Has anyone ordered fruit trees from Stark Brother Nursery? Also, how can I get their new catalog?

-- hector r (hector@wabcmail.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

Hi hector - yes, we ordered about 18 fruit trees from them about 3 1/2 yrs ago. They are wonderful to order from, get information from and just generally great to deal with. We have not lost one tree.

I do not have their number handy right now. I will check back later and see if someone has posted it, if it has not been posted, I will try and find it to post.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

Try http://www.uga.edu/fruit/catalogs.htm My experience, from a quite a while back, has all been superior. You may want to check a search engine (like Google) and type in "Stark nursery". It seems they have undergone some changes.

-- Nina (Ingardenwithcat@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

Hey, I seem to remember that they are in with that group called "My Seasons" aren't they?

-- Cheri in NY (t.asprion@worldnet.att.net), March 12, 2002.

Yes, I have. About 6 years ago. Nice trees.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

Stark Brothers filed chapter 11 last fall. I know they have re-organzied but not sure how stable they are or how the quality of their product is now. I have 8 apple trees from them and have been happy. I had a couple of peach trees that died and they replaced them without questions. This was however pre-chap11.

-- Gary in Ohio (gws@columbus.rr.com), March 12, 2002.

We haven't had any luck with the Stark trees, and yes, they are still sending out catalogs. Got one a week or so ago. For us, the best trees have been the $12 trees from Big Lots, a discount store. They thrive and are hardy and a good selection of standard or dwarf. Just two days ago we bought two standard pear trees, two standard apples and two dwarf peach.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 12, 2002.

This is a very useful web site. It has information on many different nurserys that sell through the mail. I've found many catalogs that I wasn't aware of.

It has some ratings of the catalog based on a few reports from buyers.

http://pbmfaq.dvol.com/list/

I hope it helps.

Jenny

-- Jenny (jnjonline@earthlink.net), March 12, 2002.

Yes, good quality and nice people to deal with.

-- Sharon (chessyemailaddy@notreal.com), March 12, 2002.

We live near them. We are so very happy they are back and owned by a stable group of LOCAL businessfolks. We have had nothing but good luck with them. They are a real class act. We have had only good luck with their healthy fruit and shade trees. The number is 1-800- 325-4180, and the website is StarkBros

-- Debbie in MO (risingwind@socket.net), March 12, 2002.

Have ordered from them in the past, and was happy with their product. Recent financial problems may alter my opinion. However, Miller Nurseries in Canandaigua, NY, has always been my favorite. If you can't find them, e-mail direct and I'll give you addresses. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), March 12, 2002.

I just received several items from Stark Brothers and I am very pleased with everything.One of the cherry trees that I ordered last year died and I was concerned that I might have a problem getting a replacement.Nothing to worry about,they sent out a beautiful little tree.I will continue to order from them.

-- Rose (Rosearbor@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.

We had a commercial orchard for 20+ years and all of our trees (thousands) came from Stark's. I have put out their trees in the yards of all three houses that I have lived in since I left home; and now that I am back on the family farm, I am putting out a home orchard of Stark trees. I have full faith in the new owners - many of whom have worked at Stark's for years. I will admit to being annoyed with them one time back in the 80's when they substituted a different variety of peach for one that I had ordered - but seeing as I just put out 2 new peaches of the substitute variety that they sent me; I guess they knew peaches better than I did!! (Elberta Queen - mmmmm!)

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), March 13, 2002.

Hi Hector,

Stark Brothers is not the same. The stark family no longer owns nor runs the nursery which had interestingly been largely a call center for mail order companies in its last years in the family. My understanding is that the original stock is being preserved and that the new post bankrupcy owners want to maintain quality but we shall see. I am married to a Stark relative and so we hear the family news from time to time.

Oscar

-- Oscar H. Will (owill@mail.whittier.edu), March 13, 2002.

I started a small orchard two years ago--in it I planted a cherry,a peach, and a plum from Stark Bros. They were shipped bare-rooted, arrived in just a day or two. I followed the directions to the 'letter'. They all three died! At the same time, I also planted 10 apple trees (from a local man who does his own grafting), 3 peach trees, two pear trees, a cherry, a plum, two fig 9 blueberries, 6 blackberry, 6 raspberry(from Walmart and our local Lowes hardware and 12 muscadine( from a local grower)--they have all lived. I would never order another tree from Stark Bros.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), March 13, 2002.