Okay, so my two trees from Arboreum Co arrived. The Sui Mi Tao peach looks really really nice. Very hefty caliper, great branching, extensive root system. The Cristobalina cherry, not so much. Worried about that one making it, never had such poor root system. Just a whip.
Hope it makes it, been waiting two years for this cherry. Ugh.
Patty S.
What about grafting the cherry onto something else to increase your chances?
The peach looks great! The cherry roots don’t look all that terrible. I’ve had worse and they grew just fine.
Hope so, Steve. Just such a drastic difference between the two trees. Hoosierbanana, I may try to graft a piece to my Royal Lee tree.
My Sweet Treat looked just like that last year. I cut the top off it and it sprouted branches everywhere. I think you will be surprised at how well it grows. I wouldn’t worry too much.
Thanks, folks. I waited so long for this little tree. Going to plant it tomorrow. Have to find a good spot for it, along with that really awesome peach. SO excited about both of these.
Patty S.
Your Cristobalina looks about the same as Dave Wilson shipped out the new 6GM25 cherry – small and whippy. But, 6GM25 is growing fine for me and sending out shoots from almost every bud on the whip. The size of what you got tells me that Cristobalina is in high demand at Arboreum. If your specimen grows well for you I may beg you for some bud wood. Since you have to top it to get it to branch out, I also second the idea of giving yourself a back-up graft on another cherry with the waste wood.
Greg, my two 6GM25 cherries were also whips, but both had about 3 times the amount of roots. I’m not worried about it being a whip, I’m more concerned about the lack of root system. But, others have said their bare root trees with similar root systems have survived, so I’m going to hope for the best. Going to toss a bag of worm castings in the well, so that may give it a wee boost. And yes, Cristobalina sold out pretty quickly for them. And I think grafting the top I cut off is a stellar idea.
Patty S.
I don’t think you’ll have a problem… I Looked up the Shui Mi Tao on Arboreum — says it needs 600 hrs chill. You think that’s a conservative estimate? Or are you getting that now?
I can get that much where I am. I have a fair number of stone fruit requiring that or more, and they have set for me.
My Cristobalina was a little smaller than my other cultivars from them, too, but I’m not too worried. The Passe Crassane pear I got last year was MUCH smaller than the other fruit I ordered from them, but it’s still going (though still runty). Their cultivars are very high quality and they grow very well, in general, so I’m sure you’ll be fine. It might have just been a slower year for that variety.
Thanks, Josh. Again, not worried about the size or that it’s a whip. I am concerned about lack of root system 
But, we’ll just have to see how it fares. All I can do it put it in the ground, keep it watered (not currently a problem here, as we are expecting even more rain if you can believe it). And a very light fertilizer application in a few months, if it starts to grow.
Yes, and I meant the roots, also. But having bought a really wimpy Santa Rosa from a big box store with an even more anemic looking root system, I wouldn’t worry too much. That tree still turned into a full sized tree. I think it will be more dependent on how vigorous the variety is. If the big box store tree can make it, I’m sure the one from Arboreum will be fine. And if there is a problem, you can probably go back to them and they’ll make it right. Good people.
In case you were worried, my Cristobalina has started to put out leaves, so I feel pretty confident yours will be ok, too, especially in San Diego. We had an almost summer-like heat spike last week and it got up to 84 degrees on my back porch, so everything is awake and growing (if it wasn’t already). Maybe I can post a picture later…I do hope yours is coming out ok!!!
Mine is too, Josh. It’s looking good. Pretty happy, have to say after that initial concern about lack of root system. I’ll try to post a pic tomorrow as well, if I can sneak out between the rain fall.
Patty S.
Has anyone on the east coast received their Arboreum order yet?
Steve
I was home at lunch time today and FedEx left a box at the front door from Arboreum. They didn’t send me an email saying that they were mailing them nor anything from FedEx either. I opened the box that had my Hakuto Peach and Spring Ruby Plumcot. I’m happy with what I got and they have some nice roots to them. Since you are not that far from me you should be getting your order soon. Some pics of the trees…
Hakuto Peach Height: 21" Caliper: 5/8"
Spring Ruby Plumcot Height: 25" Caliper: 1/2"
My Spring Ruby is already putting out reddish orange leaves!
Josh
Just wondering from what you said, did you get yours when it was dormant?
Yes, it was dormant and I chopped it down to 18", but I’m in California, so it warms up pretty quickly here. My trees have been awake for weeks.
