Tree not growing

Albertfalcor

Oh and the RHS offers a 5 year plant guarantee so i don't think 3 years is unreasonable.

Chickabiddybex

I can solve your problem. Plant a bush. They're low and... bushy!

People use them to block things all the time. I think they're called hedges or something :P

My mum had a similar problem. Tries to block something with a tree. It grew too high. She planted a bush under it!

Has to be something pretty hardy though to grow in the shade of the tree and fight for root space. It will probably end up killing your tree

Albertfalcor

Thanks everyone, appreciate the opinions and sarcasm.

I find it a little strange that the tree company have admitted they recommended the wrong tree but won't do anything and that fellow MSE'ers find it so amusing.

Chickabiddybex

Quite a few people have offered genuine advice for example mentioned the soil conditions, alternatives you could put there, etc etc.

Of course there is sarcasm too - it's a funny problem!

Albertfalcor

No they have sarcastically suggested planting a bush which will kill the tree.

It's not a funny problem, it's a flippin eyesore of a bunch of sticks and the company have admitted they got it wrong but won't do anything to correct it. And it was an expensive tree.

The tree care company who came and visited the site knew the soil conditions, knew where it was being planted and why we wanted a tree.

It's not that we went to our local garden centre and picked any old tree, it was recommended by a respected local tree surgeon company and planted by them.

dktreesea

Sometimes with trees growing up, as opposed to out, if you lop off the top part every now and then, they should start to branch out instead, i.e. you "train" them to grow the way you want them to.

It does sound like it is too late for your tree though, i.e. it might already be too tall.

If the tree comapny won't come and take it away and then replace it with a tree that will do what you wanted, go to consumer affairs. They have sold you a product not fit for purpose. The guarantee is 5 years. Just because it's a tree rather than, say, a car doesn't mean they get to misrepresent their product.

Azari

Albertfalcor wrote: »

The tree care company who came and visited the site knew the soil conditions, knew where it was being planted and why we wanted a tree.

It's not that we went to our local garden centre and picked any old tree, it was recommended by a respected local tree surgeon company and planted by them.

This is actually new information.

You did not make it clear in your OP that the supplier had visited the site and sold you a tree based in their inspection. The fact that they made a site visit no doubt increased the cost of the tree substantially.

For some extra information, can you tell us how much the tree/advice cost and how tall the tree was at the time it was delivered.

elsien

Albertfalcor wrote: »

The tree care company who came and visited the site knew the soil conditions, knew where it was being planted and why we wanted a tree.

It's not that we went to our local garden centre and picked any old tree, it was recommended by a respected local tree surgeon company and planted by them.

Do you have any evidence to back this up? It seems to me that if you want to take it further (and I have no idea of your chances of success) your only options seem to be the small claims route or shaming them via the local press.
I can see why you feel misled, but either way you need to be able to back up what your saying, and I think you'll probably get a similar reaction to the one on here.
Which leaves you with making the best of a bad situation, in which case head over to the greenfingered bit if the forum for advice. And maybe trying to negotiate compromise such as a a partial refund with the tree company.

Azari

elsien wrote: »

Do you have any evidence to back this up? It seems to me that if you want to take it further (and I have no idea of your chances of success) your only options seem to be the small claims route or shaming them via the local press.
I can see why you feel misled, but either way you need to be able to back up what your saying, and I think you'll probably get a similar reaction to the one on here.
Which leaves you with making the best of a bad situation, in which case head over to the greenfingered bit if the forum for advice. And maybe trying to negotiate compromise such as a a partial refund with the tree company.

A receipt for the service provided should be adequate, especially if the total cost was considerably more than the cost of a tree of a similar size picked up from the local garden centre.

Mojisola

Albertfalcor wrote: »

3 years ago we purchased a magnolia grandiflora from a local tree care company. Unfortunately all it has ever done is to grow upwards and has never filled out, we have a few twigs on a long trunk with a spattering of leaves. The tree has established but not grown in a manner you would expect.

Albertfalcor wrote: »

Sorry maybe so didnt explain it right, we asked the company to recommend us a tree for this specific location, it had to have low branches in order to achieve what was required...

We bought a well established tree already which cost in the region of £300, it not dying its living and growing but all it does it grow upwards with a handful of leaves because of the location it is which they have admitted is the wrong location.

If I'd spent £300, I'd want something bigger than a trunk with a few twigs when it arrived, let alone three years later!