Shipping Details Page Customer comments about packaging - from CA ..... The Alpines arrived this afternoon in absolutely beautiful shape! I think you did a brilliant job of packing. There wasn’t even a leaf or stalk broken. They were still damp and really looked perky .... from R.B. in Montana ...... the plants arrived today and are in the garden as I type. They arrived in excellent condition -- well hydrated and packaged so that they did not move or get damaged in any way. I am very pleased .... from R.W. in Colorado ..... They (the plants) arrived today in perfect shape. When I went to check the mail the box was on it's side, then after I got the newspaper the wind had whipped it across the yard and it was upside-down! I was so worried, but when I opened the box I found that they were packaged with such care they had been unaffected! I even have a few strawberries already! Thank you! It's good to do business with you and I will certainly be buying more! This isn't always the case, but it is our goal to get the plants to you with the least possible stress and damage. So, please read the following information. More information about shipping and handling upon arrival is included here. Upon Arrival It is recommended that you allow the plants to dry out a bit before transplanting them either to containers or to your garden. After they have been soaked like they are the day before shipping, the root balls don’t always come out of the cells in tact. If they are dried out a bit they come out nicely after pushing up on the bottom of the cell (size 72 and 1801) or in the case of plug trays, pushing them out from the bottom with a hard object like a pencil. Recommendations for Planting Most states have published information about how to plant strawberries and what they require in terms of nutrition, spacing, etc. Most of this information will apply to alpine strawberries with the exception of propagation. It is recommended that plants be spaced in the rows no closer than 14" and that rows be a minimum of 36" apart (42" is better if you have the space). Alpine strawberries grow well in containers as well and even indoors with special consideration for pollination. Alpine strawberries prefer full sun for maximum production but will tolerate partial shade. Most alpine strawberries don't runner but can be increased by saving seeds and by division. We won't go into detail about this here so please contact me when/if you get to that point. I hope to include information on this on my website in the near future with detailed pictures so check the website first. When planting, don’t plant them deeper than they are currently planted as seen in the rootball. Strawberries are sensitive to depth. The exception is if the plants have pushed themselves up during growth and are attached at the soil line by a single root that is obvious. In this case, plant them so the soil covers this base root but not deeper. (Please note that spring shipped plants in cells (1206 and 1801) are grown indoors under lights so they are fairly tender. They are placed outside when weather permits for a few hours per day when weather allowed it to help them to harden off. They will need some protection for a week or so until they adjust to their new home. Both ends cut out of milk containers or tin cans works well for this.) Fall shipped plants can be planted when they arrive either in the ground or in containers. Damage During Shipment All packages that we send are insured for at least $100. If the order is over this amount we recommend that you get insured for the additional amount. We are not responsible for shipping damage so please check immediately with the carrier and file a claim with them. We recommend that you take pictures immediately of the damage. We would appreciate receiving copied of these pictures for our records. If you need a receipt showing that you paid for the plants please let us know. We will be glad to assist you with this. If express packages are not delivered as promised, you have the right to get a refund of the entire shipping amound. We had a shipment go to California and was supposed to be delivered next day. It took two days and the customer got all of their shippings cost refunded which was nearly $90. Note that it is difficult with a shopping cart to get the exact shipping amount for a varied product line. We are do not intend to make money from the shipping part of the business but significant checks are written to the carriers and it is becoming more and more expensive to ship. If the shipping amount seems to be out of line, please inquire before ordering. We are primarily using the Post Office now for shipping year-round, express, priority and first class. We just recently got information on the Postal Service's "Special Handling" service and will be recommending it under certain situations. Refunds If you place an order I have to pay PayPal fees even if I give a refund so save us both time and money by inquiring first. Click on the "Contact Us" page on the menu to get in touch.