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konrad___far_north

Got my tree order in...think some were shipped dead!

Came in from Green Barn today, have a look and see what you think.
Nectarine
Main trunk is shriveled up, cambium brown.

Comments (154)

  • PRO
    tree hustler
    7 years ago

    just look up tree hustler if you wanna reach me it's pretty easy. I have a Facebook, you tube and website


  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    7 years ago

    Hello Steve,

    I'm sorry for the bad judgement of me using the word "daddy" ...didn't mean to offend you, didn't know the real meaning since my native tongue is Swiss and my kids call me daddy.

    I really have left you out for the most part, [not in the beginning] when watching your youtube videos I got educated that you belong with Greenbarn. We've talked some time ago privately, [several emails] I have apologized, you have offered me to replace some trees or at least attempted, that means allot to me.

    I have nothing against you, think you're a fun guy to be around with, hopefully we get to meet one day.

    I see your frustrations with Whiffltree,...guess a good place here to vent it out.

    Thanks Andrew and others for backing me up.

    As said before, out of those 10 trees from Greenbarn I really have nothing to show for except the mulberry.

    Please keep things rolling here, ..some good read! Someday somebody needs good material for a movie script! lol









  • Vegsystems Info
    7 years ago

    Just a little update about my order from Green Barn in 2012 as well. Purchased 2 peach, 2 nectarine, 2 chums, 2 cherries, 25 grapes and I think a few more I am forgetting. All in all it was in the $300-$400 range. I have 1 chum and 3 grapes to show for it in 2016. (the grapes only come back as sprouts as they aren't winter hardy in my area of 5b.) Previous poster says it's just a bit of money, a dinner or a car payment but to me it's the 6 months of trying to get anyone at green barn to pick up the phone and yes it was also a moderate chunk of change. You worked there when this happened, you had sent me an email that spring asking if I was ready to receive my plants and I replied yes. That was Mid April. My plants came in July. My order was incomplete, missing $80 worth of stock I had paid for. The rest looked pitiful or dead. Robyn said I would be refunded for the missing plants. I never was, | could never reach anyone at Green Barn probably tried 20 times through email, phone and facebook. Once I spoke to someone there after posting a message to facebook where they replied trying to save face, I spoke to them on the phone where I was essentially told to f-off. I wish I didn't have hard feelings about this situation, I wish I was telling a good story but apparently I'm not the only one who's had problems. This is the worst transaction | have ever made in my life and is the worst customer experience that I have ever had, not to mention that it's the only time I have actually felt ripped off (for the plants not shipped, CC wouldn't cover it outside of 90 days). Sorry that my "opinion" is upsetting to you but that's what happened. I unfortunately had such a terrible experience that I won't give green barn a second chance. There were too many times to set things right or even try to be remotely reasonable but Green Barn had no interest.

  • PRO
    tree hustler
    7 years ago

    .It was a complicated situation. Wish I could say mor or help you more but I lost my house and family that month so it was a little tough. We grew to fast and there were mistakes made and conflicts arose. We are slowly repairing it all and hopefully at this time next year we can fix as much as possible.


    whom did you speak to that blew you off was it me?

  • stew_4a
    7 years ago

    Hey Steve,

    Understandable about the 'daddy' thing. If someone called my stepmother my step mommy I'd be pissed too. But chalk that up to a cultural misunderstanding. Also, just because you're associated with Ken doesn't necessarily mean that your business practices would be similar. People often aren't similar to their own family members let alone step family.

    Sounds like you had quite a tough time but I respect your resolve and the desire to right the wrongs, which I think will go a long way in restoring GreenBarn's reputation. I'm sure most people here are open to second chances since gardeners/growers tend to be a nurturing bunch. Intrigued to see the new and improved GreenBarn in the future.

    As Konrad and the venerable Fred Durst say, keep on rollin'.

  • rjwhitbr
    7 years ago

    Steve, if you can get things straightened out for me I'll go on here and every other site and let people know. If you can also get Ken to apologize to me and his other customers, I'll praise your name. If you can't make that happen, I would recommend you not attach your good name to that of Green Barn, for it may not stay good.

  • Vegsystems Info
    7 years ago

    Steve, No it was not you who blew me off in the mid summer of 2012 and thereafter. It was not Ken either although it kind of was Ken too as he never replied to emails, voicemail's or picked up the phone. Once I spoke to a guy who I think is either your younger brother or Ken's son but he made it clear I could just go "suck a lemon" to put it nicely, regarding any refund for plants I had paid for but not received or any replacement of the dead plants I had received. Sorry I can't be more specific as to who it was. To be honest I did speak with you at Wiffletree via phone and emails in 2013 or 2014 and you
    seemed to want to help me out but we just never made it work. I dropped the matter with you at wiffletree as you told me you were not affiliated with Green Barn anymore and I didn't feel it your responsibility to clean up their mess with me.... plus to be honest Wiffletree didn't have what I was looking for. I feel for you Steve, I don't wish that kind of loss or hardship on anyone but from a customer and business perspective I hope you
    can understand where myself and where I think other posters are
    coming from with our disappointment and lack of satisfaction and even anger with GreenBarn. We love growing fruit trees. Many of us spend all winter planning and searching for plants then to spend money and receive "crap" (Sorry but my shipment, or part there of, was crap) well it's just a let down and then to follow that with months of trying to contact anyone with nothing, well that was the icing on the cake. Best of luck but I will not be a customer of Green Barn or any associate in the future.

  • hungryfrozencanuck
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Steve,

    I’m not one to air dirty laundry in public but after being
    called cowardly and you bringing my wife into this I must respond to your post.
    My error on facts for you leaving Green
    Barn is what YOU told me, “Steve Leroux is the stepson of Ken of Greenbarn
    and he left Greenbarn to start his own orchard consulting business as well as
    to assist in the running of Whiffletree which is why you can see him in the
    photos and videos of Greenbarn but you talk to him on the phone when you call
    Whiffletree.” Not sure where the
    negative comments can be read into that? If I did make factual errors that damaged your reputation, I apologize. Your personal attacks of “cowardly” however are
    unappreciated, particularly when if you go through my posts you can see that
    while GreenBarn was imploding I was defending Whiffletree/Greenbarn Elora while you were
    working there to try and differentiate between the two places because there
    were a LOT of unhappy clients with Green Barn Quebec. Heck I even contacted you about this exact same
    post back in 2014 and suggested you address Ken's concerns and that it would be cheap advertising to resolve his issue.

    I don’t need to broadcast my personal name and address on a
    gardening forum, thanks. Cowardly or
    not, I believe I have been extremely fair and factually based in my reviews of
    the business I have had dealings with my project so far.

    After you left Green Barn I have never had a poorer customer
    service experience in my life as I did with Ken at Green Barn. He would ignore e-mails, telephones and was completely
    unresponsive.

    In my opinion, if you are back at Green Barn I see you
    having 3 options and my preference would certainly be option 2.

    1 – Do nothing to address history and hope people don’t
    google search for reviews.

    2 – Get out there and apologize to people who have had
    crappy service, explain that you are talking over customer service and quality
    control and that you will make it right, even to the point of free shipping of
    free replacement products to dissatisfied customers (perhaps over 2-3 seasons
    if the demand is too high). Explain that
    you will work to rebuild the reputation and that you hope people will give you
    a second chance going forward.

    3 – Attack the naysayers.
    From the tone of your previous e-mail it seems a bit like you are going
    a bit down this route and in my opinion it is not going to be a productive endeavor. Should you chose to go that route you are
    going to have to go wider than just Gardenweb because negative experiences with
    Green Barn are not unique to Gardenweb and that is simply from people who are
    upset enough to write about it online vs all those who just ate their loss and
    moved on. A quick google search pulls up http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39752

    For the other details in your post, sure I truly believe Ken
    was a pioneer and is responsible (single handily perhaps) for bringing a lot of
    the zone pushing fruits that we have now to our climate zones. That said he/others at Green Barn dropped the
    ball in actually servicing their customers and I don't think you can claim otherwise.
    I honestly don’t care that Pépinière ancestrale, Whiffletree, others
    learned everything they know from Ken. One generation learns from those before. If these new guys respond to my questions, provide good advice, offer me
    a good price, ship healthy and properly labelled product AND deliver it on
    time, THAT is what I care about. I don’t
    feel I need to have any loyalty to support someone who ships dead and
    mislabelled product and will not resolve their mistakes simply because they were "first". If Ken does not have plant patents, non-propagation
    agreements or trademarks in place for his varieties, that is something for him
    to look into if he wants to protect exclusivity on his germplasm. If he does and people are breaking them then
    he can pursue them in court.

    With regards to Whiffletree, I am sorry for what sounds like
    has been a bad experience for you. All I
    would say if there has been a breach of contract then take your written
    contract, get a lawyer to subpoena the accounting/bank documents and go after
    what you are owed. If in fact you are
    owed $65k then it should be worth your time to pursue it in court but that is
    not a matter for us here on Gardenweb. As for
    computers, telephones and the like for Mennonites, I don’t feel it is relevant
    to this discussion.

    You then tell me not to recommend people
    to buy from Whiffletree, “Don't write about stuff you have no clue about either...That's
    directed to Tara and Trevor.”

    Here is what I have a “clue” about:

    2012 Green Barn order

    Plumcot – died

    Seaberry x 2 – female died

    Saskatoon
    berries x 2 – both died

    Northbrite pear – struggling

    Kolomikta kiwi x 4 – all died

    Shinseiki asian pear – died

    Convoy chum – died

    Harrowstar apricot – died

    Earliblue grape – struggling – finally died this year I
    believe

    3 x Purple raspberry – not delivered, not told about
    backorder prior to delivery

    1 x chum Sapalta – not delivered, not told about backorder prior
    to delivery

    1 x mulberry – not delivered, not told about backorder prior
    to delivery

    1 x grape Polar green – not delivered, not told about backorder
    prior to delivery

    2013 – spring Green barn order

    Kenko asian pear – struggling, dyeing back to graft

    Taylor
    apple-pear – struggling, dyeing back to graft.
    Finally put on some growth 2015 that looks to have survived winter.

    Polar green seedless grape – 3 years invested growth into
    this and the grapes are dark purple. Obviously
    mislabeled.

    3 x Purple raspberry – alive

    1 x mulberry - alive

    1 x Sapalta - died

    2013 – fall Green Barn order

    Multiple telephone calls, e-mails, ect to Ken, no response
    until finally he replied with:

    “I have been given the unpleasant task( as court appointed
    guardian of GB .) of informing all claimants of GB Nursery business demise
    ....that it is closed and under bankruptcy proceedings with all assets on the
    auction block. If you have any claims against GB please phone lawyers(trustees)
    in Montreal for
    claims settlements.”

    My Whiffletree, Pépinière ancestrale, Cornhill Nursery and O’Keffe
    Grange orders were all communicated promptly, shipped properly, labelled clearly
    and 95%+ have survived and grown well. All those I would/have
    ordered from again.

    That is my experience and I have the right to say so even if
    you say I don’t. I attempted to resolve
    this directly with Ken privately but he had no interest so I darn well have the
    right to mention it here so others can avoid the same problems I had. After my experience with poor service and even
    poorer quality plants and mislabeled plants, I don’t see myself ordering from
    Green Barn in the near future. I will
    stand back and watch from the sidelines and continue ordering from my other
    proven good experience sources. Should I
    hear from reviews that there have been actual changes at Green Barn, I may
    revisit this decision but not for now.

    You are welcome to respond to this if you like but I am done
    addressing this topic and will not be responding any further on it. My position on Green Barn has been clearly
    laid out and I don’t need to spend any more time on this subject. I will be holding my conversation to topics
    related to my garden and experiences going forward.

    I’ve enjoyed speaking with you about plants over the years
    and brainstorming with you on ways to improve business but now I am done. I will unsubscribe from TheTreeHustler and
    let you continue on your way. I don't harbor you any ill will and wish you good luck in whatever you choose to end up doing.

  • PRO
    tree hustler
    7 years ago

    Fair enough! Like I said I was defending myself and not the green barn .There are many happy customers at the GB over the last 8 years and many happy with windmill point the previous 25 years.Unfortunately the internet has given both those with and without valid claims a forum to complain.

    I also have nothing against you Trevor and I definitely wasn't trying to involve your wife ,simply make a point and you answered my point correctly -no you would not like it if I talked negatively about her business. That's understandable. But that was my point .


    Good luck with your plantings moving forth.


    Steve

  • ubro
    7 years ago

    I, like hungryfrozencanuk, will pass on any future purchases thru Green Barn. I lost 3 out of 3 trees back in 2011. I will watch and wait and if they prove to be better in the future I may buy. My experiences with Wiffletree and Pepiniere Ancestral have all been positive. Infact, Pepiniere Ancestral will respond in english to email orders if you have problems navigating their site.


  • tweerasuriya
    7 years ago

    Well said, hungryfrozen canuk. On with the task of growing fruit trees. Just feeling wonderstruck by them fruit trees. I'd say the survival rate has upped to 90% in spite of the severe set back they received due to frost in the spring of 2015. Funnily enough, it was the goji berry plants, some black raspberry plants, besides the expected damage to cherry/peach trees in my selection that didn't leaf out this spring, and Whiffletree replaced or substituted all those plants, even upgraded the goji to potted plants from the bare roots that I initially received, since of the 15 plants I ordered, all 13 of the smaller bare root plants did not survive, while the two larger plants did. Plants I thought had truly kicked the bucket, came back to life. Busy getting ready to spray Surround kaolin on the fruitlets, that have appeared on the Asian pears, apples, pears and some plums. Have my hands full with tent caterpillars right now, but still feeling exuberant joy, that the voles, rabbits and deer mercifully didn't girdle/chew up the plants. Joys of trying to grow one's own fruit, tent caterpillars, voles, rabbits deer and all, not to mention, the aphids, tree borers and whatever else is waiting around the corner for us, next.

  • rjwhitbr
    7 years ago

    Hi Steve, I'm hoping you can give us an update on how the improvements at Green Barn are going. After your previous comments in May I have been waiting for some good customer service to repair the horrendous service I received when and since purchasing. I have heard nothing. I need to make some more online reviews one way or the other. Thanks.

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    >>but Ken did not just give me poor customer service - he gave me a complete lack of respect.<<

    >>from the beginning with Green Barn which clearly shows how he made
    disgraceful mistake after disgraceful mistake, never once apologizing<<

    So..I'm not the only one who he swindled with lousy dead plants, lousy service and lies, we also want these plants replaced!

  • amacpherson86
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I had similarly poor experience with Green Barn. Ordered the Dandy Sweet as companion to the Gold Star which I already had (through Whiffletree Nursery.....they are less expensive and they back their products)...The Dandy Sweet came from Green Barn with little piece of thick root and no fine roots at all...and a rather large top for the non existent roots to support...I knew it was trouble as soon as I looked at it. I planted it (anyway ( by the way I am also experienced with fruit bushes and trees... also have ordered hundreds of plants trees bushes...and as good as a person could be at reviving questionable specimens)...it did poorly.... as I predicted..I wrote to Ken...he told me to bury the graft...which aside from being questionable for reasons I wont get into (unless you are after the result this will produce)...did not address the issue. Later when I told him it had died ...no surprise to me...and asked if he would replace it...I was ignored...I wrote again to him and again...and was ignored. Their prices are outrageous and still rising...and they will not attend to a reasonable request to stand behind their product...steer clear. im would add that there are no reviews of these products...so you are going in blind...only review or mention of it online is on their site. Whiffletree offers gold star because I believe they receive them from Green Barn...seems they were somewhat associated with Green Barn ...possibly in regards the development of these varieties ? ( I don't know just speculating ) but they split Iv'e noticed their sites are entirely without reference to one another ...which was not the case a few years back.

    As for Whiffletree ...I have had some issues with product ...but that is always par for the course with mail order plants...they have been very good about replacing or crediting...depending on availability. ...I continue to order from them ...prices good, service friendly, they have been longsuffering with my numerous changes and additions to my annual spring and fall orders. Oh...by the way I'm in Ontario...so there was no long postal trip to blame for poor condition...just Green Barn's (or maybe just Ken's )greedy and rude business practices. ...as mentioned...made all the more intolerable by the fact I don't even know that Green Barns' proprietary products ....Gold Star or Dandy Sweet ... are even any good...anyone who orders them is taking a chance .. the only mention of them is on their own site...could be a sham as far as fruit/tree quality as far as anyone knows. I took a chance because they sounded good but who knows ?

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    I ordered two Montreal Mulberry more than one month ago, paid in full including shipping. Today is May 10th, snakes are taking sun-bath in local park (in Toronto), my weeping mulberry opens its' half-inch green buds, but Ken is saying weather is still cold. I received healthy orchids from Thailand one month ago, and weather outside of airplane at 10,000 meters is minus forty Celsius! And Ken is saying it is unsafe to send plants because it is still cold at night (+12C average)

    Ken mentioned via eMail that Montreal Mulberry is grafted and Black Mulberry Dwarf is rooted cutting; I suspect both are from the same tree, grafted one is hardy to -40C because of rootstock, and second one is -30C and dwarf because of own roots.

    I never got confirmed exact species names.

    If you got Mulberry seedling from Green Barn Nursery: I have seedlings here in my backyard, a lot, hundreds if not thousands, like weeds, and they already have opened buds, they have leaves! From my weeping mulberry. Or birds bring it. Morus Alba perhaps, or natural hybrid Illinois Everbearing (Alba x Rubra). Definitely super hardy: I have 20cm healthy seedlings in flower pots after the Winter. I can open my own nursery, "Toronto Mulberry, very hardy!"

    "Montreal Mulberry" is myth.

    I ordered so many plants directly from nurseries without ever checking any reviews, because I trust and respect local farms, but this is first time I got scammed.


    I asked to cancel my order and refund.


    Thanks for reading.

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago

    Well... good luck for getting money back..we all know his tricks...just a bunch of lies, a good scam/cone artist!

  • amacpherson86
    5 years ago

    I don't think it is an easy business to be in....I had another nursery owner that I prefer to deal with tell me they had to burn 5500 trees..that being said..Ken Taylor(Green Barn ) clearly does not stand behind his wares....if he even responds to you...and prices are ridiculous...double in many cases what you can find elsewhere......I have found Silver Creek, Whiffletree and Hardy Fruit Trees all very good to deal with. ..stock is very small at Hardy Fruit Trees.. sometimes 16-18 inches high...but healthy...if you protect and get them off to a good start..no losses there...better than starting with a 3 or 4 year old tree 5 feet tall with a weak graft or already exposed to (but not yet showing ) disease , until you have had it one season !..I have had to cut back and protect with bordo or sulphur and pruning paint..and again and again until finally losing trees that started out 5 feet high and 3/4 to 1inch diameter with good branching...so I would take one of those little, well cared for trees anyday over the other.

  • amacpherson86
    5 years ago

    In regard to "Montreal Mulberry"..I was immediately suspect of that the moment I saw it......but I don't blame you for ordering it.....my little heart went pitter pat too when I saw those two words together ......theoretically it's exactly what we are looking for in a mulberry...and voila...he just happens to have "produced" it...I believe there are a number of items on that list that require " " quotation marks... " ". If everyone and their dog could produce so many "proprietary" cultivars..we would all be in it and have a million bucks in our pocket to show for it. Instead he has jacked his prices sky high to compensate, (I'm guessing ), for being in receivership( a rumour I heard..was it on this site ? ) along with the fallout of scamming people... and the word is out. On the other hand ..the nursery that had to burn 5500 trees have taken a huge loss but come out with their reputation unscathed. ..they will endure and succeed...which is what I keep saying to myself as I have taken on this rather challenging hobby of growing fruit trees. ..lots of losses...but some successes to build on. i was throwing up my hands last week as everything in full bloom .....but no bees....no bees anywhere.... just the odd bumblebee...then I found someone down the road with beehives and he had them at my place the next day and my chums are all ABUZZ with honeybees. I may get some fruit this year if the racoons don't climb up and tear the branches off my chums as they have done before (bad crotch angles, heavy racoon...light branches= disaster).Oddly, the honeybees seem uninterested in my Waneta and Toka.....which are very close to my chums.....(granted the candy like fragrance from the chums is remarkable...but it is strange the honeybees are not interested in the plums..maybe the blossoms are too old ?...they did open about a week earlier ..I really just want one piece of fruit from them so that I can try it and tell if I want to order more of them or not..I did see a bumblebee there earlier and one of those miniscule striped bees that are about 1/4 inch long. a word of caution..I put out honeywater a few weeks ago when it was blooming and too cold for bees..in order to feed the mason bees that have been the saving grace around here the best pollinators...I believe i killed them all with kindness...the mixture got evaporated and they got stuck in it...what was intended to help the early bees killed them about 50..which is probably the whole lot of them in the immediate area..if you put out honeywater for the early bees make sure it is mainly water..and that there are sticks and things for them to access and get out (that part I did do.) but it didn't help..it was too sticky and it trapped them...i feel so stupid for having done that !!!

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Buying mulberry: the best strategy is of course to taste it, then to buy. Unfortunately not possible here in Ontario.

    I wish each and every business prosperity, especially to local farmers.

    Some pictures to compare.

    1. Morus Alba white-fruiting from Turkey

    First of all, grafted white-fruit Morus Alba (for sure it is "alba" because buds are super tiny and light-coloured). I imported it from Turkey, and it spent 3 weeks on a way here, and arrived *before* "Montreal Mulberry", in an envelop (not in a box!!!):

    As you can see from last picture, size is about 2' - 2'6" (0.5m - 0.75m)

    Grafted. Huge! Healthy!!! No any bad smell, no fungi on roots at all. But I still put it in Hydrogen Peroxide solution for 1-2 days.

    2. Mulberries at my backyard

    First picture is my weeping mulberry, olready buds opened; Toronto, Ontario, May 10 (while it was still cold in Quebec province to dig my order from the ground):

    And this is wild native Mulberry (I believe) in my pot, overwintered minus 30 Celsium in a pot!!!

    This (picture above) is "Toronto Mulberry, Very Hardy!" LOL :)

    Birds bring it to me. Their stomach cannot digest mulberry seeds. I'll open nursery and I'll sell it to Quebec :)


    3. Montreal Mulberry

    It seems it was grafted last year; 1 year old.

    By looking into buds, I think it is Morus Rubra variety (or hybrid): buds are bigger and rounder, but not as huge as Morus Nigra.

    To be continued.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    3. Montreal Mulberry (continued)

    Plants are grafted onto unknown stock. Costed more than CAD$ 140 per tree (including shipping). Three days delivery from Quebec to Toronto. Tiny less-than-half-inch trunk.

    Compare with mulberry from Turkey: CAD$ 80, three weeks delivery, 3-years-old graft, 1-inch trunk, almost-one-inch-thick roots.

    Next year I plan to taste it, if doesn't taste good then I'll use it to learn how to graft.

    I recently ordered real Morus Nigra (it is so hard to find real one); I'll update probably in separate thread.

    Thanks for reading!

    P.S. Here is excellent site describing different species:

    https://www.growingmulberry.org/

  • Kevin Reilly
    5 years ago

    Nice looking rootball.

  • amacpherson86
    5 years ago

    Fuad ...thanks for sharing those pics...as I understand with mulberry...two interesting points...they are late to leaf out...sometimes they will ,in fact , NOT leaf out....if it looks as if this is going to happen, you can force them to leaf out by good pruning.....that seems to stimulate them to move .....i had to do this once..as it was getting on in the season and nothing was happening...also the names "white" "red" and "black" mulberry can be deceiving...if it is called black then it probably is black....but a red mulberry could be anything from white to black...which is why I bought a set of 10 seedling reds...hoping one might have a nice black berry on it. I had trouble with the Illinois hardy they all died above the graft until finally I had one survive...I am hoping to graft to the other ones that are growing from below the graft...will the berry be all that different ?...maybe not. I believe it is quite possible with mulberries to get a ramdom seedling that happens to have wonderful berries on it...by chance...rather than a "named" variety that has been grafted.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    My weeping mulberry (I posted picture) is Morus Alba and it has big delicious black fruit and we compete with squirrels and birds. I bought it probably at Eglinton Plants World (Toronto) about 12 years ago; I trim it lightly in Fall and heavily in early Spring. It starts leafing after all other trees.

    Morus Nigra which I grew with back in Azerbaijan has bleeding dark fruits, not black. You cannot touch it without getting hands dark red in juice. It is called there "Khar Toot". It has big pea size black buds, that is why it is called "Nigra" (and not because of fruit colour).

    I found another nice nursery in Ontario, with rare white-fruiting mulberries, I am going to order some: http://www.burntridgenursery.com/


  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago

    So..what is Montreal black mulberry then I got from Green barn...the only thing still alive ..will it have fruit? They say it was rooted.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    I recently got few cuttings of Morus Nigra King James variety, and Noir of Spain, truly “Morus Nigra”, huge buds on it, really huge, like about 8-12 millimetre size, and black.

    And I also bought suspicious “Morus Nigra Persian Black Beauty” https://www.whiffletreefarmandnursery.ca/ and its’ buds are much smaller. I am sure it is neither “Nigra” nor Persian.

    Two small tiny sticks (grafted) which Ken from Green Barn sent to me are leafing out and both have flowers-fruits on it, so far so good! I buried graft union below surface and I have purely sand.


    I am going to open my specialty nursery next year ;)



  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Montreal Mulberry Update:

    It looks amazing!



    It had two dozen fruit on 3' stick; and it struck (very rapid growth) after fruiting, huge leaves 4"-5", 90-degree branch-to-trunk (perhaps because birds love sit on it)

    Fruits were about 3/4" (for such a young tree, 2nd year graft); seedless; black; slightly tart. But I ate only two :)

    Thank you Ken Taylor & Green Barn Nursery!

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago

    Well good for you but when I bought Montreal Black Mulberry in 2014 it hasn't fruited and looks very different in leaves then your...please tell me what's going on.

    Picture of today...



    This is what I bought and have absolutely nothing to show for...only this mulberry made it which might be chunk?


    Montreal Black Mulberry......................39
    Taylor's Gold Plumcot ...................49
    Kenko Asian Pear................49
    China Green Asian Pear
    ............49
    Xiang Asian Pear..................49
    Harrow Diamond Peach.........39
    Hardy Red Nectarine.............39
    Ritson Pear...........................39
    Northbrite Pear......................39
    So Sweet Pear......................39

    tree total.... ..430

    ship........60

    Tax........74

    Need payment by cheque or CC for $564


  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    Hi Konrad,


    My 'Montreal' mulberry looks very much as Illinois Everbearing, I watched few videos on Youtube. Big round leaves, not-lobed.


    Your mulberry looks like Morus Alba ("white" wild mulberry, or "Russian" mulberry, or "Tatarica" which is like weed in Canada, grows everywhere)


    I believe you bought grafted mulberry; scion ("Montreal Mulberry", top part of graft) is dead or outgrown by rootstock which is Morus Alba.


    My mulberry is also grafted; I planted it with graft union below surface (and I think it was huge mistake; but tree disagrees with me)

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago
    Thanks...no, not grafted, mine was a cut rooting I was told but I’ve learned that names don’t mean anything with Greenbarn.

    So, ..I got shafted all the way with your friend Ken Taylor, he had absolutely zero remorse to pay back or replace.
  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago
    As you can see.. I’m out $564.00

    Ken Taylor...if you’re paying pack full amount then I can see into getting this post down which would help you in the long run.
  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Yes, my friend Ken Taylor has to stay behind his name. If you were told it is rooted cutting, and if it is true, then

    1) maybe you need to wait few more years?

    2) yes leaves look *very* different on yours.


    Common promise is that grafted mulberries will produce fruit on 2nd-3rd year.


    Your plant looks small for 4-year-old... Wild mulberry would be at least three times bigger. Sometimes nurseries make mistake, it may happen. If this is a case... I'd get rid of this one, and buy from some other nursery; I will even buy few and leave most rigorous & beautiful and get of rid of others (in few years).

    Here are some YouTube videos showing Illinois Everbearing mulberry, my "Montreal" mulberry looks exactly the same, this is hardy to Zone 4 mulberry, fruiting June to September, so that I suspect "Montreal Mulberry" is the same one as "Illinois Everbearing" (or maybe Gerard):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tupZxlXsF0c

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR2AuadyiwM

    Nice site: https://www.growingmulberry.org/selection

  • tweerasuriya
    5 years ago

    Interesting thread. I got 3 Illinoise mulberry from Whiffletree in 2015 and they have survived and two are bearing fruit on a farmland (5b, in Ontario, near Georgetown), so the trees are tiny - two are about 2 ft, the one that is bearing is about 3 ft. The zone difference between your site (6b) and mine, may be the reason yours is doing much better. I also ordered Illinois mulberry in 2016 from Grimo Nut nursery in Niagara on the Lake, they were 3 ft sticks, last year they both leafed out, but this year only one leafed out, the other appears dead. If I had read this thread earlier, I would have pruned it in late spring to see if it would have triggered budding, but it is too late.

    By the way, Whiffletree did replace two of my weak plum trees (one Superior, one Brookgold) with 5 ft tall well branched bareroot plants (with one American hybrid and one Toka), this spring. Very good customer service. The American hybrid leafed out, and I am worried it might not next year. Very weak leaf-out . The Toka didn't leaf out at all. So I agree it seems it is better to get smaller trees and nurture them, rather than these tall well branched specimens that do not survive the transplant shock. Now I realize, perhaps I should have pruned this Toka down too. Too late. Below is an image of the Superior that after 3 years still looks like a bamboo plant.

    And one where the root stock (Wild American Plum) totally took over. It was so strong, it just would not allow the Superior to grow. See if you can identify the twig that was to be a Superior Plum tree. Hint: the branch is painted white. I have lots of challenges with black knot on all these plum trees. Also though the plum trees have flowered prodigiously , not just this year but last year as well, I have had no fruit (3rd year). I am keeping the rootstock to act as a pollinator for the other plum trees as the Native American plum is considered a universal pollinator for plums.

    Appreciate any tips, on how to make the one replacement American hybrid Superior plum that leafed out this spring, survive and grow out next year.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    Winter doesn't kill trees; but sun in a very freezing day may kill. My zone (Toronto) considered 6b these years but it vary from year to year; last Winter we had frosts over minus 30 Celsius but it is not what defines "6b". Sun in Winter will dry out branches; roots of young trees are frozen at the surface and won't provide supply in a sunny freezing day. Tree will die.


    It is first year for my mulberries and peaches, all are grafted, and I am going to cover it with burlaps before Winter, especially graft union; I need to buy some spray for roses (liquid lime sulfur?) - researching now.


    Whiffletree has very nice advice for peaches in their catalogue: despite the fact many people try to find "best" sheltered spot at South side of the house, they advise to plant peaches at North: so that they will have full sun in Summer, and they will be in a shade in Winter.


    Some people paint graft union with white color, to protect from sun.


    Important: no any fertilizer after 1st August. Otherwise you will have many young soft branches in fall (not a hardwood); which will kill tree in Winter (they will suck energy from tree in a sunny day; and tree is frozen below surface). Branches should become 'hardened' before Winter, tree needs time to prepare.


    Winter protection is needed for first few years only; established trees do not need that.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    Young trees need Winter protection, even if it is advertised as "hardy to zone 4". Especially graft union. Minus 40 degree Celsius won't kill the tree; but frozen ground and sunny day will. So cover it with burlaps; apply dormant spray; etc. Some people paint graft union in white to prevent sunburn. Do not apply any fertilizer after August 1st; otherwise you will get young soft branches before Winter which will kill the tree.


    Well established trees do not need that.

  • tweerasuriya
    5 years ago

    Thanks Fuad for these tips. I did paint most of my trees but not the mulberry, and of course the Toka plum which didn't leaf out, I got this year. If you are ever in the Georgetown area, drop by at our orchard -there are black raspberries for the picking right now.

  • tweerasuriya
    5 years ago

    Have you read Michael Philips book "the holistic Orchard". You can get it from the library. He suggests spraying with sea weed solution for frost damage protection.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    Somewhere in California one may need frost damage protection; but here in Canada it won't work :) Sorry Michael Philips! Protect your plants form *sun* in Winter, use burlap for instance. I lost my roses in pots because of that, this season I'll put it into garage: temperature may be a little higher, but no sunburns. Also, graft union must be very well protected, including cold temperatures; use something for pipes from HomeDepot, or cover with tree leaves, etc.

  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Montreal Mulberry Update:

    I mistakenly wrote in the previous message leaves are huge & about 4"-5"; but leaves are 7", today I measured. Unfortunately strong wind broke one top branch, see the photo. Leaves look like Morus Rubra. I have two of these, bought this year, one under the full sun grows much faster & bigger leaves.



    I'll try to root this since Montreal Mulberry has not been patented :)

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    5 years ago
    This is not the appropriate thread to discuss your mulberry but I shouldn’t complain since you bring up this page over and over which is a good thing.
  • Fuad Efendi
    5 years ago

    glenn_10 started discussing "Montreal Mulberry" in this thread; I don't remember how I landed here; most probably via Google search for Greenbarn Nursery Mulberry review (because I was and I am very suspicious about their plants). I am sorry :)

  • sqfgardiner45
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I've had several orders from Greenbarn over the last couple of years and most of what I've ordered has perished. I confirm what Konrad stated; Ken is a con! I've met Ken a few times and visited the nursery, I'm amazed at what he's accomplished but he's not an honest business man. It makes me angry that he makes up new varieties and sells them for three times the actual price. I've checked his website today to discover another one of his little scams. He lists "A crazy Apple... New in 2018, $100 for 4 plants. I did some research and came across Flora Exotica's website with the same pictures for Yacon which they sell for $10 a plant. Never Ceases to amaze me!

  • ubro
    5 years ago

    I hear you sqfgardiner45 it bothers me to no end when nurseries give new names to existing plants.

  • hungryfrozencanuck
    5 years ago

    Fuad Efendi, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience with the different mulberries you have grafted. Perhaps start a new post? I'd be interested in getting some cuttings if you you have anything that is in the 5a or colder hardiness zone.


  • Fuad Efendi
    4 years ago

    So, here is my 5-star review of Montreal Mulberry which I planted last year:

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5749138/montreal-mulberry-review


    So that I don't even try to buy twice cheaper Illinois Everbearing from Ontario (Whiffletree Farm) nursery; I am happy with what I have from Montreal. As for cuttings... I had very rare Morus Nigra cuttings some put roots but then rotted with no reason, and now I just don't have any time for experiments... I still have seeds of Morus Nigra, I will try it at least.

  • hungryfrozencanuck
    4 years ago

    Fuad Efendi how are your mulberries doing? 7 years in my Greenbarn Montreal Mulberry has yet to produce fruit - it flowers then they just dry up (male?). Happily I grafted it over to Illinois Everbearing and it started producing fruit last year with a nice handfull every 2-3 days this year. Had some dieback here in Zone4b on only 2-3 branches that grew like crazy last year (8+ feet) so I think that they just did not harden off in time. 90% of the Illinois Everbearing growth had no dieback except the very tips. I've got Northrop grafted as well but no fruit yet. Would love to hear if you have any hardy varieties that are doing well for you and perhaps buy/trade some scion wood this winter.

  • Selena Moon
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I had a horrible experience with a Green Barn in 2020. We paid 500+ for our order, the trees were sent in such a condition that from 5 trees 4 came dead. The root system was wet and I expecting the reason why the plants are dead is that they did not survive the winter at the Green barn before they sent the order. I would not bother for one dead tree, but 4 out of 5 sounds too much! I never experience such a huge loss of 80 % of trees from a single purchase. This company is absolutely one to avoid for future purchases Trees were super small as well. See photos. Ken refuserefuses to send other plants, no refunds.... This company is really robbing you. It is better to purchase form Canadia Tire.....



  • hungryfrozencanuck
    3 years ago

    Selena Moon, sorry to hear about that! Check out Whiffletree, Silvercreek Nursery, Hardyfruittrees.ca for next year.


  • Selena Moon
    3 years ago

    Thank you! I purchased then form Nutcracker Nursery & Tree Farm. Like the result. I Will purchase again. Very resonable prising got one extra tree. ALL trees are alive. I will use your suggestions as well.Thanks a lot!!!

  • HU-52832259
    last year

    I purchase 2 persimmon trees without earth, after I planted them in one month, only small leaf grow out in one tree, another one without leaf. I sent email 2 weeks ago, no feedback yet. This customer service is worse.

  • Konrad..just outside of Edmonton Alberta
    last year

    Oh Boy..this Ken Taylor from Greenbarn lives up to his repetition ….a slime ball cone artist!