Keep an eye out for that sale, I got 9-10 trees for under $100. Nice selection and decent trees. Some dwarf and semi-dwarf stocks, for that price I can prune to keep them in line.[quote=“BobC, post:142, topic:5834”]
Yes deer will eat the leaves.
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I have around my trees a 5’ tall deer fence with a top, a two foot chicken wire fence for rabbits and in a few weeks I’ll put out weatherproof mouse blocks for voles and mice. I had a chicken wire cage come loose last winter and in a few days rabbits had found the break and almost destroyed a 3" caliper pear. We also relentlessly shoot any varmints we see. They’re all corn fed and pretty aggressive.
150 trees?? I wouldn’t call it a hobby, sounds like it’s reached the obsession stage . I won’t have any fruit on my trees for at least 2 more years, and I’m already looking at adding some more trees, and various berry bushes. Got a lot of land, must resist trying to fill it up with fruit trees…
With that many trees, do you have like a PYO orchard, or maybe sell your stuff to local markets?
I do some farmers markets, and make apple cider but, for the most part I sell by word of mouth. I have a few folks that drop by at the end of the year and pick all the fallen apples up deer hunting. I also donate to some local charities. I’m not sure if my fruit tree hobby started first or my beekeeping… either way, when I retire I might look at a PYO.
Planted them when received. All but one thrived and Stark’s have always been good about replacing them. If I can remember, Cox’s, ah…golden russet…Zestar ah…Cox’s…I got 9. Sorry, I’ll check tomorrow for a better answer.
Ok, before I forget, Spitz/sd, Wagoner/sd, Jonared/sd, jonagold/sd, GR/sd, Cox’s/sd, King co./sd, Zestar/d, and 2 others. They all took off and grew well except for King co. I won’t replace it. To make it better, I pushed off an old burn pile site and planted in that. Maybe it was all the burnt and charred wood in there because they are dark green and grew up to 2’. So thanks Stark’s, I’m pleased.
Our high temperatures and Fireblight put the Starks trees to the test. The ones that did not survive their first summer in Kansas they gladly replaced. Starks is a very good company.
My Pristine Apple from starks suffered some serious buck rub damage. I think it’s a goner from the looks of it. I don’t think Stark will replace a tree killed by deer. If it doesn’t leaf out I’ll cut it low and try to graft onto it below the deer damage.
A representative of Starks told me last spring that they will replace for a year from any reason, even if a rabbit kills it. I was surprised, but she assured me that it was the case.
Really! Guess it could’t hurt to try. I even had the tree fenced and had a rabbit guard around it. The damn deer took his antler, pulled up the rabbit guard and proceeded to molest the tree last fall/early winter. The top of the tree looks a little shriveled. I’m going to give it the scratch test.
I have been following the GardenWeb forums for years and just found this one through one of Scott’s helpful links. Seeing the news of this sale and the pictures of your beautiful trees is having a Pavlovian effect on me! I have a standing order at Stark bros but would almost wait on some of the trees for the sale this year… if I had the patience! Who knows if they’d still have them in stock then, so I doubt I’ll be able to wait. I have yet to receive any miscellaneous freebees from Stark, but they are great. I ordered a bunch of things from them last Winter/Spring including a beautiful 4-5’ branched (though “pruned”, as Stark bros. does) Seckel pear which unfortunately never took. I called and let them know and they set up a replacement order without another question. They send great stock, and when that doesn’t work out they are very good with their 1 yr warranty.
I was just perusing their site and noticed they no longer carry Pristine. What would they do about a replacement? Give me an $8.99 credit or let me pick another tree?
Chris, if you can wait till May or near that time they have a really good sale. I can’t remember shipping now… was very low or free… either way it was a really good price. Watch out for all the subliminal messages as well in this forum. “BUY TREES” “BUY TREES”
. I won’t have any fruit on my trees for at least 2 more years, and I’m already looking at adding some more trees, and various berry bushes. Got a lot of land, must resist trying to fill it up with fruit trees…