I've considering ordering from Finch before, but always ended up getting my blueberries in the same order as my other fruiting plants. My dad lives in Durham and he drove there a few years ago and got eight, large, healthy, 3-gallon plants each for about the price of a bareroot plant, i.e., less than $20 apiece (might have been $10 or $15). If you've got the time, drive there and you'll put yourself at least one year (maybe two) ahead harvest-wise. If you're getting bareroot plants, I wouldn't go any higher than 3 year plants. The only time I've ever ordered older bareroot blueberries (4-5 year plants), they grew sluggishly and the younger plants caught up quickly. If you're buying potted and can drive to Finch with a pickup truck, then I'd fill the bed up with 3 and 5 gallon plants and move yourself a lot closer to that first good harvest. A properly planted and cared for 3 or 5-gallon rabbiteye will grow fast (as will some of the southern commercial varieties like Tifblue); a lot faster than the northern varieties. You may already know this, but prep the soil to make it acid, give them a really thick mulch (makes a huge difference in my experience), don't let them dry out, and periodically fertilize with a dilute fertilizer for acid loving plants (Mir-acid, which I use, or time release granules that you may have seen posted about here). Glad to hear about Yadkin. I've got a young one from EL that hasn't fruited yet.

What jeri said. Some roses are only available as own root, usually potted, but Ashdown is doing potless own roots to save on shipping costs (these are NOT bareroots because these plants are actively growing). Some are only available as a (dormant) bareroot. Some are only available via mail order. Others (usually some of the newer HT, floribunda and shrub varieties, and some of the "golden oldie" HTs) can be found locally. Local stores will have Boxed/bagged: essentially these are bareroots and should be treated as such (removing all of the packaging, soaking for a min. of 24 hours and planting as per bareroot instructions that can be found on the web). Potted: Planted in 3- to 5-gallon nursery pots (sometimes larger). Some places get bareroots, pot them up themselves and then sell the potted plant at lots of $$$ markup, some places get them already potted from wholesalers (also called "canners"). Most of the stock found locally in the US is grafted on Dr. Huey rootstock, although you may find some that are own root (I can get some potted rugosas here that are own root). So, it depends on what you are looking for. (P. S.: Anntn6b knows of some vendors that may be within driving distance of you, I hope she sees this thread.)

okay.. planting instructions make this one different ... roots in media ... greenery above .... but dont immediately put in full sun ... the white parts need to harden off... and green before they get put into sun.. in the window ... yes they look bad ... plant them anyway.. learn something ...report back ... ken

Don gota go with fruitnut. We have planted lots and lots of bare root trees from Idaho, California and now Arizona. None- from a rep. dealer, mostly HD, Lowes, Wally world and 5 N dime. We have even planted them with lots of leaves still in their bags at the end of the season(April)because they where cheap. All soils in each place have been different acid in ID, great in Cali, crap in AZ. It really comes down to how they are planted and taken care of. It could be a water issue or soil issue. If your soil is really rotten like ours try a little root stimulater it may help.