Comments regarding Michigan Bulb

My order came to $6.89 which is a good price for 9 'Stargazer' lily bulbs. Well, yesterday I received my order, which included only one Stargazer lily bulb and 8 substitutes. This is an obvious attempt to pawn off surplus, inferior bulbs. Today, I called MBC and after waiting on hold for 6 minutes, was told that I would receive a refund (we will have to wait and see on that score). When I asked the operator "Carolyn" what I should do with the bulbs they sent (since I had no intention of paying for their mistake and putting out my own money to send back the bulbs) her snide reply was, "Give them to charity." How many people order from this company and never complain? How many times have they duped the consumer into buying bulbs they didn't order knowing that most people will NOT do anything about it feeling that it isn't worth their time and energy? How many millions of dollars have they made on the people who say to themselves, "It's only six bucks so why bother?"

Next time I order by mail I'll go to the web first. All these comments didn't make me happy at all and made me wonder what I've done when I placed an order. I guess all I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed. So far just like all of you I'm upset MBC does not bother to put their phone # on their catalog and they are not on the web, I had to call operator (long distance) and being on hold (long distance as well), when I had to clear a misunderstanding with my order. Even if everything goes all right I'll never deal with MBC. I want the convenience of an 800 number and a web site just like the rest of mail order companies I currently buy from.

I ordered from MBC for the first time in the winter of 1996 and received my rose bushes and bulbs in the spring of 1997. All ten rose bushes had beautiful flowers; the only bad part was there were some rose bushes that were not the color indicated in the catalog. Of course, I received lots of free bulbs, most of which did not come up. Of the ones that did come up, only about 5%-10% of them actually bloomed. I wrote to the company, and they sent me certificates for the dollar amounts of the items I had purchased. So this year I used those certificates to order some more roses and bulbs. Needless to say, I got more free bulbs, plus I wasn't out any more money for what I ordered this year. I just hope the new bulbs will come up. If they don't, I'm not wasting my money with MBC again. It's just not worth the trouble!!

In the spring of 1997 I placed an order with MBC …(including) a hardy purple orchid. Since I live in Alaska, my doubts are running rampant as to the chance of this plant returning in spring. They say it will. I am now the proud owner of $23 in credit certificates. I'm beginning to wonder if I should even try to redeem them. It only took them five shipments to get the first order to me. And yes, I've also spent an incredible amount in long distance phone bills. The only time I could get through on their number was at 6:00 am our time. This is a wonderful site!

Michigan bulb has good prices also. Although their bulbs are small its what you pay for. However, they do not have any telephone number to be found.

I ordered 6 mosquito plants from the Michigan bulb company back in April. The check has been cashed all ready but I still have not received my order. Has anyone ever ordered their mosquito plants before? If so, did they work or was it just a sham?

I had an okay experience with Michigan Bulb the last time I ordered. However, this time I am not having the best experience. I ordered and paid by check in early March. They cashed my check, but I have yet to receive my order. With the nice weather, I would like to get things planted. It was almost impossible to find the telephone number and when I did, which is not toll free, I sat on hold for half an hour and never spoke to anyone. I am really upset that they don't have a toll free number!

I am 16 years old, and last year received a package with bright markings that stated "You Are A WINNER", but the only thing I really won was a rather lousy company. My overall experience with MBC hasn't been terrible, but I've kept myself acquainted with their contests and order information to see how they react to so much negative criticism.Upon receipt of my first order, the bulbs and plants were in somewhat ok condition; they all planted well. However, their growth from that point on declined. Three of four trees lived; almost all bulbs grew to some extent of nice foliage and even some blossoms! Of course, this can't guarantee everyone will be as fortunate as I have been, but at least I was lucky! After my first order, I decided it might be wise to order less. I ordered an iris rhizome, and I received it last fall. I planted it, and this spring was shocked to see that it had multiplied to 3 separate rhizomes -- don't ask me how! It is now about to bloom and I am rather pleased with the plant. It is surprisingly one of my prize plants!I guess that my success with MBC is more of a rarity than a commonplace occurrence. I can't say as MBC has treated me wrong with receiving my plants or free gifts, although a free portrait from Olan Mills isn't my idea of a great free gift. As far as the shipping charges, I have noticed that they tend to send as many separate packages as possible. A rather pathetic way to get more money, eh? All in all, I can't personally say that MBC is the worst there is. I don't intend to order anything large anymore after hearing what othercustomers have to say, I don't necessarily recommend MBC to anyone, but can't say that they shouldn't order anything at all. After all, they could get lucky like I have and get a good plant!

…Since my mother frequently orders through the mail and has very good experiences with Michigan Bulb and others, I decided to take the plunge. I must say that I am glad you have published the Michigan Bulb Company's phone number, I was very uneasy about not being able to contact them by phone if I had any problems.

I feel very fortunate. I found this web page looking for MBC to tell them to get me off their mailing list. If a company needs to go thru the sweepstake route to sell their product, you know they can't be that good. But I did have success; about half of my $75 order did grow. I have no idea what some of the stuff is but it is growing. I was going to send in my claim for the twigs and toothpicks that didn't grow, but judging from others comments is just a waste of my time and postage. Besides I couldn't tell the free stuff from the paid stuff. Good thing I sent a check and not my credit card number, maybe all the shipping charges make up for the dead plants.

I have purchased plants from Michigan Bulb for since 1988. I have had no problems with them until the past 3 to 4 years. After repeated contacts with them, it has become apparent that I should just cut my losses, as the telephone bills only add to the dilemma. The guarantee seems to be far from true. Better to go with someone else - no more praises sung by me.

I'm still waiting for my order from Michigan Bulb, feeling very foolish that I didn't think to look up their reputation on the internet first.

Oh, no I didn't do my homework and read this page first! I ordered in February and then in March they said I still owed 2.29 and would not send my shipment until I sent that. I know I did not owe this because I went and added it up again, but of course I could Not call them and explain. So now I'll just be waiting for my shipment because after reading this page I've called and called and can't get through.

I too ordered from Michigan Bulb. As a new gardener I thought they had great prices and everything looked beautiful in the catalog. The glads I received free with my order grew beautifully, but the other bulbs I received did not grow. The creeping phlox was a joke and the shade garden that I ordered had 2 plants that survived. I did have exceptional luck with the privet hedge that I ordered. All 10 survived and although I have moved since I planted them three seasons ago, I drive by my old home and they are full and growing beautifully. Quite a surprise since you only get sticks in the mail to plant with very little root. I will not order from Michigan Bulb again.

I have proof in my backyard, with a 21'x14' berm that has a majority of Michigan Bulb products (plus other spots in the side and front yards.) When one of their products failed, I received more than adequate reimbursement (another set plus some other bulbs that came up). I have received many compliments on the berm and have made more additions from their brochures into my garden in the form of two rose plants-one climbing and one bush. There must be other customers that have satisfaction with this company. I have been a customer for at least 10 years and my son is into the gardening bug and scans their brochures as well as others. We still will garden despite some bad press. As for letters unanswered, keep trying and make sure the address is correct for customer service. We have always received answers.

I first ordered from them in 1996. Unlike so many others, I have never had a problem with receiving replacements, refunds, and credits to my credit card for plants that either died or were dead when received. At least twice I have received not only the replacement plants that I requested but also an extra set of the satisfactory plants and bulbs that I had previously received. Like so many other customers, last summer I planted bulbs that either never came up or came up but never bloomed. Michigan Bulb sent replacement bulbs; I'll have to wait and see if they do better this summer. To my surprise the "free" daffodils for naturalizing that I planted last fall came up and are blooming beautifully. Also the "free" giant blue crocus were just as beautiful as the giant crocus I purchased locally. After my bad experience with summer bulbs, I was shocked that the spring bulbs performed so well.Last year in late October I received several replacement plants and bulbs too late to plant in New England so I stored the bulbs in my unheated garage. Some of the plants did not survive and I wrote Michigan Bulb and they responded that replacements will be sent.I was (and still am) a novice gardener so it was nice to experiment with inexpensive plants. However, I certainly am not thrilled with the quality of Michigan Bulb's merchandise and was very disappointed when I received my first shipment. The catalog is very misleading and should be changed to more accurately describe exactly what people are ordering. I never invested a lot of money, and I would still order small amounts of potted perennials. I wanted to pass on that they aren't all bad. I've even had good luck with reaching their customer service department.I enjoy your "review" of catalog companies and am using it to assist when I decide whether or not to order from a company whose catalog looks too good to be true.

So far I have no complaints with this company. They do however waste a lot of their money with constant mailings. Everything I've received is growing fine. Maybe I've just been lucky and maybe a have a good green thumb, who knows. Also, they sent me a substitute (two apple towers) in place of the fruit cocktail tree. I called to return the apple towers and was told to keep them for free and my credit card would be credited for the fruit cocktail tree I didn't receive. It was credited and on my account within three business days. I'll buy from them again!

I am reading nothing good about Michigan Bulb, which is a shame. Everything that I have ever ordered from this company has grown beautifully. I have ordered everything from roses to bulbs and haven't ever had any problems. …Watch out for that other company that is offering you an automatic credit limit; their prices are twice as much as Michigan Bulb, and their plants are the same ones.

I have ordered from them several times in the past and have never had any trouble with them. I ordered about $50 worth of vegetable plants for my garden a couple of years ago and everything grew wonderfully and I wound up with more strawberries than I knew what to do with! The only plant that I have ordered that did not do well was a hanging strawberry plant. It never did grow and I mailed MBC one letter and received my money back in a very short amount of time. I have bought flower bulbs, live plants, and bushes and honestly cannot complain. The items do look pitiful but if given a little time, they have done well for me. I have 2 small children and do not have a lot of time to "baby" plants. Whatever I plant must rely on itself to grow and so far so good.

Count me in on the list of dissatisfied and upset Michigan Bulb customers. On 4/30/97 I ordered several items. I'd had decent luck with most of my prior purchases. Guess I'll write or call to see when they might expect them to ship them) I thought it was odd I could locate no 800 # nor phone # on their brochures.

None of the plants I ordered are alive. Some were DOA; others had bare roots. Some lived for just a short time. I would like to know if ANYONE, ANYWHERE, has ever won ANY sweepstakes?

I am completely upset with Michigan Bulb since I ordered 100 creeping phlox and only received10. I want to stop receiving any mail correspondence from this company immediately.

I can't say that I have had any real problems with MBC. I ordered in 1996 and EVERYTHING died. But, when I called and said that I wanted to replace THREE whole orders (upwards of $300) they were very nice and said that my order would be about 4 weeks. That would be faster then my first order. I chose MBC for its lifetime replacement policy. I still think that I made a good choice.

I, too, have had HORRIBLE experiences with Michigan Bulb Co. A success rate of about 20% with things I've ordered from them!

Has anybody else had trouble trying to disassociate themselves from Michigan Bulb? After two letters to Michigan Bulb, telling them I do not want to order or receive any more plants, I continue to get material, including a plant I specifically did not order. Meanwhile, an order for tulip bulbs that was sent has never been received. At this point all I want is to not hear from them again. Evidently, being non-confrontational and polite does not work with this organization. My next recourse is to contact the Better Business Bureau should I hear from them again. Which is almost guaranteed once you get on their mailing list.

I will never order from this company again and will tell all my gardening friends to avoid this company.

If you have money to dump these are the people for you last years order died or arrived dead. They don't know me when I call for refund or replacement. Stay away from these guys.

The bottom line is that their products especially the bulbs are substandard and puny. How do I get off their mailing list?

I too refuse to order from Michigan Bulb. I have received poor quality or dead items from them and I HATE their constant mailings for contests. I actually ordered something from one of their contest flyers and had to return it. They do have pretty pictures on their flyers and catalogs. I look at them. Enjoy them and then throw them away.

My daughter and I have been buying bulbs and plants by mail for years. A company who stoops to selling by shady advertising and these "prize is in the mail" tactics has just lost my business forever.

They do not respond to complaints, just send you more dead plants once in a while. I never wanted anything more than what I paid for and I certainly didn't intend to buy dead plants. I hope there's a way to warn unsuspecting gardeners of this totally disreputable company - BEFORE they place an order.

I have ordered from Michigan Bulb Co., but not anymore. My last order was summer of 1997 for a perennial garden, it was suppose to be sent in time to be planted in October, it arrived in December, 1997. Since I live in northern Ohio, planting anything outside in December is usually out of the question. When the order arrived, the Shasta Daisy were rotten, I planted the rest of the plants under lights in the basement. The miserable carnation specimens promptly died, as did the Monarda. In total it was a most miserable experience. I wrote to the company about my dissatisfaction, and received a form letter advising me they were sorry, and please order from us again. Fat Chance.

Michigan Bulb has given me nothing but unsatisfactory products and service. I ordered from them last year and the order arrived DEAD--when I attempted to seek reimbursement from them, I was told that I MUST have planted the items incorrectly! (I am a gardener of 18 years and know what I'm doing!)

I ordered about $200.00 of bulbs, bare roots, potted plants, etc. My order arrived in several different shipments over a VERY long time period. In the first shipment, I was instructed to store the bulbs I received in a cool dry area until the rest arrives. I called customerservice. I asked if storing the bulbs in the vegetable tray of my fridge would be appropriate. I was encouraged to place the bulbs in the fridge. It took almost three months to receive the second shipment of bulbs. They arrived well past planting time and the bulbs in the fridge were moldy and shriveled. To make a long tearful story short, NOTHING SURVIVED. I'm no slouch in the garden. I can usually nurse plants back to health but these were terminal. The items I ordered were for my FIRST home, which needed a facelift badly. I spent money I really couldn't afford to spend. As has been stated in earlier postings, I received no response to refund, replacement, or substitution inquiries. MBC broke my gardening heart.

I, too am a victim of Michigan Bulb Co. I ordered about $25.00 worth of "dormant" plants and none of them ever grew or bloomed. I even had ordered their strawberry plants, which thrive in Florida where I live and even they died. I thought that maybe I was doing something wrong until I found this web page. I will never again buy plants through a mail order catalog.

Yes my wife ordered $58 worth of plants from MBC last spring. The Begonia and Glad bulbs did fine; everything else was junk.

I'm very surprised that Spring Hill and Michigan Bulb are both owned by the same parent company. I've ordered from both. I get really tired of all the contest junk that comes with Michigan Bulb. I ordered some bushes from Michigan Bulb in 1986, they all died. They sent three more shipments, with the same results. Now my question is, if they're both owned by the same parent company how come such a different approach?

I am also a customer of Michigan Bulb Company. I have an order pending. I have received on an average of two offers per week, all promising that I had won a cash prize.

I ordered about fifty dollars of plants from there and only half grew. I twice sent them a letter about the ones that did not come up. They never honored their guarantee. I'm disgusted with them.