topic Re: Shipped Too Early? in Community Chat

Shipped Too Early?

Biftu — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 15:31:18 GMT

Received my Cottage Farms daisies the beginning of the week. It has been raining and in the 30s at night and the cold and wet continues. No way can I plant them. I have these indoors and am keeping them watered and they seem ok. Of course they could not predict this weather, but sure hope my daisies survive before I can plant them in the ground.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Kachina624 — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 15:46:14 GMT

@Biftu. The weather is unpredictable and totally wonky. The traditional patterns have changed. While you're colder and wetter than usual, we, in the Southwest, are 15° above normal and not a drop of precipitation for 146 days.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

PA Mom-mom — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 15:51:35 GMT

@Biftu I received my CF Agastache 5 weeks too early! I contacted QVC and told them I wanted to return them, because I doubted I could keep them alive in the house for that long. They told me not to return them and issued me a refund. I'm going to try to keep them alive, but it's doubtful.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

MaverDaver — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 16:42:55 GMT

Here in the Northeast (NJ) over the past 10 yrs or so the spring weather is cooler than in the past and the fall weather is much warmer. Patterns have changed.

The plant shippers should adjust their shipping dates for two weeks later than currently.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

fthunt — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 16:51:01 GMT

When vendor ships = they get PAID.................

Your weather isn't their concern.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Icegoddess — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 17:14:41 GMT

I don't know about pattern changes. Our normal last frost date is April 15, and has been since I started keeping up with those things, and currently all dthe meteorologists are going with that. Our summers do tend to hang on longer than they used to and then we may get hit with a sudden winter aberration that kills a lot of even mature plantings because they had not gone through their normal fall slow down.

They've been changing our Hardiness Zones, but I think they actually lowered the low temps in them as 0 degrees has NEVER been the average low temp here and I've lived in basically this same zone all my life. Grew up 2 hours due west of here. We used to be in zone 7, then 7a, then 7b, and now they're saying 8a. However, our low temps really have not changed. We'll occasionally dip into the 20's and maybe even the teens for a night or two.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Icegoddess — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 17:19:03 GMT

@fthunt wrote:
When vendor ships = they get PAID.................

Your weather isn't their concern.

Every online plant source I've ever bought from has shipped at the proper planting time according to the zone map. Even the ones on HSN & QVC claim to and they usually have a zone map along with when they plan to ship for that zone posted in the plant description.

They want you to be happy with your purchases because that translates into a repeat customer.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

PA Mom-mom — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 18:11:12 GMT

@Icegoddess wrote:
@fthunt wrote:
When vendor ships = they get PAID.................

Your weather isn't their concern.

Every online plant source I've ever bought from has shipped at the proper planting time according to the zone map. Even the ones on HSN & QVC claim to and they usually have a zone map along with when they plan to ship for that zone posted in the plant description.

They want you to be happy with your purchases because that translates into a repeat customer.

@Icegoddess Our plant date for tender plants here in SE PA is Mother's Day; has been ever since I can remember. Last year I ordered plants from Carolyn to support her new business, and they were shipped about 3 weeks too early. I managed to keep them alive. Five weeks in advance is ridiculous.

I used QVC this year for my agastache because it was a good price compared to other online companies. I must say, they were more than accommodating in offering me an immediate refund. Now I can look for them elsewhere, but I don't plan to order plants from QVC in the future.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Bonkers1 — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 18:14:14 GMT

I have the same problem with HSN. I live in NY where it's been in the 20's and 30's. They sent my plants out on 4/7. I'm glad someone mentioned about calling for a refund which is great since one of the items is a $90 Hibiscus Tree.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Icegoddess — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 22:01:24 GMT

Isn't the Hibiscus Tree shipped in the dormant state? I ordered a mini tree rose once and it came "dormant", but actually it was DOA. The replacement was the same. Another reason I don't buy plants from a shopping channel.

Most of the gardening shows are too early in the year for me anyways and I'm just not in a state of mind to start buying plants.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

Bonkers1 — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 23:40:23 GMT

@Icegoddess

The presentation said it will be about 3' tall with the possibility of a bud or 2. This is my first time ordering plants online. Hoping for the best.

Re: Shipped Too Early?

CalminHeart — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:19:40 GMT

I wouldn't dream of planting anything this early. The midwest is known to have blizzards through April. We broke a record with snow on Memorial Day 2 years ago.

It was 81 degrees yesterday and today's high is barely 40 plus high winds from the north.

The weather has changed. What used to be normal isn't anymore. It's not going back to what it was.

I have hostas, tulips, lilies, etc, coming up so I hope cold or snow won't hurt them.