Mail-Order Mayhem
How can you tell which mail-order nurseries provide healthy plants and which deliver duds? Here are some tips:
- It may seem obvious, but look for a telephone number or e-mail address in the catalog. (The lack of one is a red flag.) Try calling with a question to determine how easy it is to reach a “real” person and how helpful and knowledgeable the staff is.
- Ask for referrals from friends. A helpful online reference is The Garden Watchdog at http://davesgarden.com/gwd It lists more than 4,000 vendors and more than 20,000 customer reviews, plus a handy Top 30 list of the most highly rated companies.
- Compare prices among catalogs. If a plant is a lot cheaper in one, check the size (usually given in pot size or age of plant). You may find that different nurseries are offering different size plants. If the catalog lists no size at all, beware. You may get a twig in your mailbox!
- Place an order to test plant quality.