Ask if the nursery has the cultivar and strain you want and if there are enough in stock to meet your needs. You could end up with a spacing problem in your orchard because you have planted a mixed block of cultivars, strains, and rootstocks. You're better off in delaying your planting for a year until you are able to get exactly what you want. Don't accept an undesirable cultivar-rootstock combination. Information that comes word of mouth and other growers' experiences can be of invaluable help when deciding on a nursery.
Most nurseries realize that the best advertisement for their product is a satisfied customer.
Talk to growers who have ordered from a nursery you do not know. Ask about the condition of trees on arrival and about problems in ordering or receiving the trees. It's also a good idea to visit the nursery, if at all possible. Nurseries usually welcome anyone interested in their operation. Another factor to consider before ordering trees is the nursery guarantee concerning survivability, quality, and trueness to name.