Stark EZ Start

Are the 4x4x10 and 5x5x12 pots with 1-2 foot and 2-3 foot tall apple trees ok or too stunted to grow off as a semi dwarf tree? Overpriced but all that is left for what I wanted in a Stark Spur tree.

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9 times out of 10, it is a bare-root that they tossed into a pot with some cheap medium. If there is nothing wrong with the tree and your climate allows for it, it will fill out.

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My first year planting I used starks for the majority of my trees, most were bare root planted in spring and later that year I bought a handful of the potted you mention that I planted in fall. My experience was most of the potted were a bit smaller caliper of trees than the bare root (I always bought the cheaper, smaller option), but they caught right up with the others within a year.

I’ve had good luck with Stark, I just wish they specified rootstocks.

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Long=term those pots are too small for sure, but sound like OK for this year.

I’ve had to contact them personally for the same. In some cases they were not sure and said something in the “M” series. Not enough information for sure.

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Some are M106. Root rots may be trouble in soggy locations that drain poorly.
The M106 should bear in 4 years, M7 probably 5. M111 takes longer to bear. The 106 is great tree if you have good drainage. A relative has a Starkrimson RD planted in 1977 or 1978 that’s still alive…in good years has had maybe 150 # of apples.

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