The disaster that is Park Seeds!

[rmw001]

Unfortunately I feel Park has gone down over the past few years. I live about 1 hr from them and in the past bought a fair amout of items from Park. Last 2 orders, several yrs ago, were dissappointing in the service and quality. Called them and they indicated a lot of their product is grown/shipped from 3rd party - that was my last order.

[JimM_SC]

I also live about a mile from Greenwood SC. I've purchased from Parks for over 30 years. I agree that the service had declined the last few years as they went through several owners. All that said, I placed an order last Friday and it shipped today. No backorders. I hope they will continue to rebuild the company's reputation. They carry several exclusives that I really like.
Jim

[jebgordon]

I agree Jim. I get great catalogs year round and their seeds a great for my garden.

[greyghost]

I agree with you, too, Jim. I've had so many good experiences with Parks
for so many years and hated to see what I thought might be a decline.
Their '13 catalog is well done and full of many new varieties. I expect to
make a large order and I hope they have overcome any difficulties. I'd
really miss them if they disappeared from the gardening scene! Darlene

[ScottinAtlanta]

I think I will try the Whopper - seems like a great fruit.

[bwaynef]

Its been a while since I ordered from Park, ...but I owned a house that was decked out in Park & Wayside Gardens seeds and plants by it's previous owners.

Their garden is beautiful and I'm glad to see that they seem to have righted their ship.

ps. Jim, I moved from Greenwood in '06.
pps. It is my understanding that Wayside & Park are sister companies, located nearly side-by-side ...though there is little fanfare to the entrance of Wayside. I have zero experience (other than inherited plants in my previous yard) with Wayside.

[bluebonnets]

I have not had any problems with Park Seed. I really like the Bio Dome and promised myself last season that I would use them this year. Refills are on the way...

I was impressed at how much stronger and "happier" my little tomato seedlings were compared to the ones in cups.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by bluebonnets

I have not had any problems with Park Seed. I really like the Bio Dome and promised myself last season that I would use them this year. Refills are on the way...

I was impressed at how much stronger and "happier" my little tomato seedlings were compared to the ones in cups.

I swear by the Bio Dome. Although I have had some ups and downs with Parks in the past, their dome system works wonders for me. Refills don't seem to be the same quality anymore but still a great system.

Ordering more refills and my third dome system within the next few days.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I wonder if the title to this thread is exactly fair to Park Seeds? The "disaster" seems to have abated, and this thread will live on forever.

[jebgordon]

Regarding the bio dome, I did not get the best results with the plugs. What I have done for several years is to fill the holes with seed mix, tamp down and insert my seed. Works great and it grows a nice root ball.

[bluebonnets]

That's a neat idea! You would still water from the bottom?

What is it about the plugs that are not as good? It's been about two years since I've bought some. I do know that they do not break down in the garden. After a heavy rain I can usually find one or two unearthed, still all together. I have even wondered if they could be used again.

Originally Posted by tomatoaddict

Wow.... I am fuming at Park seed myself. I ordered their bio sponges over a month ago. Nothing was on backorder. Then I get an email thanking me for the order and told it would be shipping soon. Two weeks later....nothing. I wait another week and in the meantime I have tomato seeds that needed sown "right now". Finally after 3 weeks, I call and am told that they are on backorder. I lost it. I asked the girl why the status wasn't marked as backordered when I made the order? ..."she doesn't know". Then I ask why they didn't mention that in the email they sent?. Again... "she doesn't know". So, trying to keep calm I ask...When do you expect them in?... She says she "doesn't know". Then I'm really ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ed. I say " you mean you have no way of finding out when they will be in?" and she says NO.
I told her to just cancel the order. Didn't even phase her. She just says.. OK. No apology, nothing.
Park seed isn't the cheapest place around. They charge a lot more than many places. You would expect for the extra coin you pay they would bend over backwards to make you happy.

I have two Bio-Spheres and I really like them. I have never had and issue with ordering [bio-sponges] from Park seed but I believe that might have been just before they were bought out by somebody else.... not sure.

[bluebonnets]

Well....sure hope my new ones work.

I like the way the bio sphere can go outside on cool, windy days to get a little protected sunshine on the little ones.

[Hotwired]

I've tried the bio domes and they work quite good. The plastic domes are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PET is crystal clear with full spectrum transmission within the necessary wavelengths (PAR), but it does "absorb" below 380nm (UV). All plastics absorb UV, so greenhouse film adds a component to reflect it so it can last 5-6 years in direct sunlight. PET absorbs harmful UV, blocking it from young seedlings, but it also causes it to turn cloudy and brittle over time when exposed to direct sunlight. Be very careful where you store the domes. Keep them out of direct sunlight when they're not covering plants. It's long-term exposure to direct sunlight that's a problem, not setting it out in the sunshine full of seedlings.

[bluebonnets]

Okay. Good to know. I do store it out of sunshine and the only time it's in the sun is with the seedlings and I have to be careful, It doesn't take much in central Tx to fry them when they're under cover even in Jan. and Feb.