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Frequently Asked Questions
Blue Sterling Nursery
Delivery questions
General plant
questions
Specific plant
questions
Delivery questions answered by the PlantExpert.
| Q. |
How are my plants delivered and how much
will it cost? |
| A. |
Please see my Terms
page for delivery and related information. |
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| Q. |
What if a plant does not live up to my
expectations? |
| A. |
Send it back to the nursery on the
delivery truck. But please understand if you order a 12" plant but expected a
24" plant well your expectations were unreasonable and I'm likely to call and tell
you that.. |
General plant questions answered by the PlantExpert.
| Q. |
Do you make substitutions when you are sold out of
what I ordered? |
| A. |
I have Blue Sterling Nursery make substitutions ONE
size up or down from the size you ordered. There is one stipulation however. The cost of
the plant must remain in the same price range. When dealing with dwarf conifers a small
change in container or plant size can create a rather large jump in price. We will consult
you in this situation. |
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| Q. |
I couldn't get several new introductions
I wanted. When should I order? |
| A. |
As soon as possible. Especially on the
very rare items we sell. Many of the plants are very, very limited in supply. When
you see something new on an availability order it or it may be gone for another year! |
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| Q. |
I can buy this plant from someone else for 50% less.
What makes yours worth more? |
| A. |
Maybe you can but I bet you can't. Jim and George at
Blue Sterling are very conscious of the genus, species, and cultivar they are growing.
They do not generically label all chamaecypais obtusa "dwarf hinoki"! Blue
Sterling's "dwarf hinoki" (cham. o. 'nana') grows 20 inches
high in 90 years! Compare this to what you are getting. I bet you
will SEE the difference. |
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| Q. |
Can I order less than 25 of one size and variety of
plant? |
| A. |
Sure, Blue Sterling sells many unusual plants.
There are some plants I don't sell a total of 25 pieces a year even if you combined
all my customers orders! My customers order most plants in quantities of 5 or 10.
Some items commonly get booked in 25, 50 or 100's. Some in quantities of 1 or 3! We are
glad to receive your order and you will be proud to sell our plants. |
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| Q. |
So, what's the big deal if
Blue Sterling grades their plants in the fall? |
| A. |
A lot. All plants for spring
shipment are tagged in the fall before being put away for the winter. For example: a maple
that measures 18/24" in the fall is tagged 18/24". When the plant is pulled in
the spring AND STARTS TO GROW it is likely to push out 3-12
inches or more of new growth. Now your 18/24" plant could actually be a 24/30"
or even larger. Many wholesale nurseries grade after the plant flushes in the spring
so an 18/24" plant is 18/24". Not every variety will flush out to be one
size larger but many will. Order the plant grade you NEED but please sell the plant
as a larger size if you can! |
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| Q. |
What type of soil mix does Blue Sterling use? |
| A. |
In general Blue Sterling uses a mix of 40% peat, 40% bark, and 20%
sand. |
Specific plant questions answered by the PlantExpert.
| Q. |
Are chamaecyparis hardy? |
| A. |
In most of my territory, yes. I
sell varieties cold hardy in zones 3, 4 and 5. Drought and wind are more a problem
in my territory. Mulch, summer watering , and some wind protection will go a long
way in helping these plants look their best. Paying a little attention to your cutleaf
maples will go a long way too. |
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| Q. |
What makes East Coast
conifers and maples different than those grown on the West Coast? |
| A. |
East Coast plants tend to be
shorter and fuller while West Coast plants tend to be taller and thinner. Retail customers
love the fullness of Blue Sterling's plants. |
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| Q. |
How
much will this plant grow a year? |
| A. |
That is a loaded question. I depends on
many things like the characteristics of the plant, location, watering, soil, fertilizer,
light and so on. A chart from the American Conifer Society shows their annual growth rate standards. I like to think in these
terms when looking at height and width projections. Suppose a tree will mature to 100 feet
tall. This is under the best conditions like in a park or on a golf course. It has little
competition for food, light, water, and space to grow. This tree may live long enough to
reach 100'. But just how large will the same tree grow when planted in a mall parking lot
or next to a city street? Even with care I doubt it could ever reach its mature size. You
get the idea. |
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