Frequently Asked Questions
What are your shipping policies?
I will combine shipping!!!! Since I’m a small grower with a relatively small inventory I’m able to take a little more time and do some combined shipping. Please pay attention to your confirmation e-mail on the first order you place, there will be discount code for combined shipping further orders up to the time of shipping.
For dahlias: I tried tiered shipping during my first sweet pea and corm sale. Honestly, it didn’t work well at all. Squarespace sets it up, so the cheapest shipping is the first one listed. Many people shop from their phone as they are multi-tasking and have a tendency to hit the first shipping option that pops up. When that happens, I need to send a separate invoice out for the difference in what was paid to what should have been paid, then an email explaining why you are getting a random $4.00 invoice. Needless to say, really time consuming. I’m sure there is a way somewhere is I dig around enough or if I was techy enough for it to automatically apply the correct shipping to quantities ordered, I just haven’t gotten that far yet. You will see a discount code at the top of the sale page that will apply a discount for a small box at shipping. You can still come back later and combine orders through the weekend. When you get your confirmation email, all the details on how to combine shipping will be listed, even if you need to go to a bigger box. All tubers will be sent in April, as soon as it is safe to do so. You will receive an email with tracking at time of shipping.
For sweet pea seeds, other seeds, ranunculus and anemone corms:
The tiered shipping was a little convoluted during the October Sale, most people shipped under the seed only rate no matter what they bought. It was easy to make the error as the lesser shipping showed up first and if you were ordering on your phone or something it was easy to miss the second one. I’d probably do the same, but it was a ton of extra time to get it straightened so everyone got the correct shipping. This sale I will have a coupon code posted visibly on the sale page. Apply JSTSEED at checkout and it will discount it to the seed only price. Shipping and corm ship for $12.00. If you are ordering just seeds and you use the coupon code the total is $8.00
There will be a sweet pea, and corm sale in January so if you didn’t make the October sale, do not worry, there is another.
I know this seem relatively complicated, and I know it may be, but like you I’m also an active buyer and know what it feels like to go broke in shipping charges. As long as I don’t spend a ton of time correcting orders and shipping charges this is something I would like to offer. We all need to save a few cents when we can. I’m a small grower and process all orders myself. I look at each invoice to make sure it's correct before pulling orders and will be in contact with you to correct any errors if needed. Again, as long as I’m not spending an extraordinary amount of time correcting orders with additional billing or credits it is something I’ll continue to do.
Do you offer local pickup?
Who doesn’t want to save on shipping?? I get it, it’s expensive, especially when you live close to the farm you are buying from, and I love to support buying local. In all honesty trying to arrange local pick up is harder than trying to understand my combined shipping policy. the reality is we are all extremely busy and what sounds like the simplest of tasks turns out to be one of the most difficult chores I have ever done. I had a really small sale last year but also very successful as in was mostly a local sale with local pickup and you wouldn't believe the number of hours, days, and multiple communications made to make sure everyone got their order between picking up at my home and at my place of employment. With that being said, I AM STILL DOING LOCAL PICKUP. It’s going to have to operate how many farms are now operating their local pickup. For all dahlias, local pickup will be charged the same rate as shipping $16.00. This will be refunded at the time of pickup. Pick up day is April 5, between 10am and 2pm at my farm located at 5762 Cattail Pl. Bow WA 98232
No pickup for seed and corm orders.
Do you guarantee against dahlia virus?
Unfortunately, I do not. According to the ADS, up to 87% of all dahlias will test positive for at least one virus. Testing is extremely expensive and truly only good on the day you test, so unless you test on the same day you dig to divide it doesn’t do a lot of good. Although virus can be transmitted between dahlia plant and tuber, there are other vectors out there. Aphids and thrips frequently transmit virus, along with dirty snips. I’m an avid follower of “When in doubt, throw it out.” I toss anything questionable. Yellow veins and circular patterns always go in the garbage. I also bleach snips between plants. I used to think that was a little excessive, but I find myself stripping leaves and placing into buckets at every plant anyway, so it’s really not any extra work to change my snips out at that same time.
What kind of guarantee to your tubers come with?
All tubers will come this a visible eye, a neck that is intact and a body. Please inspect your tuber when you get them and get ahold of me within 7 days if you have any problems with your tuber. I also guarantee that you are getting the correct variety you paid for. I tag, confirm, tag again, divide and store one variety at a time as to make sure varieties don’t get mixed up. That being said, I quit walking on water a long time ago. If you do find that you were given the wrong variety, please contact me as soon as you realize what happened along with a picture of your receipt or packing slip on variety ordered and a picture of the variety you got, and I will correct the problem.
Do you ever host U-picks?
I did have a few last years, and they worked out great, mostly they were friends that needed buckets of flowers for special occasions. I’m totally open to doing a public one if I think the need is there. Dahlias are not offered for U-pick but are totally available to you. I just pick ahead of time since I need to keep the patch clean, then I offer the flowers already picked in buckets of water to add to your bucket. I supplied the bucket to pick into then people brought their own bucket to transport back home. Please inquire with me directly if it’s something you would like to do, to discuss date, time and price.