Lots of times, if one wants a specific variety, the only way to get it is through the mail and the only way it may come, usually, is bare root. Sometimes bare root plants "take off" and grow like crazy from the get-go. Sometimes they lag behind and do little the first year. Overall, my experience has been good and I wouldn't hesitate to go that route. As far as what will be available locally, there is no way for someone outside of your area to know or guess well. Someone at one of your local garden centers may be able to tall you if any of your varieties are likely to be sold there.

The big time of year for stocking garden centers is Spring, because that's when everyone want to get outside and work in the yard, to catch up from being penned in all winter. If a garden center gets material for the fall, it is usually not much because they don't want to overwinter plants in pots. However, I think the actual best time to plant is fall because the plants are rooting into the surrounding soil when there is little to no demand for them to use water (evaporation through leaves.) Their chances of "taking off" when Spring finally arrives is greater than for plants that were acquired in Spring. This is especially true of bare root plants.

You probably want to repost this in the Fruit forum. There should be people there who can answer all your questions.

Thanks Mad_gallica, I will do that!

Planting fruit trees west of the Cascades requires some research. Our climate is mild enough (both summer and winter) that many types are not very successful here. Any of the better independent nurseries/retail garden centers here will carry the varieties that are most suited to the Puget Sound area.

I am not aware of any self-pollinating pears other than those that have two or more varieties grafted on the same tree. Like apples, they need a pollination partner ;-)) And I would also urge you to reconsider nectarines (also apricots, pluots, apriums and other similar hybrids) as we just do not generate sufficient summer heat for these to fruit well. And if you decide on a peach, I'd stick with the 'Frost' variety - it was developed in this area, is a good fruit producer (and very tasty!!) and is very resistant to leaf curl.

Fruit trees tend to be most often offered bare root in late winter (February/March). If you can find any now - usually sold out at this time of year - they are just the remaining bare root stock that has been potted up, so not well established or very mature.

Finally, I will leave you with a couple of online resources: the first is the WSU Fruit Trials, a compilation of fruit growing data specific to the Puget Sound area produced by the WSU Research Center in Mt Vernon over several decades. It will also link you to the best publication regarding growing fruit in western WA (upper right hand corner). The second is a link to Raintree Nursery, one of the largest mail order fruit sources and one of the best, also located here in western WA. They grow and sell most varieties best suited to this area but be sure they are clearly labeled as such, as they sell across the country as well.

Avoid purchasing out of the area unless you have done all your research on specific Puget Sound suited varieties first!! And stay away from the box stores - while they sell a lot of fruit trees in early spring (and inexpensively as well), they seldom sell those varieties that are recommended for this area.