Perils of buying plants from QVC

[dollydimple]

Most of my QVC plants didn't thrive and died off, including my black bamboo, wollemi pine dinosaur tree and others, too many to mention. Not cheap, either.

I've had more success with the bargain buys in the clearance / half price section in B & Q.

 

[Dips]

I've not bought many plants from QVC, but I did once buy a set of 3 hydrangeas from a specialist nursery that I think appeared once and never again, and they have been gorgeous. They came direct from the supplier. A lot of QVC plants come from Thompson and Morgan. I have not had happy experiences ordering directly from them - very late/delayed deliveries on part orders (which is a real problem if you are waiting for that one plant type to finish off your hanging basket display), plants arriving half dead. I don't use them any more, I head off to B&Q instead.

 

[iloveshopping]

Sorry to say my qvc buys have come direct from the plant specialist and they have just been too small to survive. I have boughtplants originating from these suppliers elsewhere as bigger plants and they have flourished.

 

[Brissles]

Buying plants through the post is always risky - there's hardly a 30 day money back guarantee ! and I wonder how many DO complain months later or the following year and just feel its a lesson learned and can't be bothered, - this makes their gardening section a real money making machine.

Perhaps all the complaints on here should be printed off and posted direct to RJ at QVC - with a copy to the Chief Exec. Moaning to some little girl in Customer Services who couldn't give a 's..t' aint gonna work.

 

[Bensmum]

Many years ago I used to be brain washed by RJ into thinking Q plants were great value but after faffing about growing them on in small pots first before planting them out, they never did much (even feeding them the wonderous Flower Power). I think the reason is that they're grown in Guernsey and it's a huge shock to them when they get plonked in a Manchester garden in the cold and rain. I now buy all my plants from a local nursery where they grow their own and they always flower until the frost comes. Yes they cost a bit more but it's worth it for flowers in my garden all summer long.

 

[frenchie]

This is turning into an interesting exchange of views!
I'm beginning to feel that we are being conned because QVC do like to sell a lot of the shrubs and more expensive plants bared-rooted and dormant. By the time we are able to realistically judge whether we have been sent healthy viable plants months have passed, and if a previous contributors comment is correct...QVC don't want to know months after the sale date.... and that's why I've never called and complained myself, because how can I prove the plants didn't die because of my lack of care for them?
I wonder just how much follow-up QVC actually do with the plant distributors to make sure they are despatching top quality plants that will grow into the healthy mature specimens RJ likes to show us on the glossy photo's, because it seems all is not rosy in the QVC gardeners gardens!

 

[boffy]

everyone has 2 years mbg on plants that are perennial shrubs etc. qvc do give refunds but you have to ask. I would rather some tried and tested patio/basket type tsv's with say 200 plants not really interested in the expensive new varieties

 

[mossie]

I would have my doubts about getting money back from qvc after that length of time how do you prove a shrub has not done as expected and who would bother after that time which i suppose is what they want.

 

[boffy]

I would have my doubts about getting money back from qvc after that length of time how do you prove a shrub has not done as expected and who would bother after that time which i suppose is what they want.

because its the law not on annuals but shrubs and plants that come up every year are check gardening which

 

[catseye]

I bought three flowering jasmine plants 3 years ago. They arrived as sticks and 2 remained as sticks. Not a good buy and I wouldn't risk it again. I now use aldi and lidl.

 

[boffy]

my sister bought these after rj promised a huge shrub with millions of flowers. still only a couple of inches high with a couple of leaves and no folwers three years later

 

[candycane]

I too bought a magnolia tree but about 2 years ago, it was just a stick with roots that I received. I planted it and looked after it. A year later and it still looked like a stick to I contacted QVC and they said there was nothing they could do so I will never buy plants again from them

I bought a magnolia - not from QVC - and for about 5 years it did a very good impression of being a dead stick. Year 6 however, it had one flower and every year after that it has been glorious. I think that Q don't really give a realistic timescale of how long it might take for plants to establish. They might flower in a year in the south but in Scotland it might take years longer. Some of my Q plants have died, some have struggled and I don't tend to buy plants from them now - not least because they aren't competitively priced. However, I recently bought Plum Pudding poppies and the Blue Himalayan poppy and they are looking good. Plants I bought on ebay just died, despite my utmost care - in fact one contained vine weevil. I've never had that on Q, nor weeds in the plants either. So buy with care.

CC

 

[Diane]

I've bought flowers from QVC and also ideal world...both a waste of money, although to be fair, QVC were more than happy to refund my money. I dont buy flowers from them anymore. The huge tub of strawberries (bought years and years ago, I was promised pounds of strawberries from the plants...ha I didn't even get enough for one meal at a time! still the puppy had fun destroying the container tho!

 

[candycane]

. The huge tub of strawberries (bought years and years ago, I was promised pounds of strawberries from the plants...ha I didn't even get enough for one meal at a time! still the puppy had fun destroying the container tho!

I twice ordered big tubs and strawberries from QVC and twice they went missing. The thieves were on a hiding to nothing because the third lot I had yielded 3 strawberries, 2 of which were scoffed by snails. I think it would be good if Q told us which plants the snails hated because I'd buy them. They don't eat tomatoes, begonias, geraniums, rhubarb, clematis, raspberries, currants but they feast on peas, beans, dahlias, calundulas, courgettes, squash and a zillion other things.

 

[mossie]

Slugs like their 5 a day.

 

[Big Barbie]

I got sucked in last year and bought 4 easy plant hanging baskets and the plug plants to go in them. Rubbish. My baskets were pathetic despite my cosseting the plugs.
I have been an idiot again and bought the perennial wall flowers. They haven't come yet but I realise I could have got better value almost anywhere else.
At least I've started/am starting my flowers for baskets and borders from seed this year. No more work then trying to grow those 'jumbo' plugs on and a fraction of the price.
Mind you, it's torrential rain and hail and freezing cold here in Brum so who knows when anything will get planted out if this keeps up !!

 

[Jazzydrury]

The strawberry plants, they used to show, with the Terracotta lookey likey plantters, on my familys experience, they soon went a yukky colour.

 

[Autumn]

I bought the apricot shades begonias last year they were ok nothing special, i dug them up at the end of the season and kept them inside over the winter , planted them a few mnths ago and they didnt grow back lol not happy, I got some from Dobbies last year did the same thing and they have grown back, I wont ever buy plants from QVC again.

 

[cheetycat]

Morrisons have some great deals on bedding plants atm. I got some lovely striped petunias from there the other day, there £2 for a tray of 10 or 2 trays for £3, they have started to flower already :clapping:

I've been buying my hanging basket plants from Morrisons for the past three years or so and they've been fantastic. I've just planted out this years lot and I'm sure I won't be disappointed :wink:

 

[Gemma1]

I've been buying my hanging basket plants from Morrisons for the past three years or so and they've been fantastic. I've just planted out this years lot and I'm sure I won't be disappointed :wink:

Another vote for Morrison's here. I find their plants to be excellent quality and very good value for money. I never buy plants from Q as I've had my fingers burnt too many times in the past- always with plants from T&M.