I chose a neutral rating because it is the average of positive and negative. The negative first (which is livable) and then the positive.

Business in general runs on delivery commitments made and delivered. Over several weeks, Chris committed to send out the plant I ordered "by the end of today" and several times in a row, nothing was actually done to ship the plant...along with no notification that it wasn't being shipped. As a result, I felt wary and uncertain.

Now the positive. The plant (it was a delicate one), arrived on the third try - from California to Connecticut. It is just beautiful. Amazingly carefully packed, in a very sturdy wood container...not a tiny branch bent or broken. The plant was also very well selected and was a specimen of the quality that I would have picked out myself.

In the end, after weeks of uncertainty...I am delighted with the plant's quality and price.

I did receive the 6 rose bushes that I brought from GROW QUEST (plus Chris gave me 1 free) and I received them basically when promised. The 3 Milwaukee's Calatrava that I order was 1 TWIG with some new growth on it although the roots look long. I would expect a below standard grade rose bush at a bargain price but I paid 19.99 for each rose bush. The rose bushes that I rooted myself late last year look better than these 3 Milwaukee's Calatrava. The 2 Golden Shower and the Mustard and Ketchup Rose Bushes rarely passed the grade but they are decent. These roses have not grown, no sprouting, no nothing so hopefully they are in dormant from the shipping. Stick with your local nursery, department store, home and garden center etc... because I surely will!!! I can't wait to replace the Milwaukee's Calatrava with another shrub rose.

Sounds like if ANYONE wants to FURTHER attempt a purchase with this company... I certainly wouldn't based on all of the NEGATIVE comments... They just MIGHT CONSIDER USING their AMERICAN EXPRESS card! There are just too many businesses out there that because the economy is the way it is now (2012--THIS kind of STUFF happens!! BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!

man this bites i wanted to buy a 5n1 citrus salad tree!!
does any one know a reputable company where i can order such a tree or simular one that can be shipped in ca usa?

Do you really have to ask yourself that question? It is because this guy is so full of crap! What really bothers me is, what is worse? Chris or the DA who lets him continue his theft.

Does anyone realize that almost all of the users who submitted positive reviews for Growquest have only contributed 1 review and nothing else? No zipcode reports, no comments, nothing.

Posted on March 24, 2011, updated April 11, 2011
Please learn from my mistake. DO NOT waste your time or money with this "company".

You'll NEVER get either of them back.

Another thing you'll NEVER GET are the plants you've paid for.

Posted on September 29, 2010, updated October 11, 2010
I KNOW YOU READ THIS CHRIS,YOU WON'T ANSWER MY E-MAILS OR SHIP MY TREE OR REFUND MY MONEY. LETS INFORM EVERYONE ON YOUR LATEST EXPLOIT! I ORDERED A AVACADO TREE ON JUNE 17 2010, YOU DID INFORM OF YOUR POLICY TO SHIP PLANT AND IF I WAS SATISFIED MAKE PAYMENT AND YOU WERE VERY BUSY WITH MANY ORDERS. BEING IMPATIENT I MAILED YOU A CHECK, WHICH YOU CASHED. WELL ITS SEPT 29.2010 NO TREE NO REFUND! I JUST RECIEVED A POST-CARD FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERALS OFFICE IN RESPONSE TO MY MAIL FRAUD COMPLAINT, OH YA VENTURA COUTY DA,S OFFICE TOO. IF ANYONE THINKS THIS GUYS RIPPED YOU OFF, PLEASE FILE CHARGES. BELIEVE ME THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HIM.DID I MENTION I AM RETIRED FROM THE D.E.A. LOL

The guy makes great videos. I love the website, but did not answer my email regarding making a potential purchase. If you can't respond to a purchase request, I can't buy from you. If he ran his business as much he knows about Avocados, he would be one to buy from.

Posted on June 6, 2010, updated June 6, 2010
Posted on June 6, 2010, updated June 6, 2010
Thought the "customers" of this guy would be interested in this from Craig's List. Apparently there is a real nursery somewhere.

//philadelphia.craigslist.org/forums/?forumID=3

Gotta love the DG Watchdog references!

Posted on April 14, 2010, updated April 16, 2010
Had a similar experience to those posted with this seller. Placed order for "buy 2, get 1 free" ladybugs but charge was calculated for all 3 anyway. Could not get a response from the seller to clarify. Did not receive ladybugs. No charge has appeared on my credit card yet but I am planning on canceling the order anyway due to lack of response.

I placed an order for a citrus tree and was charged $78.29 on June 21, 2008 (yes...1 year and almost 2 months ago). The order number is E_01028885. I still don't have the tree. When I asked several months ago in an e-mail they said I would receive it after the temperature at night is above freezing. Well it won't be long before the temp is again BELOW freezing. Who do I call? I'd like the tree but if I can't get it I'd really like my money back.

PLEASE HELP!

"On Oct 11, 2009 6:39 PM, Growquest Growers (also dba Olive-Trees.net and Surf & Sierra Wholesale Nurseries, LLC) responded with:

Shipping in progress and customer notified 3 weeks ago that it would ship with cooler weather."

I had the same issue that most on this post had. They wouldn't return phone calls or emails. After leaving a second message on their answering machine, they responded to my email and said they would ship out my olive trees next week. I am happy to say they did in fact ship the trees and they were healthy. So, this company is in business, and trying apparently.

Placed two orders for two tree roses on may 15.I also placed another order for two bareroot roses on may 16.My order numbers are:100000726,100000692,and 100000685.I have sent you multiple e-mail requests about when my order is supposed to ship out if ever.If I knew that your company had such a bad rating to begin with than I would not have ever placed the order to begin with.This kind of treatment of your customers is ridiculous.To me I do not see how a place like yours can still be in business.I do not think it's asking too much for an e-mail response.It does not cost that much to hire someone to check the e-mail for you.Obviously you could not be this stupid to setup an online business with some sort of customer service be it through phone or e-mail.You need to take the time to respond to peoples questions.Please contact me.

Well, my experience with this company wasn't stellar.

I will say that I FINALLY got my rose and it is very nice so I can say that the quality is fine.

Customer Service is another matter. What I think the problem is here is that this gentleman is trying to do too many things himself. He needs to hire someone to handle orders, shipping etc. I"m sure that He is a fine nurseryman but I just think that he is overwhelmed with the business end.

I had a great deal of difficulty getting information on when he was shipping. First he was shipping, and then he wasn't. I got many different stories. I finally tried calling and both phone numbers weren't working. This made me very nervous so I called my credit card company and put the charge in dispute. (He shouldn't charge any credit card until the item(s) are in the mail. He charges and then we all have trouble getting things shipped. This is bad business). Believe it or not, I received the item the next day so I removed the dispute.

I do think his heart is in the right place but he has to do something about the business practices.

I'm leaving a neutral review because the quality of the rose bush was satisfactory.

I attempted to place an order from this company for a rose that we lost during Gustav and could not find through any other vendor. It was my favorite rose and I wanted to replace it, no matter who had the plant. Once I placed the order, the Growquest website asked for my charge information... which I reluctantly provided. I had read the reviews here and must admit that filling in my numbers made me very, very nervous at that point. The next day, I received an email from Chris explaining that the order function had not gone through on his website and that he would have to send me a Google check request for payment. He instructed me to go a different site, place my order again and then provide my payment information again. Well, this made me too nervous to complete the order that way. So, I wrote back to him... now four times... asking about what happened with my original ordering information that had been provided on his site. He has not responded. Isn't it odd that when he wants to collect money, he writes the very next day... but when you ask questions, you don't receive a response for weeks?!? I will not continue with this transaction. There are just too many red flags, even if I am sad without my rose. Perhaps a reputable vendor will offer the cultivar in the future. Ev

I just wonder how AresDraco in 8/08 managed to order citrus trees to be delivered into TX, when it's not possible to ship citrus to TX from California. Odd that this was a positive rating when the order isn't legal.

I ordered two avocado trees in summer 2006. They arrived that October, late but in good shape. Despite reading all the negative comments here, I decided about a week ago to try ordering again, this time a single Nabal avo tree. After ordering I noticed the address in Santa Paula, not too far from my home, and decided to pay them a visit, get my tree, and save the shipping charge. I went there today, and found an empty office converted from an old residence. It had the name "Fernandez" on the front. Yahoo maps lists the address as "Medical Claims and Billing Specialist". Nowhere was "Surf and Sierra Nursery, LLC" nor any part of that name. I walked around to the back of the building to see if there were any trees. Just an empty parking lot. Something's fishy!

"On Oct 14, 2009 12:11 PM, Growquest Growers (also dba Olive-Trees.net and Surf & Sierra Wholesale Nurseries, LLC) responded with:

The "office" is converted from a large Ranch Office, this person must be blind and stupid.There are two signs Hernandez Realtor and another business sign.

And the web site makes it clear office is the office and nursery is at the NURSERY down the street.

Chris"

I ordered on-line. Ordered a #15 Little Cado Avacado Tree. It has been a month, no tree.........I sent an e-mail today, we will see what happens. Of course I found this site after I sent the e-mail and after ordering.....after reading the issues here, I just notified AMEX to dispute the charges.
Luckily I used the AMEX card and not a check or pay-pal. I know Amex will not mess around and I will get the tree I am supposed to get, in good order, or they will credit me the charge.
Good luck to everyone who is dealing with similar issues.

How interesting that he blames his ex-wife on his A Better Plant website, a business that was started after Growquest shut down and his "family crisis". How interesting that customers from his new business complain about being charged for merchandise and not receiving it. How interesting that he excuses all of his business problems with Growquest by his own descriptions of the beginning, middle, and end of his family crisis, yet the same type of complaints go back several years, and then continued with A Better Plant customers. Isn't there a consistent pattern that is present here? The reason why Chris is complained about by so many customers is because he is the one these customers had personal contact with. He is the one that personally made so many false promises. Yet, it's always somebody else's fault. One of the excuses given by Chris to customers on here a while back, was not being able to get good help in the area. One of the charges from his arrest was hiring employees without paying employee taxes and insurance. Well, he was right. It is difficult to hire good help when you are offering to pay workers illegally. Most "good" workers want to work for an honest employer. But I bet he would claim that was somebody else's fault too.
There is something to be said for what goes around comes around. And you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. And, you made your bed now lye in it.

My experience was actually closer to negative, but since I'm not out any money I chose to list it as Neutral. My biggest problem with this company is that it seems that all along they have charged credit cards immediately, whether or not the order was available or ready to ship. If they only charged customers once orders were ready to go, I think most of the problems could have been avoided or at least minimized.

So that everyone is aware, the business is apparently back up and running again as of 2/11/06:
//growquest.com/growquest%20refunds.htm

My experience was that late June 2005 I talked to Chris about what avocado trees would do best in my area. He gave me some good recommendations, but sounded rushed so I submitted my order on the website rather than on the phone. Several weeks later I noticed they charged my credit card, and assumed that meant I would get the trees soon (as would be the case with most mail order companies). I waited a month, but didn't receive the trees. It was very hot in this area so I thought that might be the reason for the delay, but I never was able to confirm that. I called and emailed about once a week, but got no replies to my emails and usually no answer on the phone. Finally in September I reached a woman on the phone who said I had to talk to Chris because the order was so old. I never got a call back. I waited until the last day to dispute it with my credit card company, and I was able to get a refund from them.

I finally thought it was over, but on Sept. 28 05 I received an email from Chris (using Jamie's email address) stating that he was going to fill any old orders and pay for them out of his own pocket, but that he would charge packaging and shipping charges. I replied that I no longer wanted anything to do with my old order, and haven't heard anything. I still watch my credit card very closely and have requested that they reject any charges from Growquest, A Better Plant Grower, or ABP.

FYI:

Today's paper had this article in the Valley News section:

Fresno Bee January 28, 2006

A Visalia man who operated an online nursery business was arrested Thursday on suspicion of taking money from customers without supplying them with promised products.

Investigators from the Tulare County District Attorney's Office served search warrants Thursday on the residence and business of Visalia resident Christopher Morgan Gilcrest, 41.

District Attorney's Office officials say Gilcrest operated three Internet-related businesses--"Growquest," "ABP Growquest," and "A Better Plant Grower"--from a warehouse and his home in Visalia.

Investigators discovered that more than 100 complaints of petty theft and fraud had been lodged against Gilcrest. Customers said Gilcrest and his staff would take credit card orders from rose growers and distributors for roses, ladybugs and citrus trees, but failed to give them the merchandise.

Investigators also learned that Gilcrest employed people for manual labor and other services without providing workers' compensation insurance or withholding taxes.

Gilcrst was arrested on suspicion of grand theft and failure to provide insurance. He was taken to Tulare County Jail, where is bail was listed at $25,000.



No comment necessary.

I ordered some roses from this company. I called to ask when I would recieve them, because the site did not clarify. The women who answered reassured me that they would arrive shortly after her husband went to the nursery to order them. Weeks went by I recieved nothing from Grow Quest
I called over 30 times leaving messages, asking for some information. I also asked if they could send me a refund because I didnt like the wait and decided to go elsewhere.
I emailed numerous times.
After three months of calling, I reported them.
Right before I reported I called to notify them that, that was the avenue I was taking. I hoped they could at least return my phone call this one time.

I recieved no call.
I recieved no roses.
I recieved no refund from them.
Visa will not issue a refund in most cases.
I could not recieve a refund from Visa

I understand family problems. If they would of at least communicated with me, then everything would of been fine.
It is disheartening that someone could take so easily. Then blame it on their family.
I feel I should at least recieve an apoligy. Then a thank you, for the donation I made towards their crisis.
Angie

"

A simple email to info@growquest.com with the order number at this point will get the problem resolved.

The funds went to Jamie Gilcrest becuase it was her merchant account, it was a family company not corporation, where else were they going go too?

I am not in a position where I could refund the funds myself. I have to choices ship bare root plants to those old orders that are emailed to me or go bankrupt and never fill an order to anybody. I am choosing to rebuiId my life and I have filled orders where people have brough them to my atttention, have their shipping charges paid (for heavy orders).

My suggestion is to get you order infomation in as soon as possible so that during this bare root season I can fill the order. "

Gosh, I am in the minority here but my experience was wonderful!!

I forgot my parents anniversary until the day before and it was a special anniversary. Their 'Ruby' anniversary.

I called Growquest and spoke with Jamie and the rosebush I asked for was not available, but she suggested the Ruby Meidiland which was in stock and she said it could be shipped to arrive the next day.

She also said she'd include a card for free.

My parents received the next day their beautiful plant and it will serve as a reminder for their special anniversary.

Thanks Growquest for the good save!!

Cathmom (G. Solis)

Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

"Jamie should hve followed the rules, but the fact remains the same it is true story of an order from a lady in England and we have the paper work to prove it to anybody who argues otherwise.

chris"

I ordered 3 Lover's Lane roses 5-14-2004 and paid for them with an instant PayPal payment. I was hoping for immediate shipment so that I would have them for summer.

I have called, e-mailed and called and e-mailed until I'm blue in the face. All I get is one excuse after another and never a shipment. I have requested a refund on 3 different occasions to no avail. I have never dealt with a company that is so blatant in their total lack of service. It is now July 20th and no response!

First they hopped on Gardenweb with the question - Hey has anyone ordered from Growquest? So we all checked it out... didn't realize it was THEM asking about it...

Placed an order 10/21 so I could 'check them out'. Order was automatically confirmed. I was to 'check the website' to see when my order would ship...

Email 1 - April 6 - checking order status - asked if I could 'add' a rose to the order

Email 2 - Extra rose I want is sold out - no response about the first order

Email 3 - April 10 - requested order cancellation and refund

Email 4 - May 4 - requested order cancellation and refund (2nd request)

June 16 - Still no roses, no confirmation of cancellation - no refund

My order still shows:

OnlineOrder_01002199
Order Date: 2003-10-21 02:15:58
Order Status: In Process
Shipping Method: Priority Mail

O R D E R T O L L-F R E E For Orders Only 800 787 2847
ASSISTANCE OR INQUIRIES CALL 1 . 5 5 9 . 7 3 5 . 0 7 4 3 California
F A X 1 . 5 5 9 . 7 3 5 . 0 1 4 9

Postal Address: 4125 West Noble #110, Visalia, California 93277

Email: General Information: info@growquest.com

Sales: orders@growquest.com

Customer Service: info@growquest.com

Am considering filing fraud complaint with Visalia BBB...

"As a matter of fact it was a 5 gallon potted rose in full bud and bloom and a damn nice plant. The rest of the order will be refunded.

Chris"

I ordered several different types of things from Growquest on many occasions.

I have never had any trouble with my orders (ranging from insects to plants to seeds) and have found them friendly and helpful. The orders have arrived healthy and in a timely manner and I plan on being a long term customer of theirs because the other companies I ordered beneficials from did not provide the information I needed and the quantities were less.

I wish them much success.

Note from the Garden Watchdog editors:

"We were wrong to post such a statement and should have worked harder to get some of the many thousands of filled orders to post a postive comment.

Chris"