Our Shipping Policy: How Shipping Works
Overview: Every spring we ship thousands of trees across Canada, and there is usually a smaller shipping season in the fall too, weather permitting. Shipping live plants is not without challenges. We do our best to ensure the trees are packaged for success: the roots are bundled in damp sawdust, bagged, then boxed, limbs carefully tucked in. We ship on Mondays, and sometimes Tuesdays, to ensure the trees have as long as possible to reach their destination before the weekend, so they don't get stuck in a post office. Upon receiving mail order plants, open immediately, check the sawdust is still damp around the roots, and then store in a cool dark location until you plant. Preferably, plant them the same day they arrive but they can be stored for a few days.
Do you ship bareroot plants? How?
Yes! Your bareroot plants are bundled together in a plastic bag that is filled with damp sawdust to keep the roots moist while in transit. They are then securely fastened inside a box and sent to you as soon as they are packaged up and the weather is suitable for planting. Your bareroot plants are dormant when we send them to you, so they will not have any leaves.
Please note that we may prune some trees back if they are slightly too large to fit safely in a box. This prevents breakage while in transit and can prevent shipping fees from increasing by as much as $30 if we can avoid having to pack them in a larger box. Any pruned trees will still be the same grade as was purchased.
When do you ship bareroot plants?
We primarily ship out bareroot plants in the spring although there is a small shipping window in the fall as well.
Fall: We only ship bareroot apples and pears in the fall since they tend to be hardier than our other plants. Fall orders will generally ship out around mid-November, although the exact timing will vary year to year since we need to wait for the plants in our field to go dormant before we can dig them.
Spring: We ship plants every Monday between mid/late March to late May. Your order will ship out when planting conditions in your area are suitable and will notify you ahead of time that your order has been scheduled for a specific shipment. Orders placed during the spring season may see a one or two week delay before being shipped out since this is a very busy time of year for us.
How long does shipping take and will my plants be okay?
On average, plants will arrive within 2-5 days although shipments in southern Ontario may arrive in as little as 1-2 days. As long as your plants arrive within a week, they should not have any health issues and are ready to be planted in the ground!
Do you ship potted plants?
No, we do not ship our potted plants. The pots are too heavy and bulky for us to ship them economically, so they are only available for pick-up.
Why is shipping expensive?
Due to the size of the trees, shipping is automatically fairly high to cover the cost of shipping such large boxes. With the advent of COVID-19 and increasing inflation, shipping rates have also been increasing. While we do what we can to fit as many plants as we safely can into one box, there is only so much we can do to minimize shipping fees.
Can shipping fees change once the order is packaged?
Yes, the shipping fees included on your order are only an estimate and actual fees may vary. Sometimes plants are larger or bulkier than expected and a larger box may be needed or shipping fees are simply higher than estimated.
If shipping fees have gone up significantly, we will send an invoice with the outstanding balance and will request that you cover the amount before we ship out your plants. Likewise, if we overestimated your shipping fees we will happily send a refund for the difference.
What services do you ship with?
We ship out our plants with several different couriers including Canpar, FedEx, Purolator, and UPS. We factor in both cost and shipping time when deciding which courier is best suited to deliver your plants! If you want us to ship with a specific courier, please let us know.
We will ship with Canada Post if you live in a rural or exceptionally far location where other couriers are either unreliable or too expensive. If you prefer we ship with Canada Post or if you would like to see a quote, please let us know.
Can I request delivery to my back door or other specific location?
Yes, you can request specific delivery instructions through the shipping provider once you receive tracking information.
Canpar: https://www.canpar.com/en/support/faqs.htm
Canada Post: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/receiving/mail-delivery/set-a-delivery-preference-canada-post?ecid=sem_102&gclid=CjwKCAiAr4GgBhBFEiwAgwORrVxyTA7-onsVi79psO4nM7FOj9AG7npY6g_3T3u4gHpH4wDQWYAGyhoC8nAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
FedEx: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/receiving/how-to-add-delivery-instructions.html
What provinces/territories do you ship to?
We ship to every province with some exceptions for British Columbia and can ship to the Territories upon request.
Orchard supplies and hard goods like books can be shipped to the US if desired.
What can be shipped to BC?
We unfortunately cannot ship Malus, Pyrus, Cydonia, Prunus or Vitis species to BC as these species need to be fumigated in order to cross the Rockies according to CFIA. The fumigation process takes a lot of time to set up and can easily cost over $1000 per order which makes it unfeasible for us and too costly for customers.
All other plants can be shipped to BC!
Do you ship to the United States and/or outside Canada?
We do not ship plants outside of Canada. The paperwork simply takes too much time for our small team to manage.
Orchard supplies and hard goods like books can be shipped to the US if desired.
What do I do if my plants arrive in poor condition?
If your plants are not looking healthy when they arrive, immediately let us know and send us pictures. We are happy to help however we can to nurse your plants to full health and will arrange compensation based on our guarantee HERE.