Birthday tree has died - what to do?

paddy's_mum

Morning, all. Your opinions and advice would be welcomed.

Last summer, for her birthday present, I bought a crab apple tree for my mother's garden. She had seen this particular variety and was very taken with it - so much so that she was quite happy to wait until the autumn for it to be despatched.

She phoned me when it was delivered and I went down the day after it arrrived and planted it myself in her much-complimented, and extremely sheltered garden.

This week, when I came to visit, I discovered that the tree has shown no signs of life whatever. I believe it to be dead.

I have phoned the nursery which supplied it. The clerk said that she would "speak to the boss" but there was a lot of sucking of teeth and mmmm-ing (in the style of m-o-t inspectors and mechanics everywhere!) which tends to make me think that the nursery are just going to blame the cold winter and that's the end of it, as far as they are concerned.

If that is indeed what they do, I shall be £30 down the drain with no plant and no recourse. That seems hardly fair to me especially as Wisley RHS Garden a couple of miles up the road guarantee to replace plants they have sold which die in the first year. Given the high cost of many plants these days, quite a lot of growers/nurseries offer the same.

Am I being unreasonable? Any advice?

I'd be happy if they offered to replace the young tree free of charge if I paid the carriage costs. That way, nobody loses out completely, my Mum gets her plant and the nursery avoid damage to their reputation. What would you consider the best way to deal with this?


Mods - please don't move to gardening section. This is actually about my Mum and her birthday gift. Thanks.

sassyblue

paddy's_mum wrote: »

I discovered that the tree has shown no signs of life whatever. I believe it to be dead.

Sorry but the way you put that made me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Lift the tree up would be my advice.... if it comes out with the soil around it as it went in then it was pot bound and teasing out some roots would have helped..... in which case, your own fault :cool:

If it's difficult to pull out it would indicate the roots had been growing and bedding in and therefore the cold weather is the most likely cause.

It would have been fine when you planted it l'm guessing, nice and green?? Also, how big was it, if it was small then l would have wrapped it for the winter? Also, depends on how far you want to pursue it, but take a photo of the plant in your mums garden for the manager to see your mum knows how to look after plants in general...

See what the manager has to say, and if your mother shops there regularly and he refuses to reimburse you then he's lost a customer. Given the choice l would have chosen Wisley for the tree had they had it in stock for the guarantee.....

paddy's_mum

sassyblue wrote: »

take a photo of the plant in your mums garden for the manager to see your mum knows how to look after plants in general...

Glad I gave someone a smile.

The tree came as a bare root specimen, late in the autumn after leaf drop.

Her garden is so protected and sheltered by hedges, fences, surrounding houses and the local geography that she lost not one plant during this last exceptional winter while, in a much more northerly region, I lost several completely and had considerable damage to several more.

Taking a photo is a good idea so thanks for that. If Wisley had had it in stock I would have bought it from them but it's not a variety they routinely carry.

I'm just wondering what comeback legally there might be since it seems the risk is all upon the purchaser and that doesn't feel very fair.

floss2

Is the supplier part of a chain? Do you have the receipt & label it came with? Have you looked on their website to see what guarantees they have?

paddy's_mum

Well, what a surprise!

Mum and I have been out for the morning and arrived home a few minutes ago to the next door neighbour waving, trying to catch Mum's eye. "I've taken in a parcel for you..."

What has arrived, less than 24 hours after first bringing the matter to the attention of the nursery is a fine, pot grown replacement tree. We had no idea this was coming as the nursery hadn't phoned back.

Mum is thrilled and I am as keen to give credit for good customer relations as I am to name and shame.

Therefore, take a bow :-

Chris Bowers & Sons
Whispering Trees Nursery
Wimbotsham
Norfolk
PE34 3QB

I shall be writing directly to them to say thank you but also to offer to repay the postage so that everyone gains and nobody loses.

Thanks for the input and I'm happy to recommend them.

Marisco

Satisfaction all round, new tree for you and good publicity for the nursery! I love a happy ending me!

Mojisola

Well done, Chris Bowers!

I've bought plants from them in the past and have always been pleased with them. When you're sending out bare-rooted plants, it's harder to tell whether the plant in is good order so I'm glad they replaced it for you.

Re the original one - have you tried scraping a little bit of bark off? Use your thumbnail and just scrape back a tiny piece. If it looks brown, try a bit further down the branch, towards the trunk. If you reach an area that is green under the bark, there is life in the tree and it may come to something yet.