Author Topic: Not happy with T&M and their fruit trees.. (Read 10416 times)

goodlife · « **on:** February 18, 2011, 22:17:28 »

My new plum arrived today.. :-\..In a big cardboard box that look really sturdy and protective for my new tree..BUT...
When I opened it, for my horrow there was inside this weird looking stump of the tree.
In their cataloque T&M states that all their trees are feathered maidens..meaning just a whip of the tree. Well my tree wasn't..it has a trunk 1 1/2" across :o..and would make it few years old and as it was so 'mature' specimen some idiot decided tho chop the main stem shorter so it would fit into the box!!! :o ::)
And that is not all..all the branches were shortened too..to 2" 'long' stumps :o >:(
Tree looks like somebody has gone mental with secateurs. Somebody did rush to phone to give them right ear bashing :-X First the customer services didn't know what was wrong with the 'pruning'..so I had to explain that for start with it is wrong time of the year to do so and now it is in danger for getting desease..and you just don't prune that way new trees..AND..as there wasn't any branches left to suport the stem in box, it was bashed about against it and broken many of the little branch stumps off >:(

goodlife · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2011, 22:26:44 »

I would really like to know who their "highly skilled professional fruit tree nursery" is that they have contract with.
After giving the nice customer service lady education of wrights and wrongs of the science of pruning she was happy to swap it to better specimen....more waiting.. ::)
So I ended up with promise and note left in their 'records' that if the tree should not pull through I'll have it swapped to new one later..
I just couldn't go through the hassle to box it up again..send it back and wait for replacement..
Now I've sealed all 'wounds', planted it and I'll hope best ::)
Anybody else been unhappy with their trees?
I don't think I'll bother with them again >:(

gp.girl · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2011, 22:39:19 »

Quote from: goodlife on February 18, 2011, 22:26:44

I don't think I'll bother with them again >:(

Can't blame you, I bought some blueberries off ebay. They turned up badly broken. One e-mail with photos later 2 more plants came plus I was allowed to keep the originals . That's customer service it wasn't even their fault (stupid deliver driver)and they fixed it.

Very nice plants too at a reasonable price :)

Digeroo · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2011, 23:31:32 »

Oh dear I have just ordered a T&M apple tree. I was hoping it would be better than cheapo Lidl ones.

grawrc · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2011, 03:51:17 »

I have found Blackmoor very good for fruit. That's what they do.

Alex133 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2011, 07:45:38 »

Bought Greengage and Damson from T&M March 2009 and they're growing away fine.

sunloving · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2011, 09:17:36 »

I never shop for plants at T&M they are such poor value. Sorry youve had a bad expereince with them.

Nothing wrong with aldi fruit trees anyway and you cant beat £3.99.

and for something special im with grawc its blackmoor every time i had a lovely tomcot this year for christmas £23 pounds fabulous sturdy well proportioned little tree. Isnt that roberts nursery?

hope yours romps away and is fruiting next year/year after.
x sunloving

goodlife · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2011, 09:28:55 »

There is nothing wrong with cheap trees...indeed..at least you can have a look and pick what looks best for you.
I normally buy mine straight from fruit nurseries and they've always been excellent, but this time I was lured into buying and trying their Flavour King tree, apricot-plum hybrid..and it wasn't cheap neither, double the price for the tree I normally pay ::)
I've been thinking..they had to prune the tree hard to compensate the loss of the roots..it is 'mature' young tree...so now it will be experience to see how it will take after all that..

calendula · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2011, 09:46:33 »

agree with sunloving - wouldn't give T & M the time of day :-X for anything actually, so expensive and poor quality makes them even more so

Digeroo · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2011, 10:00:30 »

I rather fell for the red fleshed fruit of pixirosso. I did get another £10 voucher. I think they must be struggling there are so many offers.

calendula · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2011, 10:20:15 »

I would admit that is why I really do not care for them - I 'fell' for a lot of their products many years ago so been there done that, but not to say what you bought will not flourish :)

powerspade · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2011, 12:06:32 »

I used to buy from T&M but found them over rated over priced and poor quality
I but my soft fruits form either Blackwoor`s or welsh fruit stocks

Joe11 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2011, 12:49:43 »

Hope your tree grows strong and healthy for you, and thanks for opening my eyes to T&M, have always thought of them as one of the good ones now I know to stay clear ;)

Digeroo · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2011, 13:03:03 »

I bought some raspberry canefrom T&M and they have really nice looking roots. Not grown yet but I was very pleased with what I received. I do however never get anything which is not on special offer of some kind.

Ellen K · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2011, 14:27:24 »

Not T&M but I've bought fruit bushes and plug plants from Suttons website and have been disappointed, mostly down to damage due to poor packing in spite of good packing boxes. I guess you just can't get the staff.

I suspect all these companies are very reluctant to cancel orders so they end up sending out stuff that really should have gone on the compost heap.

Seeds are OK and T&M have a few gems hidden away in their catalogue. Their Cobra nasturtiums got lots of attention on the plot last year and the Banana Shallots were outstanding.

goodlife · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2011, 15:13:22 »

I suspect the problem with all the 'big' suppliers is that they don't actually produce the stock themselves..everything comes from subcontracted growers. Now, it is not the contractors name that is spoiled with bad plants but the 'biggies' and they can afford to loose bit of money...but how long?
Digeroo...It doesn't say that if I had bad tree that you would end up with disappointment too...hopefully yours come from nursery where they take more c

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #16 on:** February 19, 2011, 17:19:43 »

A couple of years ago, I bought a Victoria plum from Homebase, it was ten feet high (I kid you not), and not having been pruned at all, it was on a single stem. It looked healthy enough, so I cut it short before I even left the car park.

That summer it grew like mad; the new branches were over three feet long before they flopped. I cut them off short, and summer pruned last year before it got to that point. I don't know what size it'll reach - it's supposed to be on St Julien A, and another tree I have on the same rootstock is also a strong grower. I've got the space anyway. It's undoubtedly extremely healthy, and I hope yours will be as well. Don't worry too much about the winter pruning; a little bird told me that's what all the nurseries do, and it does no harm. The advice against winter pruning goes back to the 1960's, and books just repeat each other endlessly.

marcitos · « **Reply #17 on:** February 19, 2011, 22:27:16 »

Hi Goodlife

Bought the same tree. It arrived Thursday 17th although the advice note says dispatched 9th Feb. Mine was in the same condition as yours. The only thing that was covering the roots was a plastic bag. I should have learnt when I bought a Paw Paw from them last year which produced a few leaves & I'm not sure whether it's still living. Shan't bother with them again.

One further 'grouse' is that some suppliers advertise certain plants, bushes or trees but negate to state you need two to get them to pollinate & fruit.

Marcitos

goodlife · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2011, 00:29:46 »

Marcitos..I would recommend you to call and complain too...
They should have sent us much younger trees that wouldn't needed any pruning ::)
I've got 6 other plums that I've bought from various nurseries..none of the ever looked anything like it.
This new tree of mine must be 4 yrs old..at least...
Yes mine were in dry plastic bag too...they could have have damp shredded paper or something in there to keep the roots moist >:(
If mine doesn't pull through I'll be making 'not so calm' telephone call next time..

poppie1 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2011, 09:07:09 »

hi,just thought i,d mention that aldi have some lovely looking fruit tress in at the moment,5-6ft tall,morello cherry,victoria plum,several types of apple,peach and all at £3.99,great price if you want the basics

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Author Topic: Not happy with T&M and their fruit trees.. (Read 10416 times)