Berries Unlimited

Fruit and Berries

807 Cedar Lane
Prairie Grove, Arkansas 72753 (United States)
479-846-6030
479-846-6033

Reviews:

positives
neutrals
negatives

Displaying the 50 most recent reviews

RatingContent
Negative
On Jun 7, 2023, jenmarie919 (1 reviews) from Saint Paul, MN

One of my plants was in poor condition when it arrived and died a week after planting it. It's been over a week and despite numerous emails back and forth I still don't have a straight answer about a refund/replacement. I won't purchase from this company again- buyer beware.

Positive
On Sep 22, 2021, jfrommissouri (1 reviews) from Southwest, MO

I have been a loyal customer of Berries Unlimited for several years. I ordered many plants from them over the years, and have not lost any plants from their company. The plants are superior to most of the nurseries, with better than average size, excellent health, and are indeed disease free upon arrival. The shipping has thus far varied according to the carrier, which is to be expected, but the packaging has always been superb, with very minimal disturbance to the plants, considering the jostling they endure en route. I have read many of the reviews, and would like to remind buyers that the responsibility of the health and welfare of the merchandise is up to the buyer once they arrive. Blaming the seller for poor growing practices shows little integrity and is grossly unfair. I have spoken with the staff and owners of Berries Unlimited and received the best customer service and support I could wish for. All questions are answered by knowledgeable and courteous people who bend over backwards to help me with any issues I might be struggling with. As a newbie to honeyberries, I thought they were dying but these Lazarus impersonators were only in summer dormancy, which I had never seen before. The owner Lidia was more than reassuring and helpful, and just like she said, they sprang into life and are robust, hearty bushes. This is an exceptional nursery, and I highly recommend it.

Positive
On Jun 29, 2020, BryanPH (1 reviews)

I'm a home gardener. I've been doing business with Berries Unlimited for 3 or 4 years now, and have made 3 orders with them this year as well. I have always received plants from them in good health, that established quickly and grew vigorously. The plants have always been carefully packed in a box with packing peanuts and arrived in good condition, and have only taken a few days via FedEx to arrive. They're in Arkansas, I'm in Colorado. Never have I lost a single plant from them. The thing that I like best of all about Berries Unlimited is the vast variety of berry plants that they offer, especially honeyberry plants. I will keep buying from them and recommend them to anyone.

Negative
On Jun 26, 2020, Th0m45 (2 reviews) from Winterville, GA

Horrendous company! BUYER BEWARE! • The raspberry and blueberry plants I ordered took TWO MONTHS to deliver, which the company simply blamed on “rain delays.” Hmmm? Two months of rain…? • The plants were just tossed in a box, left loose, with nothing to secure the plants or soil, which resulted in damaged root balls, plus many broken branches, stems, and leaves • The plants had significant insect damage as they were STILL infested with insects that were eating the leaves and roots when opening the box. Berries Unlimited initially blamed the infestation on another company that they bought the tissue-cultured plants from in OR. Despite that assertion, Berries Unlimited also contradictorily stated they tissue-culture ALL their own plants, plus their certification that says these plants have been certified to not have disease or infestation. • When I requested a resolution, the were dismissive, rude, and completely unhelpful, only offering farce excuses for all of the above. Zero Stars for customer service. Do yourself a favor and save your money, time, and garden by shopping elsewhere!

Positive
On Jun 2, 2020, bryana (72 reviews) from Albany, NY

Posted on May 19, 2012, updated June 2, 2020 Posted on April 23, 2011, updated May 19, 2012 ordered 3 blueberry, 2 boysenberry & 1 blackberry. The blueberry bushes are enormous - I was shocked when I saw the size of the box. The boysenberry & blackberry were as advertised - a well rooted potted plant. If I had the room, I would order from them again.


On May 19th, 2012, bryana added the following: Ordered a gallon size tayberry, munger black raspberry and honeyberry yellow raspberry. They all arrived well packaged, healthy and good sized plants.
On June 2nd, 2020, bryana added the following: I ordered 3 each of 3 varieties of raspberry plants - despite the fact that they were shipped on Friday before Memorial day weekend - the plants arrived in good condition (soil still moist) and the plants look strong and healthy.

Negative
On Jun 29, 2019, slightmadness (1 reviews) from East Hampton, NY

I purchased 8 blueberry plants from Berries Unlimited and they all arrived with a fungal disease that makes the berries inedible. This is a disease that is spread through contact with other infected berry plants. I have no other berry plants! Berries Unlimited were aggressively unhelpful. Claiming that the disease couldn't have come from their plants because they had no insects, disease or anything wrong with any plants in their entire inventory. They sent me pictures of healthy blueberries to "prove" the disease didn't come from them. Its just so annoying! I spent hundreds of dollars and the company sent me sick plants. Not only do they not offer to offset the cost, they don't even help me diagnose the problem! They just deny and send me pictures of healthy berries. Lots of companies have problems from time to time. Its to be expected. How they treat their customs - even if they aren't willing to offer a refund - says the most about the company's integrity. This is a garbage company. Go elsewhere.

Positive
On Jun 8, 2019, PlantTillPlantd (10 reviews) from Mount Pleasant, PA

Posted on June 8, 2019, updated June 8, 2019 I was looking for some honeyberries to add to my existing collection, and stumbled upon Berries Unlimited. I ended up purchasing a mixture of fruit plants for around $300. They had a great selection and offered cultivars unavailable elsewhere. I received a shipment notice via email but it didn't have tracking info so I had no clue when it was actually going to arrive. 4 days later a rather sad looking box was sitting outside my house, inside it was poorly packaged berry plants, that looked like who ever grew them didn't really care about them. Even my 12 year old cousin commented on how battered the plants looked. Each one came in a plastic sleeve like a bouquet would be in. One plant even had a fairly large cat or racoon turd in the top of the pot, thanks but whoever sleeved that plant should have removed it. Although I'm sure with some TLC most of the plants should make it, I would never order from them again. Take pride in your work/plants or you won't have customers. I want to mention that most of the plants looked poorly grown, not just damaged from being poorly packed and shipped.


On June 8th, 2019, PlantTillPlantd changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: After resting most of the plants look a lot better, but there is still lots of room for improvement with this company. I changed my review to positive because I have to really have a bad experience to elicit a bad review. All my comments were true and based on experience. If a company takes pride in growing their plants, they would package them in a way that ensures they arrive safely, and provide tracking info so the box isn't left out in the sun.

Negative
On Nov 26, 2015, donnybill (2 reviews) from Fort Ann, NY

I ordered 390 raspberries, 385 blueberries and 48 honeyberries from this company by phone in January and February of 2015 for spring shipment. They appear to be doing business as Bluewinkle berry farms also. The total amount paid in full in February 2015 for the orders was $4560.50. I had to delay shipping of the orders as we still had frost in the ground here in the second week of april 2015. They accommodated and shipped 130 raspberries soon after. I sent emails in late april(the 19th) and early may(the 7th) indicating we were ready for shipment here. The emails in may were responses to the invoices sent for each of the orders. As of August, 2015 I had only received 130 Nova raspberry plants. I called them on 3 consecutive weeks(the first 3 weeks) in August 2015 to see if they would be shipping the blueberries and honeyberries for fall planting. I spoke with a person each time, either Lindsey or Barb and they were going to find out what was going on with the orders and then call me back in the next day or two. After getting no responses whatsoever from them on the matter, the last week in August I requested a credit on the orders for the total billed to my credit card for $2069.40. They had 2 billing cycles to contest this and did not. On September 9, 2015 I also sent them a certified letter requesting a refund for the remainder of the order that was paid in full but not paid by credit card. This amount would be the amount still owed minus the price of the 130 raspberries which I received. fedex tracking number 575475413182. This amount is approximately $2000.00 still owed me as I have received only the 130 raspberries from the total order. They would not pick up the certified letter (usps tracking number 70150640000416565561 ). I then sent them a priority mail letter (usps tracking number 9505512167765264002638) as they would not accept a certified letter. There has been no response to it whatsoever. I believe they are still in business as they have redone their website during this time. Bottom line, I am out around $2000. When one is trying to start a small fruit farm, this is a huge loss as there is no income in the starting year. Avoid Berries Unlimited and Bluewinkle Berry Farms (the name of the company on the invoices).

Negative
On Aug 5, 2015, tfdfirern1 (2 reviews) from Whitehouse, OH

I ordered 16 Polka Red Raspberry plants from Berries Unlimited. The plants arrived and appeared to be in good condition. I followed their transplanting instructions and within a few days after being placed into the soil, 9 plants began to wilt, dropped their leaves, and ultimately died. I contacted Berries Unlimited about getting replacement plants and offered to pay shipping. They replied that they have to have picture proof of the dead berry plants. I sent them 9 pictures of the dead plants, and then no response. I waited for a response and after not hearing anything I contacted them again and asked if they got the pictures and offered to resend them if they didn't come through. They responded with this email, "Hello! You need to give soil You planted in for soil analyze. It seems your mulch was treated with chemicals and it may cause the damage. Or it could be just mulch acidic itself- like juniper, cedar etc. we recommend only hard wood mulch for blackberries or untreated pine mulch/bark. It is impossible to lose so many healthy plants at once. Our plants are very strong, healthy and ORGANIC! Do You have sand soil in addition? Respectfully Lidia" As you can tell from the demeanor of their email they are not going to replace any plants and pretty much implied that I killed the plants. So I am out $109 for using Berries Unlimited. Buyer beware. They clearly have no people skills, and customer service is a foreign concept. I recommend Stark Brothers for Bare Roots and Backyard Berry Plants for potted plants. NEVER AGAIN LIDIA!!!

Positive
On Jun 10, 2015, LandscaperMN (1 reviews) from Minneapolis, MN

I ordered an assortment of 10 blueberry and honeyberry plants from Berries Unlimited. I was extremely pleased with the quality of the plants, customer service, and pricing! They were shipped from Arkansas to my home in Minnesota during some hotter days but arrived healthy and green. In fact, I must have ordered at a good time of the year because several of the blueberry plants were loaded with berries that my son and I were eating right as we were taking them out of the box. The plants were much bigger than expected. I’m a happy customer and will definitely be ordering from this company again.

Positive
On May 5, 2015, KR315 (5 reviews) from Watertown, NY

Ordered 6 raspberry bushes. Plants were shipped quickly and the one gallon pots were well protected. The plants were VERY healthy. Excellent selection. Will be ordering more soon!

Positive
On Apr 27, 2015, scarby (5 reviews) from Grovertown, IN

Ordered some honeyberry bushes from Berries Unlimited. The plants showed up when I was excepting them to in great condition and packaged very well. At first I ordered 4 bushes, later that same day I decided I wanted to double my order. I sent them an email asking if that would be a problem. They promptly called me and said that was no problem at all. Great customer service!

Positive
On Mar 20, 2015, tiamat334 (2 reviews) from Fort Mill, SC

Ordered 6 blueberry bushes. Very good selection. Well packaged. Nice size bushes and price was good too.

Positive
On Nov 16, 2014, jrodgers (1 reviews) from Merced, CA

I am a mail order customer of this company who opted to pick up my plants rather than have them delivered. My experience with delivered plants from many different companies has led me to believe that putting plants in dark hot boxes and tossing them around for several days does not bode well for their viability. I was favorably impressed with the health and vigor of the nursery stock in general and extremely pleased with my purchase of boysenberries, blackberries and blueberries. When they arrived home with me two days later, they looked just as good as when they left the nursery. The customer service was fabulous; they really went the extra mile to facilitate me (I got lost and arrived late). They guided me in and told me how to get back to where I was staying. Many thanks to Hare, Lidia, and Barb for their assistance. Today when I checked my plants they had new buds emerging, I am so excited and hope that our late frost date does not harm them, but since they come in pots, I can just set them in the greenhouse. So grateful for the pots vs bare root plants. These folks really want to see growers succeed.

Negative
On Oct 24, 2014, GWPrid (1 reviews) from Sudlersville, MD

I ordered and paid for 700 Blueberry plants of three different variates from BU on May 20, 2014. I was promptly sent an invoice with shipping numbers. I received the first 199 plants on May 30 which suprisingly came infested with Japanese Beetles. I questioned the beetles, but agreed with the explanation of their organic farming practices. I was still surprised. The following 300 was delayed due to rain. They arrived around June 6, in better condition and I was content with their explanation for the late delivery. Then nothing. Finally, on June 18, not yet receiving the balance of the plants, I asked that due to the delayed shipment and an expected arrival in July, that the shipment of the balance of plants owed be held until fall. Since I had PAID IN FULL, and to this point had not questioned the business's integrity, I said i didn't need a refund, only that they mark my account paid for the fall delivery. On August 15th, I called Berries Unlimited and left a message asking that the balance of the plants be shipped. I heard no reply from repeated messages left until an email was replied to on September 24th stating that the plants would be shipped 9/26 or 9/29. I made arrangements for labor and materials required to plant the remaining plants the following weekend. We had agreed on and I had paid for express delivery. I told them on 10/1 that I needed them by 10/4, and I was told by Hare, that the labels were printed the day before (9/30) and they were being shipped THAT day (10/1). The next day, I was notified by FEDEX that the shipment was picked up on 10/2 and they were being shipped via ground, and it would be 5-7 days. I called BU to tell them I would be rejecting the delivery because it wasn't what we had agreed upon. Barb offered a story that didn't align with what Hare had told me. I never received the shipment, BU had contacted FEDEX, cancelled the delivery, and requested a return. I contacted BU on 10/7 when I was notified the shipment was returned, and requested a refund. I was told that refunds were sent out on the 15th of the month and that a check would be sent then. Today is October 24th, I am still awaiting a refund for 201 blueberry plants I paid for in May but was unable to receive as promised on at least 4 occasions. I contacted them today and was told my file is still "on his desk" but the check hasn't been sent. I asked that she let me know today when I could expect it. The people are friendly enough, especially Barb. But I get the impression that communication is the root of the problem. For a start up, this is proving to be a difficult situation for both of us. I will update my review when I receive the $804 owed me for the undelivered 201 plants.


Company representative comment on November 16, 2014:
On Nov 16, 2014 4:37 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

This order was cancelled in transit. It was refunded.

Positive
On Sep 26, 2014, melissaandjim (1 reviews) from Nashville, TN

I ordered 6 Osage blackberry plants from Berries Unlimited as a test for possible future products. The plants were shipped in a box of Styrofoam peanuts and arrived in about 10 days. They were 12-15 inches tall and healthy! Their email support is prompt and helpful. I will order again!

Positive
On Sep 4, 2014, HVBerryFarm (1 reviews) from Jackson, OH

Posted on October 2, 2013, updated September 4, 2014 We have recently purchased a variety of blueberries and blackberries from Berries Unlimited. Us being new and just learning was very pleased to learn that Hare was so willing to help in any way. If we have any questions he is more than willing to go that extra mile to help us. He has been "Great" with all of our questions and has worked with us to make sure that all of our plants were to us in the best of condition. The plants were beautiful and were packed very well. We plan on ordering more plants from them in the spring. We Highly recommend that you give Berries Unlimited a chance.


On September 4th, 2014, HVBerryFarm added the following: Since our first post about Berries Unlimited, we have ordered two more orders from the. We ordered 75 more blueberries, 115 assorted honeyberries, assorted black raspberries, assorted blackberries, assorted red raspberries, along with Aronia berries, and Goji berries. Once again, Hare and Lidia and Berries Unlimited out did themselves! The quality and production of the berries are unbelievable. The blackberries and raspberries are going beyond belief.We planted the second shipment in late May or early June, the plants were roughly 10-12 inches tall(very healthy) but some now are over 6-7 feet tall with berries on some of them. The third shipment which were red raspberries are truly doing wonderful as well.We have a large variety of high quality berries all purchased from Berries Unlimited and plan on purchasing more in the spring. While writing this latest review my wife came in with blackberries bigger than the diameter of a quarter well over an inch long. She also had some red raspberries that she just picked. all of them were sweet, beautiful,full of smiles, and full of the quality from Berries Unlimited. Thank Hare, Lidia, Barb and the staff of Berries Unlimited for all you have done for Honey Valley Berry Farm. We once again give nothing but positive praise to you all. We Highly recommend Berries Unlimited.

Neutral
On Aug 12, 2014, greenbirds (1 reviews) from Manchester, MD

Since my initial experience with Berries Unlimited was positive, I chose a neutral rating. My first order with Berries Unlimited was for over 100 raspberry plants and 30 honeyberries. The raspberry plants were much smaller than I thought they would be, but are quite vigorous now and I have a nice crop of yellow raspberries which is wonderful. Hare, the owner, was very helpful, and a box of Royalty raspberries that was damaged and died was promptly replaced with even larger plants. Unfortunately, my second order did not go so well. I had ordered 200 Tulameen raspberry that were not available for my first order so I was given a discount on the second order for a later shipping date on those. This was wonderful so I ordered 80 blueberry plants, 30 more honeyberries, and 50 bare root black raspberries. To date, about a year later, I have only received 50 bare root black raspberries and 60 of the blueberries. I am still due to receive 20 blueberries, 200 Tulameen, and 30 honeyberries. I was hoping for spring shipping, and I fully understand weather and inventory issues arise with nurseries. When I started placing calls and sending emails, they were not returned promptly or at all. The calls I did receive back promised shipping, and I did get 60 of 80 blueberries in July. Not the best time for planting, but only two plants died due to shipping stress and summer planting. I did allow the plants to rest a week before planting in ground. I asked for a refund if the Tulameen were not available, because the order was at least $1600.00 that came from a FSA loan for beginning farmers. I have heard nothing on this. I really needed the Tulameens for the plan that allowed for my FSA loan - to grow them out over the summer for early greenhouse harvesting in March 2015. If I had received them last Fall 2013 or Spring 2014 as promised I would be in compliance with my loan agreement. I called a couple weeks ago to ask for a letter stating the ship date for my remaining berries to show my FSA loan officer - but did not get a call back or a letter. At this point, I am not sure what to do to either get a refund or my plants. I am hoping for some communication and very hopefully Fall shipping or a refund so I can order Tulameen raspberries somewhere else in Spring 2015. I would certainly tread carefully when making a larger order from this company, or make an arrangement to pay a deposit rather than payment in full to be sure you receive your plants. As a new farmer, this has really set me back.

Positive
On Aug 5, 2014, JamesCE (2 reviews) from Fayetteville, AR

I live in NWA and was able to pick up my plants in person, so I don't have experience in receiving them by mail. To date, I've purchased five blueberries and two aronias. I've been very happy with all of them - each was healthy, well-branched and with a good root system. My only negative is that while they have a good selection of cultivars, it's less extensive than what I would prefer. The owners are knowlegable and very helpful. The first Toro I purchased there earlier this Spring is now huge, about 4' tall with equal spread and very healthy. An Elliot, a second Toro, a Chandler and two Aronias are also doing very well. I had one Elliot that died due to blight caused by our unusally heavy rain this year and I've defoliated my Spartan due to overfertilization - this particular cultivar is difficult to grow in less-than-ideal locations and my attempts to encourage it to grow as well as the others in my collection backfired. In both cases, Berries Unlimited was not to blame. With respect to Shabhun review - they're right, you over-fertilized your blueberry. It's better to add fertilzer in small increments, weekly until new grown begins. Don't fertilize after July in most climate areas and be sure to avoid nitrate-based synthetic fertilizers. Use cotton meal, fish meal, blood meal or (especially) ammonium sulphate. It's real easy to over-fertilize blueberries, they respond by defoliating, so I'd encourage you to treat it as a learning experience and not to blame the nursery.

Positive
On May 1, 2014, webchemist (8 reviews) from Vista, CA

Initially I was a little annoyed at the lengthy delay in shipping me my order, but I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box. My Tayberry, Boysenberry, Black Rasp and Loganberry) each had a few healthy canes, and the pink lemonade blueberries even had several nearly ripe fruits on the plants. I really liked that they were shipped in 1 gal soil pots and not bareroot, and after seeing that I didn't mind the shipping cost, although it would be nice if it were a little lower so I could just buy 1 item without feeling like I need to order additional items just to not overpay on shipping.

Neutral
On Apr 15, 2014, LadyB1962 (1 reviews) from Norcross, GA

Received my order from Berries Unlimited - ordered a variety of blueberries and blackberries. Honestly I was expecting some sort of special plant packaging, but all the pots were just thrown into a regular box with some Styrofoam peanuts. They arrived mostly intact. The plants were much smaller than expected. The 1 gallon size is more like 1/2 gallon, or maybe a quart. The "Jumbo" blueberries were 2 year plants, but very much on the small side - compared to what the local nurseries/big box stores sell. All the plants appear to be alive, I am letting them rest for a week or 2 before planting ( I have read the instructions on their webpage carefully) I will update my review to positive once I confirm all plants are indeed alive and growing.


Company representative comment on April 15, 2014:
On Apr 15, 2014 9:20 AM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

Hello! Our plants are all tissue cultured so they are all virus indexed, they are standard size+.1 gal plants are 3 years old, ours are 4 years old tissue cultured plant material. They are like big plugs to develop nice plants. Keep water balance, space them, fertilize them and the results will be WONDERFUL.They will grow much more vigorously than plants from cuttings which were larger and nicer looking in the very beginning being developed from larger cuttings not from cells like ours. But Our plants will produce much more!And we prune blueberries very short.Unfortunately we can not space them better because of the winds, but new growth will pop up in an instant through the spring/summer period.Thank You for your comment.

Positive
On Apr 1, 2014, raizenboyz (1 reviews) from Nashville, AR

i ordered a variety of plants from berries unlimited back in october...blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and honeyberries...huge order and big price...but, they were in arkansas and that is why i chose them sight unseen... it is now april one and after a long winter anxiously awaiting for my little project to wake up from a long winter sleep...they did! one by one...EVERY ONE of my plants has lived...and is basking and growing strong in the warm arkansas sun... thanks to and shout out for berries unlimited for all of their patience with a first time berry planter...for their encouragement and knowledge in helping me to bed down my new additions for their winter sleep...and for just being so pleasantly 'arkansas' : ) boy do i love my southern roots!!! :)

Positive
On Sep 23, 2013, 8209 (12 reviews) from Louisville, KY (Zone 6b)

Posted on September 22, 2013, updated September 23, 2013 I ordered 2 Honeyberry plants from them. 1 Borealis and 1 Night Mist on May 5th 2013. After going round and round with Lydia I finally got my 2 plants. I planted them and The Night Mist didn't make it. I asked Lydia for either a refund or reshipment. She responded that the plant was dormant and to send her a picture in the Spring to see for sure. The plant wasn't dormant, it was dead so I threw it out with the trash. I am not familiar with the Borealis cultivar but dang if it don't look like a bell pepper plant. It has several on it already and that's what it looks like to me. I am very dissatisfied with this company and definately will not order from them again and would advise anybody else the same. Very poor customer service.


On September 23rd, 2013, 8209 changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: I want to change my rating from negatve to positive. I received an email from Lydia explaining the characteristics of Honeyberry plants and that I may have messed up and they would ship me another Night Mist plant. Thanks for your concern and I am anxiously awaiting for my new plant. Thanks again Lydia.
Company representative comment on September 23, 2013:
On Sep 22, 2013 9:30 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

:) It is NOT true! I reship plants after I can see the pictures.It is our policy. Plants are in 4 inch pots, tissue culture first hand and nicely shaped. They can not die with no reason. If something wrong after shipment we look at the pictures and then we can see WHAT HAPENED to the plant. and we ALWAYS help: with some advice ( If the plant is alive and can survive after over fertilising, miss watering or any other mistake etc)or IF the plant is dead and it happened through the shipment or shortly after shipment we help with refund/reshipment . Honeyberries are funy plants.They stop growing right after bearing. In our AR zone 7 it happens in May. They start falling asleep and lose leaves. THAT IS NORMAL. Honeyberries fall in dormancy when it is hot.That is their nature no one can change it. They look miserable through the summer, practically they LOOK like dead ones but they ARE alive and wake up in late August( IF You slighty fertilize them) or later in Mid September. Then they fall asleep again.For winter.I need a picture to figure out what happen to the plant and then is NO sense to rerplant in the heat again because it is NOT a good time of the year. NOW it is good time to plant and our Borealises are awaken and happy. Other varieties are gaining buds/leaves right now. But NO ONE sent me e-mail with the plant and No One told me about this situation. How can I know that the plant is still in bad shape or dead??I can not send e-mails to our many thousand customers and ask how their plants are doing. 99.9% are very happy with our plants and service.It IS true. If You still desire to get Your refund,please, send us a picture of the plant and I'll refund You in an instant OR we ship a new plant,NOT dormant now because it is September and not May.


On Sep 23, 2013 1:24 AM, Berries Unlimited added:

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 2:19 AM
Subject: Re: Berries Unlimited Inquiry
To: David Tucker


Dear David! Night Mist was HUGE plant! How could it die? It WAS SLEEPING and it takes it MORE time to awake!For small plants it is easier to got awaken, it takes MORE time for large one! I need a picture to tell You 100% IF it is alive or dead, it is our policy.IF I can see it IS dead I'll reship or refund, it is not a problem!
Thank You!
Respectfully
Lidia
We have had around 100F here in Arkansas.we lost NONE of Night Mist but they are still sleeping,looking like dormant plants! Just started showing larger buds but no leaves yet. It seems You threw away LIVE PLANT and I asked You to be patient.We can not change the nature of honeyberies -they DO fall asleep in summer during hot season and they awake in the fall!! Our Borealis-s, the same pile I shipped to You from, ARE Full of life and our Night Mists ( and MidnightBlue)are still no leaves, they just started waking up! I'll send you pictures tomorrow! You'll see what I mean. No one is going to cheat You, it is NOT the purpose but You should listen to what I am talking about because I know these plants very very well. and they ARE NEW for Your experience.Of course I'll ship You new Night Mist BUT You'll threw it away again because of NO LEAVES!!:)) And All huge ones are with no leaves right now, only babies in 4 inch pots look very alive and happy because IT TAKES LESS time for them to get new foliage.It IS their biology,I understand You haven't known about and thew away live plant.I am sorry.

Negative
On Jul 20, 2013, shabhun (2 reviews) from Fremont, CA

I purchased in May a Sunshine Blue (southern highbush)/Zone 5-10 mid season 4 inch Size plant from Berries Unlimited. The plant had green berries on it and I planted it upon receipt with the correct soil, acidity, etc. They recommended that I use the Miracle Gro food for acid loving plants, and I've only fed this to the blueberry plant mixed with water. It's now July 20th and recently the plant has turned brown from the bottom up, the leaves turned up and dry, and the berries turned dark. I emailed today BerriesUnlimited with a photo of the plant to ask for a nursery manager to view it and provide recommendations, assessment, etc. Within 12 minutes of my sending my email, I received the following reply: "Hello! You over fertilized the plant! Respectfully Lidia" Has anyone ever received a reply like this from a plant company? How does this resolve my issue? I'm concerned about my plant's condition and received this response? To say that I was surprised is an undestatement...I'm aghast. I will never spend any money with BerriesUnlimited ever again.


Company representative comment on January 1, 2015:
On Jul 20, 2013 9:55 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

It is 10 Pm Saturday Evening. I get e-mail
Hello,

I am attaching a picture of the blueberry plant and would like a nursery manager to look at it.

Please contact me back as soon as possible.

Thanks,

[name edited at request of poster]
I look at the picture and answered what exactly happened to the plant! Finished my late dinner and sent TWO more e-mails with longer explanation what was done wrong. Before I got any reply I got this negative:)
You should contact BEFORE You try to use any chemicals not AFTER when the plant has died and there is NOTHING to do about this plant. That's simple. I always try to help.

I got this message
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: Order Complete #130512-121412-4031
To: Berries Unlimited
Hello,

Your response was incredibly rude and completely incorrect.

If this is how your company responds to customer concerns, I will never purchase another item from your company again.

I'm aghast at your lack of concern and will be reporting your response to warn other customers as well.

You have lost my business,


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:32 PM
Subject: Re: Order Complete #130512-121412-4031
To:

And I replied with two morte e-mails trying to explaing in detailed WHY the plant got dead.
Dear [name deleted]l!You wanted to know WHAT happened to Your Plant. I told you WHAT happened.I grow those blueberries from the very beginning! I know exactly HOW they look If some one over fertilize them! I did not mean to sound rude I know the PLANT WORLD and I just tell You what happened to the plant.Picture clearly shows that the plant got too much fertilizer BEING in the pot! It is very easy to do this to the plant which is in the pot! It is les harm to the plant which is in the ground.It is true and I tell you this truth. It is my opinion. I did not tell You miss watering because the plant would look completely different.Unfortunately this plant got too much acidic stuff,I do not know what You used to fertilize it but the rootys are burnt. I am sorry.
Respectfully
Lidia
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:37 PM
Subject: Re: Order Complete #130512-121412-4031
To:

The second mistake was made -too large pot! when You grow plants in pots You have to choose Size VERY carefuly- Increasing the sizes STEP BY STEP! So This 1 gal 3 yo plant should be replanted into 2 gal pot MAXIMUM!! and keep it in 2 gal pot for 2 years, THEN to increase 1 more Size and keep two more years. That is how You should grow Plants in the pots. Too much Soil keeps them overwatered- water balance is VERY HARD to keep! + Any pot is very easy to overfertilize! I can reship IF You pay for shipment. BUT Please, be careful with fertilizer.
Respectfully
Lidia

If to look at time I replied it is NOT bad for Saturday 10 pm plus!I did not leave this case for Monday and Kindly offered replacement. But It was NOT my fault the plant got burnt roots. All information HOW to grow blueberries is on the website.and Everyone is VERY welcome to ask ANY Questions at ANY time even late at the weekends/Holidays. I reply al the time when I am not in the lab, in thelab or in the field or in the nurseries outside- I am ALWAYS here to help when I am not outside! Thank You! And with greatest respect to all of Our Customers.
Lidia Delafield Stuart

From:
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:15 PM

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:32 PM

From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 10:37 PM

Negative
On Jul 13, 2013, PrinceTrom (2 reviews) from Ten Mile, TN

Posted on January 7, 2012, updated July 13, 2013 Ordered 4 honeyberries from this company. Was told they would ship late. Turned out to be very much later (many months after my order). When they arrived, packaging kind of poor and we were unable to find one of the honeyberries (though we found the tag for it); the other three were acceptable but certainly not what I would expect from a company that advertises they are the "Home of the Honeyberry". I've ordered other items from this company before and they arrived in good, robust condition. I hesitate to complain too much; this might have been a fluke, but still this was not a great transaction for me.


On July 13th, 2013, PrinceTrom changed the rating from neutral to negative and added the following: The three honeyberries did not live. I glean from the company response that I should have waited a year before ordering. Perhaps if there had been some offer to replace or refund, even partially, I'd be a bit happier, but nothing from this company.
Company representative comment on July 13, 2013:
On Jan 7, 2012 6:49 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

Hello! Our Honeyberries are from the laboratory- tissue cultured clean virus indexed plants in 4inch size pots.Now they are dormant. They are gaining roots during winter season to pop up very vigorously in spring. Large plants which are from cuttings grow faster first but slower later because they are not virus indexed plants.We do not sell such plants. We had to wait them for a long time from the lab due to bad weather condition and the information was on the web site,and they are the only tissue cultured honeyberries in the country available. 2011 was the first year of the new varieties which were small, developed from cells, 2012 plants are much larger now and available immideately.


On Jul 13, 2013 10:30 AM, Berries Unlimited added:

Hello! I am sorry to hear that You did not get any reply and got so upset. I need to tell You-We got NOTHING from You recently and I've replaced all plants that did not survive because of lab Size( very few did not survive from the whole portion ) So,please, send me Your e-mail on berriesunlimitedusa@gmail.com with Your information.and I'
ll replace Your honeyberries as I replaced to the customers who could not grow those small babies. I reply ALL e-mails every evening and I do not know how I could miss Yours if it happened it may have been in SPAM and no one saw it to reply.I am sorry.Respectfuly
Lidia

Positive
On May 10, 2013, Waystr (1 reviews) from Adairville, KY

I bought 1000 blueberrys plants from Berries unlimted this past fall The plants arrived when they said they would and much better looking than i thought they would They were bigger than i was expecting and very hardy. They are growing very good with no losses at this time I have talked to berries unlimted serval times regarding mulching and fertilzing and weed control and they have been very helpful every time i have talked to them I feel like i have been a customer for a long time. I am going to buy more plants this fall and they will be from them. I would recommed this company to any one. Wayne Stratton Cross Creek Blueberrys Adairville Ky.42202

Positive
On Apr 27, 2013, swimdawg596 (1 reviews) from Potomac, MD

Good company, great products! Shipped a bit slow due to weather problems, (13 days) but arrived 3 days after it shipped. Size of the 1 gallon plants are about the same as the ones at Home Depot. So a great size especially for online orders. Great experience!

Positive
On Mar 9, 2013, ErinHinsdale (2 reviews) from Hinsdale, IL

I am a suburban Chicago gardener with a small blueberry patch that has grown with no help other than regular watering. Unfortunately my two new puppies uprooted two of the blueberry bushes over the winter. I had a terrible time with another vendor and then called Berries Unlimited. They were wonderful. Explained my options. Helped me order the least expensive way (they had a package deal that reduced the price). Their website made it difficult to tell whether they had Jersey blueberries. The agent checked with their horticulturist and quickly left me a message. They will ship part of my order in early April (when I prefer to plant) and the rest in May (when those bushes are ready) Absolutely lovely folks to deal with. Highly recommended.

Positive
On Mar 6, 2013, laketexas (1 reviews) from Heathrow, FL

My name is Allen & I live in Orlando, FL-new Berry garden planter and needed help and advise. Berries Unlimited policy to Only ship in Root Ball Containers (Never bare root) was exactly what I had ben searching and searching for. The people there were very helpiful, patient, answered all my concerns. My shipment arrived early and in perfect condition from UPS. The one gal black berry plants were very healthly and had canes up to 7' long ( disease free)! What a contrast to the 2 plants I bought at home Depo and Lowe's nursery. I shoped at nurserys and on line for weeks to no avail. To me they have proven to be the best of the best! I would reconmend them to anyone but especially to thlose who really care and want the very best.

Positive
On Feb 13, 2013, rcowartbuilds (1 reviews) from Bloomingdale, GA

I was VERY pleased with the help and service I received from Hare and his company, Berries Unlimited. I ordered 60 apple trees, 30 Pear trees, 50 Blueberry bushes, 50 blackberry vines and 35 Raspberry plants from them. All plants looked sturdy, healthy and vigorous. Hare took the time to return several emails and phone calls to answer the many questions I had about plant variety and selection for my region. The plants shipped UPS and arrived as planned and were labeled for ease of identification. I would not doubt it if I am able to harvest fruit this season. I highly recommend Berries Unlimited to any one interested in planting fruit bearing plants.

Positive
On Jan 9, 2013, scottfsmith (15 reviews) from Baltimore, MD

I ordered some 1-gallon blackberry plants late last summer. They plants that came were very large, vigorous plants with very long canes. The plants all established well in spite of arriving in the summer heat. Recommended.

Positive
On Nov 26, 2012, normhood (2 reviews) from Rushville, IL

After calling first to confirm their delivery timetable, I ordered loganberries from Berries Unlimited on November 15th and received them on November 19th exactly as promised. All the plants were in fabulous condition. In contrast, the same day I also ordered boysenberries from Willis Orchard Company, also confirming the delivery timetable. To date, I've made two calls and exchanged two emails with Willis and the plants have still not been shipped. Furthermore, nothing they've told me they'd do so far has been done. I'm now trying to cancel the Willis Orchard Company order so I can re-order the boysenberries from Berries Unlimited. Berries Unlimited is a class act with employees you can rely on... very rare today! Unlike Willis Orchard Company which has hundreds of negative reviews that I wish I would have seen before getting involved with them.

Positive
On Oct 1, 2012, bingham22 (1 reviews) from Bearden, OK

As newbie farmers of 80 acres in Oklahoma who decided to utilize part of our land as a U-pick berry farm, my husband and I researched a long time before we decided to order 4800 berry plants and 214 fruit trees from Hare at Berries Unlimited. We have nothing but praise for this man and his wonderful company! From the very beginning of our association Hare and Lidia walked us through exactly how to succeed once we received our large, bushy, and super healthy plants and trees. We were given great advice and tips and received frequent calls from Berries Unlimited to ask how our plants were coming along. Our association has developed into a lasting friendship and we recommend Berries Unlimited to all of our friends and customers. As far as we are concerned tissue culture plants from Berries Unlimited are the ONLY place we will be shopping for our farm needs! 10*/10*

Positive
On Jul 9, 2012, Afarmlady (1 reviews) from Prairie Grove, AR

Since I live nearby the Berries Unlimited nursery, when I ordered plants I clicked on the "pay by check button" and printed my order to avoid shipping costs. Therefore I had the pleasure of being waited upon personally and seeing the care that goes into selecting plants for shipment. Lidia is very concerned with customer satisfaction and does her best to provide healthy plants that fit the customers' needs. Her insight helped me understand why some of the varieties I had chosen were not appropriate, and she helped me find suitable replacements. I certainly felt she had my best interests at heart. In these days when so many products are not made in America, it is nice to see my family's gardening starts come from an American business grown on American soil. Thanks Berries Unlimited, and keep up the good work.

Positive
On Jun 27, 2012, usagirl (1 reviews) from virginia,
United States

Posted on June 27, 2012, updated June 27, 2012 Posted on June 25, 2012, updated June 27, 2012 Ordered some blueberry plants, The leaves showed significant deformation with misshapen leaves, leaves with rounded depressions on the top that showed as rounded lumps on the bottom. Company claimed deformation was from their "top watering"-- sure looks alot like virused leaf pictures I've seen.


On June 27th, 2012, usagirl changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following: Berries unlimited has offered to accept the return of their plants. They seem quite committed to the quality of their plants. To be fair, I was quite impressed with the packing of the plants, and the plants were large and well rooted. My only concern is the deformation of some of the leaves which Berries Unlimited says is due to their watering.
On June 27th, 2012, usagirl changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: I also ordered a honeyberry plant which arrived completely dry and shrivelled. The Berries Unlimited rep said I could return the plant but also said that honeyberries were very delicate and that the root structure was the important thing. I have been watering the plant and today I noticed that the plant is, indeed, breaking out very well in new growth.
Company representative comment on June 29, 2012:
On Jun 27, 2012 4:30 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

Dear [name removed]! Your idea about viruses You saw in the pictures in the net is so far from reality! Our plants, ALL of them ARE First hand tissue culture, replanted into sterile professional expensive soil. Our plants HAVE NEVER BEING in the ground!So we are not able to ship plants with viruses- we just DO NOT HAVE THEM! We have our little babies from the best tissue culture labs in the country and from Canada. ALL PLANTS ARE VIRUSES indexed. Also we are under heat stroke since end of March.We have had very high temperatures 95+F-110+ constantly .The only way to safe plants is WATER them very very good. That is why some piles which are nearby the sprinkler system get plenty of water and their leaves getting thicker and curlier sometimes and of course, they are more fragile through the shipment! But it is very nice that we have lots of Happy customers who trust us and get our nice plants to grow with smiles. So we will work hard for them!And after getting my healthy plants back via FedEx representative I'll happily pay You full refund as I told You!

Positive
On May 30, 2012, furtonj (1 reviews) from Menominee, MI

I am extremely pleased with both the service and the products provided by Berries Unlimited. Initially, I was seeking advice about which varieties of blueberries to order as this is a fruit I have no experience with. Lidia was quick to respond and provide her expertise. I ordered the Northland package in the one gallon pots as well as an Elliott in a two gallon pot, as suggested. I had decided to order at least one larger plant, so I could see it fruit this summer. Wow, was I surprised when I opened the package from Berries Unlimited! The pots were carefully packed in pine shavings to keep them safe during shipping. But most importantly, the plants were in excellent condition and all of them were loaded with blueberries, many of them ripe! Yum! Thanks Lidia and the rest of the folks at Berries Unlimited. I would recommend your products without hesitation!

Positive
On Apr 19, 2012, T_Kezar (4 reviews) from Cape Porpoise, ME

Posted on July 23, 2011, updated April 19, 2012 Posted on May 8, 2011, updated July 23, 2011 Posted on May 7, 2011, updated May 8, 2011 I was very excited when i first stumbled upon This Company. Their huge selection of blueberry types, along with black and red raspberries got my mouth watering. i live in Maine and went with 2 northern type super-saver package deals(2early,2mid,2late types in each package), and one thorn less black raspberry verity 6 pack. I placed the order late march as i remember, and was unsure of the proper planting time in my zone (just make zone 5). I sent a email asking if i might be able to get some advice from them on such subjects, and was wicked happy when i got a response not 2 hrs later(on the weekend also) telling me they would gladly hold onto my order till the planting time was proper in my location( plants are from AZ so its a big difference in the weather in the early spring and late fall). well i got my Shipment 3 days ago now. everything was present and all most all were green and healthy(the 2 elliot types i got were both very yellow, and i am 100% sure one of the 2 is going to die) having said that I must say i was appalled at the shipping company (fedex) as my package arrived very tired looking with squish marks all over and a big gash in one side (wasn't home when delivered or i would have mentioned, complained about its state. I had to GINGERLY dissect the top 75% of my plants from each other as they had been handled so poorly that they had formed a ratking tangle. Its not a stretch of words to say there was probable more dirt in the shipping box then was left in the containers the plants were in. i also lost a lot of the smaller tops/branches on the blueberry plants(i must admit the plants were a bit smaller then i was expecting by 5-10 inches anyways). know i know they were packed right by berries unlimited because the bottom 5 plants were still in place with 0 damage, but as i said all are green and healthily/happily in the ground(except the 2 poor little elliots) so i am happy for the most part. and am 100% satisfied with berries unlimited's product . srry this is so long had a lot to say


On May 8th, 2011, T_Kezar added the following: !!!!COMPANY IN LOCATED IN ARKANSAS not Arizona!!!!
On July 23rd, 2011, T_Kezar added the following: Update !! the blackberries i bought took off like crazy! i planted them in a wet clay soil, but i bug down about 2 feet and filled with a fine loam that had been sitting for 20+ years. Then i put a 1 foot layer of semi decomposed alpaca manure and mounded it on top. It took them about 2 months to root and start growing. I was starting to think that the bare root berry plants i had also planted were a better way to start them(they seemed to be growing bigger/better) when i started to see massive growth on the tissue cultured blackberries from berries unlimited . we are talking almost 1 inch a day..and not just off one or 2 shoots....each of the plants has 3-5 shoots now growing that are over 2 feet(some 4) and on top of that it looks like i will be picking a nice amount off of a few of them this year!. almost all the blueberries are also doing great. They didn't really put on any growth on the existing branch, but rather sent up all new growth. Much thicker healthier looking stems, and also 3-4 new ones per plant and are all now around 20 inches.........the poor elliots are still yellow/brown with no new growth ....I really don't think they should still look like this as i was told they would green up. one is still yellow the other is now 80% brown. but as i said all the rest are doing great,even got a good amount of flowers on a few of them and cant wait to get my hands on them(if i can beat the birds) will post a few pics when i have the time
On April 19th, 2012, T_Kezar added the following: Everything is doing awesome

Negative
On Apr 8, 2012, mcwniles (1 reviews) from Montgomery, VT

I am a farmer and permaculture designer with over 15 years experience growing trees and small fruits from bare root stock purchased from nurseries all over the country. I have extensive experience dealing with companies and am skilled at recognizing quality nursery stock from stock that is diseased, poor quality and packed improperly. I don't often make the time to write reviews, but feel compelled as my experience dealing with Berries Unlimited was such a nightmare and hugely disappointing. A number of the other reviews on this forum echo the situation I experienced. I originally ordered 8 Honeyberry plants In January 2011 with a shipping date for the week of May 9th, 2011, which I confirmed via email with Lidia. My credit card (via PayPal) was charged at the time I placed the order. On May 4th I sent an email to Lidia making sure we were all set for shipping the next week. She emailed me back saying the Honeyberries were not going to be ready until the end of May, but even more concerning was she had no record of my order! Fortunately, I keep good email records and immediately emailed her my order # and confirmation of payment. She was then able to find my order in their system and assured me the plants would ship end of May, which was fine since we have a lot of trees/small fruits to plant in the spring and I am happy to space things out. The last week of May came and went and I heard nothing from them. I left a phone message which was never returned. I sent an email on 5/30/2011 and here is the response I got: Dear Mary- now they scheduled late June! Can do NOTHING about.I can switch them with anything You desire, just let me know and i'll ship everything we have .. Respectfully Lidia Here is my response: Hi Lidia, Thanks for your reply. I appreciate the update and the offer to ship other plants. However, the only plants I am interested in are the honeyberries. Can you explain to me why they are so late this year? I am willing to wait until late-June, but if they are not ready by then I would just like to have a refund issued to my PayPal account which is how I originally paid. Thank you. She then wrote a long, rambling response about the weather in Oregon, tsunamis, earthquakes etc. HMMMM? So, needless to say, June came and went and I did not see my honeyberries. I emailed July 20th (yes, July 20th!): Greetings, I am inquiring again about when I can expect to receive my Honeyberry plants. I left a phone message yesterday but did not hear back. I understand that there have been many problems with the plants, but would like to know if I can expect them in the next couple of weeks. If not, I would like a full refund as I paid in full for these plants back in January and yet, almost 6 months later have nothing to show for my $. Thank you. Amazingly enough, the Honeyberries had just that day miraculously appeared: Dear Mary! We got honeyberries today! I replant them into 4 inch pots.They have very nice rot system.I can ship them in an instant but I can keep them here for a while untill they are rooting in the new 4 inch pots. I can refund with the bank interest as well or You can get more plants for the long waiting and unpleasant weather all over the country, especially in Oregon what moved our berry process 3 months back.I promissed them in Mid April but It did not happen! I gave plants for tissue culture 1 year ago expecting them in 8 months for sure but no one can control the weather and our website policy shows that clearly. We are all very dependable on weather! Please, do not order next time if plants are not in stock. It is easier for me and it is better for You.Because weather games sometimes break everything in Plant World and I have to be patient about replying for 100+ e-mails a day.. But as a rule they are kind ones, with understanding.. sometimes it is not.. Respectfuly Lidia Here is my response: Hi Lidia, Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the update. I am willing to wait a couple more weeks for the plants to be well rooted and more likely to thrive. Ideally, I would like them no later than mid-August. I do, however, feel confused though about why it should have been my responsibility to not order them since apparently they were out of stock. The website indicated nothing of the sort. The packages of 4 were available for spring shipping or at least that is what was indicated on the website. Usually if an item it out of stock it is clearly shown and you can't actually order it but rather can be emailed and notified when something comes back into stock. It feels difficult to be reprimanded and told I shouldn't have ordered it when your website allowed the order to go through and gave the impression that the plants were available. I appreciate all the challenges you've faced in getting the plants ready and yes, as a farmer, I am very aware of weather and the critical role it plays in our growing season. I have been homesteading in far Northern Vermont for 15 years and if ever there was a rugged climate to farm in, this is it. I am not trying to be rude or difficult and feel as though I've been pretty patient waiting for the plants. I so hope it works out to get them this season and they will be a wonderful asset to our food production. If they are not ready by mid-August then I would like a refund on my PayPal account which is how I originally paid. Thanks again Her response: Dear Mary I can ship them tomorow but I still would love to watch them for a week or so to ship stronger plants. They are fragile enough being this size.. They ARE strong and came in perfect shape but still need some reast befgore replanting and new shipment..It has ben a mess with the weather all over the country. Now we are in the heat stroke here. But If they survive this they will be just perfect anywhere else, especially up to the North.. Please, give me just a week or two to get them rooted in( they have perfect root system) and then I'll be sure they can get through any winter anywhere.. I would advice to put them with the pots in the pile of compost soil til September, then I'd replant them into gallons and keep this way in the compost pile too through the winter and then I would replant them in the beginning of April when the soil not frozen. Last frost can chanmge nothing for them they will easy get through.. Thank You! I was floored that at the end of the day I wasn't even going to receive plants that were ready to put in the ground but should be overwintered in pots in a compost pile. Seriously?! So, when the plants finally arrived in AUGUST, they were so pitiful looking and some of the most poorly packed I have ever received. They were simply plugs and some of them were laying on top of the potting soil of the 4-in pots, they had not even been properly planted into the pots leaving the rootlets (I can't even call them roots) dried out. In addition, 4 of the tags marking the varieties were loose in the box so I had no idea which plant was which. I did replant the plugs and tend them for another 4 weeks before putting them into the garden. In that time, 3 of them (the ones that were badly dried out upon receipt) died which really did not surprise me at all. The remaining 5 were planted out with not a lot of hope that they would survive since they were so fragile and puny. So far, they are either dead or have not yet broken dormancy; the verdict is still out. I did email Lidia after receiving my order to tell her how disappointed I was the quality of the plants and the entire saga of getting them but never heard back. What a waste of $98! I will never buy from this company again; too much work for such little return.

Positive
On Mar 28, 2012, dlayman (1 reviews) from Lynchburg, TN

Orders have shipped promply and all questions have been answered within a day. The plants are robust and well packaged. I ordered blueberries last year and honeyberries, blackberries, and raspberries this year.

Positive
On Mar 26, 2012, BlueJ (1 reviews) from Simonton, TX

What a delightful experience I had with Berries Unlimited! I ordered a great many blueberries (5 different varieties), blackberries (3 different varieties), and Tay blackberries to start a U-pick operation. Hare and Lidia, the owners, gave me extraordinary service and advice in making my selections and delivery of the berries. Everything they sold me was first quality and thriving. You should see the blueberries...the fruit is so big! I certainly recommend Berries Unlimited to anyone interested in growing a wonderful variety of berries. The experience and accessibility the owners bring to the table has been a tremendous help and an invaluable resource. Two thumbs up

Positive
On Mar 19, 2012, cramsey1 (24 reviews) from Salt Lake City, UT (Zone 6b)

Posted on March 19, 2012, updated March 19, 2012 Posted on October 8, 2010, updated March 19, 2012 Posted on April 30, 2010, updated October 8, 2010 I had been looking for some special blueberry plants on the internet to add to my collection this spring and found the website for Berries Unlimited. They had an excellent selection and promised that their plants would be shipped in 1 gal pots. They also indicated that they had 3 gal pots of some plants available for a higher price. I was impressed since I had ordered plants before from other on line vendors but they had always come as bare root plants. The prices were reasonable and the shipping charge was not out of line for plants shipped in pots. I attempted to find out information regarding the company on Dave’s, but no one had reviewed the company and it had not even been listed on Dave’s Watch Dog list yet. I requested that it be listed so that others could also tract the company as it appeared to be a new company on the internet. On March 3rd 2010, I placed my order for 2 large blueberry plants, a Legacy blueberry, a Reka blueberry and a Tayberry plant. A couple of days later I also decided to add another Legacy to the order which they allowed me to do and too combine the shipping. They let me know that the plants would be shipped for the correct planting time in my area. I received an email confirmation with a tracking number regarding the shipping day and the day to expect delivery. The plants were so large that they had to be shipped in 3 separate large boxes. I received the first box 6 days after shipment and the second and third boxes the next day. The plants were in excellent condition and sent via Fedex. The one box with the Reka blueberry and Tayberry plant in it had slight damage to a few small branches of the Reka blueberry. All the plants looked great. The blueberry plants were large, about 33 to 36 in tall, well branched and had blossoms on them. The Tayberry plant was in a 1 gal pot. It looked a little small, but was well rooted and had a few green leaves on it. The company included a request in the package asking that I please let them know about the condition of the plants after they arrived, which I did via email. It was a good experience and I would recommend this company. They carry a large selection of various Blueberry plants; various Blackberry and Blackberry/Raspberry Hybrids, Raspberry, and will eventually have a large selection of Honeyberry Plants available in 2011. I would suggest that their voice mail message on the phone contain the information that the caller should leave their email address, or that they should send an email as the preferred means of contacting the company. I had left several voice messages on the phone, but had not received a return call. However when I sent emails, I always got a response later in the evenings the same day that I sent the email. Communication via email was excellent, but returning phone messages was poor and a somewhat frustrating experience.


On October 8th, 2010, cramsey1 added the following: I love this company. I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry and loganberry plants from them this year. The plants are always health, well packages and in pots. I have only had 2 plants in the many I have ordered that died and they were in the 4 in pots. I will continue to do business with them. I have never been disappointed.
On March 19th, 2012, cramsey1 added the following: I had asked Lidia about her Honeyberry plants in spring of last year. She indicated that they would be shipped when she received them as the plants were tissue cultured and it would be later in the season. I received my plants in the fall of 2011. They were small, but healthy. I had ordered Honeyberry plants from two other on line Nursery's and paid significantly more for them. They were not tissue culture. Two the the plants were large when they arrived and the other two were much smaller about the size of the ones I received from Berries Unlimited. I was worried because we did not have a lot a moisture. All my plants survived the very dry warm winter we had in Utah this year. The plants I received from Berries Unlimited are doing very well. I am very pleased with the communication via email, the packaging and the quality of the products I received from Lidia. I love the fact that every plant they sell it potted and not sent bare root. I get 95% survival of the plants I receive from Berries Unlimited. I can not say that about the bare root plants I get from other vendors. The various berry plants I have purchased from Berries Unlimited have been true to the variety, healthy and vigorous. Any questions about how to best take care of them or which plants are best suited for my area have always been answered quickly and knowledgeably. This is my favorite on line nursery and it will continue to be my first source for all berry plants. It is the one company I recommend to ALL my friends and family because of all of the above reasons. I have never been disappointed by them yet. I was one of the first people to purchase plants from them when they opened their website. I wish they had been in business with I first started my blueberry patch. It would have been much less frustrating.
On March 19th, 2012, cramsey1 added the following: I had asked Lidia about her Honeyberry plants in spring of last year. She indicated that they would be shipped when she received them as the plants were tissue cultured and it would be later in the season. I received my plants in the fall of 2011. They were small, but healthy. I had ordered Honeyberry plants from two other on line Nursery's and paid significantly more for them. They were not tissue culture. Two the the plants were large when they arrived and the other two were much smaller about the size of the ones I received from Berries Unlimited. I was worried because we did not have a lot a moisture. All my plants survived the very dry warm winter we had in Utah this year. The plants I received from Berries Unlimited are doing very well. I am very pleased with the communication via email, the packaging and the quality of the products I received from Lidia. I love the fact that every plant they sell it potted and not sent bare root. I get 95% survival of the plants I receive from Berries Unlimited. I can not say that about the bare root plants I get from other vendors. The various berry plants I have purchased from Berries Unlimited have been true to the variety, healthy and vigorous. Any questions about how to best take care of them or which plants are best suited for my area have always been answered quickly and knowledgeably. This is my favorite on line nursery and it will continue to be my first source for all berry plants. It is the one company I recommend to ALL my friends and family because of all of the above reasons. I have never been disappointed by them yet. I was one of the first people to purchase plants from them when they opened their website. I wish they had been in business with I first started my blueberry patch. It would have been much less frustrating.

Negative
On Oct 24, 2011, Kandi7 (13 reviews) from Tekamah, NE

Posted on October 13, 2011, updated October 24, 2011 Posted on October 13, 2011, updated October 13, 2011 Posted on October 13, 2011, updated October 13, 2011 I placed an order for Elliot blueberry, Bluecrop blueberry, Loganberry, Marionberry, Tayberry, Midnight Blue honeyberry, and Night Mist honeberry on May 4 based upon the good reviews on this site. They sent the payment through immediately and also sent me a message asking if they could ship everything together in June as there had been a problem with their honeyberries. They didnt' come in June. When I emailed to follow up- they said they'd start shipping July 10. On July 28 they said they'd ship them tomorrow and send me a tracking number. It's now October 13, no tracking number, and still not a single one of the plants I ordered and paid for have arrived. The July 28 emails said she'd left them for me as booked and added a free plant in with them; however, they must be sitting in limbo somewhere since they are not here.


On October 13th, 2011, Kandi7 added the following: If you do order, be sure to do so through paypal and do not wait beyond 45 days for her to send the plants before escalating for a refund.
On October 13th, 2011, Kandi7 added the following: I received a rather hostile email from berriesunlimited after I left my feedback. They indicated they had sent the order and provided tracking numbers. One of the tracking numbers noted part of the order was mailed July 26 and was placed on my porch on July 28; however, the seller told me on July 28 the order would be sent the next day and she would supply the tracking numbers. She did not supply the tracking numbers for any part of the order until today. When she emailed me on July 28 she knew I had not received the orders, why didn't she provide a tracking number at that time since part had already allegedly been delivered that afternoon? I would've changed my rating to neutral as I still have not received the order and it is not the seller's fault if it was removed from my front porch or the wind blew it away or whatever happened to it so I cannot comment on the quality of the plants- except that communication is also a good part of customer service. It remains that after several delays in sending the order, she did not provide the tracking number as she had promised and consequently, the shipment appears to have been lost. If I had the tracking numbers, I would've known to anticipate, expect, and scour the neighborhood for any windblown boxes or had someone at home to accept the delivery.
On October 24th, 2011, Kandi7 added the following: my error the honeyberries did arrive- when I was tucking my plants in for the fall, I noticed they were not in the yard so I checked through my emails and records which noted they had not been recieved. I have three children with special needs so I hadn't noticed they had gone missing earlier- I have had other plants dug up from my yard so that may be where the honeyberries went. As to the other plants I ordered, those were not received. For all I know, the individual who removed the honeyberries may have taken those as well before I ever saw them. Because the seller did not send a tracking number as she had promised, I did not know they had been delivered. My contention is the lack of communication and customer service as well as the long delay from order to shipment. With that much of a delay how would anyone know those had actually been sent, especially since there was no tracking number as she had promised; and I had already sent the seller several messages and had been told that they would ship the beginning of June, after July 10, and on July 18. The seller did not contact me regarding the delays in shipment. I had to contact her each time after they had not been recieved as she had promised. also in Zone 5 a delay from May-July makes a tremendous difference in environmental conditions.
Company representative comment on January 6, 2012:
On Oct 13, 2011 8:32 PM, Berries Unlimited responded with:

We delivered plants right after we got them from the lab( they was delay due to weather and I informed My Customers about this on the website and answering their e-mails), we replanted them and watched them for a week to see how they were doing.Then I shipped everything I owed.
Tracking no.: *****************5595 E-mail notificationsSelect time format:
12H
|
24HDelivered
Initiated
Picked up
In transit
Delivered
Signed for by:
Signature not required
Shipment Dates
Ship date
Jul 26, 2011
Delivery date
Jul 28, 2011 1:23 PM
Destination
Tekamah, NE
*************26240Tracking no.: *************26240 E-mail notificationsSelect time format:
12H
|
24HDelivered
Initiated
Picked up
In transit
Delivered
Signed for by:
Signature not required
Shipment Dates
Ship date
Jul 29, 2011
Delivery date
Aug 1, 2011 2:54 PMDestination
Tekamah, NE
Proof of Delivery


On Oct 13, 2011 10:07 PM, Berries Unlimited added:

The second part of berries were shipped the next day.The confusion happened because This nice lady uses two different last names. And I could not figure out this in an instant.In e-mail I got one name and in the invoice it was the second one.
If the second part of the order had not been delivered on time why I got this negative rating on October 13th? not in the begining of August? Why didn't the customer contact me first,before putting negative here? I shipped as I promissed and I checked with FedEx management if both packages were delivered. They were there as scheduled.Only Three days for the plants to be delivered so there was no any need to send Tracking number in addition.And I kept this order on the control because of previous confusing names. And I added the extra plant as I promised.
I reply hundreds e-mails daily, I am nice to My Customers trying to help.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: Kandace [personally identifiable information removed]


They are scheduled for tomorrow Shipment!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kandace [personally identifiable information removed]
Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: Berries Unlimited


I received the two honeyberries but not the tayberry, marionberry, loganberry, or blueberries that you had asked if you could ship with the honeyberries.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 9:03 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]

Tomorrow 100%.I'll give You T #!! They ARE Your plants!! I left them for you as booked ones!! And I added one more plant there..




--- On Mon, 7/25/11, Berries Unlimited wrote:


From: Berries Unlimited
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]

Date: Monday, July 25, 2011, 2:49 PM



Tomorow!! We got them on July 18th!! I replanted so I have started shipping accordingly the list!! December- begining of January so far..
Respectfully
Lidia


On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:33 AM, [personally identifiable information removed] wrote:

Have the berries shipped?
Kandi [personally identifiable information removed]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2011 16:41:50 -0500
To: Kandace [personally identifiable information removed]
Subject: Re: Hello!


Hello! i'll start shipping them after July the 10th! They are still in Oregon! You'll have to replant them into 1 gal pots and to keep this way untill the heat is gone, then to move them into the ground.This way it is easier to treat them through the spring-summer and it is the better way for them to gain more roots by the winter, i always recommend to grow them this way!
Soon..
respectfully
Lidia


On Oct 24, 2011 11:52 PM, Berries Unlimited added:

"My contention is the lack of communication and customer service as well as the long delay from order to shipment"
I am not going to mention that My Husband and I have 7 kids.
Here is about lack of communication.Who is not against to waste their life time can read:



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]
Tomorow!! We got them on July 18th!! I replanted so I have started shipping accordingly the list!! December- begining of January so far..
Respectfully
Lidia
On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:33 AM, [personally identifiable information removed] wrote:
Have the berries shipped?
[personally identifiable information removed]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 4:41 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]
Hello! i'll start shipping them after July the 10th! They are still in Oregon! You'll have to replant them into 1 gal pots and to keep this way untill the heat is gone, then to move them into the ground.This way it is easier to treat them through the spring-summer and it is the better way for them to gain more roots by the winter, i always recommend to grow them this way!
Soon..
respectfully
Lidia
Te weather has been crazy in the West coast and they mised two early months because of the cold to grew blueberries in their greenhouses and that is why honeyberries were delayed..
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]
Honeyberries will be here in 1-1,5 weks, then I'll start shipping.They were delayed due to Oregon weather.They had blueberries later out of the lab and did not have place to produce honeyberries.. and al schedule was moved!!
Respectfully
Lidia
On Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 7:58 PM, [personally identifiable information removed] wrote:
Have the berries shipped yet?
--- On Wed, 5/4/11, Berries Unlimited wrote:
From: Berries Unlimited
Subject: Re: Hello!
To: [personally identifiable information removed]
Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2011, 8:48 PM
Thank you!
Respectfully
Lidia
On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 7:35 PM, [personally identifiable information removed] wrote:
Please ship them all together
[personally identifiable information removed]
From: Berries Unlimited
Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 17:35:02 -0500
To: [personally identifiable information removed]
Subject: Hello!
Dear Kelly Honeyberries will be rady in the beginning of June!
I'l ship you everything but them tomorow Or I can ship in June all together.Let me know,please!
respectfully
Lidia

How was it possible to forget about those plants for 1.5 month?
Thanks to everyone for being patient.

Positive
On Sep 14, 2011, ivylog (1 reviews) from Young Harris, GA

ivylog Blairsville, GA We have ordered blueberry plants three times in the past 6 weeks. The shipments have come on time and all plants have been in excellent condition. Berries Unlimited has answered all e-mails in a timely manner andhave been most helpful with planting information. When discussing with them we have never felt rushed even tho we are small and just starting out. My experience with Berries Unlimited has been great and we will keep coming back.

Positive
On Sep 9, 2011, salmon1a (1 reviews) from Florence, WI

Posted on September 1, 2011, updated September 9, 2011 I placed an order for four honeyberry plants in May of 2011. There was no warning on their website that they didn't have the plants available, and after two weeks of no communication, I learned they were planning on shipping in early July. I didn't receive the plants, and tried to cancel the order. After back and forth emails with no promise of any refund, but a promise of a free plant, I gave up and just told to ship them whenever they could. In mid-August 2011, I got four small plants (2-4" high with little root development). I never got the free plant, and now I have four struggling babies...


On September 9th, 2011, salmon1a changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: Well this company has done right in the end. They sent not only my free plant, but two other plants which I received on 9-9-11. They were well packed and alive.

Neutral
On Jul 7, 2011, magnaastra (49 reviews) from Charleston, IL (Zone 6a)

I placed my first order with Berries Unlimited in late 2010, for delivery in the 'spring' of 2011: four blueberries and four honeyberries. Apparently, a cold wet spring on our country's West coast [interesting, since this company is headquartered in Arkansas...unless I forget my geography, that's pretty much in the south-central portion of the US] caused delays in the honeyberries' propagation, and their release dates were changed multiple times per their website (no personal communications whatsoever from this company). I have never received any of my plants, despite having paid for them seven months ago. According to Lidia, it's my fault that the blueberries weren't shipped separately: apparently, I had to request that they be shipped during the appropriate planting time. I requested a refund, which I have as yet to receive. In an interesting juxtaposition of dates, I was told that the elusive honeyberries (and their pals, the four missing blueberries) suddenly could ship in just three days...after I asked for my money back. I was also offered free plants, etc., to keep my order 'open,' but I'm not looking for sugar, and, since I have other responsibilities besides watering the h--- out of new plantings to sustain them in July heat...IF they could make the trip without getting cooked...I just want my money back. Can't comment on the plant quality, so I'm not giving a negative rating at this time. Will this be my last order? Absolutely.

Positive
On May 18, 2011, tostroski (1 reviews) from Coudersport, PA

I placed an order with BerriesUnlimited for blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. My order was a good size order and the owners worked with me to make sure I ordered the best plants for my area and had the qualities and taste I was looking for. Emails were always returned quickly at all times of day or night. My order was changed several times based off recommendations by the owners. I think they really care about their customers needs and want them to succeed. My order arrived on Monday and despite some rough handling and delivery delays by fedex, the plants are awesome! The Raspberries were a bit wilted but once they were unpacked and waterd they started to bounce right back. I have ordered from several nurseries in the past, and I have good and bad luck. My experience with BerriesUnlimited was one of the best and will keep me coming back. Five Stars for Service Five Stars for Quality Plants Five Stars for Price

Positive
On Apr 12, 2011, SanJoseFool (21 reviews) from Canton, GA (Zone 7b)

I ordered 4 Blueberries 3 Raspberries 3 Blackberries Ordered online Sunday night, was shipped out on Monday, received Thursday afternoon from FedEx in San Jose CA. Packed with lots of pine shavings, arrived in good condition. All the plants looked good, it's been 6 weeks or so and anything that was dormant is putting out new growth, so I felt it was time for a review. Lidia also has been very quick to respond to my "newb" questions about cane-berries. Will be putting in another order soon, highly recommend.

Positive
On Apr 12, 2011, ElizabethFarm (1 reviews) from Dawsonville, GA

Berries Unlimited has been a pleasure to work with. I decided to start a blueberry farm this past winter and contacted a couple of blueberry growers via the internet. Lidia responded to my inquiry right away, so I decided to give them a try. My initial order was for 60 plants. Hare and Lidia drove the plants to my home (north of Atlanta, GA) personally. They spent a great deal of time talking to my husband and I--giving us the education we needed to begin our new farming business. After planting the first 60 plants, we decided we needed to do this in a much larger way. Our first experience had been so positive, we ordered another 500 plants. We had some weather issues this past winter with snow storms and rain storms, but when the weather cleared, the plants were shipped. All packed, healthy and ready to plant. The plants have been in the ground for about 3 weeks now. They are all budding, flowering and growing. They have already increased in size. Great plants. Thanks Hare and Lidia for the great product you produce! We look forward to doing more business with you soon.

Positive
On Mar 31, 2011, oksummers (1 reviews) from Guthrie, OK

I called them and they answered all my questions, very professional. Ordered 4 diff. kind of berries, they arrived within a week. Packed in wood shavings which went out into the garden. Info included with package. Hope they will grow and bear. Will update later this year. so far I highly recommend them.

Positive
On Feb 15, 2011, IROFARM (1 reviews) from Morganton, NC

Posted on February 15, 2011, updated February 15, 2011 I thought I had finally found the right berry plant supplier but I could not have been more wrong. I placed a plant order totaling $ 9,250.00 in August of last year [2010] and wired payment in full at that time. I wanted my order shipped in October but had to alter that schedule due to early winter weather here in the mountains and have them hold my order until April of this year [2011] Since then I have had to alter the amount my order and requested a refund of $ 3,795.00 in January and they would not respond to my request. Finally after two weeks of calling and e-mailing them I finally got Hare Stuart on the phone. His wife Lidia Stuart is listed as the Principle of the company and Hare, her husband, is manager of sales. I dealt with Hare from the beginning and thought all was great until I asked for a partial refund. Here it is the 15th of February and NO REFUND and they are both avoiding my calls and e-mail messages. Hare told me on Friday the 11th of February that the refund had been wired to my account and here it is the 15th of February and NO REFUND and NO RESPONSE from Hare, Lidia or anyone at Berries Unlimited. I had also requested a DETAILED PAID invoice from them when I originally placed my order and to this day I have not received that either. I only went to Berries Unlimited after exhaustive research on many suppliers and the good reviews here on Dave's Garden but now I may never get my money back as I have now cancelled my entire order due to the way Berries Unlimited is conducting business.


On February 15th, 2011, IROFARM changed the rating from negative to positive and added the following: FINALLY!!! All has been resolved and the misunderstandings have been taken care of. The company is still WAY UNDERSTAFFED to deal with problems of customer service.

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