How would you like to walk out into your backyard and pick your own, homegrown, apples, pears, peaches, cherries, grapes, raspberries or strawberries? Looking for a place to buy starter plants?
I’ve got a source for you.
Schlabach’s Nursery in Medina, New York
But first I am going to tell you straight out that I have never done business with this nursery but I intend to send in my order in the coming weeks. They sent me their catalog and I’ll tell you what I like about the catalog and what I know about this nursery thus far.
First of all, their catalog is simple. No color photos. Nothing against beautiful color pictures, but in the nursery business that’s not how we buy plants and that’s not how we are sold. Sometimes (I had to fight with my fingers to type “sometimes” because my fingers and one side of my brain wanted to type “often times” but I don’t think that’s fair) companies with full-color catalogs fail to make their customers happy, and I’ll leave it at that. That’s certainly not always the case, but being in this position I hear a lot of plant-buying horror stories.
So their catalog is simple and to the point. I picked up the phone and gave them a call. The owner answered the phone. That’s always a good sign. Actually, that’s a really good sign. I quizzed him a little about how he markets his nursery and he told me that most of the business is referrals. Neighbors telling neighbors. That’s another really good sign.
They don’t have a website. I take that as a good sign because many small growers can’t be bothered with a website. They just pedal along taking care of their customers and are not always looking for a sea of new prospects. Some of the best growers that I know have a really low profile on the Internet.
This nursery is situated in an Amish community. So what’s that mean? To me that says; “Small Family Owned Business”. Another good sign. I see this all the time with our Backyard Growers. When they pack their plants up to ship they put them in the box with loving care. Trust me, it makes a difference.
From what I can tell Schlabach’s Nursery sells mostly, if not all, fruit trees and fruit-bearing plants. Apples, Blackberries, Cherries, Grapes, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Quince, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Blueberries. Maybe more, I don’t know for sure.
You need to know. Fruit trees and other fruit-bearing plants are hot sellers! Our Backyard Growers are always looking for wholesale sources for these types of plants because people are asking for them. That’s why I am placing my order with this nursery. I’ll buy a bunch of stuff that I can pot up and resell.
So if you are interested in any fruit-bearing plants I suggest you send a note to Schlabach’s Nursery via snail mail and request their catalog. Don’t look up their phone number and call them up! That’s not how they do business. The owner told me that he’d prefer that people write and request a catalog. They do not have a phone room with operators standing by. They are a family with lots and lots of things going on. Please respect their wishes and request a catalog by mail and place your order by mail.
I called him because I wanted to make sure that he was okay with me posting this. They have a cover price on the catalog of $2.00. He did not specifically say that they charge $2.00 for the catalog so I’ll leave that up to you. Their mailing address is:
Schlabach’s Nursery
2784 Murdock Rd.
Medina, New York 14103
If you want, tell them that I sent ya.
If you have done business with Schlabach’s Nursery and would like to write a review for them please post one below.
I have been searching for a reliable fruit tree/plant dealer…NOT having any luck with the BIG guys. Plants die, are super expensive or are out of stock.
Bought your gardening package about 15 years ago…finally retired so we could use it. Now we are in poor health…BUT I have enjoyed it on a tiny scale, if not in the way we thought…ha
Elaine, in our members area we have a few members that sell fruit trees and some really great wholesale suppliers that sell all kinds of fruit trees.
Actually a lot of members sell fruit trees in their local areas. They buy from our wholesale suppliers. They sell a lot of them! Good, hardy, healthy trees.
I have gotten a mag from them for over 5 yrs.
Mike
I am on the board of MIDFEX, Midwest Fruit Explorers out of Chicago Metro.
We are a club of backyard orchardists. One of out go to sites is Home Orchard Society of Portland.
If you check the search bar at http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/ you will find practically any question you have on growing fruit answered and commented on by many people around the world.
Live about 20 minutes from Schlabach’s…..buying their for some time……excellent stock. All grown on the shores of Lake Ontario. Amish owned farm….very honest and reasonable
WAS LOOKING FOR NONE Hybrid fruit trees, but got this crap of ppl jacking jaws.
Okay then.
We know the Schlabachs personally from having lived in the Medina area for three years (2011-2014). We went personally to their farm many times. We didn’t buy any trees from them, since we didn’t have room for them in our gardening scheme. However, we bought many bushels of their apples for canning, and were SO pleased with the quality as well as the customer service. They use sound business practices and attend to their customers in a conscientious manner. We especially appreciated the fact that, if they were unable to answer the phone, they ALWAYS returned calls if we left a message on the answering machine. We highly recommend them.
Thanks Cynthia, I appreciate that.
Hi Mike–I’m wondering if you ever placed an order with Schlabach’s, what you got, and how they fared. I’m in zone 9, and want to know if it is likely that a grower in NY would have anything with low chill requirements.
Joycee,
I have purchased from Schlabach’s and was very happy. But plants for zone 9, they probably are not your best source.
Hi can you tell me if these fruit trees can grow in the Caribbean more strawberry (sun and rain climate)
David,
I really don’t know much about your climate but I can tell you this. It never pays to buck the climate. If nobody in your climate is growing these types of fruits then more than likely they will not do well.
Mike, this is in response to your e-mail today (02/20/2018) : all the Apple trees I’ve planted came from Schlabach’s. I’m in southern Wayne County, OH, and a dealer in Berlin gets all his supply from them.
The trees do well, but I accidentally ordered some dwarf species and they did not fare well in the Ohio winter. About half of them died. Not blaming it on the nursery; it was my mistake for ordering dwarfs. Everything else is growing just fine.
Thanks Jerry. Not sure why the dwarfs would have failed, seems there are a lot of them around here.
I saw in the catalog they have Quince trees, does anyone know what size they are?
I have had pear trees for at least 7 years. I have not gotten 1 piece of fruit. I tried spraying with dormant spray and ended up killing one tree. Whatever fruit I get it is eithe r diseased or eaten by squirrels. I tried putting barriers around the trunks, to no avail. I have four trees which are supposed to pollinate each other. Please help as I am sorry I ever planted them.
I love your info and look forward to reading them. Sarah Olivito
Sarah,
This info might help. https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/resource000587_rep609.pdf
Hi, Mike. I bought your gardening system awhile back and am just getting started. But there is no time like the present.
Anyway, I used some Bontone rooting powder on the cuttings which are now starting to take root and I was just looking over the instructions on the bottle and noticed it said not to use with plants to be eaten.
Well, what I used it on was grapes and blueberries. Can you tell me why it is not supposed to be used with edibles and do I need to start over with something natural? I wanted to go organic anyway.
Thank you for your time,
Karen
Karen,
I honestly don’t know except that I’m sure it’s a legal disclaimer that has to be on all such products. ????
I have placed a couple of large orders with (Schlabach’s Nursery) and they have a lot of older variety apple trees that are not found in Big Box stores or other nurseries . But make sure you check on the growing zone on some of the apple trees . I’m in Zone 4 B and lost a few of the trees I planted out in the field for resale . I plan on reordering again but will ask about their return policy on trees that don’t grow .
Thanks Mike about Schlabachs….I really miss the Millers from Canandaigua who merged with Stark brothers. Medina is a hop skip for me. Weather’s been a rollercoaster along the Great Lakes this season. What do you think about the http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/tree_fruit/resources/The%20Tall%20Spindle%20Planting%20System.pdf Tall Spindle fruit tree idea. We had an ice storm again in our area and so many fruit tree branches came down with the weight and all and Im wondering of these tall spindle form trees could be the better choice for backyard growers and therefore for those of us who see em the littles? Other thing is it would be a whole lot easier to wrap them against weather extreme than to try and warm up the traditional shaped trees. Also, one of the larger produce places in my area, Cahoons, had to jump start with hormones again after weather extremes caused bud out issues….that is really expensive!
Schlabach’s Nursery
2784 Murdock Rd, Medina NY 14103
phone: (585) 798-6198 (best time to call is AM)
Toll-free voice mail for catalog requests only: 1-866-600-5203.
Kathy,
I don’t honestly know but I’m sure it’s worthy of a test. I always look to the big growers to see what they are doing, are they changing this or just keeping them the same. As a whole growers are a pretty progressive group and if there’s a better way out there, they usually find it.
too much comments and to little info
I live about 10 miles from Schlabach’s and buy from them every year. They are Amish which is the reason for no phone. They will check the phone once a day I believe located somewhere in their community.. That is not how they mainly do business, as was said, snail mail works best. I find that their plants and trees are all very good quality and good size for the money .We are located along Lake Ontario shoreline so most all their stock is very winter hardy. I have found them very honest and they will stand buy their stuff within reason.
Hi Mike I’ve been subscribing for some time now and love your info. I have a problem I hope you can help me with, I bought a house 10 yrs ago and it had 3 grapes trying to grow, I had to transplant them as they were in a very bad spot. One is now going bonkers, all over the place and it’s certainly an excessive grower, last year was the second time it produced grapes, small 1/2″ pale green and very sweet. The other two grapes hardly produce anything. I know one is a concord and have no idea what the 3rd is, but the grapes on both are the size of peas. Please help me on this, I’d love to grow regular size grapes, I don’t fertilize but they do get watered pretty often.
Thanks for your wonderful site and helpful ideas.
Robin
Any comments from those who live in the Colorado region-specifically the “Front Range” north of Denver. I would be interested in any wholesale fruit tree sources in this area and also how fruit trees started in the east will fare here.
We haven’t had much luck with our fruit trees in the past, Our disadvantages have been wood-
peckers, possums, very sandy land and either too much rain or not enough rain.. I know none of those can really be controlled, except, maybe, for the amount of water the plants get. when it is
a dry growing season. We have tried plums, peaches, strawberries, blackberries and figs. Oh, yes!
I failed to mention our most numerous group of pests–those cute little squirrels !! They manage to
get under the netting we put on the beautiful peaches and steal everyone of them. We had de-
cided that it wasn’t worth the work–trying to protect our crop–so we gave up. I would enjoy see-
ing anything which would give us a clue of some way to prevent varmint damage!.
Thanks for all the tips and discussion. I raise a large vegetable garden every year and sometimes it is challenging in my state. I have had very good success with grapes, especially seedless varieties, from Seaway Coldhardy Grapevines, 29250 Rt. 11, Evans Mills, NY 13637. He’s a high school teacher starting out in the plant business. Once you have a plant established just take hardwood cuttings for the next. One good seeded grape is Brianna-has a hint of pinapple. I like seedless Sumerset and ES6-4-47. Trollhaugen is another. I have seeded but I’m not a winemaker. I like the juice better than wine.
i placed a large order of apple trees last year. (just wish the caliper was a little bigger) 5′ rare varieties that i have not seen anywhere for sale in northern new york area (Lake Ontario). they arrived in a well packaged box and so far seem to be doing well . i put their plants to the survival test and they passed so i plan on placing another order this week. happy gardening frank
Can you tell us the prices of the Apple and Pear trees please? Do they have dwarf trees? Sounds like a cool place. Thank you!
Mike
Sooo good to hear about fruit trees … Honey Crisp apple trees I’m sure are a PATENTED tree from the university of Minnesota. The reason I know is my Son got two about 3 years ago and had me plant them in my back yard. Curt
The plant patent on Honey Crisp apple has expired.
Hebron,
I didn’t check but if the name Honey Crisp is trademarked a person cannot use that name without entering into an agreement and pay royalties to the trademark holder.
Mike,
If the patent expired but the name is trademarked, how would a BYG go about marketing plants of that nature? Can you clone them and still call them by their botanical name? Or just avoid these (unless they’re bringing in big profit)?
Duane,
Once the patent is expired you are free to propagate the plant but the name is a registered trademark and is likely to be for a long time. But the botanical name you are free to use. Just be careful not mention the trademarked name in any of your advertising. This is not legal advice, just a dirt farmer’s understanding of the law.
I love the small grower because they are the ones that have the time to talk about your family as well as your soil and plants. The small growers take the time to get to know their customers. These are the retailers that have people saying, “I shop at the same place my dad shopped when he was gardening.” ( kinds of like you and Dustin )
Thanks for the information.
Great review.
I have done business with Schlabach’s Nursery. they are very good and reliable. i got a catalog from them after reading about them in one of your emails a year or two so ago . I will be ordering more from them.
i found them to be very honest.
Harold Stewart.
MIKE YOU ARE GREAT I WISH YOU WERE AROUND WHEN I STARTED GARDENING 48 YEARS AGO AT 19 YEARS OLD. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER I AM GLAD I FOUND YOUR SITE AND GETTING YOUR E MAILS REGULARLY AND BELIVE ME I AM STILL LEARNING FROM YOUR MAILS AND VIDEOS MUCH BETTER THAN ANY GARDEN BOOKS I HAVE. THANK YOU .
LALE FROM ISTANBUL TURKIYE
Thank you so much for the fruit tree information.
I need to order some pots to take care of the 800 plants I have kept in my propagation bed over the winter. Can you advise?
We do business with schlabachs every year. Their nursery is about an hour from where we live. They are now the only nursery we prefer to do business with. Wonderful people who truly care about the fruit growing success of their customers. VERY knowledgeable about their trees. I highly recommend them! Their trees are in great condition and are cheaper than any other nursery ive seen.
Bird mineral that you give to a parrot ?.
I looked on the ingredients and it Sid copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, on an on all of things that my plants need. So I’m given it a try. Do you think that’s well work ok ?. all the Minerals are in it. What is your opinion ? Gary PS. also this is the only place I could FIND TO leave you a message.Or Question
I found where I could send E-Mail to you . So I did that also. Gary from Arizona.
Gary, all of my incoming Email goes to may assistant. There are only so many things I can do myself and Email is not one of them. If you have questions for me post them here and I do my best to come here almost daily to answer them.
Mike I would like too know,how you trim fruit trees ?
Tom, I really need to address fruit tree pruning again, but I do have this article. http://www.freeplants.com/apple-trees.htm
Thank you for the heads up about this nursery Mike. I just filled out a request for a catalog and it’s signed, sealed and waiting for a stamp and a trip to the post office tomorrow. I’m really excited about my gardening this year!
Hi, Mike. I bought your gardening system awhile back and am just getting started. But there is no time like the present.
Anyway, I used some Bontone rooting powder on the cuttings which are now starting to take root and I was just looking over the instructions on the bottle and noticed it said not to use with plants to be eaten.
Well, what I used it on was grapes and blueberries. Can you tell me why it is not supposed to be used with edibles and do I need to start over with something natural? I wanted to go organic anyway.
Thank you for your time,
Karen
Dear Mike
Thanking your information i will try to visit your plantation and necessary to order some plants on this quarterly, in Sri-lanka we don’t have facility to perches what you have introduce as marketable plants so i wish to visit there near future , also i would like to get practice & training as manually in your necessary if i get chance to import your product which ii fist time to My Country also if you hope to visit sri Lanka we have enough lands and related facilities to start it. also i can get fullest supports in varies State and private sector as well as INGO as a project. wish you happy and prosperous New year.
Many thanks
Eric Ebenazer
Sri- Lanka
094-0772518771 Mobile
094-0243244907 office
094-0212285386-office Direct
The University of California trains and educates students to contribute to the education about sustainable growing all over the world. They encourage their students after graduation to go to other countries all over the world, especially 3rd world countries and share their knowledge about how to grow, produce and market agricultural products. They will invite people from other countries to come to the University to learn about growing almost anything edible.
Awesome, great programs!
In honor of my Grandfather I’d intended to plant a several acre orchard with every fruit that’d grow here in Oklahoma. I’d as good start when this drought started ‘bout 3 years ago. Darn near everything I’d planted has died off. I’d watered faithfully in the evening and shaded as I could but the nonstop heat got them before they were well established. I think I’ll hold off until we start getting more dependable rain. With my age and health I can’t wait too long.
IN His Grace
Elton
Elton, fall is a great time to plant but since most fruit trees are sold bare root they probably are not available in the fall. One option would be to buy in the spring, put them all in a bed close to the house, then transplant in the fall AFTER they go dormant. It’s a lot of extra work though. -Mike McGroarty
I live in Mich,the soil here has a lot of clay,gets hard as concrete sometimes,So I have 10 3ft wide by 16 ft long Boxes.Im doing all my propagating in these boxes.Soil is soft and loamy easy to work with,Asperigus too.I transplant to the field after I have worked with it awhile to make it weed free and lot of manure and humus worked up in it.The boxes are the best thing I’ve ever done,Just sit on the side of them and work around your plants with a little hand tool.This spring im making some covers for some of them kinda of a copy on Mike’s boxes.
If anyone would like to visit Schlabach’s nursery, type the address in Google Earth. You’ll get a nice aerial view.
All great information on fruit trees! I have a general question – do you need a licence to sell plants? I live in Wisconsin and am not sure of the requirements.
Ed, I cover all of that in my Backyard Growing System. You do need a license but it’s a pretty simple process.
Mike…
Thanks for the Schlabach’s Nursery info, we’ll be sending for their catalogue.
We have a small diversified organic/permaculture farm & holistic retreat center and are going to expand into more of the plant selling business. We are enjoying and appreciating all your wisdom and experience!
Do you or does anyone else, have leads on a wholesale grower for hardy bamboo?
Happy 2013 everyone!
Rachel, my Backyard Growing System comes with a directory of all of the wholesale suppliers that I buy from and more. There are a lot of things that are included in my system that I cannot share here and many of these sources have little to no presence at all online. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
Andy I agree with Bill. I have grown Asparagus quite well by following the advice from an old timer. I dig a trench 1′ to 2′ deep. put a 6″ layer of straight fresh horse manure in the bottom put in the plants cover them with more fresh horse manure 3 to 4″ deep and add more manure as the plants grow through it until the ditch is full. Water the plants by flooding the ditch every time you see that there is a lack of new spears coming up. I know that you won’t believe you can plant them in straight horse manure but you can and it works. The only other thing that will make them lay over is wind. We have lots of it here where I live and I have to stake up my plants. A two foot ditch is best.
I’ve done the same with horse manure and it works well. The soil level drops quite a bit the first couple of years but if you have horses you have plenty of manure to add to your beds. I did this with all my raised beds and everything thrived!
I’m looking for a place to buy chemicals for spraying fruit trees in larger amounts
Hello Mike,
New Year Greetings From Australia. just purchased a lovely thornless American Blackberry bush and it has lots of new side growths for fruiting for next season. I’m in the midst of preparing the planting hole for it between planting up my rooted cuttings, transplanting seedlings and watering all the potted plants. and enjoying every minute! aiming to add some more Australian gardeners on board for 2013.
Andy, the problem with your Asparagus could be your raised bed. Might not be holding enough moisture.Ferns need the right amount of moisture. Are they getting enough sun light? I think they would do better being planted ground level.
I have a 2013 E and R seed and plant catalog.They state WE SELL NO G M O VEGETABLE SEEDS. I believe they are Amish also. They can only be reached by phone (sometime)or by mail. There address is E&R Seeds 1356 E 200 S Monroe,In.46772. I don’t know about the Monsanto claim, they being Amish.
I have a 2013 E&R seed and plant catalog.They state- WE SELL NO GMO VEGETABLE SEEDS. Their address is E and R Seeds 1356 E 200S Monroe, In 46722.Very good magazine.I believe they are Amish also.They can only be reached by phone(some time)or mail.I don’t know about the Monsanto stuff.
I may have to order that too. Mike: Do you know of any suppliers closer too the west. I’m in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada!
Happy new year, Mike!
I live in rutherfordton Inc. The mountain side of the state.I have had a love affair with the H.L.WALKING STICK and CORKSCREW WIILOW. I can,t find any qty for sale here. There is line guy, but he wants my first born son for payment.
Can I buy from you? I want to start with 3 or 5 walking sticks.
Let me know please.
Be safe be happy.
Lady, I am not shipping any plants at this time but we do have members that sell the Harry Lauder’s for about $4.50 each last time I checked. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
ill have to mail them too. im very interested in apple trees.
a question though, how old/close to bearing fruit are there trees? i know this is a newb question but i heard it takes 10 years for an apple tree to produce fruit, but if i get one from a nursery the tree will be a few years old.
Shawn, I can’t say for sure, but these trees have been in production for a few years so I’d say you should have some fruit the second year.
Mike I sent for a catalog and I asked a few questions about blueberries. While I have your attention I will ask you. Any advice or referance you can give me on pruning and making productive again, decades old blueberry bushes? You Tube have some videos but are very limited on info for old bushes. The are still productive but leggy. Thanks
Marie, if it were me I’d start with a hard pruning now, during the winter, and I’d also do some root pruning by forcing a spade in the ground around the plants. Fertilize in early spring and I think you’ll see revitalized plants. -Mike McGroarty
Hello Mike; A very happy and blissful new year to you and your family.
I have a question on asparagus. I planted some asparagus last year in a raised bed. The problem is that the ferns do not hold up and kinda droop down.The plants are about 2 feet tall. I have had to tie them up and support them on stakes. Why is this happening and what am I doing wrong?
Andy, I don’t know much about Asparagus, hopefully somebody else will have an answer.
maybe they are too young, over fertilized and growing to fast?
Andy the first year or 2 the ferns are small and will not stand up this will get better but if you have a lot of wind they may still blow over sometimes but for the most they will get fatter as they grow older and stand up better make sure you let them grow for 2 or 3 years before you pick them so they can grow a large root system so you are not doing anything wrong
Hi Andy, We’ve been growing asparagus for quite a few years, both by planting roots and by watching for volunteers that spring up in unlikely places.
Your plants are very young so their stalks are thin. As they get older, like next year, the stalks will be thicker and they will stand up better. You do know to pick very carefully the second year, and nothing less than your little finger thick. We let the young ones and the ones who come along after the first couple of weeks just go to fronds and seeds and our bed has been quite prolific and we have had babies in assorted places, I’m sure planted by the birds who like the seeds. Further, as the fronds grow (6’+) the pretty red berries make a very nice picture and the birds seem to like scurrying around in them.
So, the short answer is that they are young. Do, however, watch for actual bends in the stalks (either green or as fronds) which indicates something chewing on it and then you want to look for invaders. We’re totally organic so we let nature take care of most problems for us and it’s worked thus far – but do check Mike McGrath’s site ‘You Bet Your Garden’ if you need help with insect problems.
Hope this helps a bit.
I heard about Schlabach’s Nursery a little over a year ago, from the owner of an Amish orchard near me (who has since moved to another state). This gentleman gave me a catalog, and I got together with neighbors and friends and put together a large order for fruit trees and berry bushes. EVERYTHING has thrived, for all of us. Their prices and shipping are very reasonable, esp. if you put together a large order like we did. Highly recommend them.
3 things…
1. It is always a pleasure receiving your emails and wataching your videos, especially on a day like today. We had snow yesterday, it is 30 degrees outside and I now have to dig out! I look forward to your communications to get me through the winter.
2. I was laid off from my full time job over a year ago and haven’t been able to find “suitable” full time employment since. I will have to settle for a low paying job immediately, but at least I know it is temporary. Thanks to your encouragement, I plan to turn my little 1/4 acre behind my house into a nursery. I know it will take time, but I also know eventually I will be doing something I really love!
3. Thank you for all the information you provide. You continue to inspire me and give me hope for the future.
Deboarah, Let me give you something to think about. What if you had started growing small plants two or three years ago? How many plants would you have today? Those small plants are better than money in the bank because they appreciate. I used to take friends in my backyard and show them my savings account. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm -Mike
thanks for the tip on fruit trees. I have been looking for someplace like that. Then of all things its within fifty miles
Schlabach’s sounds great. But does anyone know where I can get blueberries and raspberries that will grow in south Florida (Palm Beach County)?
My cousin, Pam Fry, runs a Mom & Pop nursery in Pisgah Forest, N.C. You can reach her at: [email protected]
She is honest and hard-working.
They are lovely people to work with, and when they have time they will come around and do seminars on how to care for your small orchard. Mennonite family, so don’t get your hopes up for a website. 🙂 nice quality trees from what I have seen
Another GREAT company in Indiana is Indiana Berry https://indianaberry.com/
They have great selection and the plants always arrive in PERFECT condition and will often try to fruit the very first year.
As far as an honest to goodness homegrown business to see in Indiana, there’s a nursery called Marlin’s Plant Kingdom http://www.marlinplants.com
located in Greenfield Indiana. Ron (the owner) started the business with his wife almost 30 years ago as a roadside vegetable stand with produce from their garden. Today, at age 70, he has ten greenhouses and still sows and grows everything he sells. He also experiments with alternative heating through solar panels and waste oil conversion. He is an interesting and very amusing character.
What is an average price for an apple tree from NY in their catalog?
Our county has very restrictive rules on back yard growers, so I have not proceeded with my desire to get in the business. I am growing red & black raspberries and strawberries. I sell to neighbors. any suggestions on going ahead with back yard growing?
Move out of the County or run for a particular County Office where you establish basic freedoms for your area.
John, I don’t know anything about your county, but usually the county isn’t the issue. Could be city regulations or homeowner association issues. If you live in a township or rural area you can probably do more than you think you can. You don’t need a big full blown operation. You can stick 100 cuttings in a flat and sell them for a profit. http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
I am curious as to how these plants that are started in New York will hold up in the southern heat and humidity
Tim, the plants should be plenty cold hardy and will do well in any warmer zone that they are rated for. What zone are you in? Most fruits should do well as high as zone 7 for sure, probably zone 8.
Mike,
what do you think about Gurleys (or something like that) Nursery. They seem to have great prices.
Thanks Mike as stated earlier food producing plants is what I want to persue. I’m involved in a wellness supplement (robinfenn dot vemma dot com). I’ll folow up with these leads and see what I can do in the future
Black berries are kinda my niche.First rootstock doesnt make sense to me because what you have is a plant that will never make anything.It is the roots that you want to have springing up from that plant that will raise up and they will make your berries the following year..I will have a limited supply of root cuttings to sell this fall of a few different varieties.You space them in the ground about 3 inches deep in early spring and forget about them. All the shouts that spring from those roots will be the plants that make your berries next year.Root cuttings are different than root stock..Rasberries are different in that you can get berries from root stock the first year in the fall,the suckers that come up from them can be transplanted or left for a stronger berry crop the next spring.Be aware that all the berry plants kinda droop to the ground the first year.Second year they will stand up better for you.So if you really want a good berry patch.Work your ground up this spring and keep it worked and enriched all year till fall planting.When you can plant dormant .Again I think root cuttings are best,you dont have to keep them alive and sprayed or anything .Warm weather they will pop up and they are soooo pretty and allready well established when other folks are just starting to try and set potted plants into the ground.
Great information! Thanks Bob!
You did not mention what variety of Blackberry you are working with. Thornless or thorny? Propagate by rhizomes off roots? Upright or trellis supported?
Fruit off first year canes or second year?
Ok sorry,Ziti,, I have navaho,apache,kiowa,black satin.Navaho doent do to well with root cuttings so I layer them.Apache all are thornless except Kiowa.Apache and Kiowa are under patented ,but I get a large bunch from a licensed farm.So I can sell what I dont plant.I’ve tried to arrange for a contract with UNIV of Arkansas but no luck yet,its like pulling teeth.But im still working on it.You can e-mail me at [email protected] and Ill file it ,Let you know something soon as I know.
Hi Mike,
really great experience with Schlabachs…easy easy to deal with…love them….I heard a thing I wanted to share…Mason Farm Market, Williamson or Ontario NY, along Great Lakes…didnt lose any appples in last year’s freak weather…they fertilized with something that gave them a strong root bud…other growers in our area had to jump start with hormones, which cost a bundle and there were major losses…Do you have any idea what fertilizer they used in their orchards or any ideas about nutrients to hardy up fruit trees? Kathleen OMeal..Chairperson…EPAC..nations largest family preparedness organization since 2006
Kathleen,
I really don’t know what fertilizer they might have used. I kinda doubt that the fertilizer was the magic. Most of the losses around here and in other areas really didn’t have anything to do with the roots. It was a combination of weather that was just too warm most of winter, especially in February, and plants budded out way too early. Then in April we experienced really cold weather and all of the new growth and buds froze doing serious damage to many plants.
So with this nursery located in New York state near the lake, maybe the lake had an effect that kept one or the other from happening. Here in northern Ohio Lake Erie plays a major part in our weather, especially along the lake. In the fall we dodge most of the early frosts because the lake temp is high enough to warm the air 5 to 10 miles from the Lake. In the spring we often have the opposite effect if it’s been cold and the lake is frozen solid. Others feel warm air while our temps remain cooler until the lake warms up.
That’s just my theory but thanks for asking. Maybe somebody else will have different information. I obviously don’t know it all.
Kathleen, could be they are using mycorrhiza in their orchard – that can give plants a well developed, resistant root system with enough advantage to survive when other plants don’t. You can read more about it at fungi dot com. And no, I do not buy from that source! Just like it a lot, and think that mycorrhiza is a much better way to go than synthetic fertilizers. Good luck!
Mike, I’m in AZ… do you have contacts out here for backyard growers? Interested in the plantings AZ… both landscape and garden! thanks for all your info… love it!
Marty,
I do have Backyard Growers in Arizona but none of them have place an ad on my website. I’ll try and get those ads updated soon.
Marty, for grapevines out of Calif, go to http://www.vintagenurseries.com. Vintage Nurseries will sell just one grapevine if that’s all you want.
Cheers,
Steve Huffman
I’m in Arizona and I’m trying to grow thing mainly fruit trees and heirloom vegies you can contact me by going to robinfenn . vemma . com I live in norther arizona but lived most of my life in Mesa.
I’m in northeastern Az. Taylor, it is about 15 min north of Showlow. I’ll help you any way I cqn. But I don’t sell to the board.
hi can you send me a catalog.
Wilfredo, you have to write to the nursery and request a catalog. The address is on this page.
This nursery is only an hour from me. I sent for a catalog and I will be purchasing several trees. Thanks for the contact information Mike!!
Sounds great, I’ll send for a catalog…thank you! Mike, I have a question for you. Why do my Shasta Daisies, gladiolas, and mums grow 6′ tall? They’re so heavy they just lay down and I have to literally tie them up in bundles and attach them to the house! Very unattractive and not very friendly to the siding. Please tell me what I’m doing wrong. Thank you!
Susie,
Gladiolas are pretty much a tall growing perennial. I think you can buy varieties that don’t grow quite as tall. My suggestion for the others would be to divide them and prune right after they bloom. Maybe somebody else has better advice????
Mums shd be cut back to 4-6″ in May, June & July so that they do not grow tall & gangly. As for the glads & Shastas, just stake them instead of tying them up.
Mums grown commercially are sprayed with(B-9 I believe)to keep them short for pot sales, they are by nature taller, some very tall. You can cut mum plants, and I would think the shastas too, to about 4″ from the ground after growth starts in spring. After the first cut, a few more inches of new growth, trim the new growth in half. Repeat with every 4″ or so of new growth, with the last cut around July 21st. Makes for a thick stand as they branch out with each cutting. I do this with ‘Sedum Autumn Joy’ also. Any later season bloomers. Then leave them to begin budding. I do that with the tall, fall asters, cutting all down early May. Next cutting only 2/3 of the distance from the front of the clump toward the rear. Last cut: 1/3 distance from front toward the back. Stop by July 21st. You now have a stair-step clump,short in the front, taller in the middle and tallest at the back. Makes a great show. Which side of the house are they on? All of those mentioned like full sun.
Could they be seeking sun by growing so tall? Maybe they need to be in a more sunny location.
You don’t fertilize around them, do you? Too much nitrogen(green)-based compost will make them grow big. If you add compost, try more carbon-based, and, as someone else said, cut them back early on and perhaps they’ll grow shorter and bushier instead.
Best of luck!
I use the rule…”knee high by the forth of July”…LOL… here in SE Pennsylvania. It’s the one time of year I use a hedge shear to shape up a plant, makes quick work and a nice little mound. Mid June to July and not much after, is the time for me.
I get their catalog and they have a great assortment and good prices. There is also another company that I deal with in Indiana. The co.’s name is E & R Seed. They really have alot of products and it takes about 3 catalogs to have their whole inventory. They ship fast also.
Do they charge a lot for shipping?
Diana, shipping plants is not an easy thing to do, they require care and packaging. But I have no idea what their shipping charges are. I’m sure it’s stated on the order form in the catalog.
Would like to do business with your company
Hi Frank, can you please email me the address for E&R Seed…??? Thanks, Edgar
Edgar~
E & R Seeds
1356 E 200 S
Monroe, Indiana 46772
Phone (866) 510-3337
Here is the info… as you might read in some other comments I left, they are Amish and do not operate a website. You must call, snail mail or visit their site.
Happy Gardening!
E&R Seed is owned by Monsanto. Buyer Beware.
Don’t know about anyone else, but I for one, don’t want to contribute ONE penny to that evil corporation. A trusted source for me to order my seeds can be found here:
http://www.hawkeshealth.net/community/showthread.php?t=9375&page=1
If that is true i would not do business with them either. I agree that Monsanto is EVIL!
Hello… I appreciate others sharing info re: reliable and great companies as well as noting if a seed company is owned by Monsanto or other GMO producing company.
I am anxious to find out if what Susan commented is indeed true re: E&R Seed. The business is not open right now to find out, but in my researching it, (note this link -http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/comments.php?compid=5271&type=1#b )
I find comments that they are either a Mennonite/Amish family which has made communication a little more difficult and might explain lack of web site.
I am not much for GMO seeds either, but would hate to think that people are turned away from this company because of an untrue statement… Especially would hate for this to happen with what is typically known as, a hard working group of individuals, and families that the Mennonites/ Amish are known to be.
Do you have proof of this please as such a comment could be devastating to them?
Thanks much!
Blessings for a bountiful New Year to all!
ti
You sound like some who doesn’t know all the facts.
I worked for Monsanto and they are NO evil corporation. It people like you who give them a bad name. Most all of the plants we have are nowhere near the same as they were in the beginning. They are just better and more able to produce and withstand the diseases of the day.
this is in response to comments about E&R Seed, if anyone is interested in looking for ownership of co’s that are publicly held go to http://WWW.sec.gov, this is the Securities & Exchange Commision’s web site, this site provdies subsidairies for publicly owned co’s. In addition, according to public & businness info Monsanto is the bigest producer of gmo’s you can make assumptions if gmo’s are healthy to eat. Also the latest news is that gmo’s have been banned from Europe. Monsanto is also one of the biggest producers of chemicals, again make your own asumptions if you want to eat ladden filled veggies, or expose plants to chemicals!!!
Susan~
I have caught myself before, saying something BEFORE knowing the facts or truth of it so I can’t be too hard on you.
I hope people will erase your comment from their minds for I found out that
E & R Seeds
1356 E 200 S
Monroe, Indiana 46772
Phone (866) 510-3337
is NOT OWNED by Monsanto, nor do they sell GMO seeds. For shame, if they would lose business due to false information! They are a hard working group of Amish. I just verified.
They do not have a website but have about 3 catalogs: seeds, greenhouse and a Spring one about to come out in a month. You must call, snail mail or visit them. I am certain I will be glad to do business with them! And I hope that others will do business with them also.
I have dealt with E&R Seed and I am delighted with them! They also are an Amish family with a concern for excellent business ethics. They are closed on Sundays, for 8 holidays and for weddings, funerals and such. The catalogs are 192 pages each and printed on newsprint, but with color, and the price shown on each catalog is $2.75. (I’m pretty sure if you just ask, they’ll send whichever ones you want – or all three.) There is a Fall catalog, Spring Supply catalog and Seed & Plant catalog. All three catalogs have me drooling and dreaming about what to do next with my small homestead. They also supply large commercial operations. They do take orders by phone, fax or snail mail. The phone number shown above is an answer service, so again, it is better to write or stop by. I live about three hours from there and it is well worth the trip.
Repeat: They are Amish and they do NOT sell anything GMO! For shame on those who spread false and degrading information!!
I need to know how to trim blackberry plants.
I have them planted along a chain link fence
and this was the first year. They have long
shoots and I need to trim before spring. How
would you suggest I do this? The plants were
very good in bearing a lot of fruit this last
summer. Thanks.
VerJean, here’s some info on Blackberries https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:oVAn99yKpHAJ:pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1035/HLA-6215web.pdf+blackberry+fact+sheet&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi9tD8POWMTyErBch1Mg2p1_MU3jdpTgHdFU7ffub424K4xMvr5-K3jViP9AniHexV20sraNaRzRPZ5FED__Syc5rqNWewqnnMV1ukKrSzhpA9nvZX0kh4umQ7p_dMQuFlq1Sum&sig=AHIEtbQxWWBwV1CHtRHRmKVCSHa2nFAZFQ
thanks mike I live with fifty miles of the place and didn’t know it was there
Sorry that link didn’t work, try this:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1431.html
I have a small yard and have filled up with apple, cherry, peach, plumb trees. I live in Northern Alabama so I hardly ever get fruit. Would you know where I could order scionwood for grafting? Also would you know how I can find out what are good eating fruits that will bare fruit where there is few chill hours?
Dave Wilson Nursery in California is developing low chill fruit trees to accommodate demand in the desert Southwest. The nursery is wholesale and there is a list of retail outlets on the website (sorry, Mike), some of whom do ship. I have had good service from Bay Laurel.
Paul,
I have a .24 acre lot and 40 fruit trees in a zone 9a in the desert in Las Vegas.
A few things: are your trees self-fertile? If not, then you will not get fruit unless you have another type that will pollinate them.
Second, you need to grow types with low chilling hours (400 or less). Cherries are not low-chill trees; they are high chill trees. Unless you have a really cold section of the yard you will not get cherries. Apples can be the same way.
I grow low-chill types of fruit and a couple of medium chill fruits.
In areas with mild winters, apricots are a good choice. I have two apricots, both self-fertile (Katy, which has a very low number of chilling hours and is in flower now) and Royal Blenheim, which blossoms in several more weeks).
I have low chill apples (my Dorsett Golden is already leafing out; it is the first tree to do so, and it ripens in June. It needs 100 chilling hours. Anna is another good choice for a low-chill apple tree that is self-fertile). I have a low-chill peach (Desert Gold) that ripens in May, and a mid-chill one (Early Elberta) that ripens in July.
Twentieth-Century Asian pears are low chill. I have an espaliered one and it has grown well for me. I am going to graft a few more of those this week to espalier a couple more in the garden. These say they need a pollinator but they have not needed one for me and have fruited quite well.
Figs, pomegranates, and citrus do well for me too.
I have planned my garden so that there are continually ripening fruit trees and vines. You can grow lots of fruit trees in a warm climate if you get varieties with low chilling hours.
There ARE low chill varieties of cherries. MINNIE ROYAL and ROYAL LEE are two that I’m aware of. I purchased them from Pleasant Valley Growers in Grass Valley CA. They require under 300 chill hours to develop fruit. You do need both varieties as they pollinate each other. I bought the semi-dwarf as that was all that was available at the time, but I believe they do now carry dwarf. We have had lots of fruit from them, and I grow all my trees and plants in containers. My yard soil is mostly cliche. I can’t even grow weeds! I do believe Pleasant Valley gets their fruit trees from Dave Wilson. I have Anna and Golden Dorset Apple trees, a multi-variety of low chill peach, a low chill nectarine, a low chill pluot, Haas and Mexicola avocado trees, black jack, brown turkey and petite negronne fig trees. I purchased all of these from Pleasant Valley growers and have been happy with all. I have had a few failures (low chill multi variety apple, another nectarine, southern lowbush blueberries, etc) but those were due to human error on my end. Every time I had to go to hospital then rehab my waterer killed a tree or bush or decorative plant. I like Pleasant Valley because they do flat rate shipping, even with their trees and plants and everything is packaged well. I have not had any failures during to poor packaging or shipping.
I second Pleasant Valley. I live about 5 miles away so have not had to ship anything. The staff there are very knowledgable and helped guide me to low chill fruit trees. I am in zone 8b.
I cut this years bearing vines off at the base, leave the new vines cuz they are the ones that will products next year. Have had raspberries and blackberry’s
for years doing it this way.
Cut the main leader about chest high in the spring to encourage lateral growth and then prune the laterals with about three or four leaves (depending on the vigor of the plant).
This sounds like you are pruning off a lot of plant growth and you are since you want fruit rather than plant growth.
I managed a 14 acre commercial blackberry operation for awhile so that should work well for you.
I’ll send off for a catalog in hopes they have some blueberry bushes that I can pair up with what Ive got. Seems that companies like Burpees doen’t deliver to my State, and I don’t know why so I can’t get any mates for my blueberries. Plus my BF wants to have some raspberry brambles, so I might indulge him by getting some.
Hi, we have the same name!