Michigan Bulb Company
queenvalerie
16 years ago
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queenvalerie
16 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (10)My Old House Gardens order arrived today. This is the first time that I've ordered from them, and the bulbs arrived nicely packaged with a hand written note apologizing for not shipping them last week. Their shipment from Holland arrived late and delayed their orders. No problem for me, since the weather was too damp to plant last week anyway. I can't wait to get into the dirt tomorrow afternoon. I've ordered from Scheepers and Van Engelen also and was happy with their bulbs too. I've even received healthy bulbs from Michigan Bulb, but that was about ten years ago. I can't comment on their quality lately....See MoreCheap place to buy? Too good to be true?
Comments (3)Gardenathome, You are so right about that company. Drew, Save your time and money! Those people are crooks! I ordered there citrus collection years ago. Ask me where they are now. They died the same year I bought them. They souldn't advertise them as trees. They are more twigs with a leaf or two. I think there bulbs are probobly okay but NOT there citrus. I agree that it is a better idea to buy from reputable people instead of people that are crooks. You would have better luck on ebay! I went thru something similar just a few weeks ago. I wanted a Meyer lemon in the worst way. I emailed a few businesses online that sold citrus and I was floored with the cost. The biggest problem I had was not knowing the nursery personally. You never know who is good and who is not. I recommend the garden watchdog site before you decide on a nursery. I ended up lucking out. I found a nursery in my area that sells citrus and they had the Meyer lemon that I wanted so bad. I had too be willing to spend more then I wanted BUT I also agree with garden at home when they say that they buy the citrus when they can actually "see" it. That is what I did. I only wanted to spend around $50.00. I ended up spending $127.00 BUT I had to take into account that when ordering online, you end up paying a ton for the shipping, plus if you order now, depending on where you live, you may have to deal with below freezing temps. I was going to go with meyerlemontree.com. They "supposedly" had a sale going on. They were selling 3-4ft trees for $59.00. With the shipping and the cold protection, that tree came to $100.00! The meyer I have is about 6ft tall and about 3ft wide. I got it LOADED with flower buds and 11 fruit. I also got it in a 15 gallon pot(I think thats right.). I know that the roots are healthy and the tree is healthy and I could not have got this thru mail order for the simple fact that it would cost hundreds of dollars for me to pay for! Where do you live? I would call some nurseries that are local to you and ask them if they could order one in for you. I know that nurseries are having a hard time getting them in from Florida but not California and Texas. If that doesn't work, check ebay. I was considering ordering from Larry's orchids. They sell small trees for around $15.00 plus shipping. They even show you what you will get and they have many varieties to chose from. I just placed an order with Four Winds nursery in California. I bought a 2-3 year old tree that is coming bare root(Saves you on shipping fee.)for $70.00. Sounds like a lot but I did order a tree that should be between 3-4ft. They also sell smaller 1 year trees for a lot less that come potted. Another good piece of advice is to ask the members here if they have experience with buying from the nursery your considering. Along with gardenwatchdog, you increase your odds of getting the best bang for your buck. One more point. Check what there policy is on damaged or dead plants. My Aunt ordered some blueberry bushes from a nursery and they came dead. There is always a chance of getting damaged/dead plants. I have had it happen to me but the nursery replaced it for free. Good luck, and remember if you have ANY questions then ask here. This site is full of wonderfull knowledgeable people that are waiting to help another member! Andrew...See MoreMichigan bulb company
Comments (7)Friends don't let friends buy from Michigan Bulb. I think that says it all. If you want to buy bulbs, pay a little more and go with Brent and Becky's Bulbs, John Scheepers/Van Engelen, Colorblends, or even Dutch Gardens or White Flower Farm. None of these companies knowingly supply bad bulbs, and WILL make good if you receive defective bulbs. What a reputable company WON'T do is guarantee your plants against absolutely everything including neglect, lack of water, hurricanes, storm surges, digging dogs or cats, deer and squirrels, planting the bulbs upside down, bulbs not suited to your climate zone or failure to plant them at all. Unfortunately "bad" companies and big-box stores are making it difficult for good companies by creating an expectation of an unconditional guarantee, even if they never really hold up their end of the bargain. Another thing--if you are buying from an end-of-season sale, no matter where you buy your plants or bulbs, you should do so KNOWING that you are taking on risk in doing so. You may get that bag of Alliums for a dollar, but some of the bulbs may be so dry they won't ever sprout, and it may be too late to plant them at that point anyways. On the other hand, half of them may thrive and be beautiful, and for a dollar, well, who cares? I refuse to fault a company if end-of-season plants fail because I figure the reduced prices compensate for my risk. That, and gardening for me is all about learning and pushing various hardiness envelopes....See MoreMichigan Bulb Company
Comments (10)Thank you all very much for your experiences and advice. Another 3 hours later and after researching several shady plants, prices, soils, flowering times, color, etc., I've concluded to either buy plants locally (even though may be more expensive) or only on line if its is a deal I can't refuse by a reputable vendor. I found out the hard way Brecks, Michigan Bulb, Spring Hill and Rockwood Gardens are all the same Company all with about 50% positive and 50% negative. Dave's Garden does have a "Top 30 List" and I looked through about 20 of them but for me anyway, they were too expensive (Bluestone is on the list). Part of the reason I don't want to spend a lot of money (besides being cheap) is that so far I haven't had great success. It's OK to kill off seeds since they're relatively inexpensive but another to kill a plant for which I paid $10.00. The plant swaps are a great idea. I did go to one this Spring and also the Sisters' sale. I'll keep my eyes open for fall swaps in my area. Also, I didn't realize the Phlox Paniculata could be spread easily - I was looking at buying 12 plants! Thanks so much again to all of you. You have not only saved me a lot of money and frustration but saved me even more time on the web! I've learned a lot from this experience and appreciate you taking the time to help me out....See Morepamcrews
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