RE: Michigan Bulb
- To:
- Subject: RE: Michigan Bulb
- From: D*
- Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 11:59:57 -0500
- Importance: Normal
Michigan Bulb Company sells small plants, almost seedlings, and barely
rooted plants. These plants are poor risks in any case, but there is also
something wrong with their mailing process. You *might* get viable plants
if you live close to Michigan, but your chances for live plants in that MB
package go down drastically with distance. Their 'satisfaction' guarantee
nets you more of the same...and that's *exactly* what dissatisfied you in
the first place.
Some friends bought a 'perennial garden' from them. Most of the plants were
biennials and bulbs, with one perennial variety (which sad perennial arrived
dead). The sweet william did well, but the canterbury bells disappeared
sometime during that first winter. The foxgloves didn't survive at all.
There were a few spring flowering bulbs blooming the second year, after
turning up blind that first year.
Even experienced gardeners would have trouble growing their product on, and
their ads seem to target people just starting gardening habits/addictions.
Those ads are often seen in Sunday circulars. My preteen son's name graced
the first MB catalog entering our house. He only had one magazine
subscription, a baseball card collectors' magazine, and MB apparently
gathered new addresses from their mailing list. They use sweepstakes to
encourage orders.
I wrote an article about MB about a year ago for Suite101.com, when I was
their Midwest Gardener. As a result of that article, frustrated people will
mail me their complaints, because I'm accessible and Michigan Bulb doesn't
seem to be very accessible. Complaining to them is difficult. Do they have
a toll free number this year? They didn't last year; they run their
business through a mailing address. I've seen a few complimentary posts on
rec.gardens and mailing lists, but those compliments are few, and the
complaints greatly outnumber them.
My question: Does anyone know the *real* name of the plants in their 'Wall
of China Hedge' promotion?
former Suite101.com Midwest Gardener,
Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsett@blueriver.net
A root is a flower that disdains fame.
> Newbie question: I am hearing (reading) a lot of "slams" re: 'Michigan
> Bulb' and am getting the idea that Michigan Bulb is a dog. Is this
> accurate? Should I avoid ordering there? Can you all elaborate? If
> they're a poor risk, I would like to know so as to avoid making
> the mistake
> of ordering from them.
>
> Sue P.
>
> SPesznec@lhs.org Milwaukie, OR.
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