Comments regarding Michigan Bulb

I ordered from Michigan Bulb 2 years ago and will probably make an order again this year. At the low prices I assumed I would be receiving "baby" plants not plants in the catalog photos. I can't believe some of these people thought they would be getting the pictured plants - those plants are many seasons old. The bulbs I received grew quickly and some flowered the first season. The only plants that died were the ones that I killed by transplanting incorrectly (sigh).

After reading so many negative comments, I had to write. I am a beginner gardener. Last year I ordered a collection from Michigan Bulb Company. Only one bulb out of more than 75 plants did not grow. I had beautiful, large gladiolus, dahlias, lilies, etc. I have ordered from them again this year. Reading your other messages made me a bit nervous, but I had such good luck last year. I would have been happy if even half of the plants had grown and bloomed, but the success rate - for me - was excellent.

I ordered from them last spring (1999) and although I moved into my new house from the address where I was renting and left a forwarding address, I never received my plants.However, Michigan Bulb never hesitated to cash my check. Furthermore, I've been given three different telephone numbers for them from the operator and none of them are Michigan Bulb numbers. I'm in NC, so you can imagine my phone bill, then try fighting with the phone company on top of that to convince them that the numbers are incorrect. I want my money back.

At one time I would have endorsed this company wholeheartedly. They used to be a good company. I have plants that I received from them approximately 10 years ago that are still gorgeous, strong plants. We moved into our new home 3 years ago and without reservations I placed several orders with this company totaling over $500.00.To date I am still waging war for the so-called "Lifetime Warranty". I did finally receive some "replacement coupons" since it was "too late for a monetary refund". To date, I have yet to receive a catalog so that I might use said coupons. I did find an ad of theirs and placed a replacement order from said advertisement. I am still waiting, 2 months later for my order. I tried to call customer service and was put on hold as they checked for my order only to be disconnected twice. I have tried to get on their web site, but am unable to do so as my server is "unable to contact that site". I too wish they would discontinue the unending sweepstakes and invest that money in a better product base. I will not buy from them again and will not recommend them to anyone.

I got some Oriental lilies from Michigan Bulb and the bulbs I picked up from K-Mart were bigger.

I paid a bill for 21.71 in June, have sent them cancelled checks, and now I have been referred to a collection agency.

Several years ago I ordered quite a few things from them. Quite a few things didn't grow. However two of the roses I ordered did outstanding; also all my lilacs - last I knew as I no longer live there - were also doing well. I probably wouldn't order from them again though being a more experienced and somewhat wiser gardener now.

I enjoy the things I order. Once in awhile I get something wrong but they replace it. I don't have a green thumb with mother nature helping things grow go…Buy something in a green house if it dies you have to dig it up and have your receipt. To bring it back Michigan you just write them they send a replacement, or a refund I'm sticking with them GREAT BUYS too.

I for one, am very satisfied with the plants that I have received from MBC. I was missing several items from my initial shipment and once I called to notify them, I was promptly sent my replacements. I have had no problems getting anyone of my selections to grow and am very satisfied with my purchases.

I sure wish that I would have seen this Web site before ordering from Michigan bulb. I ordered flowers last spring - received entire order in early fall in time to plant. Well this summer only 3 small flowers came up. I wait all Summer as different flowers were to come up at different time. Luckily I only ordered $55.61 worth of flowers. But to me that's a lot. With the free flowers I should have had a very full and beautiful garden this summer. I am now in the process of contacting the company for a full refund as they say that they guarantee their products for life. After reading this web site I don't know if I stand much of a chance but I am going to still try. I did transplant some wild irises that grew to be over 4' tall so I know that my soil was good.

Last year around February an order was placed with MBC for $86.00 worth of a variety of plants. Out of the whole order, the ONLY thing that actually came up and bloomed were the dahlia plants. I really can't remember every item that was ordered now but after reading some of the other complaints and hearing from a co-worker of mine that she had experienced the same ordeal, I felt that I must add my disappointment as well. It is a crime for this company to continue sending people bad plants and taking all the money that they are. I too, will NEVER order from MBC again. I can't afford to give them money like this.

I too have ordered from this company and found both their product and their business practices to be of low quality. I received their catalog in the mail, unsolicited, and really liked the suggested groupings they advertised. I placed an order and waited...and waited...and waited.When the order finally did arrive most of it had been substituted and what I had ordered arrived dead or rotting. I began with their customerservice number and got no response, then moved on to a letter to the company, still no response. Finally I contacted the Michigan and Wisconsin Attorney General's offices for both states (I live in Wisconsin) and the Better Business Bureaus for both states. Only after letters to these offices did I receive a refund of cash, not merchandise vouchers, for my entire order (I had used my Visa card, not a check). I also asked to be removed from their mailing list; I continued to receive junk mail from them for the next three years until we moved and were no longer at that address. The poor couple that lives there now is probably still being inundated with come on offers and sweepstakes. I will never order from this company again and share my opinion of them with others when I hear someone express interest in ordering from them.

I have placed several orders to MBC with the same results that most others seem to have had--plants DOA, bulbs that did not produce, and plants that soon expired. To be fair, I should tell you that MBC did send me credits the first couple of times that I asked for them. However, when I wrote to request credit for a number of items that had not produced back in February of 1999, I received no reply. I wrote again several months later and again received no reply, but I was soon removed from their mailing list. I then wrote a third time threatening to report them to the N.C. state Attorney General. A month later I received the credit which I had first requested three letters and seven months ago. I too wish I had known of your website before I ever ordered anything from MCB. I would advise anyone considering MBC to forget it…

I will never order from Michigan Bulb again. I found their Customer Service folks very rude and they are difficult to reach via telephone. I had ordered from one of their advertisement inserts in the Sunday paper for a "2 for 1" sale. I found the quality for the first order poor and scrawny; also, they did not honor the 2 for 1 special as advertised. When I called them about this, the rest of the debilitated plants were received about 1 month later and I planted them promptly. Well, none of them survived, even with extra TLC. I called them and stated my case; the person I spoke with was rude and basically told me not to order from them if I was not satisfied with their wares. Don't worry, I WON'T.

Funny, my plants [from MBC] did not do so well The only good thing from them was winning their quick cash give away. It came in a quick amount of time. But they never sent me another catalog. Never heard from them again.

I too ordered from Michigan Bulb Co. I ordered black roses, an orange tree, a lemon tree, a banana tree, a patio blueberry bush, and a tangerine tree. I got everything but the black roses, they were replaced with some pink roses and they were half-dead. Those roses did not last, they died after I planted them. The others lived, but when I got them they was so small. It took a lot of plant food to get them to grow. I have been trying to reach them to replace my roses. I had no luck in reaching them. STILL TRYING TO GET MY ROSES.

By the end of May, I placed my first order of plants from Michigan Bulb, and I must say, it will be the only one.I think that about 2/3 of my order is already dead and this is the first time something like this has happened to me. I have bushes and plants that I have bought from other places(no catalog), and all of them are doing pretty good. What is funny is that I got, with this order, free seeds, that I planted, and so far, that was the best I got, I got all of them, and are looking pretty good now.

I have used MBC and New Holland and for the most part received what I had paid for. What do you expect to receive when you only pay a few dollars for plants? If you want good plants then buy from your local garden center where you can see what you are getting and paying for. I feel there are a lot of cheap people complaining because they did get what they paid so little for. When I received anything from these companies that was DOA a phone call usually did the trick and my money was refunded or a new plant sent though I must say sometimes for a 2.00 plant I just didn't take the time. BUY LOCAL!

I found out the only thing you order from Michigan Bulb is bulbs/perennials. I ordered bushes from them; they were so small I sent them back. The ad was deceiving. But the price they want for their tulips, 150 piece bulb garden - even if you lose a few, I found price wise they worth it. The last item I bought from them was their shade garden ($8.50) Not everything came up. However, one of the items was a Hosta and it was worth $5 if I bought it at a store.Tip: Order their flowers from their ads in the Sunday newspaper. The shipping & handling is much cheaper & sooner or later they offer justabout everything.

I would just like to defend this company by saying that I just recently started flower beds a few years ago and have been very satisfied with the things that I have received from them. I do however agree that sometimes the product doesn't look very healthy when it arrives but Ihave had great luck with every thing that I have ordered with the exception of an amaryllis that they sent to me that didn't bloom but it was replaced with 6 day lilies that I planted last year and I now have this year about 20 of those lilies and they were small bulbs. I have ordered from them for three years and have had great luck with the things I have received from them.

I ordered three Hybrid Poplars and all three are doing fine, and growing fast as advertised.My wife ordered some creeping myrtle and crown vetch, and even planted the crown vetch upside down, which I did not discover until late in the day. I turned them around expecting them to die also, since their roots were "twisting in the wind" for 8 hours or so. But they grew also.Perhaps, I'm a statistical fluke, or perhaps, they're getting their act together.As far as the sweepstakes goes, I'm ambivalent. A lot of companies use this method to distribute catalogs and such. I'll admit it is a bit cheesy, but even if I win $2000.00 worth of life insurance, my wife will be able to afford to stick me in the ground if I get run over.

I have ordered hedges, flowers, trees, and shrubs from this company, and have had nothing but success with the products. There are detailed instructions on how, when and where to plant. Also, a no risk guarantee. A phone number for the company is listed on the planting guide if anyone has any questions when they receive their order. If it weren't for God's touch on the soil, and Michigan Bulb Co, I wouldn't have a garden!

I just wanted to comment on the comments I have just read about Michigan Bulb. I also have ordered from Michigan Bulb a lot in the last three years. Like others some of my plants arrived dead or died the next year. I may say though that I have been totally satisfied with how Michigan bulb treated me. I always got my replacement cert or had the plants replaced with out so much as a question. I believe that you take a chance with plants you order or get from your greenhouse in your own hometown plants die. They say a Lifetime Guarantee and I have never had a problem getting my stuff replaced so all the negative I have read is a small drop in the bucket, because I bet there are a lot like me totally satisfied with this company.

We had our house built in 1991 and I ordered quite a few plants from Michigan Bulb. I ordered a weeping willow tree and the mail carrier broke it shoving it into the mailbox. I called Michigan bulb company and they sent me another one. I planted the broken one anyway and it is alive and doing very well today in 1999. I also I bought some rose hedges and I still have them. I was very satisfied with them.

My mother and I have been ordering from them for years, and have always been satisfied. Yes, we have lost plants on several occasions, usually during the first year, but it's probably due to the extremely hot, dry summers we've been having here in GA. However, every time that we've lost a plant, which hasn't been many, we've followed the instructions in their guarantee. They have always either sent us the replacement if it was in season, or sent us a credit voucher if it was out of season.Granted, I did have one shipment where I ordered 14 roses, and they only sent me 7, and charged me a higher price for them. However, I just got the phone # off the planting manual they sent with the order and called them up. It was out of season to send the other 7, so they sent me a credit voucher for 7 roses, so that I can order them next spring.As for my freebies, I planted them all, and they have all come up just fine. This is saying a lot for a first time gardener, who doesn't have any idea what she's doing. Not to mention the fact that this stuff's growing in GA red clay.

I ordered sixty fairy hedge rose and fiften gold raspberries from Michigan Bulb around February 1999. My ordered arrived in May. Everything to my surprise looked just fantastic. My roses are doing very well and the berries have given me some red berries - NOT gold. Overall I have no problem with the nursery. And I am going to place another order for more roses around Feb. 2000. Make sure your garden soil is well suited for the plants you're ordering. Most plants need good soil, good sun, and good water.

I read the articles on Michigan Bulb, but I have to say that I am very pleased with them. Gardening takes time to see results (such as with seeds or young plants) or money to buy results (e.g., more mature plants). It's the same with everything in life.As a relatively new gardener, I have spent many hundreds of dollars buying mature plants only to have them die on me when I took them home and didn't "baby" them with nursery food and special soil. Once they are dead, that's it. If I wanted anything else, I needed to buy more; my learning how to care for such plants has been very expensive. At Michigan Bulb, the plants are relatively inexpensive, do have information on the zones for which they belong and blooming seasons (if one chooses to look) and are all guaranteed. I have been slowly redoing our church with very limited funds and a three-year plan working with all volunteer novices. Inevitably, not all of the plants survived, but we instantly received replacements--no questions asked. That kind of customer service has encouraged many of us to continue our gardening endeavors. We can afford to lose a few plants, learn from our mistakes, remember what we did on our successes, and re-landscape a large facility that we would never have had the money to do otherwise. The few mature plants we purchased to make it "look good" initially have only lasted long enough to let our younger plants mature. My advice? Have a long-term plan. Read the catalog instructions. Call the number to ask questions when something's not working. And most importantly, as I have found, find out when Michigan Bulb's shipping seasons begins and ends so that replacements don't need to wait for a whole season to be shipped again to you.

After reading many of the emails on Michigan Bulb, I have decided that I won't even bother calling them with my complaint. Most companies at least make an effort to pacify irate customers, but my experience with them has been the opposite. Last year (spring 98) when I placed my order, I received a partial shipment, which did not alarm me. What did alarm mewas that when the remainder of my shipment came it had little notes in most of the packages saying that what I had ordered was no longer available, so they had made substitutions. (No mention of what the substitution was.) I called them only to find out that they have no idea what was substituted and I will have to wait until next year to see what comes up. The plants that came up this spring were not remotely close to what my landscaping needed. I had a notion to call and demand my money back or a replacement of what I had originally ordered, but after reading most other accounts, I have decided that they are not worth my time and effort. I have alerted every gardening friend that I have of their horrid practices so thatthey won't lose any money.

I was looking for the Michigan Bulb Company website (for most of the reasons already found on this page), but luckily ran across this pagefirst! Today I was doing some planting when I realized I never received a catalog from MBC this year, but I still have over $20 worth of vouchers that are going to expire in less than a week. I was hoping they at least had a website so that I could get this merchandise "replaced"again, since they refuse to refund my money in full. After reading these responses to MBC, I need not wonder why I didn't receive a catalog in the mail.

I made a large order to MBC ($300.00) and because it took so long to receive my "first partial order", I ended up canceling the entire order. Right now, it's the middle of June - very hot and well past the planting time for most of what I ordered. I ordered roses from MBC and what I got were root stalks. I've gone on and planted the plants (partial shipments) that they have sent - because I don't wish to see the plants just die (those that are still living and not molded). But I've already cancelled my order - stopped my credit card payment. I won't order from them again.

I ordered $65.00 worth of plants that were promised to be sent out in time for planting. They also had this great 2 for 1 sale I took advantage of, however, it appears the only one taken advantage of was me! Nothing I ordered came up in the spring, not one item! I learned an expensive lesson; too bad a magazine I enjoy supports them. I will tell anyone who will listen, NEVER ORDER FROM THEM!

It was my first attempt at gardening, and last week, finally called in a professional to find out just what was growing. I had cultivated 3 large areas of weeds. NOTHING that I ordered came up. I wanted my yard to be beautiful for my son's wedding in August, and it looks horrible. I've written to the company, but received no reply. I never received a receipt from them. This is clearly a case of consumer fraud. It's unfortunate that the way people find out about it is by entering "Michigan Bulb Company" into a search engine, trying to find out what to do AFTER the fact.

My husband ordered several times from Michigan Bulb hoping that he would win their sweepstake as their package clearly mentions "if you receive blue color coded envelope, you will definitely receive $500.00 etc." But until today, he has not received even a dollar.

I have ordered from Michigan Bulb and by the time the plants got to me I forgot what I ordered. After checking the order I found that most have been substituted for something that I really did not want or they were DOA. I have planted what was sent and the glads are the only ones to come up (no flowers yet) and that is all out of the whole order. I also have gotten a lot of JUNK mail since. MBC needs to be held responsible.

I live near this company and know several people who work for or used to work for this place. Their efforts to "improve their image" are a joke. They are truly the junk dealers of the plant trade. I only hope they don't drag the rest of the companies they own down to their low level. They only stay in business because of the sweepstake and their catalog. And because of all the new gardeners each year. Do not buy from this company.

I placed a small order one and a half months ago and only received 3 plants out of about 20 so far. I tried to call their customer assistance number but could not get through. Needless to say I am also very disappointed. This will be the very last time I order from this company. I don't understand why they don't mail my whole at one time, this company is out of Michigan and I am from Michigan. Why do they have to send my order separately? I am so disgusted.

Because so many of our customers have come to me with absolute horror stories concerning rot, twigs and rubbish mailed to them from Michigan Bulb, I decided to download that section and read it all carefully off-line. While there are a very small number of positive things said, the overwhelming majority of your responder's comments are in line with what I've heard here in our gardens for years. To a person, every single one of our now-vehemently-ex-Michigan Bulb customers considered their order to have been a total mistake and, as expected, all promised NEVER to buy anything mail-order again.That's a shameful black mark, and a tragic indictment of virtually every other mail-order nursery in the country. All mail-order plant suppliers now share the bad name given to a vital industry by, in my opinion and that of many of my friends, this nationally-advertised company's wholly-unsatisfactory "plants" ("plantlets" might be a better word), delays,stalls, rot, slime and clever contests.I was particularly struck by a comment made by one gardener on your site who said: "The most effective way to lodge a complaint against the Michigan Bulb Company is to contact the National Fraud Information Center hotline at: 1-800-876-7060 or complain to your state consumer fraudagency." That's tough talk, but I feel, under the circumstances, warranted.I never draw away from my duty to warn all who ask, to resist with all vigor the temptation to even think about responding to gimmicky contests, or promises of huge numbers of perennials or other nursery stock from glitzy catalogs for little more than pocket change. Several huge mail-order companies are on our "verboten" list. The plain and simple truth is that any customer is far better off shopping close to home, where nursery owners and managers have a local reputation to uphold; a nursery where, if a plant fails to make it through the first winter in a customer's garden, it is personally and apologetically replaced without question, interrogation, delay or argument.

I have had mixed results with the orders I placed with Michigan Bulb. Half of the roses I ordered did not survive, but the ones that did are thriving. The order did arrive in partial shipments and once the order sat in the mail box while we were gone but the lilacs still survived. I think one of the tricks to getting the plants to survive is to soak the root in water and then plant in a pot in potting soil rather than directly in the ground. Either way it is to disappointing to put in all that work to see it die. I will be requesting them to remove me from their mailing list.

I ordered Azaleas and they arrived all dried up, so I planted them anyway and then looked for a (toll-free) number for Michigan Bulb. I was unable to find one so I looked on the computer and found an e-mail address. Well, I sent thema note this a.m. and a short time later "Tim" phoned me. He responded to my complaint immediately. He assured me that I would receive replacements for my dried up azaleas as soon as the weather was cooler. I don't mind waiting for the proper shipping time (probably fall) and I really appreciate his promptness. That certainly makes more sense than sending me dried out plants. He also assured me that he would take care of the trees that my daughter got from them about 1 to 1 1/2 years ago--they died. You know, Michigan Bulb advertises a "lifetime guarantee"! I'll probably order from them again. Hopefully, things will be different the next time! I'll let you know if they aren't.