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macguyver4u

La Verne Nursery vs home depot brand plants

macguyver4u
14 years ago

Well here I was at the local home depot when I came across a fuerte avocado thats when I notice one was from la verne nursery and the other was no name home depot " I assume that the home depot one is just one of their many vendors that slaps on the home depot badge. i was wondering if anyone notice any difference in quality between the la verne fruit plants and home depot generic vendors? I also notice the grafting to stronger on la verne plant and home depot brand. Any comments would greatly be appreciated. Oh yes what should I be looking for as far as avocado grafts and plant in general. I'm relative new to avocado.

thanks

Tim

Comments (11)

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    14 years ago

    Most retail nurseries buy their stock from several growers, and that includes Home Depot, Costco, or Walmart. If you are in the market for an avocado tree, this is a long term investment and well worth researching varieties and getting the best advice from a retail source that knows the product not just the price. Al

  • hosenemesis
    14 years ago

    I strongly advise against buying any fruit trees at a big box store. Nine times out of ten the "White Agapanthus" will actually be blue when it blooms, the "Pink Daylily" will be red and orange. Imagine what you could get with an avocado! You have no idea what kind of tree is in that pot, and avocado trees are a big investment. Please buy through a reputable nursery.

    As far as your question about grafting, I recommend you pose that question separately in the fruit tree or tree forum. There's a guy over there who is an expert on grafting.

    I don't know squat about avocados, except that I did not water mine enough when I first got them. They take quite a bit of water, and love lots of mulch, and hate having their roots disturbed.

    Good luck with your project. What will you be grafting?

    Renee

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fruits and Orchard Forum

  • zadal
    14 years ago

    La Verne, a southern californian nursery, has the most tropical varieties in california. Whether you go to Home Depot, Lowes, Summerwind or family run nurseries, you will get their tropical trees.

    Their qualities of fruit is really not bad. Up here in Bay Area, we have an alternative choice of Avocado, from Fourwind which is known for their Citrus, and C & M Nursery from Nipomo.

    Depends on where the generic brand nursery is, it may be a hit or miss.

  • cebury
    14 years ago

    Once you learn where the box stores purchase their fruit trees from, you realize there aren't any "generic" or no-name brands. Yes they are labeled with tags so they appear to be from the box stores, but they are likely from decent nurseries in CA and part of the distribution agreement was to allow the labeling to show the big-box name prominently and not the nursery. Most of them have the nursery name either: a) on a plastic trunk tag at soil level or just below, or b) a sticker on the outside of the container. Only once have I seen the nursery name in small-type on the main hanging label that shows the tree name and instructions. The exception are the Four Winds hanging tags that may or may not show the big box store name.

    The avocado's I've seen at HD/Lowes were from LaVerne and Dave Wilson nursery and were prominently shown on the main tags. But I missed looking at the last large batch that came in about a month or two ago-- which may be labeled differently as you've seen.

    Honestly, my local nursery is only a couple bucks more per tree than the big box (except for the 7-15 gal containers which are way overpriced). So my purchases are about 50/50 from the nursery vs. big-box (only when they were having clearances and prices were like 40% off or more).
    The advantage of the big box is you can take your dead tree back up to a year later. That may be a consideration for you....

    HOWEVER, my local nursery is supplied from mostly the SAME places as the box stores.

    IMHO, I wouldn't worry too much if you buy what appears to be the "HD brand" tree if it looks good to you. Abuse it a little and take it from the container and look at the trunk and roots. If it all looks good, then I'd give it a shot. You'll probably find the nursery name eventually and can call them directly as I've done a few times.

    Good luck,


    Local Box Suppliers
    If some are curious about who stocks what, here is my experience from Fresno over the past year.

    The Walmarts here have citrus from C&M nursery (Nipomo, CA) and I haven't seen any avo's at the 3 here. Lowes was switching suppliers two years ago so I've seen mixes with Nekasa Brothers and Pacific Groves for stone fruits, and of course Four Winds on the citrus. Home Depot's are stocked with Four Winds for their young/3.4gal "true dwarf" citrus and Hines Horticulture for their "terra pot semi-dwarf citrus" which are 3 yr old C-35 trees in 5gal pots.

    Dave Wilson's fruit trees are scantily scattered across both HD/Lowes mostly for the stone-fruit multi-grafts and for Pluots being as they're sole source distributor in CA.

    At my local nursery, they stock fruit trees from Four Winds (citrus) and Dave Wilson (stone).

  • service_GojiTrees_com
    13 years ago

    We have heard and seen nothing but the best of the best from La Verne Nursery. This is why, at the present time, La Verne Nursery is the only Commercial Grower in the USA to grow, and market our (Grown From Our Heirloom Goji Seed)RichNature "Heirloom Goji Trees." We have never been more impressed with any operation, and highly recommend La Verne Nursery, without hesitation, or reversations.

    Here is a link that might be useful: GojiTrees Global Distribution

  • stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
    13 years ago

    I know HD grafted roses are inferior to what I've gotten at Reagans nursey here in the bay area. HD has pretty rose photos on the labels-Reagans are like that in real life!

  • ashleysf
    13 years ago

    When I looked at the "Home Depot" branded citrus or fruit trees, there is always a really small printed byline on the tag or label saying "Grown by FourWinds" or "Grown by Kawahara Nurseries" etc. Double check next time you find that tree.

    Stan, HD roses (and recently Costco's roses) used to come from Coiner's nursery and people on the Roses forum told me to stay away from them as they propogate and sell virus infected roses. Jackson Perkins now sold their business to someone else, so I just go to my high end nursery and buy other brands at twice the HD prices, but they look healthy.

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    13 years ago

    Roses are graded and labeled with the grade. Even within the grades there are variations, often due to the way they are treated by the nursery. Number one is the best grade and I notice nurseries selling grade one and a half. Grade #2 is easier to notice the weaker looking plant, and for that reason is not often seen for sale. There is definitively a noticeable difference in the grades if you look closely. Al

  • service_GojiTrees_com
    12 years ago

    We regret we have had to withdraw our product, and endorsement from La Verne Nursery. They were never authorized to use our pictures, or Trade Marks. La Verne Nursery has violated our TOS, and has been ordered to 'cease & desist'.

    Here is a link that might be useful: GopjiTrees Global Distribution

  • scottsjacobsen_aol_com
    12 years ago

    I Bought 2 dwarf Avocado trees and are doing fairly well. Any tips and any way to know what kind of avocado fruit it will give me, Hass or ?

  • Tonton101
    12 years ago

    Scott,

    It may be either Wurtz (a.k.a little-cado) or Holiday since these are the two popular dwarf varieties out there.

    I am pretty sure it can't be Hass sine Hass is not consider dwarf.