I ordered Sugar Pearls from Gurney's this fall instead of Henry Fields as they had an online $25 discount on orders over $50. So you might want to check that out as they still have that offer on top of their main page and Gurney's offers the same stuff as Fields.

I know what you mean about the hype as a lot of their descriptions make the fruit sound like it came out of the "Garden of Eden". But since Sugar Pearls is out of the Rutgers breeding program, I'm sure it will be a good one to grow especially for Eastern US conditions.

People noted last year that it sold out early so get your order in ASAP in case that happens to be so this year.

Hines,

Have you check Henry Fields or Gurney's out on Garden Watchdog? Their reputation is right up there with snake oil salesmen, lawyers, and congress! With all the many reputable suppliers out there I'm not sure I would want to deal with either of these companies.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Scoop on Henry Field's Seed & Nursery

Hines,

Two years ago I ordered a Carmine Jewel from one of the two nurseries in question. In the little pot they sent me was not one, but two plants. They were both planted, and seem to be doing fine. So far I have not tasted them, but I anticipate.

I have dealt with both nurseries mentioned here buying many products on many occasions for many years. I have always been very happy with their products and service. I have had some disappointments with plants, but they always made good on it. If they have what you want for the price you are willing to pay, don't hold back. Just my opinion.

Happy gardening,
TED

Hines:

Carmine Jewel does sound a little too good to be true, and is new enough that few people have much experience with it. However, if it is anything close to the description in the Fields catalog, it is worth a try. I agree with Jerry's observation that any apricot from the Rutgers program ought to be worth a try in the east or midwest.

It is true that both Field's and Gurney's were absorbed by the Gardens Alive! complex in Indiana. I have never been crazy about this outfit because of the overpriced "organic" stuff they sell, but that does not mean the subsidiary nurseries will ship you dead or mislabeled trees, a la TyTy or similar outfits. Most of these large nurseries contract the growing of their stock anyway, and use the same wholesale sources. I have received some excellent stock from Gurney's over the years, and I think their prices are fair. All nursery prices are going up these days.

And here's the scoop on Garden Watchdog: Such a list is far more likely to receive complaints than kudos from customers, so results can be skewed. It is human nature to complain when things go wrong. Comments are less likely when things go right. It is also possible to salt such a list with bogus comments. I am not saying that GW is a useless resource, but it's not the last or only word either.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Because I order about 300 trees a year, I order primarily from the wholesalers that provide trees for the likes of Gurneys and Henry Fields. With the companys that send out saturation mailings of catalogues to make business like the latter you are paying a lot for their promotion. These companies tend to pay for this by sending you smaller trees. They sell so many different kinds of plants that they are not particularly knowledgeable about anything they sell and are more prone to sending mis-identified trees.

When I need to buy a variety that isn't available from someone like C+0, Adams County or even Starks and Hilltop I prefer the smaller companies run by dedicated people such as Trees of Antiquity, Whitman Farms or something in between like Raintree. When you have a question and the person doing customer service is the owner you know you're in good hands.

I tried Henry Fields and Gurneys many years ago and can't speak accurately about their service today but it is still the same flawed model.

I was pleased with the peach tree I bought a few years back so I didn't hesitate ordering this time. Really don't have any choice since Rutgers released it through the Gardens Alive companies.

I've dealt with a lot of nurseries in the last few years and I've got a few dogs in the bunch despite ordering from companies with stellar reps. Just depends who is pulling your order and how low the supply is getting. Since I switched to fall shipping where available, I've gotten a better trees in my opinion. The spring shipments sometimes come in with small or crooked trees or whacked off roots.

Actually many of the commercial suppliers only do Spring shipments. The trick is to order early and ask for large trees in my experience.

Hines,

I have a friend who regularly talks with Dr. Joe Goffreda, who developed Sugar Pearl. I can't speak to the taste, but there seems to be something to the claim that the apricot is a more reliable fruiter on marginal frost sites, than other apricots. For instance, it has fruited at Cream Ridge when Harglow (considered a fairly reliable apricot) was barren.

I've had Sugar Pearl for a couple of years. Gurneys/Henry Fields puts them on peach rootstock, so it is very vigorous. My tree has a somewhat weeping shape. It was big enough to carry a small crop last summer, but it didn't bloom. I scored the tree for the heck of it, and it looks like there are lots of flower buds now. As was noted, Henry Fields/Gurneys has exclusive licensing for the tree. I know a lot of folks have had trouble with them, but they sent me a nice 3/4" tree that took off like a rocket.

I think it has been mentioned somewhere here before, but Carmine Jewel is a release from the Univ. of Sask. They have released several cold hardy cherries designed to be larger/better than the sand cherries that normally grow in the climates of the Canadian prairies. Haven't tried one, but there is a lot of hope that these cherries provide some improvements over the common pie cherries in the US and extend the range of a desirable fruit further north into Canada, along with a compact plant size.

I was pleasantly surprised with a couple trees I ordered from Gurney's a couple years ago. Very nice, very large trees that have done well. I had gotten turned off on them many years ago when their trees just match the expectations for quality and hardiness that their marketing descriptions built.

I'd only order from Gurney's or HF's if: 1) I wanted an exclusive offering (I'm considering getting a Sugar Pearls, as well) and 2) I had one of their $25 coupons (otherwise you end up paying nearly $50 shipped for ONE semi-dwarf tree). However, I can tell you from experience that, if you end up being dissatisfied years later for any reason, a short email to either company will result in a full refund.

I wonder why Rutgers would give an exclusive to such a minor player that has no business with commercial growers. They must not think it much of a winner.