FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we begin…

You’ll notice the answer to quite a few of these questions is “No.”

That’s not because I don’t like people. It’s because after years of breeding and shipping dahlias, I’ve learned that keeping things simple is the best way to get healthy tubers to happy gardeners.

I’m a one-person breeding operation, not a warehouse or a call center. Every exception, special request, or custom arrangement takes time away from breeding, growing, and packing orders. Keeping things simple means fewer mistakes and happier plants.

Now, let’s get the easy answers out of the way.

Can you ship my order early?

No.

Tubers are shipped when conditions are suitable, not when they’re convenient. Shipping early increases the risk of frost damage and poor establishment.

If your growing season starts much earlier than ours, you’ll probably have better success buying from a breeder or grower closer to home.

Can you hold my order until a specific date?

No.

Managing hundreds of individual shipping requests simply isn’t compatible with a one-person breeding operation.

Orders are shipped according to my schedule so everyone is treated fairly.

Can you combine my orders?

No.

I used to.

Then I discovered that finding old orders, unpacking boxes, repacking them, adjusting invoices, and making sure nothing was forgotten took far longer than simply shipping each order separately.

Keeping orders separate means faster, simpler, and far fewer mistakes.

When will my order ship?

Between April 1 and May 31.

No news is good news.

If you’ve received a shipping notification, your order has shipped. If you haven’t, it hasn’t.

During shipping season I’m usually packing boxes rather than answering individual shipping estimates. I’d rather spend that time getting your dahlias on their way.

I need my tubers before a flower show, wedding, vacation, family reunion, eclipse, or because the moon is in the right phase.

I genuinely hope everything goes wonderfully.

My shipping schedule won’t change.

Can I reserve a tuber while I decide?

No.

Limited varieties are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Why was the variety I wanted sold out in seconds?

Because there were only ten.

Many new introductions are released in very small numbers while I build enough stock to offer them more widely. That’s simply the reality of buying directly from a breeder.

Will you have more later?

Maybe.

If additional stock becomes available, it’ll appear on the website.

I don’t keep waiting lists because experience has taught me they become very long and very disappointing.

Can you tell me exactly when a variety will be released?

No.

Some seedlings are evaluated for years before they’re introduced. Others never make it to market at all.

The plants decide.

I just take the notes.

I’m a master gardener who’s been growing dahlias for 30 years. Does that change the guarantee?

No.

Experience doesn’t replace documentation.

Every guarantee claim is assessed using the same process, whether you’re planting your first dahlia or your five hundredth.

I left a one-star review before contacting you. Can we still work it out?

Probably not.

I ask every customer to contact me through the website chat first. Most problems can be solved with a respectful conversation.

If your first stop is a public review rather than giving me the opportunity to help, you’ve chosen to forfeit the guarantee.

Life’s too short, and I’d rather spend it breeding dahlias than arguing on the internet.

Can I contact you through Facebook, Instagram, email, text message, smoke signals, or carrier pigeon?

You can.

I probably won’t see it.

Website chat is the only place I reliably check. Every conversation stays attached to your order, nothing gets lost, and I don’t have to remember whether you messaged me on Facebook while I was driving a tractor.

The pigeon has a surprisingly good chance.

My tuber hasn’t sprouted after a week. Is it dead?

Almost certainly not.

Some varieties wake up quickly.

Others like a bit more sleep.

Patience is one of the most useful tools in dahlia growing.

Can I cut the tuber to see if it’s alive?

You can.

You’ll also void the guarantee.

Curiosity has consequences.

Why don’t you answer shipping emails during the shipping season?

Because I’m shipping.

Every hour I spend answering “Has my order shipped?” is an hour I’m not packing orders.

The faster I pack, the sooner everyone gets their dahlias.

Why don’t you release more new varieties?

Because breeding is the easy part.

Testing, evaluating, increasing stock, and proving a variety over multiple seasons takes far longer than making the original cross.

Good dahlias are worth waiting for.

Do you guarantee that my dahlia will win ribbons, impress my neighbors, or become Instagram famous?

No.

I guarantee viable tubers.

The rest is between you, the weather, and your gardening skills.

Although if your neighbors are impressed, I’ll happily take a little credit.

One last thing…

I love breeding dahlias.

I’m genuinely grateful every time someone chooses to grow one I’ve spent years developing.

Most customers are kind, patient, curious people who simply enjoy growing beautiful flowers. I hope you’ll be one of them.

I’ll do my best to grow exceptional dahlias and send you healthy tubers.

All I ask in return is a little patience, a little kindness, and that if something goes wrong, you give me the chance to make it right before assuming the worst.

I think that’s a pretty fair deal.