T & M

There was a thread about this firm but I can't find it. I ordered my plants (plugs) last year and they said they'd be sent in April. They turned up this morning, bang on time. The plants are healthy with a good root system just right for potting-on. They've also got some useful care instructions with them. So, if yours haven't turned up yet, the P.O. are probably playing about a bit.

 

thats the first good report i have seen about tm on G,C, but if yours have arrived safely and in good condition caj they cant be that bad ...or can they

 

Hi. Imp. Well, I ordered some Fuschias last year and they were all right. They've all survived the Winter ( apart from 2 that got by vine-weevils ) We can only speak from personal experience but they're O.K. by me

 

When did they take the money cajary?

 

about 6 months before they sent plants out pete i would guess

 

Hi, pete. I sent the cheque when I sent in the order. I had some freebie stuff come about Feb. and they said the rest of the stuff would follow, which it has. Why, is that important?

 

The reason it is important is that the good companies only take the money when they dispatch the plants.
By taking yours, and thousands of others money six months before dispatch they make hundreds of thousands in interest on YOUR money for six months.
I know it seems petty but why else would they do it.

 

Oh! Thanks pete. Hadn't even thought of that aspect. Maybe that's why they can offer the plants cheaply? They were certainly the cheapest and the plants were good. I can't really fault the financial aspects if I've got the product I want at the lowest price. Then again, I'm not the sharpest tool in the box, financially.

 

I didn;t know that about the money,but I've always had good reliable service from T+M so I guess that is what matters most J

 

I've noticed that some catalogues are now offering alternatives, eg J.Parkers say you can pay in advance or on despatch. Accepting petes' point, I would rather the companies took my money when I order as my credit cards are rarely in a healthy condition, then I needn't worry that things won't arrive because the card is overdrawn.
This year I have had good stuff from Suttons, J.Parker, Van Meuwen and T&M. I've had a lovely cheap offer from T&M, a tree peony for £4.99, nearly 3' tall and there were 2! Both have flower buds which I'm not removing as I want to see what colour they are.
I also had two lovely healthy Gloriosa Superba tubers from Easy Orchids which are now about 2' high [tried growing from seed last year but no luck].
As you can tell, I'm a great fan of mail order....

 

Just planted out the baskets with plants I grew on from plugs and they look great. About 12" long/high. Couldn't be a bit of "Gardening Snobberry" here could there?

 

Got a free Acer last year from T&Ms didnt do a lot last year,but this year it has come into its own.

 

I've been dealing with T&M for a few years; their seeds have always done well, and plants excellent.
Laurie

 

I ordered some hyacinth bulbs last year for planting up and after months of waiting I rangup and was told, ''Oh...they won't be sent out this year, they will be sent out next year.''

Now I had ordered them with a specific time of year in mind and were no good to me 12 months laate but they had already taken my money. After a bit of discussion, I was given the full value back.
Allowing for that hiccup, I ordered some plug plants this year and they arrived in dribs and drabs rather then all together which is what I was told was going to happen and they also turned up whilst I was away for the week when I had been told to expect delivery on a totallly different date.
I ended up making many trips to the Post office to collect these and they also sustituted one lot of plants for antoher becasue they did not have any mroe and sent me a credit note of a £5.

I have no problems with the seeds they sell but am not entirely happy with the way they take the money off your credit card straight away but you do end up having to wait for ages for your plants to be delivered.

I shall still use them for the seeds order but will have to think twice about anything else.

 

They had an open day recently and I went along hoping to get lots of fuchsias. They didn't have many plants for sale so I couldn't get them, which disappointed me a bit, but they had wonderful displays all round in "bags" which they auctioned off - got a lovely one with Petunia Tumbelina Priscilla and another full of various Ivy Geraniums for really knock down prices. They do seem to concentrate on seeds more than anything else as they do a lot of trials with seeds