Mail order nursery retailers are those that generally grow their own plants. However, there are also mail order nursery retailers who buy plants from others and then ship them to their customers. The larger mail order nursery retailers, however, buy plants from growers who have a retail presence in the country.
One potential drawback to this latter plan is that large mail order retailers usually have to buy plants from the growers who have a retail presence in the country, though sometimes there are exceptions. One example of a mail order nursery who buys plants directly from growers is the New Jersey-based Arbor Day. This company has been growing and selling plants in its mail order catalogs since the 1970s.
Mail Order Nursery Retailers
Mail order nursery retailers can sell both hardwoods and softwoods. Hardwoods are plants with bark that is firm, rather than hollowed like some softwoods. Some hardwoods are grown outdoors, while other hardwoods, such as birch, need to be raised indoors. Softwoods, on the other hand, are plants that are grown in containers, such as a pot filled with water. Softwoods, too, are considered part of the hardwood family. Tennessee Wholesale Nursery is good example of Mail Order Nursery.
While some mail order nursery retailers ship hardwoods in large quantities, most mail order retailers only sell softwoods in small quantities. They often have limited hours of operation and cannot ship plants out of state. Some mail order retailers may also ship a few plants per week, or sometimes even every month, depending on how many are ordered.
Mail order nursery retailers usually have some sort of catalog that contains pictures of the plants they are selling. They also usually list the names and descriptions of the plants and the year they were planted. The mail order catalog is usually sent as an attachment to the customer’s package, but some mail order companies include it with the order, which helps to make it easier for a customer to make a quick decision about a plant.
Variety of Plants
Mail order nurseries are able to grow all types of plants, including cypress, oak, hickory, elm and maple, though some mail order retailers specialize in certain types of plants. This is usually the case with mail order retailers that specialize in tropical plants, where exotic species may not grow in a southern climate. mail order retailers specializing in exotic species may not grow many varieties of plants in a southern climate.
The mail order business is popular because it is easy to get started and affordable. Most mail order nurseries will allow you to place an order without any type of guarantee that you can receive the plants in your home. However, if the mail-order nursery doesn’t receive your order within a specific time frame, it usually will return the shipment to you at no charge. This is because most mail order nurseries can’t afford to have unclaimed packages lying around waiting to be picked up and returned.
While there are many advantages to buying a tree through a mail order nursery, remember that this method of purchasing plants is not plant for those who want plants that will not grow well in the South. due to their temperature.