growing grounds, marc torppa

[bonsaibryon]

I stumbled across as thehe growing grounds online a while ago. I must say, impressive inventory. A lot to look at. So I sent an email off to inquire about a tree. The same day Marc, the owner, gets back with me. I check it and there's a multitude of pictures of various "like" trees. We talk back and fourth for a few days and I pick out one. Based on some descriptions and another photo. marc explained the payment, money order, no big deal. Sent it off. Now UPS did delay my tree because of weather. Marc was right on top of it. He checked almost daily for me to see if they have shipped it out yet. Updated me as much as I asked, I do get a little impatient, so thanks for that. But because UPS was off, Marc was willing to shoot me a discount for next time. Much appreciated. So the tree shows up, broken. Damn. Once again, UPS. But still, Marc was immediately responsive to my SOS. We are currently working out the details, but Marc is more then willing to deal with it all up front. well keep updating as the resolution unfolds.
All in all, a great place to get a tree and some advice. Marc emails me back a few times a day if i had questions. I will definitely spend my dollar here again. A huge selection of individual bonsai. Large and pot ready the day you receive.

 

[coh]

Please show us pictures of the box and tree. Was the damage due to improper packing or was it really due to excessive abuse by UPS? I mean, if a truck drove over it then pretty much anything would get damaged. But reports from people in the past have suggested the trees just weren't packed/secured well, and suffered damage that could have been prevented.

 

[bonsaibryon]

Ill put up some pics when i can. I live in Kansas and have to have all my trees, pots, ect shipped here. Ive seen a lot of good and bad packaging. The tree was packed fine. A leader broke at a fork. Isnt the end of the world. He and I are working on a solution.

 

[discusmike]

Was it a broken leader off of pre bonsai? Or a finished tree?

 

[pwk5017]

The two maples I received from Marc looked exactly like all the other pictures I've seen--two cardboard boxes from lowes inverted onto one another. Every time I've shipped a tree, I've built a wooden box for it. I just don't get it, Marc has some decent stock that's he's spent 10-20 years on and then he just throws it in a cardboard box and sends it on its merry way.

 

[coh]

The two maples I received from Marc looked exactly like all the other pictures I've seen--two cardboard boxes from lowes inverted onto one another. Every time I've shipped a tree, I've built a wooden box for it. I just don't get it, Marc has some decent stock that's he's spent 10-20 years on and then he just throws it in a cardboard box and sends it on its merry way.

Were those recent purchases or from years ago? Trying to figure out if he's changed his shipping procedures in response to the problems that have occurred.

Chris

 

[Brian Underwood]

FYI, USPS does a much better job with safety. I have never had a tree broken by USPS that was properly packaged, but countless damaged ones through UPS...

 

[pwk5017]

Were those recent purchases or from years ago? Trying to figure out if he's changed his shipping procedures in response to the problems that have occurred.

Chris

Last June. Weren't trees on his lower price point either.