Fruit Tree Grades Explained

Grandpa's Orchard™ strives to sell only the highest grade and quality trees and plants.

While many other competing websites may not list any specific grade or size when you are shopping, Grandpa's Orchard™ specifically lists grades and sizes of plants that conform to American Association of Nurserymen Standards. Thus, you are assured that when you are ordering a specific size online, it will not be just a plant or tree that may range in size from very small to very large like some other nurseries.

2 Year-XL grade: These are trees that Grandpa has lined out and grown on for a second season in his fields. Typically they are 5/8" caliper or larger and well branched. Because they have been grown in the field another year they have bigger root systems and usually are a year closer to producing fruit versus one year old trees. Almost all fall shipped trees will be in this grade. Quantities are very limited. They are priced higher than normal, one year Extra Large trees because of the extra expense in growing, storing and handling them.

EXTRA LARGE, 5/8" up caliper grade: This is typically the largest size that we have available and are one year old. The caliper is generally measured close to the bud union and will be a minimum of 5/8". We often try to use ¾" and larger caliper grades in this category, at no extra charge to you, since we feel that this is the most desirable grade. However, 5/8" to ¾" caliper grades are very nice trees, and we feel they are of the same value. The EXTRA LARGE grade will typically have many nice branches and "feathers" and before any heading to get it into the shipping box, the trees are generally 5-7 ft. tall in the field.

LARGE, ½" to 5/8" caliper grade: This is the next smaller size grade down and still a very nice grade tree. It will generally not have as many branches or feathers, and before heading may have been in the range of 4-6 ft. tall in the field.

MEDIUM, 7/16" to ½" caliper grade: This is generally the smallest grade that we will offer, and then only in cases where there are severe shortages of the variety and we have no other option. These trees generally have few feathers or branches, and generally may have been in the range of 3-5 ft. tall in the field.