That is a sad-looking plant. I know it's coming to the end of the season, but they should be ashamed of themselves for sending that out to begin with, and if they have any customer sense at all, they should credit you back and send UPS to pick it back up. Do they realize that you won't order from them again?
There is no way a plant that size in a pot that small isn't severely root-bound; I'd like to know what the...heck they were thinking. So, no, you're not being an idiot. The only save would be if it cost $5.

not sure what you have there, but doesn't look that rare or hard to get plant.

that would be in the dumpster or 90% off rack at most of the local nurseries here.

do you want me to be honest.. or will you be a prick about it???

let me know.. and i will decide whether to answer tomorrow ...

ken

I know one nursery here that puts stuff like that outside its gates for people to pick up for free.

I too have never seen a plant look like that at retail unless its an end of season 75% off clearance item at a "chain" garden center. Its not that its only looking poor but its beyond extremely pot bound.

The plant cost $25 after shipping.

I'm just getting tired of some mail order companies trying to pawn off poor stock because they hope people won't complain or that is "should" be fine. Most fix it up front and apologize but here the nursery actually thought it was ok. That is why excessively pot pound stock is so rampant in the industry.

IF you are, I'd be the same, esp. now after being burnt by seemingly everything... At least it was a cheaper plant... but that's been my whole experience, plus the "helpful" sales person. But I don't expect... anymore... Not one mailorder place I ever got a bad plant from (most) ever fixed, except one from sooner (After 7 lost) and a ton of complaining, and a partial from Rare finds... along with a don't come back...one promised they'd send a new shipment in fall, lazy s's, nothing came, ever...

What type of company is good anymore, whass?

amy

What's the genus, species of this plant?

Viburnum rhytidophyllum possibly?

Whaas, don't know what to tell you other than (1st write the nursery and say you're going to attempt to correct the issue & that if the roots are too messed up, to refund the plant... at least you tried). I've dealt with these root issues and some are so bad that I've ripped off 1/2 of the root system trying to unwind some of the severely intertwined roots. At that point, it's to the dumpster. You're going to have to cut every single "J" root so it's straight again and you'll need to get into and see what the formation of roots are like in the inner of the rootball & especially-directly-underneath the root flare (of the rootbabll).

You were sent a mess. It it isn't fixable, it isn't fixable.

Dax

Amy, you lost me there. Are you saying none of the mail order companies you ordered from fixed their issues except Sooner?

Dax, right on. V. r should look nothing like that. It looks ten times worse today. Not even sure why I threw it in the ground.

At the end of the day most agree its a POS.

If the nursery won't work with you, you might consider contacting the better business bureau in the city where the nursery is located. If that doesn't get results, you could try complaining to the state nursery association.

You are not being a prick. Shame on that nursery.

yes whass, sonner fixed one of about 7, rare finds one...the rest blamed me, whatever, couldnt fight it.. too tired, or the window of time (24 hrs) to report missed b/c of health things, or i was criticized for ordering at wrong season, or trying to untangle roots when they didn't need to be... that was backpay from SSDI, that was over $4000... total... now as the saying goes, "*i** poor"..

amy

Bottom line, you are the customer, they need to do what you want. If nothing else, at least credit the majority of the cost so it's dirt cheap, what it's worth from a big box clearance wrap.

Plants are amazing, they can recover and thrive, but honestly, if it's a crap plant they sent you, it should be sold to you at the bare bones clearance price.

So no, you're not a prick, your a dissatisfied customer. Been there, done that, you are just standing up for yourself. If the company is truly a good one, they will use it as a learning experience. May or may not happen, but in and ideal world would.

25 bux for that piece of crap and no replacement? I think it is about time you posted the name of the online vendor.

John

Raise the stakes, and do a charge-back on your credit card for the price of the plant. Merchants usually cave at that point.

They no likey charge backs.

Bottom line is they wouldn't have to give you all sorts of special planting instructions if they sent out a healthy, non-rootbound plant. Just the fact that there was a list of how to's in order to help the plant along should prove to them there is a problem.

I'm astounded by the response you got. Most times I've dealt with online nurseries there has never been an argument. With the mark-up on plant material it would have cost them very little to credit your card. Now is has cost them even more with the probable loss of a customer.

Have you ordered from them before? If so, do they have your prior orders on record? Just curious if it's one of those nurseries where you have been a loyal, return customer and they stll blew you off. Nice of you to not "out" them on GW. You certainly don't owe them that courtesy.

I agree with the fact that it should've been largely discounted and only to those who can see it in person and then choose to take the chance on it. If it were me I would prune it alot and try to get to decent roots and plant it. I would imagine you did that anyway. You don't mention the nursery. If you were a prick you would be ranting and naming the company, which I didn't see in any of your posts. I would have to be a prick and name them. Or go on Daves garden website and give them a report.

It would have taken the sting out of if to have a nursery say before the fact that yes, indeed they have the stock you desire (when others may be past season and not have it) but it needs a bump-up. Do you want it now, and do that yourself, or do you want to let us do it and wait until next spring and get it in it's new container, at a higher price of course? And let you make the call.

Nursery Associations are simply groups with lobbying power, voluntary memberships and designed to promote the trade. Why would you send a complaint to them?

I agree with deninmi's statement. The point is that it does not meet your expectations.

You would complain to the nursery association because it alerts them to this particular nursery's shady practices. If the shady nursery is a member of the nursery association, it might be banned from membership if the association received enough complaints. The association wouldn't its reputation tainted by a bad member. Word travels fast in the industry.

Looks like Viburnum lanata to me, the Wayfaring Tree. In.very poor condition too!

FWIW,
I would have started out being nice, BUT that would have ended some time ago. Call them and tell them to make it right, or your doing a charge back, and oh yea, these other things were crap too, and I might have to charge those back as well. You do a charge back, and it cost them the money you spent with them, money to their banks, and can ultimately get their ability to accept credit cards revolved if it happens enough. Charge backs can have real teeth.

BTW, I wonder if the company starts with an F in their name?

Arktrees

Greenlarry, V lantana has red berries. It is certainly a rubbish specimen.Maybe Viburnum rhytidophyllum ??

V. lantana produces a shorter, broader (relative to the length) leaf, one that is not so wrinkled-looking. This is leatherleaf viburnum or one of its hybrids. Looks to me like it got cooked during shipping.

I think it would be more admirable if Whaas named the nursery in an effort to protect his fellow members here. We need to know who the nursery is because we can see what they are capable of, and how they don't stand behind their plants. When consumers are informed, everyone wins.

Of course, Whaas's right to not name the nursery supersedes us knowing, but I just don't think it is right to tell us how bad this experience was, and not tell us who it is. It would be like if you were telling a friend that you ate at a restaurant and got horrible food poisoning from them and vomited for hours, and when they ask you what restaurant you say, oh I'm not going to tell, which is effectively setting up that person to possibly suffer the same experience!

@Flora, a V.lanata I had years ago had red berries that turned black when ripe, but I can see now the leaves are different.

I belonged to a nursery association, and I suspect your complaint letters would end up deep sixed. They don't exist to field complaints. You have a legitimate complaint if the nursery stock does not meet certain specifications set up by the shipper's department of agriculture, and yes they do have stipulations on proper sized containers versus roots. All nursery stock producers are required to be inspected and even if it doesn't pertain to nursery stock, if there is interstate shipment of plant material it also falls under inspection criteria. If you are ordering online it might be a good idea to make sure you are ordering from a source who does indeed have a nursery license and are subject to inspection.

I suspect this plant can indeed be teased and pruned, nursed and thrive, but if it has to be...........you shouldn't be paying the same price as one in it's prime and you should be forewarned. I have refused sales of stock I needed to work with, even when customers wanted to buy it, because my product spoke for my business and I wanted to make sure what it had to say was good.

" Bottom line, you are the customer, they need to do what you want. If nothing else, at least credit the majority of the cost so it's dirt cheap, what it's worth from a big box clearance wrap."

It is a tough situation. I will debate for the sake of debating.

Lets say my work sells new mattresses on the cheap. They have factory warranties but we do not mak enough margin to offer sleep trials where if a customer just doesnt like it they can return it. In that case.we would have a used worthless mattress back and have to pass that cost on to others.

It is pretty straight forward and stated plainly but leads to me saying no and sorry and thinking the 75% extra the mall stores charge gives them more ability to satisfy customers. Plus, ever wonder what theh do with the used mattresses? Check for law tags.

In this case, I dunno Whaas. Just chalk it up to lesson learned and warn your friends on GW so they know what to expect.

All, thanks for the input. I really wasn't out to dismiss a company because of one plant for one customer.

I more or less wanted to get opinions as to whether I was out of line by simply wanting a credit based on the pictured plant. Only reason I posted this is that I was somewhat bothered by the response from the nursery.

At the end of the day, they did credit me which is what I expected. Overall, based on all four plants, I would not order from them or recommend them in the future based on the average quality and cost of plants/shipping.

Ark knows who they are.

I guess I've had superior experiences with mail order companies such as Gee Farms, Conifer Kingdom, Western Evergreen, Santa Rosa, Bluestone, Blue River Nursery, Oriental Garden Supply, Dans Dwarf Conifers, Topiary Gardens and Whitman Farms compared to this one.

Girards (for conifers)is the only company I truly had a negative experience time after time. Until they change their view on quality and service no one should even think about ordering from them.

All others had issues at some point but where quick to resolve the issue as if they where on "my side" from the get go.

greenlarry - yes, you're right, they eventually go black. BTW the name's Viburnum laNtana.

whaas,
I thought their attitude and lame *ss excuses were familiar. In my case, I ended up hunting down local weather records off the internet to pen them with proof that what they were trying to claim did not hold up. Needless to say they didn't like me very much then.

With that said, I hope at least the others turn out well in the end.

Arktrees

Wow, I lost thousands from online, but at the time I didn't have the energy or mindset to fight much. They gave me such a hard time, and such a narrow window frame... some lost photos, then I couldn't figure out how to do the photos... Some were shipped so damaged (UPS Fault?)... some got insect damage in 3 days (but trees from ORegon don't get borers I'm told).. one was oozing, the arborist was appalled... but I mostly got ... aggrevation from these companies, or critisicm I didn't notify them immediately (well, some didn't die immediately)... or criticism that I disturbed their roots AND NEVER do that... I posted a complaint on 2 watchdogs, then felt bad with one and ammended, taking the blame maybe... Another I was criticized for as I didn't notify them immediately, they never heard of me, etc... it was a tree late to break dormancy, it had damage, I thought it was just late to break dormancy.. mostly was the 16 quart size whose roots I looseneed and was severely corrected (it was my fault), "NEVER LOOSEN extremely tangled quart sized plants"...they grow out, you wouldn't believe how tight the roots are when we get them in liners"... another accused me of the "frost damaged" nyssa they almost forget to send me (last one they found) would be okay, maybe, though it's tap was broken.. Most trees arrived with bark injuries, which invited disease since some stress... the baby trees (most expensive) that liked specific soil, died... gingko, bald cypress, etc..

One at Lazy S's promised to send replacements in August as I lost over $100, as long as I promised not to disturb roots... never happened..

I'm reluctant to list the names on here, b/c I ordered from the "top rated", so I figured it was me... Forest farm wouldn't replace (that was like $650 total) b/c they don't get borers, and the wierd thing that my too big limber had that quickly oozed they don't get, and the dawn dwarf redwood was left in it's pot too long, I didn't tell them about the smaller guys...

Sooner was awful, awful, awful, one was replaced after my dad took 7 photos, the other $480 plus wasn't... I got long criticisms from them though..

Rare finds lost patience, knew I Was sick, they replaced a weeping ornamental spruce minus shipping as it arrived with bark injury that got worse... and they replaced the nyssa that was in no way fit to be shipped... I lost a few hundred from them... I didn't push enough

Greer, tried, a beautiful dogwood got borer quickly, an EXPENSIVE blackgum was lost, a few others... they finally kindly told me it's best not to come back...

Fairweather, I changed my mind 2 times, stated why, they got angry saying even though plant wasn't processed, each time I order they lose so much money in prep (3 months ahead?)... and not to order from them again...

During some of these times I was undergoing chemo, or the disease which is kicking my butt (Stress exacerbates).. I couldn't fight as much as I couldn't, or was too sick... that added fuel to their fire "she doesn't know what she's doing"...

Sooner esp. were so so so potbound, it was a sin, I don't think any were saved... the thousands I lost was a painful painful lesson...

And what could you do, "family" watched and doc watched and wouldn't stop me, brain issues from the chemo left me unable to figure out the camera, or the energy to fight more than 30 min. on phone. REPORTING a problem within 24 hours wasn't always realistic...

I admit I haven't checked email for 4 months, to see why lazy s's didn't replace, but they did have my phone number...

Don't know.. some live jinxed I think... and the stress flared the disease and things got real... bad.. then...

As for currently nursery issues- one was just bad stock... but I finally just said forget it... the severely severely rootbound things (another place) or plants that shouldn't have been sold, guarantee or not, a few I pitched when I was in so much pain and disqust and desperation... $250 maybe, a few I have in pots but I can't lug the pots easily to this place, who is quick to tell me they are okay?? or they wanted photos, then didn't, then they'd come to my house (4 times) and never showed, and currently quite ill again (So it goes) and can't really fight, though so many questions, and can't figure out the damn camera and need batteries... contorted filbert, suffering, $70,( was marked as $45) in pot... it lost 1/2 it's growth, red majestic... it wasn't planted too low... fringe tree number #1, wish I had the energy to drag it to them to say (WHAT's up with this?)... it was $80 some and ... hydrangea tree cost $70 (it should've been 45)...it was unsalvable, I didn't have energy to try to think to ... it's roots were too bad... seven sons, can't figure out why it's roots are like they are... it's in pot...

River birch, I should've known, I refused to "Save it for them" after they promised four times to come and never showed, and it's roots were so rotted that even staked 4 times, it kept falling... I have no proof for that or hydrangea.. even though I'm a loyal customer they only go so far... how do I say "I don't have money for batteries now for photos, which you couldn't even decided you wanted"... how do you say "PLEASE HELP ME!" when people say that shouldn't be my priority...

Most complaints from this one garden center do get scrapped, I think they lost a LOT this year from drought, whatever... the other place is better but 20 min. away and I don't have energy, and have to avoid public again for 20 days, then chemo again... they all say I know what I'm doing... I know the disease flaring and all the injuries and my beling hit from all other angles don't help, but god... please...

amy

Not to hijack,but if we're talking about being a prick--can you tell me if I'm being prickish?
I bought a tree 11 months ago and in March it started showing signs of severe borer damage. They are/were flat-head borers, and everything I've read said that the cycle takes A YEAR. I contacted the nursery and the guy basically told me it was lawn mower damage. I sent him a picture of a borer I found IN THE TREE...to which he said "Oh do this and this..good luck".
Am I wrong to feel like he sold me a crap tree? The drought may have exacerbated issues, but frankly there are over 10 borer holes in the tree right now (without activity, so they are gone..flew away to infest another person's poor tree) and I'm starting to see signs of MORE damage. This is a 2 inch caliper tree, 240 bucks....

Not to mention the guy denied the fact that the globe blue spruce he sold me had needle drop.

So--am I a prick? Should I request an 'exchange' ?

I think that Sarabethers, needs to make sure the tree wasn't p[lanted too deep and if it wasn't demand your money back. Greyand amy, that is alot of plants to be failing. I will just say I have ordered from Forestfarm and have only had one tree die immediately. It was a western hemlock. I ordered 2 and the other one seems okay. I haven't tried to get a refund for the dead one, as I have had good luck with every other plant I have got from them. Hemlocks have never done good for me here, I am good with the one that looks good for me. Anyhoo, all the failures you have had to deal with has to do with your soil or something. I have many plants from Forest farm ( if that is where you have gotten your plants from) and the only death I've had is the one Western Hemlock. I am close to you geographically but I am uncertain about meeting in person. You may be okay and legit, but I can't go out and work like a lumberjack either. Nobody can say for sure that someone on the net is really who they say they are. Try to p[ost photos of the problem plants. I've read your posts from other forums, I can't help but be blunt, Why don't your parents help you? I can't imagine my parents leaving me to fend for myself, having Lupis or any serious disease and not helping. Sorry, but if they are willing to help you if you move in with them,don't be stubborn, let them help you. Nothing I've said is meant to be offensive.