catfishhoward , Sorry... I didn't click the checkbox for updates on this thread or I would have responded sooner. By the end of year 2, your tissue culture plant and the 3-year raspberry plant will be the same size, so there isn't much value in buying bigger plants, at least in my opinion. Older plants in pots often need to have their roots trimmed because the very quickly circle the pots they are in and won't grow as well unless you trim the roots, which will set the plant back a bit. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you... hopefully Willis delivers live plants...they don't have a good reputation for online orders. I did notice that Bay Laurel Nursery will offer Baba next year, if you change your mind or need replacements. I know you want to get big plants fast but the fruit business takes some patience because if you do it right, these plants can provide fruit for 10 years or more. Put in bad stock and you'll be doing this again next year. One of the better ways of getting a lot of raspberries fast is buying rootstock. I have purchased Anne, Caroline, Tulameen, and Cascade Delight raspberry rootstock from Scenic Hill Farm Nursery and it worked great each time. The plants establish quickly and you have a whole patch instead of 2 or 3 plants. I'm not sure they are in season but they sell through Ebay as well. If you plant the rootstock for Fall-bearing varieties like Caroline or Anne in the early Spring you should have fruit by the Fall. By the next summer you will have a whole patch of healthy raspberry plants. If you go with bareroot stock, you will get a bigger root system and the price is usually pretty low. All of my black and purple raspberries were planted as bare roots, except one.

Cross County is a positively fabulous place for heirloom tomatoes (and peppers!) - my first few years, I would actually visit when they first opened up each April to the public - but as someone has mentioned above, they would sometime's already be sold out of certain varieties. These past few years, I place orders on-line in January, so I can be guaranteed that I'll get what I want. . .and with gas prices now, postage will be cheaper! Besides, the actual "farm" might be a disappointment to most: it consists of several "hoop houses", an office and a Port-a-Potty, all sitting in a pasture. . .their web-site, however, is dynamite. . . Here is a link that might be useful: Cross County Nurseries

Are you guys familiar with Mimosa borealis? Its a native mimosa. It comes up easily from seed and is very pretty in bloom. If I had the space I'd want that. I grew up around Mimosa trees and judging by the way they all performed in my neighborhood most had a short life span (ornamentally speaking) because they got ugly after several years, eventually it seemed the tree would start declining and they got cut down one after another and replaced with a better tree. The smell is heavenly. They were introduced to the US in 1745 and have been planted ever since so whatever invasive environmental damage they might be accused of, the toothpaste is long since out of the tube since its naturalized itself everywhere. I don't like seeing invasive trees along the roadsides myself and the topic often results in some strong statements on forums. I see Mimosa in the wild but I don't fall apart over it. I'll risk possibly offending someone and ask: has anyone noticed the thick forests of Callery Pear trees coming up around the city in the wild in ever widening forests? Its disconcerting to say the least. The dense growth of those trees growing close together allows no sunlight in, the obvious rapid escape and aggressive naturalizing into the surrounding countryside is worrisome. A grove of bamboo coming up among a mess of red cedar and hackberry trees where it was once grassland was something I saw the other day and it was not an attractive result. I absolutely hate seeing either running bamboo or Callery Pear Trees and wish neither had been introduced here, especially the Callery Pears. On the other hand.... An invasive tree that I love the looks of is Salt Cedar. I mean, I really wish I could have one for that unreal soft color and texture. I can just imagine a nativists reaction especially since I have a mostly native landscape because I am drawn to that but still..... There is one on Paseo in a sidewalk area and it is just gorgeous. As kids we used to use the wood for fishing poles, they grew along the Salt Fork River. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MIBO2

I would contact Mike directly via phone I find its the best way to reach him. He brokers them from Florida and direct ships to your house with a common carrier. He an get you anything from 1 gallon up to 15 feet. I would contact him as soon as you can and arrange for purchase and shipping. I bought mine in February and had them arrive the last week of March; they were in the ground by March 31st. Cost is very dependent on size and with the larger ones there is a pallet minimum. I bought 5 trees that were 6-7 feet tall. The cost for me for 5 big ones was $2,500.00 which included delivery. The quality of the palms really is unsurpassed, they are amazing! Like I said the bigger the more money, but I wanted to start big and was prepared to do what I had to do to get them to survive Pittsburgh winters (so far so good) On facebook I am a member of Zone-Pushers: Gardening Beyond Your Zone...this is a great group for people who grow palms out of their hardiness zone. I have posted a time lapse video there of winterizing one of my larger palms. As for warranty; due to the fact they are being brought north and out of normal growing zones there is no warranty I am aware of. Hope this helps. Kevin