GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Matt_Gardener10 · 26-04-2013, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michael adams

"Bookworm" wrote in message
oups.com...

I recently purchased some plug geraniums (Perlagoniums) from Thompson &
Morgan online. I paid more than I would have done locally thinking I
would get quality.

They arrived yellowed and leggy and in a bad way.

Despite two emails to them enclosing photos I have not had the courtesy
of even an acknowledgement let alone a reply.

Has anybody else had a bad experience with them?

....

For decades most of the seed companies were geared up to
mainly selling seeds.

That was their business. And their only business.

Sourcing and buying in seed, packaging it up, and marketing it.

Then when one of them broadened their range - and increased
their turnover by offering plants, many of the others felt
bound to follow suit.

Many of them aren't really geared up to this business IMO.

You can't simply process orders for plants, in the same way
you can for seeds.

If I had to buy in plants mail order, then I'd much rather order
from a firm with a long established reputation in that field.
And one that did nothing else.

And not necessarily from the one that produced the flashiest
catalogues.

michael adams

....

I know this is an old comment, but I thought it deserved a bump. Exactly the reason why it is very hard to get garden centre quality plants mail order. The companies just aren't cut out for it.

You tend to see the larger companies producing certain selections in bulk, pre-packed, and left ready for shipping to the masses. Can very well lead to damage through lack of sunlight, or possible over watering, where they are watered substantially to last through the storage + postage.

Babyplants.co.uk is a good alternative - specifically designed from a garden centre to provide plug plants.

You could also try some of the bigger companies such as GardeningDirect, however they seem to have issues with their couriers, often require replacement (according to their review site).