I can't comment on the varieties, but based on their 'Daves Garden Watchdog' rating, I'd at least look at other nurseries. Adams County Nursery would is a great nursery to work with... but it's getting late in the season. I'd order quick!
-Glenn

Here is a link that might be useful: Daves Gardem Watchdog - Henry Field

Goodground:

I am pretty sure Henry Field's has been absorbed by the Gardens Alive! complex, an outfit I do not much like. They also took over Gurney's, Jung, and I don't know what all else. You think you are dealing with an old established nursery, but shipping will be from an Indiana location.

All the nursery stock sold by this outfit, and many others, is grown by contract growers, so it's pretty much a grab-bag. You could get fine, healthy stock or it could be very, very bad. Unfortunately, Field's and Gurney's are about the only nurseries that sell the Meteor tart cherry, a variety I like very much and highly recommend. It is a dead ringer for Montmorency, but has some genetic dwarfing that controls the size better.

I would be very suspicious of any pear with a name like "Drippin Honey", but who knows? There are many excellent peach varieties developed right there in Jersey, many of the sold by Adams County. Rather than put in a rush order late in the season, I would personally prefer to wait and deal with them, with the exception of the Meteor. You may lose a season, but if you put in an early order this fall or winter your selection will be better and probably your long-term satisfaction.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Glenn, Thanks. I'm checking inventory.

Don,

I follow your advice. I'm looking for a Meteor because you have been raving about it for some time. My last two nurseries did not have Meteor. Now I came across it at this site. They sent me a coupon via email so I ordered some plants from them this season. I have to admit, the plants they shipped me were packaged better than any previous nurseries. To be fair, I did not order any trees from HenryField's, only plants if that makes a difference. They impressed me so much that I was going back for some trees, especially since they have Meteor and are on sale. I have NorthStar and SureFire. They say they offer money back so I figured I was covered. Maybe I'll let them know before I place an order so they can ensure healthy stock. As long as they are labeled correctly, I'll take my chances. What do you think?

By the way, my Oblinaja plum is the only tree that has yet to leaf. It appears dead. Not sure if this was due to winter temps or water? I did not expect this tree to die this young without having shown any problem. It is supposed to be winter hardy and came from Cummins Nursery in NY. The plum next to it has flowered and doing fine. Does this sound like something a Nursery would replace? Thanks!

Has anyone ordered fruit trees from HenryField's?

Goodground:

Ordering fruit trees from Henry Field's is the moral equivalent of ordering from Gurney's Jung's, and several others. They are really all one operation, for better or for worse. Yes, I have ordered from Gurney's (my cherry trees came from there), so you would be using the same source.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I have ordered from Fields. Damson plum-died--they sent another the next yr. Rec'd. it in June much too late for planting but did manage to keep it alive. Indian peach. Don't know what kind of peach it is but it ain't an Indian peach. It does bear a decent crop of fair to good yellow peaches which are good canned or frozen. I had previously ordered raspberry plants and they were little more than dried sticks. Never again will I order from them when for a couple bucks more you can get a healthy tree which will bear 2 yrs. sooner from a reputable nursery
RED

Are you sure Jung's is part of Gardens Alive? On Dave's Garden it is only listed as being part of several companies that Jung's owns (Edmund's Roses, Roots and Rhizomes, etc...). I buy from the Jungs outlet fairly often as it is down the street from me and I think I would have heard if it was bought out. I can't recommend ordering from them however as I haven't ever mail ordered any trees from them.

I've ordered from such places as henry field's and gurney's. They don't take much care into packing plants they send. Things can get thrown around in the box and roots can end up somewhat dry, but I've had just as good luck growing things from them as any other place.

I have found that late spring orders, in general, have poorer quality. Last year I put in a late spring order with Millers, and compared to the items I ordered in the winter, the quality was quite lacking. The two orders only arrived a couple of weeks apart, but they were placed many months apart. I don't know how they do their order reservations, but I think they reserve the best first. My late spring order with Stark's last year was quite disappointing; all of the trees lacked vigor, and the Surefire sure did not fire!!!

My late spring order from One Green World was an exception, however. Their stuff was in great shape.

If it were up to me I'd wait and place an order this fall with a more reputable company.

I just got my order from Raintree and everything looks good. The 4 in 1 pear was quite large and looked well put together. You might want to try them if they have anything left that you want.

Because of the poor feedback, I only ordered the Trugold Peach, Shiro Plum and Meteor Cherry. What a difference in the shipping from the plants I had gotten from them earlier this spring. These 3 trees came in the box wrapped in clear plastic with just a few shreds of newspaper. I have never seen roots so DRY! They looked bad but only time will tell if they will survive. The fruit trees were shipped to me from a different state then were the plants I had ordered from them. Actually, I did not save any bucks. By the time I ordered the prices had changed and they actually cost more than most nurseries. I had to take a risk to get the Meteor Cherry. I will update this thread later in the season to see if the trees actually wake up!

goodground-

Good luck on your trees. That doesn't sound good at all. Where were those from (HF?)...?

I have no complaints with Fields, and I order from several sources all over the country. They have stood by their guarantee 100% with me, and I have received quality plants. I do believe they are part of a conglomerate, and you'll get the dregs ordering this late in the year. Like Don said, ordering from these companies is a "grab bag." I made the mistake of ordering from Burgess. The garbage they sent last year was pathetic, but the replacements they sent this year were better than anything I've ever received. Still, I don't like losing a year, and I abhor having to do something twice. You have, however, piqued my curiosity about those Meteor cherries. I picked my first Montmorencies yesterday. I can't imagine anything finer--but I do have some space!!???

Brook

I have "Meteor"... Tree is very nice looking and hold some fruit (its only year 2)... Probably one of my nicest looking trees.

Frank,

Yes, I ordered from Henry Field's. Another thing to note is that one of the trees has small yellow leaves even though the roots were bone dry as the others. Dormant/not dormant? Even though I notified them about sending me healthy trees, the trees I received did not look so healthy. The box had a bunch of labels saying how good and healthy the plants are. Time will tell.

Just a general comment about being covered by a guarantee:

Guarantees are only as good as the companies that offer them. A sorry source with a 100% satisfaction guarantee is worthless when they don't truly honor their guarantee, send you more junk to replace junk, or fail to even acknowledge your complaint. A company that stands behind their product is not going to have a bad reputation even if their plants are less than perfect. Customer service or lack thereof is a huge part of a company's reputation.

Two more thoughts:

With tons of companies with great reputations, it's usually (but maybe not always) unnecessary to order from companies with less than great reputations.

Even a blind squirrel will find an acorn eventually. Sometimes people do get great stuff from bad sources.

I still have 2 orders coming... Late, i know, but the weather has been more like October... I'll let you know how they turn out.

Here's the update on Henry Field's Nursery. The Meteor Cherry and Shiro Plum look ok. However, the TruGold Peach is only growing from the roots under the graft (suckers). I called them today and they said they would send me a replacement tree in the Spring. Then I asked if I could have store credit instead and she said she would send me a voucher for store credit in the mail for $26.95 which was the cost of the tree. Customer service rep was easy to work with.

Now to my question:
I think this tree should come true from the roots correct?
If so, I'm planning to let the suckers grow and use the credit on a different tree. Is this a bad idea? Or should I just get the same tree next year? Thanks!

This might have changed, but my prior experience with the HF conglomerate is that an email saying you weren't satisfied gets you a full refund to your credit card, even years later (and not just store credit, although I'm sure you'll get store credit if you ask for it). When I first started (and before I moved on to better sources), I took advantage of this guarantee a number of times b/c I wasn't satisfied with their plants.

If it is grafted, then shoots coming from beneath the rootstock are not the named variety (i.e., one selected for its fruit), but rather the rootstock (i.e., a variety selected for non-fruiting qualities, such as drought resistance, etc.)

I will never ever order from Henry Fields and more so from its Canadian operations. I ordered some trees and seeds in February. I got seeds rightt away but then never got response from them to my eamils in March, April or May but my credit card was charged twice, once even after I had informed them of cancelling my order because of no response to my emails (& not picking up the phone). I had ordered from HF but charges were made by Brecks and somehow Garden Alive name also got involved. I called Credit Card company to get involved because of unacceptable on-line practices by HF. I got my refund (less for seeds) with the help of the credit card company.
Obviously not a trustworthy operation.

MY late orders did great except for a pear that came really late and has been leafed out for a few months, but has done nothing. I think its OK, but next year will tell if its a goner or not. The late stuff from RAinTree did awesome and have been growing freat, even with mr. rabbit eating some of the leaves.