I have forwarded each company a link to the video……The mail order/buying side was perfect…..I just had a problem with quality of one company….I expressed my opinion to Parker’s immediately after receipt and they thanked me for the feedback saying my comment had been sent to the relevant department. Anything I hear I will relay in an update on the plants in 6-8 weeks. Hope your well and very best wishes….Malcolm
And it was very nice to see you whipping those sickly starters into shape. Plus your insight into why you shouldn't select only the most vigorous seedlings was startlingly brilliant and I’ve been annoying everybody by telling them this (but I ALWAYS credit you.)
You look like a Professor! Thank you for all the great videos! 💚💚💚Yes, I bought a bulb of Iris siberica “Colonel Mustard,” and waited for a year for the bloom. It just bloomed and I was disappointed to see blooms that looked deadish even as they opened! Husband said they looked like soiled toilet tissue (although he used more colorful vocabulary). Nothing like the catalogue photos. I bought it from Breck’s and they will hear from me. 😡
Lovely plants from Norfolk Herbs. The Artemisia abrotanum is a lovely and long-lived plant. I have one I planted in view of the front window well over 30 years ago and it reminds me of my dear friend who ran a herb nursery in deepest Shropshire and who sold it to me . . . she's still there so no need to get maudlin but I miss Shropshire. One of the plant's other names is Southernwood but 'Garderobe' best describes its use for freshening up the 'smallest room' in the days before the flushing netty. Thanks for a really useful and helpful video, Malcolm.
Brilliant video. Thank you Malcolm. I'm happy to wait for the plants to be travel worthy. I'm happy to pot on plants if required. What I'm not happy about is getting something that isn't strong. My personal favourites are Fibrex for pelargoniums, Harts for canna, Middleton for salvias and Keepers for bare root fruit trees.
Had same problem with Parkers many years ago and have not been back since. Funnily enough off to visit Norfolk Herbs this weekend, about 20 miles from us. Another great video thanks.
Nice to see a review of mail order plant stock something I don’t see much of here in USA. By the way it was nice to see you in suit and tie! Can hardly wait for your next video! Keep growing on🙂🐝🐝
Greetings from Oz 🇦🇺 Thank you I found the remedial instructions very helpful. In the past I have made the mistake of planting straightaway instead of potting on for a few weeks.
Great detailed review, from your very experienced point of view, interesting to see the mail order side. The poor lavender & Aquilegia looked like very old plugs kept out of the light. Packing looked pretty good, but only as good as the post, Fun fact : All Parcel force parcels go through a conveyor belt system at their hub.
Great video. Never used any of those companies. If you plan to continue I can thought recommend ‘Clare Austin Hardy Plants’ run by David Austin’s daughter. Great selection of perennials in 9cm pots. Regards Guy
Interesting video. Here in the US, there are a handful of companies I order from. Though the plants are quite nice, they are small and expensive. The shipping is dear as well and they must pack things in a way that the shipper will not destroy them. I have a rule for myself. If I can get it locally, that will be less expensive and a larger plant. Only if I must have a particular plant, do I order it. Often we are talking 8$ for a 2 inch pot. Then maybe 15$ additional shipping. Add sales tax and it is eye watering.
That is incredibly expensive Pam. Shipping here is cheap by comparison but it’s easy people here to forget the vastness of the US, which I suppose must put up costs. There is nothing like poking around in even the smallest nursery, especially if run by an enthusiastic plant collector or someone for whom it’s a lifestyle rather than a career….even if their overgrown jungles you can often find the most unusual or rarest of plants, grown because the owner was fascinated or wanted to see them grow….for these people it is not about just bread and butter plants…..and though harder to find they do still exist…..even in the UK where we still generally accept folks eccentricities. For the time being at least….Very best wishes…Malcolm
@@plantsmanscorner128 I think it is difficult to run an independent nursery. The big box stores have taken over. I sometimes despair of finding old varieties that I have come to love. But I suppose I have just become an old fart. I mean why should I have a difficult time falling in love with one of the new stumpy, meatball shaped butterfly bushes? Just hard to please. The next thing you know, I’ll be stuffing tissues up my sleeves.
Wonderful video, thank you. Must say, you clean up well; you look very nice in a suit. I felt sorry for the Parker's plants, with a little attention and care, they could have been sent out healthy and beautiful. They should hire you as a consultant, or go back to being a bulbs only company, which they are good at. Looking forward to this series; I live in the U.S., but the tips are still useful, especially on what to look for as far as quality. Have a lovely weekend
Fantastic video Its great to see an experienced professional comment on plants for mail-order gives real insight for a novice like myself Obe issue i have had wirh Parkers is different coloured flowers from what i ordered as bare root plants. Might not seem too important until your white peony comes out scarlet and your iris purple in a bed on white flowers lol
Very useful video Malcolm, thank you for sharing. Especially the trimming back and clearing out you did, though I appreciate that in this case you still decided in the end to chuck the rubbish ones out. If I get a borderline plant that looks iffy, I now know how to give it a kick up the arse! Can I ask, would it be possible to have a 'problem' page [ or 5 minutes at the end of a video like this] where you might answer the odd question we might send you regarding a poorly/unknown/problem plant? I will give an example..on my visit to Egglestone 3 years ago I bought 2 amazing Verbena Bonariensis, the tall purple plants that look so good in 'drifts'...They were fantastic plants, 3' tall the first year and even taller the next. But at the end of the season, the base of them had sort of died off to about 18" high. so I thought, to tidy them up, I'd cut the tops off and just left about 6", imagining that they would shoot from that base part the following spring. Nothing! I have succeeded in killing both of them. 😫 Luckily they spread seed so I have about a dozen 4" sprouts growing, but they're in a very awkward spot, at the base of a fence and under other weed type stuff, and to be honest I don't want plants growing in this edging, it's a gravelled area and I've tended to keep it clear with a weedkiller spray as it joins next doors garden and they don't appreciate 'incoming' from my garden. They don't have any planting at all. I'm worried about pulling them up and repotting them, they're my only Egglestone Verbena. I daren't kill them. Can they take being moved from gravel do you think, and when should I do it if I could. I do appreciate you may want to avoid going down this 'agony aunt' route, but I'm strong so you can just tell me to sod off! I just thought I'd ask, you're a fount of wisdom to us fans. 😉
I will do that Pegs…great idea….will also tell Thomas and George about your idea, which I think they might like to do at the end of the upcoming series they’re working on. It’s a nice interactive way to be more in touch with viewers. Thank you….best wishes…Malcolm
First thanks for this video Malcolm it’s been a while coming for some of these mail order companies in the sense you can’t just send out rubbish and waste peoples time and money on the other hand it’s also going to help a lot more inexperienced gardeners who can now say they might be able to save some of the plants sent out due to you sharing your knowledge whilst still getting a refund of some sort to cushion the blow or even a whole new order for free. I’m not going to hold back though I’ve given up with Parker’s as I always had this issue with most things I ordered, I’ve had raspberry canes that failed plug plants not to far from this and I know rate them as highly as Thompson and Morgan…… who have sent what I can only call compost material to me before and are not worth giving a penny to! This obviously doesn’t mean every customer will get poor quality plants sent out and I’m sure many are pleased with those companies when they’ve used them I just won’t go there again from past issues. I have to say I’m really impressed with D.T Browns and Norfolk Herbs though it does look like they do send out some really good stock! Thanks for this video Malocolm it’s so good to be able to tap into such knowledge and I really appreciate you taking your time to film these videos they’re a real highlight of the week.
I think perhaps next April I’ll try six other companies and see what we get……T&M amongst them maybe….I have had plugs off them some years back, but wholesale which I don’t think they do now…..I have always thought their seeds somewhat expensive and fanciful for the beginner…..but not everyone is a beginner of course …..I don’t understand quite why there are not more reviews like this given the amount of gardening stuff on RUclips as different people may have different experiences as you mention. I do think I will go back and try Parker’s again in a year or two….we have had trouble with their raspberry canes over the years….i think they desiccate (posh way of saying dry out) during packing….not always though which is annoying because they can do it properly…..they frustrate me because they could be huge in the market to their own and the consumers benefit….if they just had quality control. In the end it is all about quality, given that they would have a huge loyal following. …….best wishes….Malcolm
@@plantsmanscorner128 absolutely spot on Malcolm and if you do choose to try some more suppliers it will obviously show who is where in the market and quality control.
Excellent Malcolm. More like this please. I have ordered plants on line from many suppliers. Some are good, some not so and one or two pathetic….money back on these. Norfolk herbs, salvias, were good for me too
I have to agree my plants from Parker’s last year came not in the best of states. I’m putting it down to being stuck in transit for a little to long. But I have to say once planted on given some tlc they all came through nicely and are coming through again this year.
Parker’s are so frustrating Ben…….some rigid quality control and they could be the biggest player in the uk market, no need for constant replacements or refunds, gardeners can be very loyal to nurseries etc if the supplier offers good stock….I just think they work on a quantity model and accept the returns as a cost. Great for them if it works for the bottom line….but not so great for some of the consumers…….and I’ve never ever had to complain about their bulbs, which being dormant are easier I guess. Best wishes….Malcolm
you looked a bit like a teacher in that one ... I think ts a fair video Malcolm. the problem is with a lot of these companies is they get too big or theyre taken over by venture capital firms that are just looking to cut costs and make money . I ordered som plug plants of lavender off one of the seed companies and what turned up were so so small I had to 'pot'' them up in to my smallest cell tray first and try and grow them on... as you say what looks a good deal turns out to be anything but by the time you've thrown a load away that had died off Its time we turned our back on these crap companies and went to proper nurseries Sadly one of the better ones round here is now a housing estate as the old guy died and no one wanted to take it on. ☹
Thank you for this. I agree with everything you have said. My daughter has just taken a delivery from Norfolk herbs. She is a new gardener who in a perfect life would be Margot Leadbetter from the good life with a snip here and a snip there,😂🤣. Anyway I know she can plant the Norfolk herbs with confidence and they will get away. I would not allow her to buy from Parkers, unless it was bulbs as I know she would be disheartened and disappointed.
Norfolk Herbs are a joy to deal with, I tend to put a big annual order and sometimes pick up some bargains at the end of season when they heavily discount large potted salvias et al. Their packing is always spectacular and have such a wide range. Gave up on Parker years ago, they are good at refunding but don't want to deal with them anymore as they do tend to send out the wrong varieties when it's bare root season too. I'm sure the very expensive and at times terrible Hayloft must be relieved not to be part of this review.
I ordered a ginger syllabub rose (not from these suppliers) and it came with every leaf infected with blackspot ! And it was not cheap. I was not happy
If you think those are bad you should try the bedding packs they all offer even if you order early they turn up late and are half dead and we’ve tried them all. Parker’s, Thompson and Morgan, Suttons, van merwin, garden direct mind you I think they are all run by the same company and overall the customer service is pretty bad
Thompson & Morgan aka Suttons are not only poor quality but expensive. They sell lavender in 9cm pots no bigger than those plugs at £6.50 each & they have that black rot at the centre. One trick the dodgy places do is to charge more the bigger pot, so they pot a 9cm plant into a half litre pot & sell it at double the price when the plant is no bigger.
You know Rasta, in my years as a nurseryman I used to get quite frustrated about the pot size…..people would phone up and ask (for example) if I had twenty rosemary, and the first thing before price they ask was “what size pot is it in”…….It got to the point as I got old and grumpier that I’d say we can put it in whatever size pot you want. Technology now has changed that and I used to in later years….and I know Thomas and Lisa do, is just send them a picture……which paints a thousand words of sales waffle! ……I will take a lead from those commenting here as to which 6 suppliers to review next April……Best wishes, Malcolm
Hello malcolm how's it going. Just wondering if I could ask you a question. I'm in the process of trying to start a small scale nursery. I'm looking at buying in perrienals as plug plants I was wondering did find they were best grown on in a tunnel for a few weeks or are they better going outside in a sheltered area. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks very much William.
I don’t know what perennials your growing William….with respect to conditions of the mature plant…eg light, damp, soil, temp etc but as a general reply; This time of the year I would put them straight outside…..keep watered in dry spells but not over watered…..a dry cycle does no harm and can encourage rooting. If they are true perennials you really shouldn’t need to put them away for the winter….just somewhere sheltered for anything tenderish or in an open tunnel if truly tender….i don’t know your location William but that’s what I would do in the north of England 900ft ABSL…….tunnels can encourage early growth which can be susceptible to late frosts….so always better open ended. The climate is changing but that is my experience. Hope that helps a little…..Best wishes…Malcolm AT; Thomas and George have a short season of films coming out from Eggleston soon so they may offer some instruction as to what they’re doing at any given time
@plantsmanscorner128 thank you very much malcolm your advice is very much appreciated. Not 100 percent what all I'll be growing next year just exploring the market at the minute seeing what popular at the minute. I always enjoy the video from Eggleston always very interesting to see what's happening over there. Thanks
Thanks Malcolm... but v scary seeing you in a suit.... please put a warning on vid next time!😂 heard same thing on Parkers .. but also someone on lottie few years ago ..all of his DTB stock .. think it was sone plug veg were poor.. company eitther gave him credit note or replacenents when he rang to complain. Great customer service... there's a very good salvia co.. Middletons excellent plants...
Parker’s sent me 3, 9 cm plants. One was dead, one was okay, and the third was alive but dying. I took it up with customer care. They refused to send replacements because they can’t send part orders. They refunded me for 2 plants. So, I have 1 plant after paying £4.99 postage. And when I outlined what they’d done, they were anything but nice about it. Needless to say,I unsubscribed and will never buy from them again. I’d been using them for several years. Their loss!
@@rikstone7059 They have a very strange business model Rik. I’ll be updating on the plants I grew on from them in a week or so in the July video. I just don’t understand their lack of quality control and I’m not the only one to find this. Best wishes…..Malcolm
I have forwarded each company a link to the video……The mail order/buying side was perfect…..I just had a problem with quality of one company….I expressed my opinion to Parker’s immediately after receipt and they thanked me for the feedback saying my comment had been sent to the relevant department. Anything I hear I will relay in an update on the plants in 6-8 weeks. Hope your well and very best wishes….Malcolm
as always, a brilliant, informative and helpful video, thanks Malcolm :)
And it was very nice to see you whipping those sickly starters into shape. Plus your insight into why you shouldn't select only the most vigorous seedlings was startlingly brilliant and I’ve been annoying everybody by telling them this (but I ALWAYS credit you.)
Interesting review, and quick tutorial, What's not to like, more please Malcolm.
this is pure gold.
Excellent video. Honest and constructive. Thanks.
You look like a Professor! Thank you for all the great videos! 💚💚💚Yes, I bought a bulb of Iris siberica “Colonel Mustard,” and waited for a year for the bloom. It just bloomed and I was disappointed to see blooms that looked deadish even as they opened! Husband said they looked like soiled toilet tissue (although he used more colorful vocabulary). Nothing like the catalogue photos. I bought it from Breck’s and they will hear from me. 😡
Thank you Malcolm. I won’t be surprised to see you in a tuxedo next time.
Lovely plants from Norfolk Herbs. The Artemisia abrotanum is a lovely and long-lived plant. I have one I planted in view of the front window well over 30 years ago and it reminds me of my dear friend who ran a herb nursery in deepest Shropshire and who sold it to me . . . she's still there so no need to get maudlin but I miss Shropshire. One of the plant's other names is Southernwood but 'Garderobe' best describes its use for freshening up the 'smallest room' in the days before the flushing netty. Thanks for a really useful and helpful video, Malcolm.
Brilliant video. Thank you Malcolm. I'm happy to wait for the plants to be travel worthy. I'm happy to pot on plants if required. What I'm not happy about is getting something that isn't strong. My personal favourites are Fibrex for pelargoniums, Harts for canna, Middleton for salvias and Keepers for bare root fruit trees.
Had same problem with Parkers many years ago and have not been back since. Funnily enough off to visit Norfolk Herbs this weekend, about 20 miles from us. Another great video thanks.
Please keep upload new videos...❤❤
Nice to see a review of mail order plant stock something I don’t see much of here in USA. By the way it was nice to see you in suit and tie! Can hardly wait for your next video! Keep growing on🙂🐝🐝
Brilliant video Malcolm keep them coming from Dublin Ireland❤😊😊
Cant fault dt browns, always though parkers plug offers were too good to be true! Thanksfor good review, happily see more!!
Thank you Malcolm, an expert video. I'm not one for online ordering, but think I will give it a go. ❤
Greetings from Oz 🇦🇺 Thank you I found the remedial instructions very helpful. In the past I have made the mistake of planting straightaway instead of potting on for a few weeks.
So helpful Malcolm--thank you!
So helpful, thanks.👍
Great detailed review, from your very experienced point of view, interesting to see the mail order side. The poor lavender & Aquilegia looked like very old plugs kept out of the light. Packing looked pretty good, but only as good as the post, Fun fact : All Parcel force parcels go through a conveyor belt system at their hub.
Great video, thanks Malcolm. Having compared the quality I don't think I'll be using J Parkers again.
Great video. Never used any of those companies. If you plan to continue I can thought recommend ‘Clare Austin Hardy Plants’ run by David Austin’s daughter. Great selection of perennials in 9cm pots. Regards Guy
Interesting video. Here in the US, there are a handful of companies I order from. Though the plants are quite nice, they are small and expensive. The shipping is dear as well and they must pack things in a way that the shipper will not destroy them. I have a rule for myself. If I can get it locally, that will be less expensive and a larger plant. Only if I must have a particular plant, do I order it. Often we are talking 8$ for a 2 inch pot. Then maybe 15$ additional shipping. Add sales tax and it is eye watering.
That is incredibly expensive Pam. Shipping here is cheap by comparison but it’s easy people here to forget the vastness of the US, which I suppose must put up costs. There is nothing like poking around in even the smallest nursery, especially if run by an enthusiastic plant collector or someone for whom it’s a lifestyle rather than a career….even if their overgrown jungles you can often find the most unusual or rarest of plants, grown because the owner was fascinated or wanted to see them grow….for these people it is not about just bread and butter plants…..and though harder to find they do still exist…..even in the UK where we still generally accept folks eccentricities. For the time being at least….Very best wishes…Malcolm
@@plantsmanscorner128 I think it is difficult to run an independent nursery. The big box stores have taken over. I sometimes despair of finding old varieties that I have come to love. But I suppose I have just become an old fart. I mean why should I have a difficult time falling in love with one of the new stumpy, meatball shaped butterfly bushes? Just hard to please. The next thing you know, I’ll be stuffing tissues up my sleeves.
Thanks Malcolm great info 👍
Wonderful video, thank you. Must say, you clean up well; you look very nice in a suit. I felt sorry for the Parker's plants, with a little attention and care, they could have been sent out healthy and beautiful. They should hire you as a consultant, or go back to being a bulbs only company, which they are good at. Looking forward to this series; I live in the U.S., but the tips are still useful, especially on what to look for as far as quality. Have a lovely weekend
Fantastic video
Its great to see an experienced professional comment on plants for mail-order gives real insight for a novice like myself
Obe issue i have had wirh Parkers is different coloured flowers from what i ordered as bare root plants. Might not seem too important until your white peony comes out scarlet and your iris purple in a bed on white flowers lol
Parkers are often good value and sometimes good quality. They usually replace or refund in my experience if you complain. Great informative video.
Very useful video Malcolm, thank you for sharing. Especially the trimming back and clearing out you did, though I appreciate that in this case you still decided in the end to chuck the rubbish ones out. If I get a borderline plant that looks iffy, I now know how to give it a kick up the arse!
Can I ask, would it be possible to have a 'problem' page [ or 5 minutes at the end of a video like this] where you might answer the odd question we might send you regarding a poorly/unknown/problem plant? I will give an example..on my visit to Egglestone 3 years ago I bought 2 amazing Verbena Bonariensis, the tall purple plants that look so good in 'drifts'...They were fantastic plants, 3' tall the first year and even taller the next. But at the end of the season, the base of them had sort of died off to about 18" high. so I thought, to tidy them up, I'd cut the tops off and just left about 6", imagining that they would shoot from that base part the following spring. Nothing! I have succeeded in killing both of them. 😫
Luckily they spread seed so I have about a dozen 4" sprouts growing, but they're in a very awkward spot, at the base of a fence and under other weed type stuff, and to be honest I don't want plants growing in this edging, it's a gravelled area and I've tended to keep it clear with a weedkiller spray as it joins next doors garden and they don't appreciate 'incoming' from my garden. They don't have any planting at all. I'm worried about pulling them up and repotting them, they're my only Egglestone Verbena. I daren't kill them. Can they take being moved from gravel do you think, and when should I do it if I could. I do appreciate you may want to avoid going down this 'agony aunt' route, but I'm strong so you can just tell me to sod off! I just thought I'd ask, you're a fount of wisdom to us fans. 😉
I will do that Pegs…great idea….will also tell Thomas and George about your idea, which I think they might like to do at the end of the upcoming series they’re working on. It’s a nice interactive way to be more in touch with viewers. Thank you….best wishes…Malcolm
First thanks for this video Malcolm it’s been a while coming for some of these mail order companies in the sense you can’t just send out rubbish and waste peoples time and money on the other hand it’s also going to help a lot more inexperienced gardeners who can now say they might be able to save some of the plants sent out due to you sharing your knowledge whilst still getting a refund of some sort to cushion the blow or even a whole new order for free. I’m not going to hold back though I’ve given up with Parker’s as I always had this issue with most things I ordered, I’ve had raspberry canes that failed plug plants not to far from this and I know rate them as highly as Thompson and Morgan…… who have sent what I can only call compost material to me before and are not worth giving a penny to! This obviously doesn’t mean every customer will get poor quality plants sent out and I’m sure many are pleased with those companies when they’ve used them I just won’t go there again from past issues. I have to say I’m really impressed with D.T Browns and Norfolk Herbs though it does look like they do send out some really good stock! Thanks for this video Malocolm it’s so good to be able to tap into such knowledge and I really appreciate you taking your time to film these videos they’re a real highlight of the week.
I think perhaps next April I’ll try six other companies and see what we get……T&M amongst them maybe….I have had plugs off them some years back, but wholesale which I don’t think they do now…..I have always thought their seeds somewhat expensive and fanciful for the beginner…..but not everyone is a beginner of course …..I don’t understand quite why there are not more reviews like this given the amount of gardening stuff on RUclips as different people may have different experiences as you mention. I do think I will go back and try Parker’s again in a year or two….we have had trouble with their raspberry canes over the years….i think they desiccate (posh way of saying dry out) during packing….not always though which is annoying because they can do it properly…..they frustrate me because they could be huge in the market to their own and the consumers benefit….if they just had quality control. In the end it is all about quality, given that they would have a huge loyal following. …….best wishes….Malcolm
@@plantsmanscorner128 absolutely spot on Malcolm and if you do choose to try some more suppliers it will obviously show who is where in the market and quality control.
Excellent Malcolm. More like this please. I have ordered plants on line from many suppliers. Some are good, some not so and one or two pathetic….money back on these. Norfolk herbs, salvias, were good for me too
I have to agree my plants from Parker’s last year came not in the best of states.
I’m putting it down to being stuck in transit for a little to long.
But I have to say once planted on given some tlc they all came through nicely and are coming through again this year.
Parker’s are so frustrating Ben…….some rigid quality control and they could be the biggest player in the uk market, no need for constant replacements or refunds, gardeners can be very loyal to nurseries etc if the supplier offers good stock….I just think they work on a quantity model and accept the returns as a cost. Great for them if it works for the bottom line….but not so great for some of the consumers…….and I’ve never ever had to complain about their bulbs, which being dormant are easier I guess. Best wishes….Malcolm
you looked a bit like a teacher in that one ... I think ts a fair video Malcolm. the problem is with a lot of these companies is they get too big or theyre taken over by venture capital firms that are just looking to cut costs and make money . I ordered som plug plants of lavender off one of the seed companies and what turned up were so so small I had to 'pot'' them up in to my smallest cell tray first and try and grow them on... as you say what looks a good deal turns out to be anything but by the time you've thrown a load away that had died off
Its time we turned our back on these crap companies and went to proper nurseries Sadly one of the better ones round here is now a housing estate as the old guy died and no one wanted to take it on. ☹
Thank you for this. I agree with everything you have said. My daughter has just taken a delivery from Norfolk herbs. She is a new gardener who in a perfect life would be Margot Leadbetter from the good life with a snip here and a snip there,😂🤣. Anyway I know she can plant the Norfolk herbs with confidence and they will get away. I would not allow her to buy from Parkers, unless it was bulbs as I know she would be disheartened and disappointed.
Agree with Malcolm, J Parkers stuff is complete shyte.
Norfolk Herbs are a joy to deal with, I tend to put a big annual order and sometimes pick up some bargains at the end of season when they heavily discount large potted salvias et al. Their packing is always spectacular and have such a wide range. Gave up on Parker years ago, they are good at refunding but don't want to deal with them anymore as they do tend to send out the wrong varieties when it's bare root season too. I'm sure the very expensive and at times terrible Hayloft must be relieved not to be part of this review.
Hi Malcolm In all my years of gardening (45 years) I have found lavender one of the fussiest plants. If you don’t get the pruning right😤
I ordered a ginger syllabub rose (not from these suppliers) and it came with every leaf infected with blackspot ! And it was not cheap. I was not happy
Are you ok, I haven’t seen any uploads off you lately! 😢😢😢
If you think those are bad you should try the bedding packs they all offer even if you order early they turn up late and are half dead and we’ve tried them all. Parker’s, Thompson and Morgan, Suttons, van merwin, garden direct mind you I think they are all run by the same company and overall the customer service is pretty bad
Thompson & Morgan aka Suttons are not only poor quality but expensive. They sell lavender in 9cm pots no bigger than those plugs at £6.50 each & they have that black rot at the centre. One trick the dodgy places do is to charge more the bigger pot, so they pot a 9cm plant into a half litre pot & sell it at double the price when the plant is no bigger.
You know Rasta, in my years as a nurseryman I used to get quite frustrated about the pot size…..people would phone up and ask (for example) if I had twenty rosemary, and the first thing before price they ask was “what size pot is it in”…….It got to the point as I got old and grumpier that I’d say we can put it in whatever size pot you want. Technology now has changed that and I used to in later years….and I know Thomas and Lisa do, is just send them a picture……which paints a thousand words of sales waffle! ……I will take a lead from those commenting here as to which 6 suppliers to review next April……Best wishes, Malcolm
Hello malcolm how's it going. Just wondering if I could ask you a question. I'm in the process of trying to start a small scale nursery. I'm looking at buying in perrienals as plug plants I was wondering did find they were best grown on in a tunnel for a few weeks or are they better going outside in a sheltered area. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks very much William.
I don’t know what perennials your growing William….with respect to conditions of the mature plant…eg light, damp, soil, temp etc but as a general reply; This time of the year I would put them straight outside…..keep watered in dry spells but not over watered…..a dry cycle does no harm and can encourage rooting. If they are true perennials you really shouldn’t need to put them away for the winter….just somewhere sheltered for anything tenderish or in an open tunnel if truly tender….i don’t know your location William but that’s what I would do in the north of England 900ft ABSL…….tunnels can encourage early growth which can be susceptible to late frosts….so always better open ended. The climate is changing but that is my experience. Hope that helps a little…..Best wishes…Malcolm
AT; Thomas and George have a short season of films coming out from Eggleston soon so they may offer some instruction as to what they’re doing at any given time
@plantsmanscorner128 thank you very much malcolm your advice is very much appreciated. Not 100 percent what all I'll be growing next year just exploring the market at the minute seeing what popular at the minute. I always enjoy the video from Eggleston always very interesting to see what's happening over there. Thanks
👍🤗😘
Thanks Malcolm... but v scary seeing you in a suit.... please put a warning on vid next time!😂 heard same thing on Parkers .. but also someone on lottie few years ago ..all of his DTB stock .. think it was sone plug veg were poor.. company eitther gave him credit note or replacenents when he rang to complain. Great customer service... there's a very good salvia co.. Middletons excellent plants...
Hi mate i brought some plants from Parkers supposed to be super plugs they were tiny complained no response and there hostas did not come true to name
Parker’s sent me 3, 9 cm plants. One was dead, one was okay, and the third was alive but dying. I took it up with customer care. They refused to send replacements because they can’t send part orders. They refunded me for 2 plants. So, I have 1 plant after paying £4.99 postage. And when I outlined what they’d done, they were anything but nice about it. Needless to say,I unsubscribed and will never buy from them again. I’d been using them for several years. Their loss!
@@rikstone7059 They have a very strange business model Rik. I’ll be updating on the plants I grew on from them in a week or so in the July video. I just don’t understand their lack of quality control and I’m not the only one to find this. Best wishes…..Malcolm
Informative video, I won’t bother with Parker’s,