Stem rot wiped out half my peonies on the busiest day before Mother's Day

I walked into the cooler at 5 AM last Saturday and found 40 stems with brown slimy bases, all from one supplier. Had to scramble and buy from a wholesaler at triple the price just to fill orders. Has anyone else had a single batch go bad like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

wilson.sam23d ago

That 5 AM cooler shock is brutal. But just a heads up, stem rot on peonies usually isn't a sudden overnight thing. It's more likely botrytis or a bacterial soft rot that started days before. You probably got a bad batch packed wet or bruised in transit. Your supplier should have spotted it before shipping. I'd call them and ask for a credit not just a replacement. They owe you for the scramble and the triple markup.

kimr1022d ago

Disagree. Botrytis shows up fast if plants were stressed before shipping.

hugoh5515d ago

Didn't you have any luck getting your supplier to admit fault? I had a similar mess last spring with some hydrangeas from a big wholesaler. I took photos right away, sent them over with the temp logs from my cooler to prove it wasn't on my end. Made them send me a prepaid return label for the dead stock so they couldn't blame me for tossing it. Ended up getting a full credit plus they comped my next order to cover the rush shipping on a replacement. You gotta be pushy but professional, show them the proof, and make it clear you're not eating the cost on their mistake.

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