Comments regarding Sooner Plant Farm (Shop Smarter Shop Sooner)

Posted on May 21, 2018, updated May 21, 2018
I have been only started buying plants from Sooner Plant Farm this year as they came up on a web search for Dogwood Trees. I was impressed when i called about one variety of dogwood, and the gentleman i spoke with went out to their nursery and checked on the condition of the two trees they had in stock. He called back shortly and said he didnt feel good about either tree and would i wait until September for a better tree. Wow! Did not sell me an inferior product even though it was in stock! I was impressed. So i ordered 5 other dogwoods and will get the last variety in Seotember. Every tree came in outstanding condition. We planted them exactly as directed, and all 5 are thriving! Cant wait to get the last one planted.

I ordered a Sunsation magnolia and was expecting a small whip. I am amazed at what a large specimen they sent me! I can't wait for it to become established! I will certainly shop Sooner Plant Farm again!

Words cannot fully express the wonderful experience I had with Colin and Sooner Plant Farm. I ordered a Mimosa and everything in the order process went smoothly and all the communication from Sooner was great! However, UPS told me and Sooner the tree was delivered and it was not. After MANY communications with UPS they FINALLY sent the required claims forms to Colin/Sooner. In the interim, Colin and Sooner were in constant contact with me and they were so wonderful in shipping me a replacement tree right away! Again, their communication was great and yes, the second tree arrived and is being planted today! It is in great shape and a wonderful specimen and know it will do really well! You don't always get to deal with a company with great customer service like Sooner. I have been in healthcare for over 40 years and understand the importance of being honest, courteous, understanding and "doing the right thing" for people. I must say that Sooner and Colin are all these things and more and definitely give them a 5 star rating and recommend you utilize them!

Ordered three dwarf crape myrtles. Two arrived dormant and soon began to bud exuberantly. One was stone dead, and remained so. After receiving a phone call and a photo, Sooner sent a replacement, which just arrived in excellent health. Five stars.

Ordered my two JM's this past fall and was shipped at my request last week. What a pleasure it was to finally get to order and receive trees from this Company, the package arrived on time and not a leaf out of place. All I can say is Wow, and I will be ordering again soon! Thanks so much Sooner, for all you do and God Bless!!

All of the plants that I have bought have arrived on time, healthy and large enough that they bloom the first year. Customer service is outstanding and they pride themselves on excellence. They possesses the qualities necessary in a plant farm – the ability to balance the needs of the farm with the greater needs of the customer. Quality plants at a reasonable price, backed by an organization dedicated to customer satisfaction.

After having a respected Nursery fail me, setting things back ten days as well, I messaged the after hours business email address of Sooner Plant Farms with a request. Manager Colin Mcinnes was kind enough to email back that if I ordered the specimen tree that I desired the next day from them, it in my hands within an estimated 48hours. I was a happy man once again, and pleased indeed when Sooner came through as promised and with the root pouch planting method. I will never again plant a container grown tree because the handles of Sooner's root pouch make the lifting and positioning of the tree into the hole so much easier and the pouch makes for a much more sure planting transition. The obvious higher quality of care that my tree has had growing in their nursery makes them my "Go To" from this day forward. They are competent and confident nurserymen, so say we all, and a special thanks to Colin Mcinnes for his "over the top" effort to make things happen fast!

Terrific plants well packaged and shipped quickly. One of my favorite places for stuff I can't find locally. Today's batch was some Mini-Penny Hydrangea, which were beautiful in the box and are now planted.

Great resource for trees and shrubs! They send detailed instructions on how to plant with little fertilizer packets. I found them to be very helpful along every step of the growing process. If I ran into trouble, I would send a picture and they would make suggestions to get the plant healthy again. Very hands-on and helpful. The way trees and plants are packaged for shipping is foolproof.....even the UPS driver said he wished all companies packaged their plants as well as Sooner's. The quality is good, and they stand behind their product completely. It's a nice resource for someone like me who does not live near a nursery. If they are out of a product, they will call and tell you when it is back in stock. I can't recommend this company enough, because I would have a much more barren landscape without Sooner's! Their service is better than a lot of brick and mortar stores. Don't hesitate to mail-order from them.

Posted on July 30, 2017, updated July 30, 2017
I placed two orders with Sooner.
The first was for a new variety of Campsis, which I sent to my sister. She reported that it was a very large specimen, arrived in good condition, very vigorous, packed well, and it is doing well in her garden.

I then ordered 15 Heuchera plants and 1 Abelia shrub. This past Friday, the shipment arrived with all plants intact and in very fine condition. Since the plants had been inside a dark box for 4 days, I followed Sooner's directions, and allowed them to acclimate in semi-shade for a day.

I have not needed to contact Sooner, which is as I prefer it with any vendor. Their goods were superior and required no follow up, just prompt planting, following their directions.

They will be my go-to mail order plantsmen from now on. They're not cheap, but I believe their charges are appropriate for the quality of their plant material.

I have made several purchases through the years from the folks at Sooner. I always quickly receive large, healthy plants! Their packaging is second to none, certainly able to take anything that UPS can do to it - and we all probably know what UPS can do to a package at times.

Whenever I need something that I cannot find first at my local nursery, they are my "go to" source for plants.

Prompt, professional and very courteous! Have zero fear when ordering from Sooner!

I have ordered from Sooner three times and have always been happy. They take great care in packaging. I've never had a broken twig or leaf amazingly even though the plants travel across the country. They called me once about one order because they were not happy with the quality of a plant and didn't want to ship it and suggested a replacement. I appreciate that care and attention to detail and customer satisfaction.

Ordered an Eastern Redbud from Sooner Farm and it just arrived yesterday

Selection on their website is fantastic - they seem to have everything that I am looking for and different variations of trees (multi-stemmed vs. single stemmed). Their prices seem to be a tad bit higher than most, but quality is there.

Ordering experience was fantastic. I love that you can use Paypal. They amended my order to switch from a single stem tree to multi stem tree and it was no problem. Customer service is almost instantaneous.

Shipping of the tree was awesome - it came in a box that definitely was cared for, and the tree looks incredibly healthy. The root system is wrapped tight and looks healthy as well. I was trying very hard to find anything wrong with the tree but I couldn't - it was green and glowing. My biggest fear of ordering something online is getting a tree that's dilapidated or the "worst of the bunch" on the lot but that did not happen here.

Will use them again for sure. I'm giving them a positive review but my only hesitation is price point. Sometimes I can find competitors with lower prices, but I can't always guarantee they will have the same quality as Sooner.

I had a hard time tracking down a source for 42 holly plants to replace my pool privacy hedge. Sooner Plant Farm came through for me. I found the number and size of plants I needed. They arrived yesterday in perfect condition and larger than I expected. All are perfectly labeled (as to male/female) and I'll put them in the ground tomorrow with the booster packages that came with the order. I am a very satisfied customer! Thank you.

What a pleasure to see a company like Sooner Plant Farm . This was my first time ordering from them as a business woman in my 80's,I was apprehensive. Colin, immediately answered questions same day !Each time I had a concern or question, it was answered that day. SOONER PLANT FARM IS AMAZING. Will remain a customer for life. Good old fashion customer care and all of my orders arrived beautiful and healthy. God Bless Sooner Plant Farm and COLIN!!!

This is the first time I've ordered live plants online. Ordering at the end of Sonner's plant guaranteed cutoff period, I ordered 5 azalea's (3 varieties) and a hydrangea. Colin worked with me during the process and verified he could get all the plants prepped and shipped the week of delivery. Tracking the plants was easy, and delivery was prompt and during the time frame expected.

I was sure my planting environment was correct for sunlight, drainage, pH, and nutrients, and was home when the shrubs arrived. I ignorantly ordered 3 gallon plants and expected them to be bigger (thinking of trees instead of shrubs), but they are honestly quite large for 3 gallon plants, certainly larger than my local markets 3 gallon azaleas. Additionally, these shrubs have more growth and foliage than the plants available at my local nurseries. I don't think I could have received better plants at a better price. The shrubs have been in the ground 2 weeks now and are doing great. I will be ordering again come spring time.

Charles

I ordered 3 "Little Honey" hydrangeas. They were shipped at the appropriate time for planting. I was pleased with their size and condition. They are thriving. Compared to a previous shipment from another company, these were much better for similar price.

placed an order and received order quickly and as requested (timeframe). One plant, however, was damaged in shipping because it broke loose from how it was fastened. Many branches broken, but the plant seemed salvageable. Wrote an email to let them know and got a near immediate response!! They were willing to replace the plant, but I thought it could be salvaged and let them know this.

wonderful communication! Plants beautifully grown, well-packed and shipped.

I can't say enough about Sooner Plant Farm! I recently received another order from them and even though I expect quality from this company, I am still amazed every time I open a box of plants. First of all, the plants are invariably larger than expected. Most importantly, they are clearly vigorous and healthy. They use packing techniques that I have never since anywhere else. I have ordered several good-size trees, for example, and they have a system of packing that keeps the tree absolutely stable and upright, and looks like an engineer designed it. I have talked to employees on the phone quite a few times to get info, and they have all been knowledgeable and courteous. I've never had any issues with an order, but feel certain they would do anything to make it right. I have ordered all kinds of things from them, but I especially like their large selection of trees and shrubs, which includes many that are hard to find.

I order a lot of plants.Even larger shrubs.SOONER has never let me down.They have accommodated my need for special shipping.They have sent plants to Nantucket Island and to Savannah,Georgia for me.They plants arrive in great shape,beautiful,well marked with correct planting info..I am crazy about Sooner Plant farm.

A few days ago, I received my order from Sooner Plant Farm: 3 crape myrtles in one-gallon containers. They arrived with every leaf intact and in perfect condition. They were also much larger than I expected, so I'm very pleased with my purchase. I've ordered crape myrtles from other sources in the past, and their longevity has ranged from DOA to less than a year. Since I'm starting with extremely healthy plants, I'm hoping that this time will be different. I love the variety that Sooner Plant Farm offers. Their website provides beautiful photos and good descriptions, but the search engine is somewhat clumsy. In addition, some plants are listed by common name, while others are found only by Latin name, e.g. Lagerstroemia instead of Crape Myrtle. However, I'll take strong and healthy plants any day over minor website glitches.

I have ordered a lot of plants over the years, and Sooner Plant Farm is by far the best company I have ever found. The packing for shipping is very well done so that nothing is ever damaged en route and the plants are habitually larger than any others I have ever received, by a long ways! The quality is exceptional. No spindly little things from Sooner! Yes, the shipping can be a bit pricey, but it's within reason, and it's very true that you get what you pay for. Yes, there are some other good companies out there, but I have never found one that comes even close to comparing to what Sooner offers in size and quality. They quickly became my go-to place to shop!

I too can not say enough about this business. I received my plants within two days of placing order. The packaging was the best thing I have ever had shipped to me. Furniture, etc usually comes damaged so I was wondering how are these plants going to make it by being shipped. Incredible how they were packaged and wrapped, not even a handful of dirt out of place in the two boxes I received. They were courteous and knowledgable. I would use sooner plant farm again as well as tell others about him. Don't hesitate for one moment ordering from them. Quality, quality on every level.

I ordered a large Japanese Maple and wanted to make sure I was getting a good option for the unique space I was trying to fit. I had it narrowed down to two or three specific ones and Brian was able to give me more information to make a better informed decision. The tree arrived in excellent condition, WELL packaged to prevent damage in shipping (Seriously - fort knox level packing protecting this bad boy) and the tree has done VERY well for the past year.

Very pleased.

Posted on August 11, 2014, updated June 8, 2015
The 3 gallon potted Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler' honeysuckle I ordered arrived almost two feet tall and very bushy with leaves and tons of stems. The 3 gallon potted Campsis x 'HOMR' Madame rosy resembles a bonsai tree with one thick stem two feet tall. Too bad they only offer smaller sized regular Campsis Radicans. They pack their plants in super strong cardboard. No messy necessary wrappings nor styrofoam peanuts. To save a bundle on shipping, it's best to buy items in pairs of the same size. Make sure you get a survey after your first order so you can get a coupon on your next order. Great variety of plants. Happy!

I recently received my first order from Sooner, an Oso Easy Fragrant Spreader and Clethra Crystalina. The plants arrived healthy and were well packaged. Although the shipping may seem high, it's because the plants are shipped (full soil) in their containers. Although the two plants that I purchased were large 1 gallons, there are also larger sizes available for most plants which is awesome, because certainly sometimes I feel ok with a starter plant but other times I like a larger specimen for focal points. Nice to have those options available. In addition to the healthy plants and unique offerings, I'm impressed with the customer service. Brian called me prior to shipment to let me know that they were unable to ship a plant that I had originally ordered (a Lemon Lace Sambucus) and he was so kind and helpful, and especially patient while I mentally tried to remember plants that were on my wishlist that I could add to my order. He suggested the Clethra Crystaltina which is a great addition to my butterfly garden. I will not hesitate to order from them again and I thank them for great plants and service.

I just placed my first order with Sooner Plant Farm, and it was by far the best experience I've ever had with a mail order nursery. I have been wanting a Gatsby Star oakleaf hydrangea since I first read about it before it was even released on the market. I asked all of my local nurseries if it could be special ordered for me, but none of their suppliers had any. I searched online but could not find anything larger than a 1 gal plant, even directly from the Proven Winners website. I was thrilled to find a 3 gal plant at Sooner Plant Farm. I received my order within less than a week. While preparing to plant it I noticed 1 tag that identified it as a Gatsby Gal and another that identified it as a Gatsby Star. I received it on a Thur., notified them by email that evening and received a response on Sat. The replacement plant was shipped on Mon. and received on Tues. Best customer service ever. Largest, healthiest plant I've ever received from an online source. They are the best!

I recently ordered two Peonies, I live in Alabama. They arrived in a timely manner and the packaging was excellent. Very well boxed with both plants in it, very healthy and green and in pots. Really good instructions on exactly what to do when I unpackage and plant. I followed the instructions and the plants are now safely in the ground. I will be ordering from you again, definitely.

I ordered 2 Viburnum Eastern Snowball bushes. WOW. They packaged them GREAT!!! Keeping them safe and unharmed. S&H a little higher than other places I have shopped BUT it was well worth it. Beautiful plants. Big green leaves. Just gorgeous.

All the personnel I spoke with each time I called were extremely helpful and patient in answering all my questions. My order arrived right on time, and the packaging was far superior to other companies from which I had ordered plants. I have ordered more than once from Sooner Plant Farm and have always been very satisfied with the quality of plants. If there is ever a problem, I am quite confident they will do all they can to fix it.

I operate a small garden services business with several wholesale accounts. However, when I'm looking for a one off or special order item, I purchase retail online. I buy a lot of landscape plants/trees online and frankly wasn't expecting much more than what I typically experience with an online source that grows their own stock. The reviews on Dave's Garden Watch are outstanding for this company so I went ahead an ordered a couple of items. I had questions about shipping and Brian was more than patient to suffer my insistence to ship early...I have an indoor greenhouse. But his patience paid off for me and in the end I respected his explanations and stayed with his scheduled ship date. I was pleasantly surprised at the outstanding quality of the stock, the careful packing and the overall customer service. Sooner Plant Farm is now high on my list of sources. I'll definitely be a returning repeat customer! Thank you Brian, your dedication and commitment to excellence certainly shows. Well done!

Ordered a couple of Blechnum spicant (deer ferns) and received them within five days of ordering. Not only were they lovely, healthy plants, but the packaging was phenomenal. Everything was in perfect shape, snug and happy with nary a broken frond or any loose soil. While the shipping fees may have seemed a bit steep, the end result was well worth it. They also included detailed planting information and other educational material, as well as fertilizer packets for each of the plants. Definitely look forward to ordering from them again.

I ordered from Sooner Plant Farm because of the positive feedback here at Dave's Garden. They took my order a few weeks ago, but just shipped this week. This is because it's early spring and they have a shipping schedule based on cold hardiness zones. They didn't charge my card until the plants shipped, which is the proper way to do online sales. When the plants arrived, they were excellently packed, and the tops of the pots were sealed so that soil didn't fall out during shipping. Since I ordered 2 gallon-sized plants, their tall shipping box had one upside down, but because of the way they sealed the pots, the soil in the upside down pot lost no soil. Very impressive packaging! The plants arrived 2 days after leaving the nursery, so the plants arrived fresh and just breaking dormancy. The included planting and care instructions were thorough, and they included a packet of fertilizer for each plant, to reduce transplanting shock. Very nice touch! I called them to ask about potting up one of the plants for this year, and they were knowledgeable and helpful in making sure I understood how to ensure the plant would do well in our Texas summer. I would order from Sooner Plant Farm again. My experience is that they are reliable, knowledgeable and honest, all required attributes for being a trustworthy online seller of live plants.

Posted on May 24, 2014, updated July 19, 2014
Posted on July 31, 2013, updated May 24, 2014
Posted on May 17, 2013, updated July 31, 2013
Posted on May 6, 2013, updated May 17, 2013
Posted on March 1, 2013, updated May 6, 2013
Posted on June 14, 2012, updated March 1, 2013
Posted on June 5, 2012, updated June 14, 2012
In the last few weeks, I have ordered twice from Sooner Plant Farms. I cannot say enough positive about them, their service, knowledge and wonderful selection of plants. I was AMAZED at the shipping quality and the extra mile Sooner Plant Farms went to to assure safe delivery of my order. Straps, gel, boxes with ventilation and proper packing procedures made the shipping another positive. I was thrilled. Not even a broken branch not to mention the quality of what I ordered. A 3 gallon butterfly bush was beautiful. Like on a local nursery or garden center. It is lush and budded. Total planting instructions with fertilizer accompanies the package.
I since have placed another order. Their customer service with questions is top notch. They work with you and that to me is so important to get a voice instead of a machine when you call during business hours. A friendly knowledgeable person who is a joy to work with. Thank you to them for being who they are, wonderful!!!!!

Posted on July 15, 2014, updated July 16, 2014
Posted on March 8, 2007, updated July 15, 2014
I spoke with them on the phone many times, they called me to let me know a plant I ordered wasn't in, and they were super friendly.
The plants came today, budding, roots happy and big, not one broken branch. Superb packing, quality plants!
I will order again!
Thank you for your great plants and great staff!
Christie

"On Jul 16, 2014 7:47 AM, Sooner Plant Farm (Shop Smarter Shop Sooner) responded with:

Hello Mrs, Colla,

I’m sorry that you did not receive any response from us. Because you did not receive the automated responses from us ( you should have received 3 emails updates since your recent order was placed on July 4th, as well as a email notice from UPS regarding the shipping and tracking of your order Monday July 14), and since I never received any email correspondence from you, I must assume you may be having a problem with your email service. I will post this on Dave’s Garden as well as sending it through to the email address you have on file with us. Also I see you have 2 accounts on file with us and only the oldest account was displaying online under order history. I have put a request to our IT people to resolve this issue. I will call you also regarding this in case you don’t see my response. Brian

Great plants, great customer service. Eager to share knowledge. Ordered Japanese maples. All are healthy, good looking plants. Looking forward to doing more business in the future. Thanks, Brian. My husband and I enjoyed working with you.

Bought one tree and one shrub in Spring of 2014. Both were healthy and properly shaped; both have transplanted beautifully. Good communication and packing. Recommended.

Posted on June 23, 2011, updated May 19, 2014
WOW, is all I can say for my first time ordering from Sooner Plant Farm. I found their website while in search for a certain variety of Japanese Maple & I was just amazed at their offerings!

Needless to say, I placed a pretty substantial order, and am not sorry I did. Their customer service, plant health on arrival, the size of the plant material, and great attention & care to packing plants was amazing. Hats off to you folks!!!!!

I do 80% of my plant ordering from on-line nurseries & am so glad I found your website. Fall is right around the corner ......

For those who haven't ordered from Sooner Plant Farm, I highly doubt you will be disappointed!!!

Posted on April 17, 2013, updated May 19, 2014
Posted on May 4, 2009, updated April 17, 2013
I placed an order with Sooner Plant Farm this year and was completely satisfied. They had several trees and shrubs that I was not able to find elsewhere and the prices were very good. Everything arrived as promised and on time and all but one in fine condition. The only exception was a single plant that had gotten damaged in shipping when part of the box got crushed. The customer service rep who I emailed responded almost immediately saying they would be sending me a replacement plant right away. Two thumbs up!