Is this acceptable for bare root trees?

Hello,

For the first time we just bare root trees. We got a cherry, a crabapple and a plum. The cherry is fine if looking like the roots were stopped from growing deeper but the other pair are distinctly lacking in roots at all. What roots there were having been cut off very short. The crab apple is the worst -also a lot of branches are snapped. But the plum has 2 big tap roots which have been cut off very short. I'm rather cross, disappointed and severely doubt that the trees will thrive. It looks like they went down and cut it off rather than actually getting a proper root. It's pure careless.

Is this acceptable and normal or am I over reacting? Please ignore the big blue foot.

Pictures 1+ 2 are the crab apple, 3+4 are the plum.

If it's a "big brand" name and shame them, I'd certainly like to know who not to buy from.

Dobies.

For 2 out of 3 trees to be so badly dug up I wonder how much of their crop is damaged in this way and end up failing to thrive. The John Downie crab apple was to be a gift for the local school nursery and we don't feel that we can give it to them like that. Too much care needed and they can't give it that attention. We have messaged them. I'll update you with what they say.

Still no response.

I would have to continue if it was me, but it very tiring to have to do so.    It is almost like they are saying "she'll be happy with three and so won't bother with the fourth"    My Dobies catalogue goes in the bin now.
Good luck.  Mrs Bouquet

Bare root plants are a tricky subject, being neither dead nor alive when shipped, with several months before you can tell whether they will survive or not, and even then it's not easy to decide fairly whose fault it is.

Did your supplier offer any sort of guarantee in the event of failure?

Have you planted them?  If not, how have you stored them, as the roots they do have would have wanted to be heeled in at least.

It is your choice.  I would have planted them, raised the issues and seen how they did, as Lardman suggested.  Bottom line though is that you are the customer and have the right to return anything you are not happy with 

We photographed, heeled them in and then had a grump.

I'll send a photograph and ask do they think that little roots are acceptable and if so ask for a return as we're not happy.

It's a difficult one to answer because any goods have to be fit for purpose but you won't know until late spring if they've taken as JG says. Personally I'd pursue it as their response is not good enough and neither is their attitude towards a customer.

Thank you.
We ordered rhubarb a few months ago and one of the 3 has died so I'm a bit disenchanted.

I ordered a cherry Stella and a russet apple last spring and received them a few weeks ago. I brought them with house warming gift vouchers. I was also disappointed in the size (about 4ft) and the size of the root ball. The russet was £30+ and the cherry around £20 if I remember correctly.

I decided in future I wouldn’t buy from catalogs - I’d either buy the cheap 2 for £10 deals or from a tree nursery in person. I recently went to the Dutchy nursery near Liskeard and their bear root apples looked great.
 
This is a photo of the apple I think for comparison.