This week I received about $300 worth of plants (according to the invoice
anyway) all of which would fit in a kid's lunchbucket with room left over
for the lunch. These are mostly kinda rare things, so the fact that they
cost three times the price of common things doesn't bother me; that
shipping makes them more expensive still is just part of how things work.
But when a monkshood vine consists of one leaf sticking out of some
wrapping-moss, barely distinguishable FROM the moss, I'm not convinced I'm
getting bang for my buck.

And this vendor told me last year before I placed this order that they
ship plants much more mature than does Heronswood (whose shipped seedlings
are gigantic compared to this!) & ready for the garden. But on Monday, the
day the plants were shipped, I got a chatty e-mail that included the
information that some of the plants might seem a bit small but it was
cheaper due to the health permit for the plants to ship them all at once,
& the Famous Paghat being such an amazing ace gardener & all, the shipper
was sure I wouldn't mind. Well butter my buns -- if I put these in the
garden they'd dry up & die their first hour in the sun, & flattering me
about it makes me more rather than less annoyed.

I don't have a greenhouse & I don't like to raise my own seedlings. But,
well, I'll pot these babies & put plastic bags over them & in a few weeks
they'll be big enough for the garden, & if nothing dies on me it'll be
worth the imposition. But this is a reminder of why I so rarely
mail-order any plants except bulbs. It's no fun to pay a maximum-high
price plus shipping & end up with a handful of little sprouted seeds.

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he
http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden
people maintaining a free civil government." -Thomas Jefferson

paghat wrote:

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.

-paghat the ratgirl

I do support my local nurseries. Bluestones is only about a 45 minute
drive away from me, and I still order from them by mail. And every
spring I groan about the size of the plants and the shipping. Of course,
things then start growing and I'm happy again.

I like to order from Plant Delights in North Carolina too. (There
catalog is great!) The thought usually occurs to me how these are
southern grown plants, and might not do well here in the north, but it's
only a fleeting thought.

The truth is I'm just too tired and/or lazy to walk around and shop
anymore, even if I do get a day off once in a great while.

Jean
Zone 5 OH (with snow in the forecast for tomorrow and Sunday)

"paghat" wrote in message
news
This week I received about $300 worth of plants (according to the
invoice
anyway) all of which would fit in a kid's lunchbucket with room left
over
for the lunch. These are mostly kinda rare things, so the fact that
they
cost three times the price of common things doesn't bother me; that
shipping makes them more expensive still is just part of how things
work.
But when a monkshood vine consists of one leaf sticking out of some
wrapping-moss, barely distinguishable FROM the moss, I'm not convinced
I'm
getting bang for my buck.

And this vendor told me last year before I placed this order that they
ship plants much more mature than does Heronswood (whose shipped
seedlings
are gigantic compared to this!) & ready for the garden. But on Monday,
the
day the plants were shipped, I got a chatty e-mail that included the
information that some of the plants might seem a bit small but it was
cheaper due to the health permit for the plants to ship them all at
once,
& the Famous Paghat being such an amazing ace gardener & all, the
shipper
was sure I wouldn't mind. Well butter my buns -- if I put these in the
garden they'd dry up & die their first hour in the sun, & flattering
me
about it makes me more rather than less annoyed.

I don't have a greenhouse & I don't like to raise my own seedlings.
But,
well, I'll pot these babies & put plastic bags over them & in a few
weeks
they'll be big enough for the garden, & if nothing dies on me it'll be
worth the imposition. But this is a reminder of why I so rarely
mail-order any plants except bulbs. It's no fun to pay a maximum-high
price plus shipping & end up with a handful of little sprouted seeds.

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.

-paghat the ratgirl

Care to name names?

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

"paghat" wrote in message
news ..

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.
===========================
This is the prime reason my husband and I never buy anything "sight unseen."
We got gypped once, years ago (on young trees and shrubs) and swore never
again.

I agree that we should support our local nursery.

Wysong

wrote in message
news:00gae.11$zv1.10@lakeread07...
paghat wrote:

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.

-paghat the ratgirl

I do support my local nurseries. Bluestones is only about a 45 minute
drive away from me, and I still order from them by mail.

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It would be
worth the 45 minute drive. It is usually held around the first weekend in
June. They have a set price and you are free to roam the greenhouses and
pack as much as you can into a flat. It used to be $20 for a flat, but I
understand that the price has gone up. Still, at twice the price, it would
be a deal since most of their plants are in the 3 for $8 range. My sister
lives in Mentor, and I usually send her a list of things I want.

Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It would be
worth the 45 minute drive.

Thanks for reminding me about their sale. Every year I procrastinate and
miss it because driving over a half hour puts me to sleep. Maybe this
will be the year I get brave, or bring a friend to help drive.

Thanks, Jean

wrote in message
news:j3Vae.33741$Zr.8396@lakeread08...
Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It would be
worth the 45 minute drive.

I see that they have fall bulbs on sale on their website. I'm in Zone 6a -
would I plant them now or keep them cool until fall and plant them then?

Thanks!

Laura

"Laura J" wrote in message newsO5be.221$pc7.159@trndny05...

wrote in message
news:j3Vae.33741$Zr.8396@lakeread08...
Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It would
be
worth the 45 minute drive.

I see that they have fall bulbs on sale on their website. I'm in Zone
6a -
would I plant them now or keep them cool until fall and plant them then?


They may not ship until it is appropriate planting time in your area. I
would guess that they are just reselling imported bulbs like everyone else.
You might send them an email and ask. I generally plant spring blooming
bulbs in my zone 6 garden starting in October.

Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It would
be
worth the 45 minute drive.

I see that they have fall bulbs on sale on their website. I'm in Zone
6a -
would I plant them now or keep them cool until fall and plant them then?


They may not ship until it is appropriate planting time in your area. I
would guess that they are just reselling imported bulbs like everyone
else.
You might send them an email and ask. I generally plant spring blooming
bulbs in my zone 6 garden starting in October.

Thanks, Vox. I'm assuming they are on sale because they are leftover from
last fall. If that is the case, I wasn't sure whether they had a chance of
surviving to bloom next spring or not (yes, I can be patient but don't want
to waste my money or effort!).

LauraJ

"Laura J" wrote in message news:Qocbe.891$Xl.795@trndny03...

Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It
would
be
worth the 45 minute drive.

I see that they have fall bulbs on sale on their website. I'm in Zone
6a -
would I plant them now or keep them cool until fall and plant them
then?


They may not ship until it is appropriate planting time in your area. I
would guess that they are just reselling imported bulbs like everyone
else.
You might send them an email and ask. I generally plant spring blooming
bulbs in my zone 6 garden starting in October.

Thanks, Vox. I'm assuming they are on sale because they are leftover from
last fall. If that is the case, I wasn't sure whether they had a chance
of
surviving to bloom next spring or not (yes, I can be patient but don't
want
to waste my money or effort!).

You still might call or email them. I have done both and dealt with them in
person. They all seem very nice and willing to help. If they are
left-over, you could ask them for advice and also see what their guarantee
is like.

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Laura J" wrote in message news:Qocbe.891$Xl.795@trndny03...

Vox Humana wrote:

Have you ever gone to Bluestone's big spring clearance sale? It
would
be
worth the 45 minute drive.

I see that they have fall bulbs on sale on their website. I'm in Zone
6a -
would I plant them now or keep them cool until fall and plant them
then?


They may not ship until it is appropriate planting time in your area.
I
would guess that they are just reselling imported bulbs like everyone
else.
You might send them an email and ask. I generally plant spring
blooming
bulbs in my zone 6 garden starting in October.

Thanks, Vox. I'm assuming they are on sale because they are leftover
from
last fall. If that is the case, I wasn't sure whether they had a chance
of
surviving to bloom next spring or not (yes, I can be patient but don't
want
to waste my money or effort!).

You still might call or email them. I have done both and dealt with them
in
person. They all seem very nice and willing to help. If they are
left-over, you could ask them for advice and also see what their guarantee
is like.

Good point. Thanks for the advice! It is also good to hear that they are a
reputable source.

LauraJ

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 13:13:22 -0700,
(paghat) wrote:

This week I received about $300 worth of plants (according to the invoice
anyway) all of which would fit in a kid's lunchbucket with room left over
for the lunch. These are mostly kinda rare things, so the fact that they
cost three times the price of common things doesn't bother me; that
shipping makes them more expensive still is just part of how things work.
But when a monkshood vine consists of one leaf sticking out of some
wrapping-moss, barely distinguishable FROM the moss, I'm not convinced I'm
getting bang for my buck.

And this vendor told me last year before I placed this order that they
ship plants much more mature than does Heronswood (whose shipped seedlings
are gigantic compared to this!) & ready for the garden. But on Monday, the
day the plants were shipped, I got a chatty e-mail that included the
information that some of the plants might seem a bit small but it was
cheaper due to the health permit for the plants to ship them all at once,
& the Famous Paghat being such an amazing ace gardener & all, the shipper
was sure I wouldn't mind. Well butter my buns -- if I put these in the
garden they'd dry up & die their first hour in the sun, & flattering me
about it makes me more rather than less annoyed.

I don't have a greenhouse & I don't like to raise my own seedlings. But,
well, I'll pot these babies & put plastic bags over them & in a few weeks
they'll be big enough for the garden, & if nothing dies on me it'll be
worth the imposition. But this is a reminder of why I so rarely
mail-order any plants except bulbs. It's no fun to pay a maximum-high
price plus shipping & end up with a handful of little sprouted seeds.

The lesson remains: See what you're getting before you plunk down the
money, & SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NURSERIES.

-paghat the ratgirl
I learned my lesson a few years ago when I saw the size of some of the
shrubs I had bought from Bluestone. Now I just buy a few perrenials
from them. That are plenty of good local nurseries. IMO its
worth the extra bucks versus the years of waiting for things to.

On the other hand, a couple of those tiny shrubs have bloomed this
spring, are starting to get some size, and are filling in quite
nicely. It just took a few years more then I expected.

Swyck