Isn't it exciting to get plants/leaves in the mail?

I'll add my satisfaction with the two companies I've ordered from. I've only ordered leaves to date, but I've was very happy using Bluebird and ordering directly from Pan Hancock at Buckeye. I received 16 leaves in one order and 15 in another and none of them were harmed and all were in great shape. All leaves from the first batch rooted and several are starting to produce (it's just over a month). The second batch just came yesterday, so unsure of how they will do, but they look great.

"Most of the leaves were broken" - "but the plants are still healthy" doesn't seem like these parts of sentence can describe the same plant :)

Hopefully the centers were still intact? If "most of the leaves were broken" I would drop them a note ASAP to bring the problem to their attention. NOT GOOD. Not normal.

Minis grow fast so I would disbud it so all the energy is going to new growth. As to buying in person - if only I could!!!

On the otherhand - those broken leaves are most likely healthy enough to pot up and have backups for both you and your sister. (I would have snuck a leaf or two off anyway but this way there's no guilt!)

Dognapper -

It seems to me - you are too harsh. The leaves ALWAYS break. More of it - Violetbarn usually removes the largest leaves in any case so they can wrap the plants. But I ordered from them several times - and never lost a plant. You just put them on a tray - and start watering - and they practically shoot new leaves and buds. I would remove the buds just as you recommend - may be leave 1 stalk to see if they bloom right.

While sometimes you get your order from ebay - and even not a leaf is broken - but the plant is so weak and immature - that it is probably half rotten already.

And about going there in person - I was there once - and oh-boy -spent so much money - and I would love to go there again any time.

TGIF

irina

Just a quick reminder: Isolate those new plants from the rest of your collection.
Fred in NJ

I've ordered from Rob's plenty of times, both standards and minis, and I've rarely had broken leaves; in fact, I've never had a broken leaf on a mini from them. The most damage I've ever seen on plants from them was on the few streps that I got in my last order a few months ago, but they weren't broken through and remain on the plants still. I've also ordered plants from Bluebird Greenhouse, both standards and minis, and have never had broken leaves. Maybe your mailman (or the more PC 'postal worker') is playing kickball with your packages... just kidding. I hope not. As for buds, I'd let them go ahead and bloom if they want to. Mine usually fall off quickly anyway, due to the change in environment. If I'm lucky I get a few blooms before this happens. I'm happy enough to get blooms that start in my own conditions, so I don't mind waiting for them to settle in.

"It seems to me - you are too harsh. The leaves ALWAYS break."

I've ordered from Bluebird this summer and Rob's years ago and have never found more than a couple of the lower leaves broken. I don't see how dropping them a note to let them know "most of the leaves were broken" is being harsh?
Unless that was a bit of an exageration and the plant is indeed healthy...confusing.

They might have an apprentice learning the packing ropes that needs a refresher course. Saying nothing and assuming this is normal does no one any good if the take away is a customer concludes, "I wouldn't recommend ordering minis from anywhere." All I was saying was a very polite note to a vendor (and perhaps a picture to back up the claim) would not be out of place. IF the plant is still healthy - no you should not complain.

And I got a gift plant plus a leaf order was replaced by a small plant instead from Bluebird...very happy customer!

I side with Quinn - unfortunatly a box got tumbled on its way. The way how Rob's people pack - and put the plants into the box lined up with a layer of insulation... You need to play soccer with it to do damage.

I would say - Bluebirds - they are something else. Top of the line in a packing department - and just great people to deal with.

Saturday - is a good day to work with violets. Need to go back to the basement.

Irina

This isn't something I'm writing without a lot of thought...but I would like to know if there are any companies that people have had difficulty with. I don't want to malign anyone (nor want anyone maligned) and that is the risk of asking this. I also realize that any company can have a bad day, can have a package that's not perfect, etc. On the other hand, if we all have problems with someone and don't share, it's hard to know how to make choices.

If a better way to do it is privately, that's fine, too. Not sure how to do that, however.

If you stick with the well known vendors odds are you'll be very satisfied. I've never bought off ebay because I don't like the bidding wars that drive up the prices and I can't afford to play that game. I'm sure there are good one and bad ones.

I did go to one of the well known ebayers website and place an order recently. Her priority box took 7 days - completely out of her control though. I emailed USPS and they called to say how very sorry they were, and in the next breath that they couldn't do anything about it becasue it wasn't Express Mail. (He seemed to think it got thrown on the wrong plane and went from Vermont to California and back to Maine)
Have lost 2 leaves with 2 others hanging on; plugs did okay - lost maybe a couple more leaves than would be expected. She packs well! But the key is communication. We kept in contact by email until the package finally arrived and she said to let her know how they do so she can make it right.
(A little stung that people choose up sides and call me harsh!! I'm nice...I gave the dog back :) lol

I don't do much mail order,(get most of them at AVSA convention) but in the past I have ordered from Bluebird, Lyndon Lyon, Travis Violets and Rob's. Have received good service from all of them. So what if a leaf is broken in shipping? One of the many things I love about violets is that they grow so fast, in a few weeks, you won't even notice the leaf fell off, and if a leaf has broken off, it is a good excuse to put it down for new babies!

Hi everyone, I had to post my comment as I alway's order from Rob I don't think I would ever order from anyone else. when I order from him as I just did in June my plant's always arrive perfect the dirt isn't even spilled. Everyone or everything isn't perfect in life things always seem to happen. i now that Rob has a place where you can post a comment good or bad so maybe you should try that. Hope this helps -Terri

"This isn't something I'm writing without a lot of thought...but I would like to know if there are any companies that people have had difficulty with. I don't want to malign anyone (nor want anyone maligned) and that is the risk of asking this. I also realize that any company can have a bad day, can have a package that's not perfect, etc. On the other hand, if we all have problems with someone and don't share, it's hard to know how to make choices.

If a better way to do it is privately, that's fine, too. Not sure how to do that, however. "

lathyrus_odoratus--I actually started a message board for just this purpose!

www.violetvendorverdict.com

Just a quick registration and then you can start reading and/or reviewing AV vendors!
Note: The ratio of "good" over "bad" is FAR outweighed... On the GOOD side :-)

Thanks m3ma1d and everyone else. I'd figured that the ones many of us order from were "good" most of the time and worth ordering from. But, there are a lot of other places. Some of us are curious, some of us would never try it. Since I tend to want a particular thing, if the main places don't have it, I'm willing to look elsewhere....but want to have a bit of knowledge in case someone else has taken hit. If there's no info, I'm willing to be the first one, but having a place to share that info is very helpful.

Lath -

you know - sometimes you just MUST have this plant.

So you search and order where it is available, reputable or who knows. In this case - I want at least 1 leaf alive or a piece of the leaf. I dose this leaf with alcohol, recut, root -and still isolate. God forbid it has virus - and a thrips will make its way in your plant room. It will kill the whole collection. And - I got virus infected plants more than once. This is something you can get from the best vendor - there is enough virus outside - and it just takes one thrips. So - I will have the leaf boxed and I will watch the babies for any abnormality.

So do I care about broken leaves? Do I care about spilled soil? I definitely do not want to open the box and see everything smashed to pulp. But otherwise - infection/bugs - that's the most undesirable thing to discover.

Like Dragonfly I like to get new stuff from Conventions. I got 1 plant with virus from Reno - and a plant with soil mealy bugs from Washington DC.

Bugs are coming! Beware!

Irina