ANyone deal with Arbor day foundation? I have had bad exp.

[JOE.G]

Back in Febuary I donated $10 bucks to them and they said they would send 10 Flowering trees along with bushes of my choice, I have been getting emails saying that I would see them April/May. Well I called yesterday since I haven't received them. They said we got bad news, We sent them out first week of may and if you haven't got them We can't send them again in till novemebr since we are done shipping for the season. I have heard bad things about them and I guess it's true.

Anyone else deal with them?

 

[WDG]

My wife and I did this last year, and were pleased with them. We had two die, and they sent us a complete set of replacements free of charge. All the others are growing nicely, in spite of those who told us they'd all die.

It's possible they went to the wrong address. We've had both UPS and FedEx leave packages on our porch that were not for us. If those packages just got lost in shipping, the plants are most likely dead, by now, as they're shipped bare-root in a plastic bag, with a water retention gel. Make sure they have the correct address, and ask them if they will ship replacements in November. If you haven't seen the package by December, check in with them.

Like I said, our experience was good with them, so I personally am more then willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Grace Tree]

We've gotten trees from them the last couple of years and they've been good specimens. 10 trees for 10 bucks is the deal of the century and I recommend them highly enough to put a link on my website.
Phil

 

[sgreanbeans]

Me too, only problem I have had with the trees is my F-I-L and the damn TRIMMER!!!!

 

[JOE.G]

I guess when I get the trees or should I say if I get them this winter I ll have to keep them in the house till spring. How big were your trees ?

 

[Grace Tree]

No, there's normally some decent weather in Nov. to get them in the ground. We pick a spot near the house that's sheltered and then transplant them to a permanent spot in the spring. I was just out yesterday looking at a couple Hawthornes I got from ADF; thinking about where to transplant them. I guess they're about 10" when we get them. They're generally in better shape than the stuff you get from Burgess or some of the other commercial places. 10 bucks is cheeseburger money. Just give them another chance.
Phil

 

[bepperb]

Once

There are a lot of bad experiences with them if you search the internet. I think a lot boils down to the fact that to keep the price ridiculously low they have to use USPS which really isn't a great way to transport trees (or anything that is very time sensitive and should really be climate controlled). But also people's expectations are so high and most aren't really interested in a donation to a nonprofit but are really interested in the trees. But despite a lot of negative reviews I went ahead since the price is low enough to take a chance.

I got my 10 this spring and was lucky that my mailman hung them on the mailbox flag and didn't put them inside. It was probably 85 degrees outside, 100+ inside. Still of the 10 six are growing well about three weeks later and the other four may well come around. But they did come very late (probably second week in May) compared to what's really ideal in my area. Tallest is probably a foot tall and the smallest ones were the diameter of a toothpick and six inches. Some are impossible to ID right now. I planted them in two rows and I'll leave them there for a year or to before moving them to a permanent spot.

I also ordered three other trees from them. Those came about five weeks earlier. Probably 3-4 feet tall. One is doing well, two are hopefully coming around. They have green if I scratch them but no leaves after a month. These came in a box, not a bag.

But 13 trees for 25 bucks, come on. Plus a selection that only mail order could realistically provide.

Best of luck this fall.

 

[treemandan]

Its a charitable organization, give em break.

 

[JOE.G]

It's only ten bucks but if they did that to a lot of people then they would make ton's of money and that would not be fair, I had done a google search before posting here and most of the stuff I read was very Neg about them and this happens quite often.You guys seem to be in the minority as far as good things to say.

 

[Gologit]

It's only ten bucks but if they did that to a lot of people then they would make ton's of money and that would not be fair, I had done a google search before posting here and most of the stuff I read was very Neg about them and this happens quite often.You guys seem to be in the minority as far as good things to say.

I've dealt with them and have no complaints. The POA where I live deals with them every year and I've heard very few negative reports about them.

Continued bashing of an organization because of an isolated instance doesn't do any good. Thanks for bringing this to our attention but if you have a problem with them you need to take it up with them.

You're out ten bucks. Deal with it.

 

[JOE.G]

OK My last post said it is only ten bucks, ten bucks is nothing to me, I was just asking if other people have had any problems and that I did read a lot of Neg about them but the people on here seem happy which I am glad.

I do wonder how many other people sent them money and never got anything 10 bucks from thousands of people does add up.

I did take it up with them and I am DEALING WITH IT, they said they will give me money back which I don't want nor do I need it,, and they said they will ship in the fall. I did have everything ready to plant them and even had the spots all ready that is the part that bothers me.

I am not bashing simply asking.

 

[bepperb]

It's only ten bucks but if they did that to a lot of people then they would make ton's of money and that would not be fair, I had done a google search before posting here and most of the stuff I read was very Neg about them and this happens quite often.You guys seem to be in the minority as far as good things to say.

I'm sure there are a lot of negative complaints from people who expect to get ten three foot tall trees that all thrive on any surface for 40 years for ten dollars. Any arborist (and you're on a site presumably full of them) or even a casual gardener would understand that it's just not possible, one couldn't even ship those trees for ten dollars. Every tree can't live in every location. Every tree won't survive four days in a USPS sorting facility. So perhaps the reason people here are more satisfied with them is that the expectations here are more in line with reality.

I've read the complaints you speak of and they're full of people who join only to get the 10 trees, then two of them die and they call and complain and get 10 more the next season, and then they still need to make 20 posts about the raw deal they got. I wish ArborDay would reconsider this "promotion" as it's a good thought but I'm sure they know more about it than I do.

One other thing to consider, your opinion seems to revolve completely around these 10 trees which were supposed to be a gift as a thank you for your donation. They are much smaller, ship later, in worse packaging, and are less healthy than the trees you would get if you actually ordered a tree from them. If you haven't ordered anything else from them you really don't have a complete understanding of their quality of product or level of service and you might reconsider your opinion if you did.

 

[JOE.G]

I know the trees would be small i am only expecting a foot or less, My only complaint is that I didn't get them and now I have to wait till fall. I had other trees/bushes picked out that I was going to order, I spoke with them on the phone and they said they will be able to track those ones for me. I am not here to bashes just asking if other here have had problems. I always donate money to different causes.

 

[bepperb]

Well not getting anything at all is obviously a reasonable complaint. Let me give you some pics of what you should expect if/when things actually show up. Here are my "10 free trees" though I got the mix. I threw my car keys in the middle for reference. The Silver Maple in the foreground is probably closer to 18 than 12 inches now. These have been in the ground about three weeks:

Always wanted a tuliptree, this has been here for five weeks and the buds will probably turn to leaves this weekend, it's almost three feet tall. I also got a "free" red maple that is about this size and condition:

 

[JOE.G]

So do they grow pretty fast? I got the flowering mix.

 

[CK1]

Come to Florida, as we have plenty of wild sapling trees everywhere. We will gladly loan you a shovel. Take as many as you want!

 

[WDG]

Folks told us when we got the trees that "they all die." Ours did very well, in spite of their first year being one of our worst drought years, here. It took quite a bit of attention to keeping them watered. I really think most people do not keep these trees watered well enough, and without looking, would bet that's at the root of most of the complaints. Their small size means they can't take much abuse, so they must be kept well watered for at least the first year, and preferably longer.

It took ours a while to bud out, so don't expect them to pop leaves right away. I believe ours was the flowering mix, also.

 

[JOE.G]

I have plenty of wild sapplings here also of assorted trees, Figured If i was giving some money might as well getting something also, don't really need the trees GF does want the bushes though.