The scoop on 'Michigan Bulb'

Feedback History and Summary   233 positives 131 neutrals 465 negatives

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Rating Author Content Negative etwngrl (1 review) On May 12, 2008, etwngrl Saint Louis, MO wrote: So I decided to order for the first time from this company, I was told items would be shipped within 2 weeks. After checking on line I discovered the shipping dates had changed, so after checking 4 days in a roll and each day a different date was given I called. The representative preceeded to tell me that they ship within 2 to 3 weeks of order ok so my order was placed 8 days ago, my question was why did the ship dates keep changing not why was my order not here. I was then inform we are within the planting season until the middle of June and despite the fact that my tomato plants were not scheduled to arrive til the end of June, along with half my flowers, there would still be plenty of time. After trying to get a straight answer and express my concern as to when or if my plants would arrive to enjoy I was not given a straight answer, finally I asked the order be cancelled and was hung up on. Yes I am one who calls right back and so I did only to be told the reason the dates have changed is because my items were on back order! How hard was it to answer the question "why does the date keep changng?", a simple answer would have been nice but instead I recieved a lecture about planting seasons and that they never give dates over the phone. After waiting on hold 10 mintues I was able to cancel my order, the first girl did not do it even though I asked, and was assured they were sorry about my experience. Well I will be searching for my flowers locally this weekend, guess I should have done this in the first place! Positive nobluefood (1 review) On May 12, 2008, nobluefood Portsmouth, OH wrote: I ordered six of the Pink Grootendorst own-root roses, and was amazed today at the size and health of what I have received. each rose is very good size, multiple thick canes, roots in great shape. I know UPS had these roses from Saturday til this morning, and was expecting things to be a mess when they got here, but again, VERY good size and health for these roses. the other part of the order was six lily bulbs, they did substitute, but they seem large and healthy as well. I hadn't dealt with Michigan Bulb in five or six years, and seeing some of the positive comments here is why I gave them another try. glad I did! :-) Negative GreeneLady (1 review) On May 12, 2008, GreeneLady Harlem, GA wrote: I'm not real happy with Michigan bulb. The candy stripe roses were no where near as described. The roses I was sent have appear to be wild red single petal roses. There's nothing about them that looks anything like the picture. I was also shorted on the delphinium. I paid for 15 and received 9. I've had no luck getting an email response from MB, so I will have to try calling them. As for now, my experience was NEGATIVE. Positive sunandstar (3 reviews) On May 8, 2008, sunandstar Holly Springs, NC (Zone 7a) wrote: We bought some plants last spring. The plants we bought in pots had good root system. The canna bulbs they sent last spring were huge with more than 2 eyes. They all survived except few plants. We called them and they replaced the plants. Again this spring we sent an email when the hosta and elephant ear did not survive the winter. They did not ask any questions. They happily replaced the plants free of charge. Neutral flowergirl78 (5 reviews) On May 3, 2008, flowergirl78 Dublin, OH wrote: This posting is for all "newcomers" debating on whether or not to order from MB. I agree completely w/ MEMEMI's positive feedback in that the bottom line is you get what you pay for. Their prices are cheap b/c the plants are very small. I ordered my first ever mail-ordered plants from MB (and Spring Hill) in Fall '06. I ordered a fern-leaf bleeding heart, climbing peace rose, toad lily mix, and Lamium Silver Beacon (<--although, that one may have been purchased from Spring Hill) The bleeding heart had one leaf top pop out in Spring of '07 but later died and the toad lilies didn't make it into '07. I never called to ask for replacements b/c I just figured it was my fault (which it could've been.) The lamium is doing well... still hasn't flowered or spread much... but it's there and alive. The climbing Peace rose was actually a nice surprise in that it grew vigorously in '07 and I'm hoping (and expecting) to see flowers this '08 season. I do wish however that I had done more homework b4 being won over by catalog pictures. Leaving Home Depot just yesterday I saw bare-root climbing Peace roses, most w/ huge long, thick, 4 green canes and for only $6.97! The MB bare root was considerably inferior in size but hey, it is growing so I'm happy about that. PLEASE though, do your homework and don't forget about local nurseries and even the "big box" type stores! Happy Gardening :) Positive MEMEMI (1 review) On May 1, 2008, MEMEMI Watertown, CT wrote: I ordered from MB several times over the past few years, their prices are good when you take into consideration the coupons and buy 1 get 1 free. But like everyone else says you do get what you pay for and ALL of their plants are small! So if you havent ordered from them yet- dont pay full price because you will probley not be happy with what you get, on the other hand if you use the coupon and bargain shop and you are a patient gardener- then MB has some good deals. and they ALWAYS have a coupon availble. I have a few that i ordered last spring and they have grown to 2' wide plants in just 1 season, while others were so weak they fizzled out and barely returned this year, and a hand full i have called dead! It is a plus that they will replace them with their lifetime warranty if you request it, but the bad part of that is if you dont call early enough in the season - you will be waiting a long time for those replacements in fall since they dont ship in summer. I have also stuck to buying the hardier and easy to grow plants from them - its cheaper than the nursury and even though small they do seem to thrive once in the ground, but when it comes to something thats more tender and requires more care- i go to the nursury. I still give them a positive because for the price i paid- was worth it, and also because of their replacement policy. here's a few plants i had great luck with from MB: pinks, dragon flowers, lillies, phlox, sweet william, butterfly bushes, coral bells, coreopsis, liatris, monarda, verbena. And a few that didnt do well: hollyhock, anemone, daisy, strawberries. bushes like lilacs, hydrangeas , smoke bushes and rose of sharon were not worth the few bucks they are charging- you can buy better at a wallmart!! Negative KE7SWC (2 reviews) On April 30, 2008, KE7SWC Salt Lake City, UT wrote: I ended up on their mailing list somehow. I have never ordered anything from them. Then one day I started receiving bills in the mail for plants I have never ordered. Contacted their customer service department. Plants I never ordered arrived half dead, roots and dirt all over the place. Customer service finally responded saying that they have forwarded my request to the concerned department and they would get back to me in a timely manner. If this is the way they conduct their business with people who actually order something then I dont want to have anything to do with them in the future. So far a very negative experience for something I never asked for in the first place. Negative amberandjoe (1 review) On April 29, 2008, amberandjoe Canton, OK wrote: I have ordered from Michigan Bulb for years. I have always been satisfied enough to keep odering in the future. When I placed my order this spring I expected the same outcome as in the past. My order was split into three separate shipments. The first one arrived to my shipping address with no problems. I received notification that a second and then third shipment had been sent out. Nearly a month later the second shipment has never arrived. The third shipment finally did arrive with dried up little pots and a stem of dried up plant sticking out the top which was at one time a live plant. Still, I planted the lifeless stems. When the third shipment arrived I noted on the address that they had used part of my billing address and part of my shipping address and intermingled the two together which are in two different towns. The post office had scribbled through part of the address to get the third shipment to my shipping address. I made the mistake of calling the customer service number, expecting some resolution. After waiting the first time for five minutes or so and finally getting to a representative, about a minute later I was disconnected in mid-sentence. I called back later in the evening and talked to another representative. Lucky me. After explaining the situation once again, I was told that I had refused the second shipment. Funny how you can refuse something that never arrived. I'm assuming that the person at the wrong part of the address might have refused the order and it ended up back with Michigan Bulb. Although the representative seems to think that I am a liar and just refused the order so that I could have all this fun. After trying to make my point, to no avail, it seems to be my fault somehow that they combined my billing and shipping address together. Go figure. The representative told me that because the shipment was under 2 lbs. it would be stupid to mail the shipment by UPS. (Her words to me.) OK fine. But what does that have to do with shipping it to an incorrect address? Last time I checked the post office does deliver mail to my physical shipping address. When I mentioned the next issue and stated that the plants in the third shipment arrived late and were dead I was told that plants are shipped dormant. It seems as though I am also not smart enough to know the difference between live plants that come in soil in plastic containers that are supposed to have live plants in them and plants that are shipped dormant. After this continued I stated that I did not want the rest of the order and was told that I would have to hold. Great. When she came back she said that I would have to wait for some correspondence in the mail. I guess then I will get to see if I will have to pay for plants that never arrived and plants that arrived dead. I provide a service for a living. I would never treat my clients the way I have been treated today. This is the first negative review I have ever left for any company. But I don't know when, if ever, I have been so frustrated over an order. I was left feeling that there had been no attempt to provide a resolution. I hope if you deal with Michigan Bulb you can avoid needing to deal with their customer service. Positive mikesmets (3 reviews) On April 26, 2008, mikesmets Waterbury, CT wrote: We purchased our first home last year and I put quite a bit of work into the yard. I made several purchases from Michigan Bulb and some from a couple of other discount mail order companies. You get what you pay for. The plants were generally quite small, but well packaged and healthy. The few plants that didn't survive the winter were promptly replaced after a call to customer service. I couldn't reasonably ask for more than that. I've spent some money buying some large, beautiful plants at my local greenhouse. For a fraction of that cost, I have had the opportunity to try out several different plants in my yard. I'm very happy with these folks and will be placing another order with them soon. Positive Debsroots (19 reviews) On April 25, 2008, Debsroots Northwest, MO (Zone 5a) wrote: I had not ordered form MB for years because of past bad experiences with their product, but decided to give them a shot again based on a discount they were offering. Today I received some 7 of the 10 plants I ordered and they arrived in excellent shape. I was totally surprised, the plants were packed very well, and nary a leaf was missing. I called customer service about the 3 missing plants and they will be sending them out in 3 - 5 days. I was pleasantly surprised, and if all goes well with the missing plants arriving, I will be ordering again. Positive mcollum83 (5 reviews) On April 23, 2008, mcollum83 Hay Springs, NE wrote: I was skeptical to order from this company, hearing what everybody has said here on the watchdog... But I placed a small order for rhubarb and strawberries. Not much money in the order, so not much to lose. I was upset to see that they shipped out on a wednesday, which means it is inevitably going to sit in the PO over the weekend, doesn't make for very happy plants. But they came in today 8 days after shipping...and I was actually pleasantly surprised. 3 of the 4 rhubarb are looking ready to start to grow, just showin a little shoot, other looks dead, but i planted, we will see. The roots were very large... VERY large. I dug up rhubarb at a friend's house last week, and it had been there for years, and those roots didn't come close to the ones I got from this company. The strawberries came in in similar condition, all just starting to come out of dormancy. The roots were 4-6 inches long. Once again, this weekend I dug up a lot of strawberries from our old house, and their roots, again, were nothing comparable to what I got in the mail today. I have high hopes, I have marked the plants that I got from this company with stakes, so I can tell how well they do compared to my others. I think they will do fine. I would probably not dump a lot of money into plants from this place, because of previous ratings from others, but take a small chance, see what you get! Thank you michigan bulb...I am so far...impressed. Positive VictorianVixen (3 reviews) On April 20, 2008, VictorianVixen Erie, PA wrote: This was my first order with Michigan Bulb. I purchased the Endless Bloom Perennial Garden. The plants were small but I must say they were packages very well and were very nice and exeptionally healthy. I would purchase from this company again. Their prices are quite reasonable. Positive ConGar (6 reviews) On April 19, 2008, ConGar wrote: I received part of my order from MB on April 15th, and the minute I opened the box I knew I was going to give this company a positive rating... So, why is my rating neutral? Well, you see, after unpacking everything I realized there was one item (four actually, but three were clearly listed as shipping separately) thing listed on the invoice as being in the box that wasn't actually in the box. *sigh* This is another company that I really wanted to rate positively, I really did. Because the portion of my order that was actually in that box was just WOW! Those plants and that packing deserve a positive. Awesome! So, if I get the missing items, or even credit for the missing items (though obviously I'd rather have the items I ordered) I'd totally be willing to order from MB again. So, anyway, I got the email on Friday that MB had shipped my order - I was pleased, because I know mail does move on weekends, just not fast. Anyway, Monday morning I was waiting and sure enough the mailman pulled into the driveway, I smiled. He was actually delivering plants, just not the ones I was expecting. Monday's was from Gardeners Choice, and I was very impressed with their packing of the plants, but you can head over and read my review of that company for more on that. Tuesday (my day off) I was sleeping - well, the dog heard something and started barking, which woke me up, then I heard the horn. Mailman was in the driveway again, this time with the big box from MB. Now remember that I said I was impressed with the packing from GC - well, I was totally blown away by the way MB packed everything, and I mean that in the best possible way. I cannot express how awesomely everything was packed. Well, okay, some of the plants were packed a little tightly, and six (but especially three) needed to be in a bigger container. Still these plants were packed so well that I believe the mail carrier could have played kick-ball with the package and not damaged the plants. Thankfully there was no kick-ball played with my package to test that theory (because there were some bulbs and dormant plants in there that would have been damaged by such a sport) - the outter box as well as the inner stuff was totally undamaged. Yes, all the plants are clearly babies, but I was expecting that, and like I said they looked good (some great) upon arrival. My only real gripe related to packing is that there were two snails on one of the containers. I don't have a problem with snails *knocks on wood* and I don't need a problem with snails in my garden. Well, that and the fact that some of the containers were a bit small for the plants themselves, but I've seen smaller. Still they were big enough in all cases but three - the Blue Rug Juniper had many (long) roots coming out of the bottom of the container, and I do mean LONG - So, much so that in two of the three I was actually afraid I'd damage the roots getting them out, but they appear to be doing fine in their larger containers, so I don't believe I damaged the roots getting them transplanted. The others that needed to be in something slightly larger was the blue oat grass (three) plants which also had some roots coming out of the bottom of the container. However, these roots weren't near as long as the Juniper roots, and so were more easily transplanted. One of them, though, is looking a bit worse for wear now - it isn't dead, but there's a lot of brown dead grass in the pot. Of course, the other two also have some brown dead grass, but on those the green outnumbers the brown - at least for now. *sigh* I may be overly concerned here, because I just recently lost three plants of grass ordered from another company, so seeing brown (even a small amount) isn't helping. So, yes for six of the plants the containers should have been a bit larger, but as I repotted the rest I realized that all the rest could have stayed in their containers for a bit longer. I didn't test that, but I truly believe I could have left the others alone until I was ready to put them in their final place. Moving on... The bulbs were well packed and all of them (all 26) seem viable. Some of them are a bit small, but for all I know they aren't plants with large bulbs to begin with, because I've never tried one (20) of them to begin with. However, since they are dry and very well packed I expect (hope) they will do well. Honestly, the bags with the bulbs were padded by a bit of dirt/moss, and that was a nice touch - I've gotten bigger bulbs from other companies that weren't packed near as well, and yet still come up once I planted them - so color me hopeful. Anyway, there were also three freebie (and dormant) mini day lily plants in the box - I wasn't expecting a free gift, so that was a nice touch, especially since they are day lilies and I like day lilies. However, they are dormant, and I don't always do real good with dormant plants, but I took them out and the roots looked good on all three of them - so I went ahead and planted them - two of them have impressed me with their growth, and the third one while slower is showing signs of growth. But the main point here is that even if these didn't/don't do well (or at all) I can't really complain since they were freebies. Though if they do end up doing well, I might actually take a chance and purchase a few other bareroot dormant) items from MB. So, MB might actually restore my faith in bare root (dormant) flowers with their free gift. So, as with GC, I am happy with the plants I did receive, but in this case I was missing four plants instead of just one. I was told three of them are shipping separately - on the invoice. Trouble is it is noted on said paperwork that I should get those three by the end of March, and it is currently mid-April already. Still, as I mentioned I above, I'm holding off really complaining about this for now because it was noted that they were shipping separately. Now if I never get them... *coughs* Well, this neutral might turn negative instead of positive. Anyway, my problem (at the moment) is the one plant that was listed as being in the package which was not. It is a potted rose, and actually the one color I really wanted (pink)... Well, I wanted both a pink and a red (which was why I ordered a pink and a red), but I might have been a tad more patient if I'd gotten the pink instead of the red, but probably not, because... I emailed MB about the missing plant, and did get a return email which let me know that the company had received my email and that they would get back to me. Well, obviously they haven't. If I had gotten a reply, I would have held off positing this rating and review until I had gotten all my plants, because as with GC I really wanted to by able to give MB a positive rating. The packing and the condition of the plants I did receive were at this time better than the packing from any other company I've dealt with. So, yes, if I do get the plant(s) I've been charged for in a timely manor (and alive) I would not only change my rating but be willing to order from MB again. In closing I'll share the main reason I decided to order from MB, despite their having a less than perfect rep with consumers. Many years ago my mom used to order from MB, and to the best of my knowledge she never once had a complaint with them. Well, I now live in the same location she did, which means I've got her gardens, and if I'm not mistaken several of the Easter Flowers (sorry, I know that isn't their official name) still going strong were ordered from MB - probably over twenty years ago, but I know it has been more than ten. Last year I started playing around in the gardens, deciding to do something with bare spaces and move things around to my satisfaction. Well, that started with moving almost all the Easter Flowers (and other plants, but not MB plants) to different locations, and this year all those that I moved came up and did just as wonderful in their new spots as they were doing in their old spots. So, that in addition (of course) to the coupon was why I decided to take a chance with MB. On May 3rd, 2008, ConGar changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: Well, I'm finally back to change my rating. *sigh* Meant to do this yesterday but because of storms couldn't get online. I got my Chocolate Cosmos (3), and while one of them did die, I take full responsibility for that. It was healthy when it arrived, but I was not. Not only was I feeling bad, but they also arrived on a bad day - I was very busy and didn't have the time needed to repot them right away. Yes, I unpacked (and watered) them, but didn't repot and that (I believe) is why one of them didn't make it, which means it is my fault and not MBs. Plus I only lost the one, the other two look pretty good since repotting, so I'm not going to complain. And, lastly, I received the rose (mini Judy Fischer) that was missing from the first shipment. Thankfully I was able to repot it right away, and while it was a bit small (smaller than the other MiniRose) it looked good, and has (since I repotted it) grown to the point where it is almost as big as the other one now. Alas I did have two of the three Festuca Grass die on me, and in this case I don't know why, so I can't exactly take the blame here. However, one of the three (the second biggest clump) is still alive, so if I can keep it alive hopefully by next year it will be big enough to divide and I will eventually get the spaces filled in. (Still can't comment on the bulbs, they haven't come up, but they haven't been planted long either. However, after getting my entire order I am feeling very positive about MB despite the fact that there has been a bit of die-off.) Negative daphne1602 (1 review) On April 17, 2008, daphne1602 Hamilton, OH wrote: Why do I fall for Michigan Bulb every year? Must be the flurry of beautifully colored catalogs. Every year I order 60 or 70 dollars worth of plants and receive 25 cents worth of dead flotsam. Seriously, you can't tell the tops from the roots on this stuff and what isn't already dead (they probably send me your returns!), soon dies. You can baby Michigan Bulbs plants all you want, even if they survive they aren't worth the effort. Spend a little more and buy from your local nursery, at least you can see what your really getting. Positive den2 (1 review) On April 13, 2008, den2 wrote: I ordered two sets of triliums from Michigan Bulb, and received them pretty quickly. The rhizomes were small, but looked fresh and viable. However, one trilium was not included in the shipment - there was an empty plastic bag labeled with the correct info, but no rhizome. I sent an e-mail to their customer service, and shortly received a notice that a replacement had been sent. It arrived quickly, and seems to be in good shape. Now, if they will come up as advertised.... Negative maureen1952 (3 reviews) On April 13, 2008, maureen1952 Worcester, MA wrote: I have ordered from Michigan Bulb and hope i have finally learned my lesson. "you get what you pay for". On a positive note they are responsive and will resend or refund plants that die. Unfortunately, that is most of the plants they send. They also replace plants that are out of stock with whatever they choose. They send plants WAY too early for my zone. I complained about it this year as I got my plants the beginning of April and I can't safely plant them till the end of April or even mid May. The customer service person said they would resend them at the end of April but i received another e-mail that said that I should try to nurse them along till I could plant them outside. I don't THINK so. Positive willy2 (1 review) On April 12, 2008, willy2 Jamestown, NY wrote: I have to report I am pleasently surprised with the recent orders I have received from Michigan Bulb. I placed several orders from them this spring and although things arrived a little early the quality of the plants and bulbs is very good. The internet order I placed was acknowledged in a timely manner via email. They notified me when the order was shipped. Given the price I will order more from them in the future. Positive kaob (1 review) On April 11, 2008, kaob Midlothian, VA wrote: I buy plants and bulbs from this company and its associated companies: Spring Hill, Henry Fields, Gurneys, Brecks Bulbs, Audubon Workshop and I am missing one. There are 7 companies total. My experience so far is being positive with Spring Hill and Michigan Bulbs. I had a very few plants dying soon after arrival or a short time after but they had always replaced them. I will continue to buy from them despite a couple of bad experience with the customer service. Sometimes you just don't get the right person on the line, but it takes only a few more phone calls till you can work it out. For the money is worth the effort, anyway. I am now trying the Royal Dutch, we will see how they do. I am definitely happy with this Spring Hill and Michigan Bulb, plus if they ship the items in the fall, they do not charge your credit card until then. I bought a few bare root plants and they came in good shape and they always thrive. People do not understand the concept of "bare root". I usually open the box right there and soak the plant in water overnight and plant it the next day. It works very well. Positive doxiedr (3 reviews) On April 8, 2008, doxiedr Burlington, NC wrote: I spent $103.26 and got 57 plants in all. Some were basically peat pellets with seed starts in them (coreopsis, columbine, sweet william), and some were nice reasonable bare roots (mock orange, "Nearly Black" rose). None were extremely large, but for the price, who can expect that? It's actually cheaper and quicker than buying seeds and peat pellets yourself (although not as gratifying, but that's another post!). I did have a chocolate cosmos and one (of three) lobelia die on me quickly after potting, but I'll take a 96% success rate on 57 mail order plants every day! I even had a good customer service experience when I decided to change my order not once, but twice, after initially placing it online. Smooth sailing on that, and the order arrived perfectly correct. One particular note: I bought a blue poppy from Michigan Bulb for $17.99. Figured I could test their "lifetime guarantee" on this tough-to-grow plant (I'm in 7B; NC Piedmont). Well, the thing is flourishing in its pot, even after shedding all its original foliage and all but convincing me I'd have to make the call for a refund. All my other plants are looking good too, despite their somewhat shrimpy appearance right out of the box. Bottom line: For the price, Michigan Bulb is pretty good. Positive Audrey5 (1 review) On April 8, 2008, Audrey5 Parker, CO wrote: I emailed an order on 2/18/08, it was received in full today. I received updates from Michigan Bulb on shipment, and could track my shipment with UPS online. The order is mostly perennials, and they all were packed very well, are green and with good root systems. For the prices I paid, it is a very good deal. How I handle them now will have a lot to do with if they are going to survive. I would definitely order again, because of the different varieties available, the ease in ordering, the health of the plants received, and the sales and coupons I could use. Positive luvforbugs (1 review) On April 5, 2008, luvforbugs Bakersfield, CA wrote: I put in a large order to MBC in January. I received the order in March. I unwrapped everything and put the potted plants in the bathtub to soak. I took pictures of everything. Yes, at first they are shockingly small plants but you have to keep in mind that dormant plants are not very attractive and sometimes look dead. My trumpet vines looked like dead brown sticks sticking out of a small container of wet dirt. I was very nervous about my bare root plants and bulbs because my yard was not ready to be planted in due to relandscaping. The bare root plants and bulbs ended up sitting in my closet for a week and 1/2. Well, after everything was planted in their appropriate spot the plants have been taking off. For example, despite my abuse to the bare root strawberries, after 1 1/2 weeks they started to develop buds. I wish I could put pictures up to show that MBC is completely reasonable when you keep their prices in mind. Don't expect an atractive plant when the description specifically say "bare root" or "bulbs." Positive big_tme_gardnr (1 review) On April 4, 2008, big_tme_gardnr Ashland, KY wrote: I have used Michigan Bulb for several years now and overall I have been satisfied with the quality of the plants I have recieved. They were not my first mail order company, and they were definitly a step up from the other guys. They have honored their guarentee thus far, and have actually sent me extra plants. A lot of plants come in sets of three for x amount of money, and two thrive and one dies. In each case I have reported that two plants thrived and to please send one replacement, they have always resent three plants again! The only problem I have had is this past fall. (2007) I placed an order in late summer and they waited too late to ship it to me and our weather had already gotten bad. So far it doesnt look like any of the plants are coming up, (with the exception of some lily bulbs) however I am going to give a little more time for spring to sink in before I make a replacement request. If this experience is the same as I have had in the past, I do not forsee any problems. I hope I dont get "kicked out" like so many others have in the negative comments that I have read. Negative jaas6uvk (1 review) On April 4, 2008, jaas6uvk Livingston, TX wrote: I received my shipment after approx. ten days. It is only a partial order. No word when the balance can be expected. I was extremely disappointed with what I found in the box. It was filled with Styrofoam "peanuts" which is normally good packing material. Unfortunately the contents of two of the three packs of primroses and what I think is the remains of a hydrangea plant(s) was mixed in with the peanuts. These were so lifeless and dry that I could not easily identify which was which, The remaining plants and the potting medium in the clam shell still sealed packages were shaken out of the cups. The soil was in one end and the wilted plants in the opposite end of the clear container. The blackberry "plants" and the grapes also look lifeless. Compared to plants that can be purchased in the local nurseries at a lesser price this box of plants is a complete joke. No, I have not contacted them about the problem and I do not intend to waste my time doing so. Based on the size of plants and the method of shipping I would not take another item from them if the MIBULB.COM president pulled in my driveway and handed it to me. They beat me out of my money and I have learned a lesson about "Spectacular Offers" and mail order plant purchases. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. They will not get the second chance. jaas6uvk, Texas Negative gardenenvy (6 reviews) On April 3, 2008, gardenenvy Dover, NC wrote: Michigan Bulb was the first mail order experience I had... I ordered 10 Ligustrum shrubs for a privacy screening.... and two hydrangeas. That was a couple of years ago. The ligustrum were shipped, and as I tracked them via the website, it looked like the postal service got stuck with the package. When I contacted the company, a very nice representative told me to contact them again in x number of days if the package had still not arrived. So I did contact them when requested, the package still had not moved according to the tracking, so I was issued a full refund on the shrub part of the order. As far as the hydrangea...they died. They were small plants anyway (which is expected with mail order companies) so I probably should have babied them a bit more in pots first before setting them in the ground. I avoided ordering from any mail order company since then until recently, and have had some ok experiences with them. I think I will try Michigan Bulb again this year, now that I know what to expect. On April 23rd, 2008, gardenenvy changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following: OK. I ordered from them again. I will not do it a third time. I received a "Black Magic Hollyhock" that was nothing more than a 5" single piece of root. I was very dissapointed. I kept searching in the packing material in the bag for the actual plant....this looked like it would be a piece that broke off the actual plant. I ordered creeping phlox....that was very dissapointing. Half dead, small plants came. Two Pink Scabiosas, just tossed in the box in their little pots....wilted and crushed by the other items packed in the box. The one thing that I received that I think may have a chance to live might be the Prairie Blue Eyes Daylily. It was the only thing that looked healthy in the box. Positive luvmygarden66 (1 review) On April 3, 2008, luvmygarden66 Marcus Hook, PA wrote: I received my order this morning from Michigan Bulb 4/3. The order was placed late evening on 3/25. I ordered the following: 6 Blue Moon Hydrangeas & 1 Deep Purple French Lilac. All plants arrived packaged very well with information regarding planting and care. The Hydrangeas are all about 3-6 inches and appear very green and healthy. The lilac is semi-dormant about 6-8 inches with some new leafs sprouting on top. So far I am extremely pleased with my order and for the price I paid. Considering the lifetime guarentee & the price I think I got a good deal. Again, so far so good :) Positive plantnative (2 reviews) On March 29, 2008, plantnative Howell, MI wrote: I got my plants a little early to plant but they came in good shape and all show signs of life. I can't wait to plant them we've had a long winter in mi. and it will be in the 50's this week. I'm happy with the plants I got for the price. Positive thanxjer (2 reviews) On March 29, 2008, thanxjer South Amboy, NJ (Zone 6b) wrote: I have been ordering from Mich Bulb for a few years, altho I have one complaint of a wrong collored flowered hibiscus, my experience has been neutral/good. Last year I was at fault for waiting too long to plant my purchases, really didn't take care of them when they arrived. This year we have the spare bedroom set up as a greenhouse. All our plants are under grow lights, and everything from Mich bulb has already more than doubled in size in 2 weeks, really very impressive. on the flip side Last fall I planted several primrose & hellebores, I have 2 of 6 hellebores coming back, no Missouri primrose made it, and 3 of 12 English primrose coming back. Neutral childofthecorn (1 review) On March 28, 2008, childofthecorn Shelbyville, IN wrote: -They have sent me the wrong tulip bulbs before, and they were ugly and nothing like I had ordered. -They replaced all of those tulip bulbs, but not all have come up. -Fish emulsion seemed to work the best on my tulip bulbs in the fall. They are thriving this year... or at least what has come up is. -Ordered "mixed" crocus and only their yellow ones have bloomed. (which I will be writing them about after my tulips bloom) -Their customer service people can really tick you off, but they are just following their company policy to protect their job. For those who complain about using the $20 coupon... read the terms and conditions found right on the coupon. It states that the ORDER must be of a certain value. Shipping is not part of an order.... -But overall, they have always replaced bad bulbs for me... I just don't know if they replaced them with the right ones yet. *sigh* -Sometimes it seems like it takes forever to receive an order. This is because they only ship them at the appropriate time for planting in your zone. If I order tulips in January, I won't receive them till fall because that's when it's best for bulbs to be planted where I live. -I would not recommend this company to someone who wants to just throw some plants in the ground and walk away. Their plants love lots of fertilization after planting and throughout the first year. -However, if they hadn't replaced the incorrect order of over 100 bulbs that they had sent, this would be a negative, not neutral. Neutral compgardener (1 review) On March 19, 2008, compgardener Raleigh, NC wrote: I think Michigan Bulb is for 2nd or 3rd year gardeners who can baby very small plants and ensure they make it though the first year. If you are a seasoned gardener and have the time, I think it is a great place to get inexpensive plants. I find the plants come dormant but well packaged. I always give them a good soaking and I plant them in a bed rich in organic material and compost. They always make it. Years ago, I just stuck them in the ground and they were slow to grow and 50/50 on long-term survival. The few times I have called they were always prompt and polite. One last thing, I would not pay retail. They always have coupons just look for them. John... Positive keri2400 (1 review) On March 4, 2008, keri2400 Scio, NY wrote: For the last five years, I have always ordered from Michigan Bulb. I usually take advantage of the many money saving offers (buy 1 get 1 free, etc.). I have never had a bad experience with this company. I have always received perfect bulbs and starter plants, which continue to bloom and multiply year after year. Positive sunny2372 (1 review) On February 29, 2008, sunny2372 North Charleston, SC wrote: My mother has always ordered from Michigan Bulb Co and so when I decided to create a couple of flower gardens in my own yard, she suggested I start with them. I was so excited as I picked the plants I wanted to order and couldn't wait to start planting. Then I came upon this website and after reading so many negative comments about the company I was terrified. I was scared to think about what condition my plants would arrive in. I was kept awake wondering if my order would even arrive correctly. To my great relief I received my order and everything was in perfect planting condition. There were no missing or damaged plants. They were all healthy. The company even included some bonus plants ( I'm not sure if that was by mistake or not but I was grateful). I think that people are so quick to compain when something is wrong but not enough people take the time to make a compliment when all goes well. Perhaps that is why the number of negative comments about the company exceed the positive ones. So I just wanted to add to the positive. I will continue ordering from Michigan Bulb Co as has my mother since I was child. Thank you Michigan Bulb Co for giving me a great start on my flower garden. Positive ameliacookstar (1 review) On February 23, 2008, ameliacookstar Lansing, NY wrote: I have ordered from Michigan Bulb many times so far I have only had to call to for replacements on 4 plants and they were helpful and courteous. I like their replacment policy since I am new at gardening and effective at killing plants. The replacements don't cost me anything for shipping and I don't have to worry about losing a reciept a year later and not being able to get a replacement from the local box store. A few downfalls, they make sure there is $ in your account when you order the plants but don't actually charge it until they ship. Also, when Im looking for very specific fruit and vegetable plants for the short seasons in the northeast they dont usually carry it or have it by its scientific name. I always use the coupons and its a good deal, I can usually find something I like or need. Positive MorsisX (3 reviews) On February 20, 2008, MorsisX Lockport, IL (Zone 5b) wrote: After reading all the negative press on this company I felt I had to chime in, enough already! I have ordered many times from Michigan Bulb and their sister companies and will continue to do so! My first comment is that my rating would be positive-neutral, leaning toward positive. That said, here is the skinny on my experience with them. I like that the do not charge my card until the ENTIRE order has shipped. When it does, the time from notification to receipt is only a few days. Their products are definitely 2nd tier. With the plants and bulbs I have ordered they are smaller and there is die off. The packaging is barely adequate and the plants need to be soaked immediately upon arrival. Success rate is 3/4 survival. They start off slow (small size plant/roots) but do take off once established and given the proper conditions and TLC. My most pleasant experience has been with customer support. I frequently order collections and when I experience a die off with part of it, they ship the whole collection to me. Yes, I have had collections resent multiple times, but never once was I given any hassle and the re-ships were very quick. The underlying theme here is the cost, you don't pay much for this stock and as such you are receiving a lesser product. Understand full well what you are getting into! You WILL have die off, but they DO replace them and stick to their guarantee. Neutral floridagardner7 (1 review) On February 15, 2008, floridagardner7 New Port Richey, FL wrote: OMG! I am so nervous now... I placed an order with MB about 3 weeks ago and is due to ship mid Feb to the end of Feb. As I live in Fla. you would think that there are so many things to choose from for the garden. Well, I have in the front of my home the main garden area in complete shade. I spent 2 months researching a evergreen shrub that can handle that. And as there are so scarce available low growing evergreens that can handle complete shade, I was happy when I came accross the pachysandra and thought I got it! Well after reading all the info on the negative experiences fellow gardeners have had with MB, I am afraid of what I receive. I have been desperate to find the right plants to put in, as it is the front of my home and live in a very nice community where everyone has their manicured landscapes and I have been having such a hard time with this area, I have changed this bed around 3 times in the past 10 years and I have just about given up and if you knew me that is normally never in my vocabulary as far as gardening goes. So I truely hope that MB doesn't disappoint me as I have read from so many other DG members here. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Positive Scottler (1 review) On February 13, 2008, Scottler Ballston Spa, NY wrote: After my wife and I bought our first house, we were eager to get some landscaping in. Michigan Bulb had come highly recommended by both my mother and my grandmother, both of whom had used MB regularly in the past. We quickly sent for an MB catalog, and received it surprisingly fast. We placed our first order for some "Wall of China" hedges, and also some Rose of Sharon trees. The order process was very simple, and our order arrived very quickly. We were surprised to even find that they'd sent a few extra plants just in case there had been some loss during shipping. (Not to mention they were crazy inexpensive!) We planted our new arrivals and they took to the soil beautifully. They thrived until our move into our second house two years later. Having moved during the winter months, we were excited to get planning for the new landscape, but we had to change our address for the MB catalog to arrive. Unfortunately, I hadn't unpacked the OLD catalog to get my account number, so I was afraid I couldn't change it. To my surprise, the folks at MB were able to change my account with just a quick email to the Customer Service department. The whole thing took ten minutes. I HIGHLY recommend Michigan Bulb Company, and will continue to order from them again and again. Negative weedsfree (1 review) On February 8, 2008, weedsfree Magna, UT (Zone 6a) wrote: I had the near exact same experience as dagored. The plants they sent me were all fine and well except in the passed 2 years. Half of the plants in each order looked dead but had roots. So I didn't think much about it since they say they send them when the plants are hibernating.Then last summer it was one bad filled order after another. Even if they were replacements. My account had a lot of mistakes. Asked them questions about it then suddenly they said they had a meeting and were closing my account. I wouldn't do business with them again. Neutral Maryweather1 (2 reviews) On January 28, 2008, Maryweather1 Marshall, MI wrote: I placed an order with MB before I learned about this website. After reading the bad reviews, I had second thoughts and wished to cancel my order. I sent them an email stating that I'd like to cancel, which is what their website says to do. I got an automated reply saying someone would respond within 48 hours. No response. I sent another one, and still have gotten NO response. Absolutely ridiculous. I am having my husband call and deal with them tomorrow. On January 29th, 2008, Maryweather1 changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: I did finally get my order cancelled with them- after I posted this. Negative Norsk (2 reviews) On January 19, 2008, Norsk Barron, WI wrote: Wow, I didn't know so many had the same experience with Mich bulb.. Mine was many-many years ago, they had such an advertising biz I was suckered in. I remember thinking they were more of a sweepstakes co. than a plant co. Thanks for all the feed back. I remember our plants came sick and many dead. But the come on's were a New York ad agency's dream... Positive cctreepros (1 review) On January 13, 2008, cctreepros Orlando, FL wrote: I am very pleased with Michigan Bulb. I ordered blue hydrangeas in the fall of 2007. They were shipped when promised and arrived in good shape. The plants were a little bit smaller than expected, but they are doing great. They have new growth all over them. I would not hesitate buying from them again. Neutral rancherhicks (1 review) On January 5, 2008, rancherhicks East Syracuse, NY wrote: I'm not quite sure what can be expected when prices are so cheap. I ordered an hydrangea years ago and it did ok but needed protection in Z-5. I don't order plants I can start by seed, ex. hollyhocks, foxgloves. These are easy to start from seed. As for bulbs, you can't expect top quality for the cheap prices this company sells for. If you must order, order as early in the season as possible, this goes for any company. You have to use wisdom. Finally if more people go to the BBB or the Atty Gen. in their state this may help.

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