Ouch. That sucks.

The internet creates an interesting marketplace. In my line of work price is king on line and I suspect so in the conifer world as well.

We have found the ability to post exact product photos a blessing. It is interesting how no one demands that from conifer websites. The buying public can be idiots though. No matter how great a price we give to the "actual item photographed" items the ridiculously cheap no picture ads do out draw them...

It is difficult to judge what kind of customer service you are getting though....

Were they cheap at least?

Well, I think a # of us can recognize the tags.

As always, YMMV. I bought some Kalmias from them that were smaller but were very nicely priced, considering tissue cultured Kalmias are usually expensive. The conifer I got from them was a little scraggly but nothing like these examples. I was happy with my order but I don't dispute your experience.

FWIW, the 3 orders I've placed with Song Sparrow has gotten me beautifully grown and packaged plants, but they are more expensive. Maybe you should try them instead.

T, averages about $15 a pop after shipping (promotion). These are plants you toss not sell IMO. This goes beyond "you get what you pay for".

David,

I hear you on YMMV but don't think its applicable to this nursery. Too many documented quality issues...consistency tells the story. I had ordered from Song Sparrow (among other high quality sources) this past spring. In deed they are much better. My 'Blue Magoo' was one of my favorites from this past year.

This is what a $30 mail order plant should look like...
{{gwi:616938}}

Here is what trash looks like...in fact this is the only nursery that has sent me trash.
{{gwi:839253}}

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I am always tempted to buy from this particular source because of their seemingly great promotions and decent selection. Before I press the "confirm order" button, though, I come to me senses and realize that I am better off spending a little more to get a higher quality plant.

Personally, I don't know how anybody could put something that looks that way in a box and send it out to a customer without being embarrassed. This nursery has such potential but completely blows it. That stuff should be burned.

Send it back to them

I know where these came from based on the quality. Whaas- Post the name of this company, others deserve to know the quality issues you've had so they can go elsewhere. Companies that send stock like this shouldn't be in mail order... if it's happened to you, me, it'll happen to the next guy that thinks he is getting a good deal.

Its amazing to think that when a reputable company takes the time to stake there plants how much nicer they become. The cost of a stake, some ties, and a few seconds to put them together can't cost more than reshiping bad plants over and over. Look at it this way, at least you got a responce from this company. They didn't bother to even take the time to respond to me. I didn't call because I was afraid to tell them what I really thought about their stock lol.

i am bummed ...

ken

Wow, talk about adding insult to injury.
I can't believe a breathing human actually boxed those things.....
They must think their customers are absolute morons.

Josh

Wow, those specimens are brutal. There really is no excuse for it. I mean, specimen #2 could easily win a role in the annual Christmas party with Charlie Brown. My friend and nursery owner Bob Fincham throws away plants that look much better then those. It's really a shame(or a sham) and I'd ask for a refund. While a certain amount of leniency is neccesary when dealing with shipping plants hundreds or thousands of miles, plants that arrive in such condition are inexcusable. Hopefully they take care to resolve the issue.

For what it's worth, I have bought maybe 20 plants from the nursery we're discussing and only a few were mutants. All have survived and some are quite attractive a year after I bought them.

-Will

Matt, that is hilarious because that is exactly what I did this past order! At least the main plant I wanted was a superb specimen.

Blue, those plants don't warranted the wasting of any shipping dollars. I'm sure they will refund, credit or send replacements. No answer yet as of 24 hours later.

Ken, so am I. So much potential if they could just get some of the quality issues ironed out.

Josh, I think that is the reason for this post. I've learned to become lenient with mail order plants but to have 4 of 5 plants look that horrible is as you said, inexcusable.

Will, all you can do is make fun of the plants at this point. It is quite hilarious how bad they are. I almost started laughing when the shipment arrived in an 12" x 12" box. How on earth can you fit (5) one gallon plants in a box like that? Up until this order I probably ordered about 20 plants myself...a few mutants, a couple damaged ones and several mislabeled plants. Not terrible at the end of the day. This last order is icing on the cake or should I say candle wax on the cake though.

Thought I share the owner's response to complete the story.

The white pine you can run a knife down each side of the root ball and they will be fine.
I only use this method for shrubs that send suckers. I don't see how a conifer would respond well to this. This plant is so pot bound the roots aren't even pliable, they are as hard as a rock.

The color of the Spruce 'Straw' is the color they turn this time of year, hence the name. They are in the process of turning from the yellowis blue color to the straw color.
I don't know how one can be so oblivious to the issue at hand.

The Fir have struggled this year, do to our record wet year. We can refund the cost.
Lame excuse for container stock but at least they acknowledged this plant has an issue.

No comment or solution was given on the Picea pungens 'Blue Mesa'.

I'll handle it from here with the nursery but I just don't understand why they still think its ok to send these plants like this.

Will,

The 'Blue Magoo' is one cool conifer.

I ordered one from Buchholtz for shipment next spring.

Who did you get yours from?

Dave

I agree, I got this particular one from Song Sparrow. I can get a couple more photos for you to enjoy while you wait for your shipment. Just say the words and I can post as many pics of this plant as you want.

Haha, yes Will, please post hundreds of pictures of this plant for us to enjoy. Most of us won't mind.

Looking at the quality of the plants, I can only assume this is the infamous "Japanese Maples and Conifers" Ebay vendor, formerly known as "Oregon Grown." I've ordered once from her and never will again. I expect we'll eventually see a third name for this vendor, and a fourth....

On the plus side, I continue to receive excellent mail order stock from Bloom River. They are expensive but they are excellent. They also have a lot of stock that isn't listed on the Website.

yeah they suckered me out of about a hundred dollars of poor quality plants when i was trying to get some decent specimens to start. can say i was warned so i live and learn, but still chaps my...well you know and not proper for a lady to say anyhow so i will just shut it :). but how could someone so blantenly do their customers so wrong!!! and i was hoping for a good business relationship with this company grrrr. anyway i think last i was on here was it dex that was starting his own company? who else sells on here would be interested in pricing some things from someone that can actually be trusted.

oh yeah their response to me on ebay was that i did not know how to grow plants lol...last time i checked i was the one everyone brought their half dead plants to to revive...hmmmm. okay guess i am still a little once bitten twice shy...really just plain pissed!!!

Japanese Maples and Conifers is much worse than the company I'm talking about.

Although slow to respond, they said they'd give me a credit on the next order in spring. Also told me to plant them versus throwing them out. I reworked them a bit (drastic pruning) and put them in my hold over bed for now. I'll throw a hail mary on the other two to see if they bounce back and fill out. Eitherway most have to stay in the hold over bed with my other 1-2 year grafts for several years before they are ready for prime time.

{{gwi:851376}}

{{gwi:851377}}

Really Whaas?... anything other than a refund is unacceptable. It looks like you've had multiple problems with this company. Each time they have credited your next order...

"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" or in your case "Fool me once shame on you, fool me 2, 3, 4 times shame on me" lol.

This is the first credit. I haven't contacted them with the exception of my first order which had the damaged/dead Ginkgo and girdled pine.

At the end of the day I don't have a problem working with them IF they work with me. I let all the single plant duds on each order slide because of the nice plants I did get. Check out your thread for what I got.

The moral of the story is if you get plants like this contact the nursery, express your concerns and get a resolve that works for both of you. Email DOES NOT work with this company by the way (which bothers me a bit) so you have to use the classic means of communication with them.

Still, shame on the owner for sending these plants. I'll get a replacement order in spring, which is fine but I've found much better sources to work with going forward.

Will, you can fix this problem by moving to the Netherlands and visit my nursery once and a while.
Here counts "what you see is what you get" ;0)

Edwin, that would be quite the site...a grown man running around like a kid in a candy store!

I was this [] close to living in Switzerland, would have only been a hop, skip and jump.