.00 followed by a second email saying they were shipped.

It was pretty late in the year for me. I would have preferred having them ship them next year, but didn't have a chance to have that alternative considered. I'm guessing they have leftover trees and it is getting late to sell them.

At any rate, I potted up the trees. They are significantly smaller than the original trees, but seem to have more dense root balls.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Appleman]

Nice sandbur. How well do those limb spreaders work when the wind gets to blowing?

They will stay on by clipping wooden cloth pins on each end.

 

[H20fwler]

My last order from Stark was very disappointing...not Franklin's just not satisfied with Stark anymore on the quality and how vigorous my last order of trees were.

 

[sandbur]

Nice sandbur. How well do those limb spreaders work when the wind gets to blowing?

They have stayed in place pretty well. The orchard has been exposed to these east winds the last week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Appleman]

My last order from Stark was very disappointing...not Franklin's just not satisfied with Stark anymore on the quality and how vigorous my last order of trees were.

I have been doing business with Stark for over 20 years and this was the most challenging season for securing my order of over 1200 trees. One change I have seen is they are shipping trees out using shredded newspaper to keep the root balls damp instead of using bark mulch. The shredded newspaper dries very quickly and moves about freely in the box while in transit exposing the roots to dry out. I see this as a cost saving measure that seriously compromises the condition of the trees once delivered. My trees received were one to two sizes smaller then what was ordered. Stark did a caliper price adjustment to my order. I also received at least 200 trees less then I had requested in June of 2017 on a pre-bud order for spring 2019. I could provide examples of one problem right after another with the challenges I faced this season. I have since brought this to the attention of upper management at Stark telling how badly the Marketing and Sales division has become and hopefully it will be corrected.