Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Just spent most of my "allowance" on some berry plants!

I went to Stark Brothers' online, i have been getting their catalogs for years but never got to get anything from them before.

I got Lingonberries, Patriot blueberries, Blueray blueberries, Frontenac grapes, Marechal Foch grapes and Frontenac grapes.  I still want Edelweiss grapes, but its going to be hard to find them since the only grape vineyard/nurseries i found that carry them want to do 25 vine minimum orders.  I don't have room for 6 vines, much less 25. No room to hold and then resell either.

Maybe i can get in on a large order with someone in the Gardenweb community. I think i have seen people do that before.  They get together, make an order and have it shipped to a trustworthy ringleader who distributes them to the recipients and shipping is reimbursed.

Or i will have to make do with the 3 grapes i have just ordered....  which won't be all that bad, really. (!!!)  I only got one of each in case they don't do well here, i won't be out  more than the 3.

We have gotten some decent rain so far today, enough to make some big puddles. So that is a relief.  Lots of thunder storms in the state but they are all skirting my area and it looks like that will be all the rain we get for the next 24-48 hours.

4 comments:

Faith said...

After all our hard work last year, the black rot is back. I'm not hopeful. :o/

The one grape that I've found supposed to be resistant is the Mars grape. If you find a good supplier for cheap, let me know. So far, they want 12 to 20 dollars for one. I need at least 30 of them.

I'd love to send you one of my blackberries. I'll see about rooting one for you.

~Faith

Faith said...

HA! Look what I just found. I hope they are reputable...

http://www.alcasoft.com/pense/grape.html

~Faith

icebear said...

i looked them up at Garden Watchdog and it looks like the family had a rough year.
http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/1124/

If the owner decides to try and continue the business, i'd take a small ($20 or so order) chance on them next spring.

I used to see Mars grapes sold at our Walmart up here ( i think!), i remember almost buying them a couple times but i didn't believe the label that said they were zone 5 hardy. Walmart had tricked me a few times already with false labels, that is why i was so miffed when i let Lowe's fool me too with that poor grape i have now.

Go here
http://www.grapes.umn.edu/nurseries.html
and scroll down to the listing of Wholesale AND Retail Nurseries. You might find them in one of those places. If you do and you have a friend near you who also wants grapes you might be able to combine your orders to meet minimums.
Order the catalog from "Double A" They have a great chart of grapes in there that i was happy to get. It lists zone, uses, spacing, resistance, etc. Good quick reference at the very least.

Faith said...

How awful!

Yeah, I'm going to have to search our a bulk seller. I'm about at the place where after 7 years of no crop, I'm ready to rip my dreams out and put in something that will at least have a chance. I'm getting too old for these battles.

~Faith