Hi everyone. Thanks for the replies and advice. I spoke with the owner (John) today and he has promised to reship me new plants in 3-4 weeks. He offered to do so sooner but I want to wait and make sure we don't repeat the problem. I didn't press for a refund because he seems so nice on the phone. I'm fine waiting the 3-4 weeks and sticking with Clifton's so long as I get the nice plants that I paid for. He did ask to see some photographs of what they look like now so I took a bunch more today. Here are a few of them - I'm wondering if anyone knows what the white stuff is on these branches? It was hard to photograph well since I have to get pretty close for it to be clear (which makes them blurry since I can't keep my hand perfectly still) but there are a few good ones that illustrate the problem. From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 You can see the white on the Early Washington Navel in this wide angle shot in the upper left, upper right, and other places if you look closely. This stuff is on all the new (I'd say under 1 year) growth on most of the plants. The Valencia seems to have escaped most of the white stuff. Also the clementine doesn't have nearly as much as the others. All of the new growth on these is brittle and will snap right off if I brush against it and any remaining leaves are dead except for 4-5 on the Valencia. When I scratch into any of the branches there is no moisture though it is still white inside. The plants haven't been watered since the initial watering to get the soil back around the roots and the soil is still uniformly moist on all of them (ie: no moisture uptake from roots). From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 Clementine From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 Bearss Lime: From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 Improved Meyer From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 Valencia From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 There are more pics in the linked album. A primrose to keep things happy and because it's Valentine's Day: From Citrus Trees - 2011-02-14 Here is a link that might be useful: Web album of frozen citrus 10 days later

Seems like a difficult business to be in some days. :-) I did a quick search on amazon and came up with this link and another at the bottom of my post. http://www.amazon.com/Operate-Financially-Successful-Landscaping-Business/dp/1601382286/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279400638&sr=1-1-fkmr2 I would say find a business that is successful and see if you can pick their brain. We seem to be seeing a lot of nurseries going out of business, isn't that true? I would think it's expensive especially if you have to keep greenhouses going. I know Lexington Gardens went out of business a few years ago, and you could see it coming for quite a few years. I was told by someone in management that the cost of fuel to run the greenhouse became outrageous. I know the owner was older and started to have health issues too. As a potential customer, I like that you are inclined toward natives and would love an organic direction as well. I travel a distance to make purchases that are in line with those two basic ideas. I drive 50mins to the NEWFS to buy native, mostly organically grown plant material. I drive the same distance to purchase organic vegetable starts in the spring, in years I don't start my own. I travel to Maine and combine a day trip to justify doing it, to purchase popular perennial and annual 'plugs' once a year in early spring, because so many nurseries that are close to me don't offer a plug size and have just about stopped offering the old '6 pack' size. I buy tiny shrubs from Bluestone Perennials because no one local offers that size and it makes it really affordable. I think a lot of people buy from them because of that and their frequent sales and great customer service. I was going to suggest that if you could model your business on one that didn't need heated greenhouses, you might be ahead of the game. Don't know if that is possible. It would certainly cut your costs, but limit what you offer. Anyway, maybe others can offer their own reasons why they shop at one place or another and what they are looking for in a nursery. Here is a link that might be useful: So you want to start a plant nursery

But that sounds like a commercial site. Recommendations from other gardeners are the best. I know there is something called Nunan's Florist in Topsfield. And Northeast Nursery, which several of my friends recommend tho I've never been there, is not far. Worth checking out, as is the previous poster's site.

Hi Krustytopp, I've been dealing with an invasion of little critters recently, that may be mice - but on the other hand, they don't look quite like garden-variety mice ... more like junior sized rats. Anyway ... ... the tracking that they leave behind to let you know of their presence is quite similar, whichever they are and is here ... in quantity. I'm busy gathering those little black, elongated pellets up, to add to the compost pile. I could perhaps send some to you (possibly labelled as "by-products - of little commercial value" to satisfy the concerns of the postal folks) to take with you when you visit the store that dribbled away the value of your "gift " card/certificate on you. Maybe they'd like some of it scattered along their "service" counter ... ... or you could suggest to them that you could drop some of it among their merchandise, e.g. sweaters, socks, underwear, etc. - to about equal value of the stuff that they denied you. Or, if they have a snack bar, on the tables in there? How about on their check-out counter? I'll bet the check-out staff person would be impressed with that! How long do you think that it'd take for them to get cleaning staff to show up? Do you think that the check-out staff person would still be in attendance at her/his counter by the time of the cleaner's arrival?? Seems like a fitting reminder of your visit, don't you think? Have yourself a lovely week. ole joyful P.S. Hey - I just thought of a better idea. Ask to see the manager. Drop some in his pocket. Tell him that you think that a fitting response to his company's having stolen value out of yours! I think that'd be a fitting conclusion to your visit to his store! Don't you?? On the other hand ... ... if you took the stuff in a Zip-loc bag, showed it and suggested to the various staff people along the route that I mentioned that you were thinking of doing what I suggested, that what did they think about that idea? Ending with your discussion with the manager. I'll bet that they'd remember your visit for a while! On your next visit to the store, you could ask to speak to the manager again ... ... and remind him of your displeasure at your treatment by his store. Mention that you still had that little bag at home ... That you hadn't bought anything at their store today ... ... and wouldn't be doing so for a while. And that you'd been telling several friends of your unhappiness - for months, now. That they'd all had a good laugh at your story - and thought you amply justified in what you'd done. Just thought that he'd like to know. Give him the bag. Just mention in passing that you have another like it at home. No - you didn't threaten them/him with anything. You were just considering certain possible future actions. o j