I just took a gut shot so I should probably try to temper myself…
My order from Stark Bro’s was modified to show my Contender & Reliance peach trees won’t be coming this spring after all.
They say “environmental issues”, and I get that to a point.
The thing I take issue with is the late notification. I’d placed the order on 2/8 and got an estimated ship date of 3/29. These trees were shown as being in stock, and of course there are several that they were already showing as out of stock, even at that early date. I assume some varieties just were not going to be available at all, while some maybe were actually gobbled up early.
Well when 3/29 came and went they bumped it up, and continued to do that until they recently changed my delivery date to 4/22 and then 4/23. So I’m still good with that - actually a much better date than the original 3/29 BTW.
But then yesterday on 4/20, three days out from my most recent estimated delivery date of the 23rd, I’m notified that we’re now set up for a Fall ship date of 11/5/16.
I know it’s probably hard to do, but I just wish they’d have notified me before almost all other sources stopped shipping for this spring. (I’ve been scrambling…)
I was able to get another Contender ordered in at a higher cost, but at least it’ll be in the ground this spring.
To be fair, I’ve been a defender of Stark Bro’s, as I’ve had nice trees come in from them and they’ve been real good about replacements if need be. So this is actually out of the ordinary I suppose, but still… it’s darn disappointing!
I know a lot of people have great success with Fall plantings, but I just never have, and so for me I view it as losing a year.
Anyway I just needed to vent, but I feel really good that was able to get the Contender ordered in because I called a BUNCH of places that are done shipping for the spring.