Ever buy rootstock from gardening catalogs?
By JoyfulOne
@JoyfulOne (6232)
United States
March 15, 2010 2:25pm CST
Did you ever have any luck buying dormant plants from gardening catalogs? I've talked to several friends and neighbors who have tried this and we all came to the same conclusion: don't bother, they'll never grow! I've ordered roses, blueberry plants, and other types of plants, and they always come looking like dried up sticks lol. Then I'll plant them exactly the way the directions tell you to, and they almost never grow! I've quit buying from catalogs unless they are plantable seeds. What has been your experience with plants from gardening catalogs?!
3 people like this
8 responses
@nannacroc (4049)
•
15 Mar 10
The only things that have grown successfully that we have ordered from a catalogue are two roses. Even these turned out not to be the roses we ordered so catalogues are a definite no no for us now.
2 people like this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
15 Mar 10
That's sad they didn't turn out to even be the ones you ordered! I never had any luck with the roses I purchased through the catalogs. I was so disappointed, because the one rose bush was to be in memory of my one Aunt, and the other in my Dad's memory. Interesting to see so many have had problems with their orders too. Happy spring nanna :-)
@sleepylittlerose (1648)
• United States
15 Mar 10
We hav planted some asparagus that we purchased from a gardening catalog that did ok; but that is the only thing we have ever gotten to grow like that. I think going to your local nursery is a much safer bet when buying plants. Most of them come with a one year gaurantee so if you kill them (like I often do) at least they will replace it. Just make sure you find out what the rules are for getting the replacement as many places require that you have the orignial receipt.
2 people like this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
15 Mar 10
I had good luck with the asparagus I got from a catalog, but that was only one of the very few things that actually did well. True about the local nurseries having the guarantee, that does make them the safer bet all the way around. I do keep the receipts for 'just in case' lol. Thanks for the input sleepylittlerose, have a nice day!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
15 Mar 10
I have ordered from Jackson and Perkins in the past and have had very good results from the things I purchased.They also have had guaranteeing that they would replace them if they did not last a year. I have not ordered from them in several years, but in the past they were good to their word when I had to make a return and items arrived in good shape. I would order from them again.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
16 Mar 10
G.G. I forgot about J & P. My one Aunt used to order from them, so she probably had good luck with their stock too. I haven't had a catalog from them in years, and I don't recall if I ever got anything from them. Glad to hear you've had good results with their plants.
TrashQueen, gee, I didn't know Big Lots carried stuff like that. I haven't been to one of those in ages, will have to check them out this spring. I also wasn't aware that Lowes and Home Depot had guarantees on their plants. Thanks for clueing me in on that :-)
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
15 Mar 10
eBay...gee, never looked at plants there. I don't have any plant nurseries close to where I live at, so I either start something new from cuttings, or start from seed. That's kind of why I tried ordering bushes and stuff from catalogs. Will have to check into eBay, thanks for telling me about that :-)
1 person likes this
@hvedra (1619)
•
16 Mar 10
I've not bought bare root stock from a catalogue because I think it is mroe a case of quantity of quality and how to make a quick buck. I have bought bare rooted plants from a specialist fruit nursery on line and out of about thirty plants only one "failed" so I was pretty happy with that. I'd suggest if looking for root stocks then go for a smaller supplier.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
16 Mar 10
You bring up a good point about the qualtiy, quantity and a quick buck. Plus it's a good thought about a smaller supplier too. Thanks hvedra!
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
15 Mar 10
Interesting that yours arrived wet. All the stuff I ever ordered was dry as a bone and wrapped in plastic. As I mentioned above, I was beginning to wonder if they had gotten 'cooked' during their travel in the UPS truck lol. Glad to read that at least some of them made it.
@MollyBass (3)
• United States
16 Mar 10
I agree with the "don't bother" statement. I have tried. First I bought the Royal Empress trees, the ones that are supposed to grow 10 ft a year and make purple flowers. Well, none of the 5 lived. Then I sent the Arbor Day people $10.00 for trees and they were tiny sticks and none lived. I won't waste my money again.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
16 Mar 10
Oooooooh, those Royal Empress trees are pretty aren't they?! See, now that's what always attracts me to those catalogs, things that aren't available locally at a good price. Shame they didn't make it! Arbor Day foundation...I had the exact same thing happen: 10 bucks for nothing that lived. I'm with you on not wasting the money again!
