[flimbin]

Does everyone have problems with mail order, or is it just me?   I am usually dissappointed when I respond to ads in magazines. It seems to me that when you buy 3 of a plant, they send you 1 healthy one, 1 dead one and a sickly one. When it's a five, you get 2 healthy ones, one completely dead one and 2 that might or might not make it!
I feel robbed each time, but keep falling for the ads.

[Aunt Sally]

If you only buy from reputable dealers you'll not have this problem.

So, wise up - give the magazine adds a miss 

[Kleftiwallah]

I bought three Honeyberry 'bushes'.  (buy two get the third one free)  They were all no more than a single twig no more than 1 1/2" tall (above ground).   Very very disapointed.  However they have now all sprouted leaf clusters but I shall certainly think again before repeating this process.        Cheers,     Tony.

[spottymint]

If you only buy from reputable dealers you'll not have this problem.

So, wise up - give the magazine adds a miss 

I'm with Auntie , also ask the seller questions.

Are they garden ready ?

If not they may be young plants, which require growing on with care & protection before being planted out in the final positions.

If the seller won't answer questions, they probably have something to hide, so avoid.

[sunshineband]

and always complain if the plants are not up to scratch, otherwise the supplier just gets away with it

[Agatha]

I never buy special offer plants from papers/magazines, as I've never found one that's been worth the money (especially the 'free - just pay £4 postage' ones)  Vernons are brilliant for pelargoniums & herbaceous perennials - only once had a problem and then it was sorted immediately with a money-off voucher as an apology.  Van Meeuwen are good too.  One of my clients orders from them 2 or 3 times a year and only ever had one problem.  I tend to avoid Thompson & Morgan as I've had so many problems with their plants. 

[Puenktchen]

I don`t fall for the "for free - just pay postage" offers anymore. It feels like they get rid of the plants they cannot sell in the normal way anymore. The few times I have tried I got mostly sick or dead plants. For example 3 Amaryllis bulbs for free (+postage) and all 3 were mouldy but I could save one which never flowered, or 3 Helleborus plants for free (+postage) and two were already dead, but one was ok and is growing well in the garden.

So I avoid these offers now as you cannot really complain if you got something for free.

[Goosegirl]

I never buy special offer plants from papers/magazines, as I've never found one that's been worth the money (especially the 'free - just pay £4 postage' ones)  Vernons are brilliant for pelargoniums & herbaceous perennials - only once had a problem and then it was sorted immediately with a money-off voucher as an apology.  Van Meeuwen are good too.  One of my clients orders from them 2 or 3 times a year and only ever had one problem.  I tend to avoid Thompson & Morgan as I've had so many problems with their plants. 

I also avoid teeandem as I have had the same problem several times in the past, but recommend Jersey Direct.

[spottymint]

 

I also avoid teeandem as I have had the same problem several times in the past, but recommend Jersey Direct.


Agree with this.