Comments regarding Cross Country Nurseries (chileplants.com)

I have ordered from chileplants.com for the past 4 years. Until this year I had wonderful things to say - large, healthy plants, unusual varieties, well packaged and shipped at the right time. This year, 2022, was completely different. The plants they shipped were small, diseased (yellow and/or black spots on leaves; damaged/rotted stalks), tattered, and generally looked awful. The shipping was also 2 weeks late. The plants were well packaged. I will not order from them again. I've had to go to the nurseries and buy other starter plants as the ones I received continue to go down hill or have died. Totally different experience and so disappointing.

DON'T BUY FROM THEM! I had a wonderful experience last year. This year, I ordered various tomato plants and a couple of pepper plants. I received the 2 pepper plants, with their $14.00 shipping. When I reached out to see where the tomato plants were, I was told that they had sent out an email a couple of weeks prior that they weren't coming because of Tomato Bacterial Canker. I get it that things happen, but there was no email sent and I checked my Spam. I would have canceled, now I feel scammed. No response to my last email, poor customer service says it all.

I had never ordered from this site before, and I would caution everyone not to order either. The plants arrived very poorly packed, some dead, some dying. When I tried to contact them, they expected many, many photographs for proof. Then, they tried to tell me the plants will revive - no they won't. They're DEAD! So, once again, do NOT order from Chili Plants - they do not work with you - very belligerant attitude.

Long time customer of Janie and Fernando (20+). While I am happy that they were able to retire, I am saddened that their business is a shell of what it once was. Last year the plants I received did not look up to the typical standard I could come to expect from chileplants but I attributed it to a crazy 2020 year. This year, I did not receive all of my plants and the ones I did receive looked like they were started a week prior. Very disappointed. No need to reply to me chileplants - based upon the "no soup for you" responses from last year, I will take myself off of your customer list.

Posted on July 21, 2020, updated July 21, 2020
I have purchased their superhot peppers the last 7 years and have been nothing but pleased with their service and pepper quality. This year, however, there was a minor discrepancy in my order that was not apparent until the pepper pods started appearing. Disappointing, but no huge deal. When I contacted Chileplants.com last week via email and politely pointed out the error, their curt responses have been nothing but unprofessional. Although they refunded me the cost of the plant, there was no apology and I was told in writing "This will end our business relationship" (i.e. I could not order plants from them in the future). Really? Over a $4.50 plant? I have been courteous in all my email exchanges and am appalled that a company would treat a loyal customer in such a manner.

The statement on their webpage "We sincerely appreciate and value your business" is bogus. I wasn't the one who mislabeled the plant, they did. Instead of seeking satisfactory resolution, they dropped me as a customer with absolutely no explanation.

We ordered tomato and pepper plants. One tomato plant arrived broken. I reported this and was told via email that I'd get a "free" plant next year.

I did not report the yummy pepper that died after transplant. One or two other peppers are small and not too happy and are certainly not going to produce like those I got elsewhere. (I've been growing these for 20 years.)

I emailed to say the one free plant offer was not really a satisfactory resolution. To their credit, Cross Country Nurseries gave me a nearly instant credit, but they also sent a snarky email saying this ended "our relationship."

So if you want mediocre plants and attitude, then by all means shop there.

Posted on June 15, 2020, updated July 2, 2020
I received notice that my plants would ship one week late. Three weeks later, I still don’t have them. They won’t answer the phone. I get no response from email. I tried to send a message on Facebook and they quickly blocked me. I was a customer of theirs for five years until this.

They are unsympathetic and have a Nazi like devotion to their policy. Three days to report shipping damages! That is ridiculous!

I ordered 12 tomato/chile plants because that is the minimum in which they sell. The plants I received were smaller than expected for the price. Later I discovered that they did not grow as big as my other plants, they yielded very small amount of fruit, and I believe they carried to my residence praying mantis eggs, while they are good for the garden I had never seen them in my garden area before last year. Needless to say, I did not order from them this year. One positive is the booklet of various species of plants that was included with my order which I love to this day.

I have been ordering chili plants through the Cross Country mail order for about 5 years now. I have always been very happy with the quality of the product. This year, I decided to take the hour drive to visit the nursery in person. Maybe it was a bad day at the nursery but as soon as I stepped foot in the office, I was greeted by a very negative and abrupt women named Janie, who as far as I know, is one of the owners. I tried to ask her some advice and information about the chilis. She just pointed me towards the greenhouse and told me whatever I need was in there. I proceeded to pick out my plants and returned to the office upon completion. I inquired about a certain chili that I couldnt find and she told me that they are in alphabetical order and if they were in, I would find them. I was aware they are in alphabetical, that was quite obvious. What I wanted to know was if they would be getting them in so that I could come get some at a future date. She angrily said she didnt know and when I asked if there was anyone who might know, she just gave me flat out "no". I was shocked that the owner of such a beautiful nursery would be so negative and nasty and not even know her own product. I proceeded to pay for my plants with my Visa because I saw the Visa symbol on the counter. Janie would not let me pay with my Visa because it was a Visa debit card. The card cleary has a Visa symbol on it and it can be used as either a debit or a credit card. Janie would not back down and argued with me adamantly about this. I felt extremely hurt and embarrassed that I was put through this experience. I did call my Visa card and filed a complaint. I will say that this company does have great plants but the customer service is horrible! Due to this experience, I will be finding a new nursery next year. I will suggest to anyone ou there that if they still want to do business with Cross Country Nurseries, dont go directly there. Order them through the mail so that you dont have to put up with the same abuse and negativity that I had to endure.