HERE is a link to a watchdog list for plant nurseries.

I have dealt with some online sellers as have some of my friends. What type of trees are you looking to buy?

about half of my 5 acres is covered with mail order stock ....

the usual key is timing ... see the link below ... in that regard ... its topic #1

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

i agree with the above... you have to name the type of plant ... if you want the best info ... specialty nurseries are going to be your best bet for specific types ... there are few that will carry a broad spectrum of plants ...

size is also important ... especially with trees .. i used to joke i had more time than money.. so i didnt matter to me.. if i bought a one foot tall tree ... i was willing to wait the decades ....

ken

Thank you everything! I am looking for dwarf trees. If you can tell me some of the names of the online nurseries that you trust, I can peak around. I don't mind considering smaller trees but 1 foot might be a bit too small. Thanks again for taking the time to write.

@User Thank you for posting Watchdog. I often refer to it, however I don't know how to sift through all the nurseries alphabetically for specifics. For example, how would I find nurseries with trees?

"Dwarf" is pretty non-specific :-) Dwarf conifer? Dwarf Japanese maple? Dwarf fruit tree? Different nurseries will carry different types but it is very tricky to find a single mail order nursery that carries a full selection of all kinds of tree, dwarf or not. If you can be more specific as to the type of tree you want, you will get better suggestions.

Two well-regarded dealers near you are Topiary Gardens and Oriental Garden Supply. Some others I can think of are Mr. maple(South), Davidsan's, Maplestone Ornamentals, and Sooner Plant Farm(Midwest), Whitman Farms and Conifer Kingdom(Northwest).

i would suggest .. you start a new post ... fully describe your project.. and ask for suggestions as to the specific plants you might use.. AND then.. where to get them ...

its really hard to help you this way ... since we dont really know what you are doing ... nor what plants you are looking for ...

many of the best mail order supplier are highly specific to the plants they offer ... especially if you are throwing conifers in.. as they are also trees ... or fruit... etc ....

ken

Chey,

The 'Browse by category' list box leaves a lot to be desired.

The greatest benefit to that site, imo, is that once you find a place that has what you want, you can find what others are saying about that particular vendor.

I would recommend Fedco, or Cummins Nursery if you're interested in fruit trees. They're both in New England so your purchases will have a better chance of survival and the shipping should be less. Both sell trees and also rootstocks and scions to give you an opportunity to do your own grafts.

I've bought from both. Fedco in their catalog recommends semi full trees for the far north. They seem to indicate in their catalog that trees will not produce the same growth in the far north. Your zone 6b makes me guess your near the coast, so that may not apply.

If you're interested in trees other than fruit I'd suggest you check out Musser's Forest in North Central Pennsylvania. They sell in large quantities for seedlings. For instance for a 5 rate they charge $2.70 each for Sugar Maple. For a 300 rate they charge $0.40 each.

For smaller, ornamental type trees, I have had good luck with Rarefind nursery out of NJ. Their trees tend to come in around 2-3’ tall and better cared for than most. Have ordered a lot from Forestfarm and Sooner Plant farm as well. Have also ordered a bunch of dwarf Japanese maples from Davidsan‘s out of Illinois (quirky site, but good product). Also a bunch of smaller and no name places.

In general, incoming quality can be a bit random. But i have found that even if the tree comes in looking a little scraggly, it virtually always pops nicely in the second year. So I’ll order from darn near anywhere.

I have had all success with High Country Roses, and Conifer Kingdom. I have had much success with Chief River Nursery.