October magazine offer of raspberries and strawberries.

[Moopmoop]

As we're discussing on another thread, if your plants do kick the bucket and you need to chuck them then indeed get on to T+M's customer services. I bought some Framberry plants from eb@y a few weeks ago and they keeled in within a few days, I have since replaced them with healthier plants from another seller so fingers crossed. It might even be worth you getting on to T+M now cos although I have always found them helpful, I have always found them slow.

[Jay22]

They actually came from DT Brown. Free, other than postage so not too bothered I just hate things dying on me when I have tried my best with them.

[Moopmoop]

No good complaining to T+M then. No seriously free or not I would still tell them cos the plants you received free were probably also sold to other customers. I'm sure DT Brown would be disappointed that you are let down and will be happy to replace them.

[Jay22]

Well took your advice Moopmoop and contacted Browns about a month ago...acknowledgement of email received and then nothing. Contacted them again and got an acknowledgment of email from Mr. F's...didn't realise they are the same company. Anyhoo upshot is...nothing! All 12 strawberry plants failed to produce even one leaf...on the bright side though, the raspberries are doing well!

[spamvindaloo]

Well took your advice Moopmoop and contacted Browns about a month ago...acknowledgement of email received and then nothing. Contacted them again and got an acknowledgment of email from Mr. F's...didn't realise they are the same company. Anyhoo upshot is...nothing! All 12 strawberry plants failed to produce even one leaf...on the bright side though, the raspberries are doing well!

It's not just D T Brown. I sent for the 'free' patio pear from Thompson & Morgan (don't know why as I already had one ) and it arrived with the stem snapped in half, clearly damaged in the post.

I've emailed T&M three times including a photo of the damage and received an acknowledgment email and nothing else. Okay so it was free, but it still cost me £5.65 for the P&P. Absolutely appalling customer service from T&M that they can't even be bothered to reply to me. I shall be steering clear of them in the future....

[Nicos]

^^^ was that a GYO mag offer or something you bought direct from them???

[spamvindaloo]

^^^ was that a GYO mag offer or something you bought direct from them???

It was a GYO mag offer - the pear tree offer from last month.

I emailed them on the day it arrived. Nothing heard after a week so emailed them again. Nothing heard after another week. I have emailed them a third time but if I don't hear back from them then I am just going to put it down to experience.

To be honest, I have gone a bit mad this year with having an allotment for the first time and I've bought plants from several different places. I'm not going to name and shame anyone but I've discovered a few outstanding companies that have given brilliant service and some that I quite frankly don't want to buy from again. I know from these forums that I'm not the only one to be unhappy with the bad companies and not the only one to be impressed with the good ones.

[Moopmoop]

Re: DT Brown, please don't give up, just give them a ring and speak to someone. I've not had any experience with DT Brown customer service but T+M have always sorted out my queries and complaints akthough I have known it to take a few emails and several weeks for a reply. Just because they were 'free' does not mean that they should be cack.

[Jay22]

I didn't realise that D.T. Brown and Mr. Fothergills were one and the same. Will leave it a few days and see what happens. You are right though, they shouldn't be sending out inferior plants just because they are free. In fact they are not really free as you had to send postage

[Jay22]

Update on the above.

I have received an email from D.T. Brown informing me that they will replace the strawberry plants that failed to grow last season. I am surprised and delighted as they were free in the GYO mag, excluding postage of course, and didn't think they would replace them. They are not stocking the original Honeoye variety and are instead sending me Malling Centenary. Well done D.T. Brown! Delighted.

[bearded bloke]

Great to read a positive result Jay & well done DT Brown excellent customer service