Author Topic: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?  (Read 1030 times)

Fiddler

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Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« on: May 15, 2021, 04:25:08 PM »
Do you have a favorite online retail vendor who ships quality trees with good customer service? None of my local nurseries have any macadamia trees and I'd rather not drive all the way to Pine Island this time. Apparently, the covid shutdowns have cancelled the twice-yearly fruit tree sales at the community center in Nokomis. Back in the "good old days" I used to call Steve at Fruitscapes and order some trees to be brought to the event, which is much closer to my home.
   I guess I'm gonna have to take a chance on mail-order trees. Any recommendations?

CarolinaZone

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2021, 08:18:36 PM »
I have never bought a tree online that was as good as the trees I bought at a nursery. My opinion is take the time and take the trip.

RodneyS

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2021, 08:41:34 PM »
I've had a positive experience w/ Plantogram

Fiddler

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2021, 09:02:40 PM »
I've had a positive experience w/ Plantogram
Wow! I just visited the Plantogram website. $120 for a 3-gallon macadamia, not including shipping?! And they don't even say what variety it is?
   Uh yeah, no. That drive to Pine Island isn't looking so bad after all! Thanks anyway!

Nyuu

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2021, 08:04:15 AM »
I've had a positive experience w/ Plantogram
Wow! I just visited the Plantogram website. $120 for a 3-gallon macadamia, not including shipping?! And they don't even say what variety it is?
   Uh yeah, no. That drive to Pine Island isn't looking so bad after all! Thanks anyway!
Yes some of us online retailers can be really pricey only way I buy for some online Website it's if it's something really rare or hard to find

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2021, 08:27:28 AM »
Many online retailers are in fact full-blown, operating nurseries.  There are some shady ones out there, but there are also many top-notch nurseries shipping wonderful trees.  There are even some good Ebay and FB Marketplace sellers.  Just do your Google searches and utilize the search function on this forum.  If the trees you received were not satisfactory, then you didn't do your homework.
 Yeah...some are very expensive, such as Plant-O-Gram, but what I've read is that they normally send very nice trees...and used to send something extra in the box as well...although I don't know if they continue this practice currently.  If you have the luxury and good fortune to be able to visit nurseries, of course, that is king.  Many of us don't have that option and must resort to online.  Just be careful of who bare roots and what is being bare rooted.  Find out how good their packaging is...you don't want a plant all crushed or broken up due to piss-poor packaging.  Shipping costs?  If you've never prepared a plant for shipping, you should try this before you judge too harshly.  True...some get carried away., but most are legit expenses.

roblack

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2021, 09:35:46 AM »
If you are a true plant and fruit addict, you will buy from many sources. No one has everything. If I can't find local or through my friends and connections, online vendors and even eBay and Etsy have worked out nicely. Do your homework.

If you come down this way, would recommend PIN and Al's Fruit Trees.

CarolinaZone

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2021, 11:24:41 AM »
If you are a true plant and fruit addict, you will buy from many sources. No one has everything. If I can't find local or through my friends and connections, online vendors and even eBay and Etsy have worked out nicely. Do your homework.

If you come down this way, would recommend PIN and Al's Fruit Trees.
I remember visiting PIN in the mid to late 2000's an it seemed like they had every thing on their website in stock. Excalibur used to be same way in terms of inventory. The four times I visited or called PIN  in the last 5 years they didn't seem to have much of anything except the most common of common's like mangoes. What is their inventory looking like nowadays?

Like I said, if it is at all possible, take the trip.

dm

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2021, 08:18:25 PM »
If you are a true plant and fruit addict, you will buy from many sources. No one has everything. If I can't find local or through my friends and connections, online vendors and even eBay and Etsy have worked out nicely. Do your homework.

If you come down this way, would recommend PIN and Al's Fruit Trees.
I remember visiting PIN in the mid to late 2000's an it seemed like they had every thing on their website in stock. Excalibur used to be same way in terms of inventory. The four times I visited or called PIN  in the last 5 years they didn't seem to have much of anything except the most common of common's like mangoes. What is their inventory looking like nowadays?

Like I said, if it is at all possible, take the trip.

I went to PIN a couple of years ago, and they didn't have even common mango trees. They referred me to someone else.  They told me most of their business was sending trees to California

Nyuu

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Re: Should I Buy Fruit Trees Online?
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2021, 10:58:35 PM »
If you are a true plant and fruit addict, you will buy from many sources. No one has everything. If I can't find local or through my friends and connections, online vendors and even eBay and Etsy have worked out nicely. Do your homework.

If you come down this way, would recommend PIN and Al's Fruit Trees.
I remember visiting PIN in the mid to late 2000's an it seemed like they had every thing on their website in stock. Excalibur used to be same way in terms of inventory. The four times I visited or called PIN  in the last 5 years they didn't seem to have much of anything except the most common of common's like mangoes. What is their inventory looking like nowadays?

Like I said, if it is at all possible, take the trip.

I went to PIN a couple of years ago, and they didn't have even common mango trees. They referred me to someone else.  They told me most of their business was sending trees to California
Yes they turned there's back on FL sometime more than 5 years ago . And did not care about the locals or loyal customers I used buy thousands of dollars a year from pin .
 I was a good customer bought from them 25 years + but never really look for availability list now because usually only like five different types of plants