The scoop on 'Free Trees and Plants'

1000 times my negatives. I don't believe that the people are diabled. I'm disabled too but my work is always near perfect. First of all, there must be someone to texh those people how to pack the plants and supervise them with everything they should know, this is their living. Let me tell you how my plants came to me, I was so shocked and so ashamed that the pack the plant so badly. They came in an inside out DHL plastic bag with tape to close it, they charge me over $28.00 and I looked at the stamps, it was only $2.51. Packing in a old plastic bag, Open it and there were the plants, more packed in little plastic bags that was open , the soil was everywhere, the plants looked burned from the heat, they were suffering from the heat inside . I could cry and I was very upset and darn mad. Please folks any body who handle the bag with little plants can destroy it in a minute or two, They did not get any fresh air at all, it looks like soup. I believe that this is a BS story about working and helping the poor disabled people. Those people takes pride for what they are doing, Kids play I believe is taking place , one or two years old. If this company want something good selling plant (Oh excuse me) giving away I mean, They should have classes to teach the people that works there, sorry no sympathy from me. Please don't let this company fool no more good folks. Don't buy from them until they do the right thing.. I will call them tomorrow too.. BEWARE MY FRIENDS

Shipping was costly considering quality of packaging and condition of shipped items. Quality of product was questionable. Some plants lived, some died. The appeal of the company is its guise of helping disabled workers and rescuing plants from landfills. I doubt I will buy from them again.

I understand the concept behind this company, so was willing to grant a little with regard to customer service, but have been disappointed in even my low expectations. My order arrived when they wanted, which was OK with me until they all died within 48 hours. I sent an email to the company and received a prompt reply that I would receive a replacement order. After waiting another 2 weeks, I emailed again and asked when my order might arrive, and received a reply that they would refund my money -- no explanations or anything. Even a non-profit retail has to provide a decent product and customer service. It sounds like it might be a good idea that may be lacking in the implementation.
By they way, I did at least receive my refund.

I found this site late in the planting season for me, but I contacted them, and they said they could process my order.

I ordered 3 items--red valerian, baptisia and a goldenrod. The goldenrod was big and healthy, the valerians were green but barely rooted, and the baptisia was back ordered and has not been delivered yet.

I should have left the valerian in the six pack to grow some more roots, but I followed the enclosed instruction and transplanted them into a container. When the valerians kicked the bucket, I emailed the company, they quickly responded and said new plants had been mailed.

Packaging was fine.

I will be ordering from them again.

I guess I didn't expect much for free, and I wasn't disappointed. I ordered 2 arbotvitae Green Giant. The company decided when it was the best time to plant them, and I would have liked them sooner, especially since they were so small and bare root, and needed to be planted in a pot anyway. They recommend they grow in a pot for 2 years. I didn't have the patience and ended up ordering a larger one from Sooner Plant Farm. Before I got the arborvitae, I received a red lily in the mail with no explanation. I don't know if I got someone elses order or if this was a bonus.

I ordered lilacs, viburnums, a shrub honeysuckle and some arborvitae this spring - I knew in advance that this is not a full service mail order company, and I think I knew what I was getting into - these are "extra" plants for me, kind of like buying end of year clearance and hoping you got a deal.

I am happy with the results - it took a while to get the plants, which I expected, but they all shipped within 2 weeks of Memorial Day, which is the conservative planting date for where I live.

The plants were decent - the lilacs have taken off, and the honeysuckle was just outstanding, much larger than I had hoped. One of the viburnums didn't make it, and the arbs crapped the bed, but I should get replacements this fall.

They have been very responsive to emails - all in all, I would not have gotten the same plants for what I spent anywhere else. Actually, the quality is as good or better than what I ordered years ago from Park's/Wayside Gardens.

This is by no means free. 5.95 for S&H, I should have stuck with the outlet near my house. Despite ordering in February, now in June I still have not received my complete order and what I have received has been not good. One perrenial may come back next year, but it won't do much this year and the rest (ice plant & red twig dogwood) still appears dead despite 2 weeks of attention from me.
They should be far more clear about the length of time it takes to get the plants - I received items from other catologues months before their stuff - and should actually provide a quality product. I have sent several emails with no response from them - they get an F for customer service. DON"T ORDER - even if it is tempting.

I ordered from this company because it is a positve way for people with disabilities to earn a living and I wanted to do "my part" as it were. I WAS NOT expecting the kind of service you receive from more established mail-order companies and so I felt I had no right to be disappointed. I ordered Hosta's and Ferns, all of which arrived around the shipping date I had been provided. The divisions were much smaller than I am used to and out of six bareroot plants only two were what looked like DOA, I planted them anyway to see if anything happens. The other four are growing and seem to be liking their new environment. Packaging was a little on the flimsy side but served its purpose

I will likely order from this company again but probably only plants I would imagine to be indestructable! Do a good deed and give someone some work

Bought rosemary on 3/28/06. Waited for about 2 months, emailed them on 5/15/06 regarding the whereabouts of my plants, received response on 5/18/06. They said they'd check on it and if it were not sent out it'd be sent out on 5/22/06. On 5/20/06 I recieved my plants, postdated 5/18/06. When I received it, the plants were in a tyvek small envelope with no padding, just two plants. The plants were crushed and were DOA during shipping. They have a guarantee so I emailed them.

It's a great thing that they are helping people but very slow process and bad organization.

We truly are accomplishing our goal of creating a way for disabled workers to get a paycheck and we're saving plants that would otherwise be destroyed. However, as a young organzation we are still ironing out the complications in computer efficiency and customer service.

Our rosemary plants are part of our green and growing perennial plants. These can not be shipped until we are certain that the plants will not encounter freezing temperatures during their journey to our customers homes. As gardeners we know that last date of frost is officially May 15. Many parts of the country have been encountering very unseasonable weather and we monitor this so we don't have thousands of plants arrive dead. We began shipping thousands and thousands of perennials near the end of April.

We have just changed the manner in which our perennials are packaged. We no longer use tyvek envelopes. They are now enclosed in a clear plastic container serving as a "mini-greenhouse" and then they're enclosed in additional package depending on the size needs. Perennials can take almost any amount of abuse except for lack of water and extreme temperatures. The plants mentioned by this person will most likely grow. We will contact this customer and will also send replacements in our new packaging system. The replacements will be shipped tomorrow.

Regardless, of the errors we may make in the earliest stages of this project. We are honest and will not allow anyone that we know of walk away without being satisfied. Everything is guaranteed.

One additional note. The plants you receive are truly a good value. Remember that the low shipping and processing fees are the only funds we receive to run this project. There isn't any room for large staffing needs, advertising, or the latest customer service programs. We have to deal with thousands of calls and emails each week. We have a very small office staff to do so. As you may notice by the date of this complaint and my response, it is around noon on Sunday, May 21st. We're here in the office responding to our customers needs.

Thank you to all who have supported the Freetreesandplants.com project.

Sincerely,

Debra J. Ersch
Cofounder, Freetreesandplants.com

I placed an order in the fall of 2004 for three kinds of tulip bulbs. The bulbs arrived in good condition and in plenty of time to plant. I was slightly disappointed in the spring of 05 because only three of the darwin tulips bloomed the others (parrot tulips and peonie flowering) didn't really bloom. I think I planted some of them too deep. I had written them off, so I was very suprised to see all three varieties are poking out of the ground today. With the darwin coming up in multiples. I think the cause of this company is very noble and I will possibly order again in the future.

I took the plunge a bout 3 months ago with this company and ordered a unit (2 plants in this case) of Trumpet vine.
They took about 4 weeks to arrive but were healthy looking bare root stock.
I'm in Fort Worth and I was concerned about transplanting them in the heat but for $6.95 I gave it a go.
2 weeks later I saw new growth!!! and now thay are both about 30 inches tall and going strong. I am VERY happy I took the chance!!
KD

I just recently learned about this organization, so I jumped on their website and decided to order 1 unit of Red Buds (actually 2 trees) for only $6.95.

I received the trees today, and while the packing leaves a bit to be desired (arrived in a clear plastic bag in my mailbox, although they were moist), the plants appear to be healthy with very healthy root systems. Now comes the tough part of transplanting them in the 90-degree weather of mid-July in Ohio. Hopefully they will survive that shock.

But now I know that I will probably be ordering more in the future from this organization, and I have a feeling that we're going to see their positive feedbacks really take off.

After reading about the concept of this company, I felt I would order and "do a good deed." I ordered redbuds, currants, honeysuckle and false indigo. I received a plastic bag with whips rather than trees, but the root systems appeared healthy so I planted them. After a few days, the honeysuckles had new growth but everything else looked dead, but I left them in the ground anyway. I did not neglect them, but I did not baby them either. I had decided they probably weren't going to make it, and chalked up my order to being a donation to a good cause. I decided to leave them in the ground until I found replacements. Surprisingly, after a few weeks the redbuds and false indigo have begun to show new growth. The currants I have given up on, and have thrown them in the compost pile.
I doubt I will order trees again, but I may try perennials.

On April 5th I ordered 1 unit(2 plants) of Lilac, 1 unit (2 trees)of Austrian pine and 1 unit (2 trees)of Colorado Blue Spruce.

2 weeks later I received the Austrian pine in good condition. I know bareroot plants and immediately put them in water to soak and planted them the next morning. They are doing good.

A week later I received the lilacs, I received 3 of them instead of just 2 what a surprise and they have little buds on them. They are planted and doing well also.

Still waiting on my Blue Spruce. I'm expecting them to arrive soon.

I'm happy with their service and will order from them again.

Because I had never hard of this company, and Didn't know about garden watchdog, I ordered one "unit" which consisted of 3 irises. I ordered at the beginning of march, and receved my items at the beginning of april. They looked well packaged, and in good shape, though the packaging did not contain planting instructions, and I was instructed to look them up on the website. The items haven't been in the ground long enough to know how well they will grow, but the had sprouted a little bit during shipping. I probably will not order from them again, not because of the quality of plants, or timly shipping or anything, but because I never receved a "Anticipated order date." I would like to know when my items are coming to me. Rated positive because it seems to be a good company, just not for me :)

Ordered Redbud trees and they arrived alive, but packed in just a plastic bag with my address stuck to it. The trees were very small, not branched at all, but they will grow. I won't order trees from them again, but see my next post about the other order.

Because the concept behind this mailorder system was new and untested, I ordered only one unit (hostas). The package arrived today in good shape. The dormant roots are healthy and abundant. The growing tips are strong and beginning to show green. I'm refreshing the plants in water and will plant them later today. I'll check in to the website periodically and will probably order again, depending on what miscellaneous choices might be offered. Overall I rate this experience as satisfactory. Yuska

I had ordered 2 Red Maple trees, Giant Columbine,and Caladiums. I am very impressed with the items that I received in Mar. 2005. My Red Maples had buds on them and a very good root system. I will be checking them out next year and I plan on ordering more.

I had send there address to 3 of my friends and they all ordered, and they told me they were very impressed with the items that they received.

I placed my order in early Feb. and received it on March 22nd., too early to plant in Zone5a. The Nanking Cherry trees are 12 inch bareroot whips, the Blackberry lilys, Giant Columbines,and Lady Ferns are small bareroot plants packed in dry wood chips and look very dried out even for bareroot plants. The Honeysuckle plants are the best looking with a mass of healthly looking roots and good branching. If I can keep them alive for a few weeks untill I can plant them, time will tell if I made a good purchase. I doubt if I will order from this company again.

Wonderful people to deal with, and excellent trees and shrubs. The plants I recieved (2 red maples, 2 colorado blue spruce, and several hostas) all arrived in very good condition, expertly packaged, and very healthy.
Will ceratinly be ordering again next year.

While the plants (lavender and blackberry lilies) arrived when promised (September), they arrived in poor condition. The lavender was musty and wet when I got it, and when I got the lily bulbs a week or so later, they were dry and shrivelled looking.

I planted the lavender anyway, in case the instructions saying that the plants were dormant was true. I should have stuck with my original feeling that they were DOA. I waited a week or so, but there was no new growth, and in fact the "branches" had gone from moist and musty to dry and brittle.

I contacted the company to get replacements. The customer service was pretty good. I was told that another set of plants would ship, but I got a refund instead. I appreciate that.

I guess I have to wait for the lilies, but I'm not holding out much hope. I probably should have soaked them first before I planted them, even though the instructions didn't say to. Some of my other bulbs are popping up now, so I'll give it a while. I don't think I'll bother to try to recoup costs on these.