5 Reasons to Buy Your Fruit Trees Online

With the explosion of the food science and health food industries, as well as greater awareness around global warming, more and more people are interested in cultivating their own fruits and vegetables. Gardens —which can range from large, raised beds to just a few pots —are becoming more and more commonplace.

However, consumers may be a bit more hesitant to buy fruit trees believing they don’t live in the right climate, they are difficult to maintain, or they are difficult to buy. Fruit trees are an excellent addition to any yard and can be surprisingly fruitful (pun intended) even in colder, wetter climates.

Fruit trees provide a number of benefits to you and your family, as well as your community. Many fruit trees flower beautifully and can provide sweeter, fresher tasting fruit than fruit purchased at a grocery store. Because you can pick and enjoy immediately, you are consuming the fruit at its peak ripeness.  Planting fruit tree also helps the environment — not only as a result of planting new trees but also reducing the shipping costs associated with getting fruit into grocery stores.

Fruit trees can also help maintain a healthy ecosystem. Fruit trees can provide protection for insects, birds, fungi and lichen. Growing your own fruit can ensure you and your family are consuming organic fruits without a high price tag. Watching fruit sprout, mature and ripen can be rewarding for the whole family.

But where should you go to buy your fruit trees? While you could certainly visit your local nursery or even visit one of the big box stores to buy your fruit trees, buying online provides a number of benefits and should be considered as the ideal place to purchase fruit trees.

Here are 5 reasons why you should buy your fruit trees online:

1. Convenience

With the explosion of online retailers, it’s easier than ever to shop from the convenience of your own home. With the click of your mouse, you can have fruit trees of your choice delivered to your door, sometimes in just a few days. Online shops are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can shop whenever you like from wherever you like.  

While you may have to pay shipping costs, you won’t have to worry about the hassle of transporting your new tree from your local shop to your car and from your car to your home. Always check with the seller but quite often, they have generous return policies.

Unlike in a traditional brick and mortar store, shopping online also gives you the opportunity to see what your tree will look like when mature and even (in some cases) what it will look like at different stages of growth. You can see images of the trees before you make your purchase and know exactly where you tree is coming from, how it was cultivated.

2. Selection

Shopping for fruit trees online allows you to browse a much larger selection than if you were to visit a local nursey of big box chain store. When you shop for fruit trees online, you will not only be able to find some of the more rare or exotic fruits, but you will also be able to search for more interesting varietals.

Whereas a local store might only have one or two varieties of apples, an online seller is more likely to have a larger selection from which to choose. Depending on where you live and the type of stores in your areas, you may have to travel far to find a specialty nursery that stocks the fruit trees you want to buy.

However, because there will be more selection, pay particular attention to the kind of soil and climate best suited for pollination and growing. While you may be able to buy avocado trees from California, you might not be able to successfully grow them in Michigan. Always check your growing zone and cross check with the fruit tree you want to grow.

Often online sellers will have information readily available about the most ideal growing conditions or how to replicate those conditions in your area. On some websites, they’ll make suggestions about what fruit trees are best based on where you live.

Also keep in mind the best time of year to be planting your fruit trees. Like any plant, fruit trees have specific growing seasons. Being mindful of when you are purchasing and when you will be planting will help ensure they successfully bear fruit. Although shipping times have greatly improved in the past few years, most online retailers have an expedited shipping option and excellent tracking tools so you don’t miss the perfect planting window.

3. Price

Buying fruit tree plants online can often be less expensive than purchasing them in person. Many online nurseries are wholesalers. Not only do these online retailers not have to pay overhead costs like rent or employee salaries and benefits, but they are also able to offer deals and discounts other retailers cannot.

Also, don’t neglect to sign up for email notifications and newsletters. These are often the most effective ways to hear about their latest sales and seasonal offerings.

Online retailers also offer incentives for buying more than one tree. This can be particularly useful if it is your first time planting fruit trees or if you’re unsure how a tree might fair in your area. It gives you the opportunity to perhaps trying growing various type of fruit trees in various spots – either in your yard or in moveable pots.

Also, because online nurseries ship most of their trees, they have perfected the art of shipping – including giving you excellent shipping rates, deals, and the assurance of healthy trees on arrival.

4. Quality

Speaking of healthy trees, buying your fruit trees online is ideal because you know you’re getting high quality trees. These sellers grow their trees in ideal conditions and spend their days making sure they produce the highest quality fruits. They often guarantee the health and quality of their products and want to showcase their expertise.

Buying online also gives you access to genuine reviews by real customers like yourself. You can easily see how satisfied other customers have been with the products they received. Reviewers are honest and often detailed in their descriptions of what they loved and any problems they encountered. Use this information to your advantage.

Compare different sellers to see how their reviews and products differ. Online retailers know that reviews are crucial to their success. That is why they spend so much time to ensure their customers are satisfied with the products they receive.

5. Greater chance of success

While it’s true that shopping in store gives you the chance to speak to a salesperson directly, shopping for fruit trees online doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor.

Some online retailers might have a chat feature on their website (which can be extremely helpful) but even if not, they will always have a way for you to reach out and contact them. These folks are passionate about their businesses and are more than willing to help you with whatever concerns or questions you might have.

What’s more, their websites are often filled with invaluable content in the form of blog posts, product descriptions, social media links and information about best gardening and landscaping practices. These endless resources will continue to be beneficial even after you have purchased your trees.  

Buying fruit trees online is a great option

Growing fruit trees is not as complicated or complex as it might seem. Regardless of where you live, there are likely some kinds of fruits that you can grow in your area. The most difficult part of cultivating your own fruit is knowing where to buy healthy trees. It used to be that you were at the mercy of what your local nursery had in stock. Today however, the online shopping makes it possible to buy nearly any kind of fruit tree you want.

Don’t let geography or limited stock stop you from growing any fruit tree you desire. Buying fruit trees online is a convenient, cost-effective way to turn your yard into a fruitful space the whole family will enjoy.