Ordering Guidelines

Is there a minimum order?
While there is no specific minimum euro amount required, any transport or shipping costs will be charged at cost. So for economy of transport please work on the following basis.

Shipping within Europe

  • URC’s minimum order is one box of approximately 6000 cuttings, shipment is per DHL service direct from Amsterdam, Schiphol to your door.
  • Plugs are shipped on Danish trolleys, minimum shipment is 1 Danish trolley of approximately 40 trays of plugs.
  • Bare roots are shipped in plastic crates or carton boxes in both cases we can pack 45 crates per standard pallet (100 x 120cm). Quantity per variety per crate varies widely from 50 to 500 but work on +/- 200 per crate as an average.

Shipping outside of Europe

  • As most shipment will be sent airfreight we work on a minimum order value for plants of € 3000,00 or more for a shipment to be sent F.O.B. meaning that for this value or above we will cover all packaging and transport costs to Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport. Orders with a value under € 3000,00 will attract additional charges to cover the FOB costs.
  • Phytosanitary certificate costs will always be charged at cost.
  • Please order plants in the multiples specified on our price list.
  • Orders for samples of commercially available varieties will be charged at our lowest catalogue price. We work on the basis that if you are not prepared to invest in the trial we are not convinced it is worth our effort to set the trial up!! Hopefully everybody wins when the trials prove interesting.
  • Trials of material pre-commercial release will be sent FOC, but will only be sent on receipt of a signed trial agreement.

When is the best time to order?
We strongly suggest ordering early, especially with new and top selling varieties. It is a good idea to place your order as soon as our New Varieties list is published since these plants tend to sell out quickly. Likewise, place your summer and catalogue orders out as soon as you receive these publications. If an item is sold out we will be happy to enter a future order for you.

Can I make changes to my order?
Yes, we would be happy to accept your order changes subject to us being able to amend our production scheduling. Please refer to our terms and conditions available at www.walterblom.nl for exact details. To ensure accuracy, we prefer to receive any changes in writing via fax or email, but will also accept changes by phone.

What if the item I want is sold out?
Be the first in line for next season by placing a future order.

How will my order be shipped?
We use the best, most cost efficient methods of shipping possible. We use only reliable companies and airlines to ship your order.
If you have a preferred transport company please advise us of this preference when you place your order.
For Air or Container shipments please advise your preferred port of entry and provide details of your import agent when placing your order.

What time of year do you typically ship?
We ship plants year round worldwide, depending on the variety, it’s availability and the destination.

What do you charge for shipping?
All our prices are Ex warehouse, Hillegom, the Netherlands, shipping or transport charges will be charged at cost. Please ask us

Do labels automatically come with every plant I order?
Labels DO NOT automatically come with plants you order from us. So many of our customers have their own labelling or are supplying retail outlets who demand their own specific labelling that we can never keep up. We do have a range of large bespoke labels for varieties from our own genetics. Please contact us for a full list of varieties available and prices.

Claims and returns

Unsatisfactory plants
If you have a concern about your shipment when it arrives, be sure to note any damages on the shipping documents when you sign. Digital photos of the damage are needed for us to protect your claim. Digital photos of the damage  need to be sent within 24 hours after you received your plants, together with a written statement of the damage. We prefer that date and time are stated on the photos.  Please be as specific as possible to report the damage back to us. Credit will be issued for plants and royalties only, no freight will be credited. Late claims made after 72 hours may be respectfully declined.

Shortages and delays
If you have shortages or delays on your order, please notify us immediately via telephone or email. We will do our best to sort this as soon as possible.
For any questions or concerns regarding your order, please do not hesitate to contact us.

After Arrival

Bare Root Plants

  • When your shipment arrives, open all boxes and inspect the condition of the bare root plants. They should be firm, relatively dry and are typically light brown in colour.
  • If any roots on them are still frozen, allow them to thaw slowly in a cool (4-10 degrees C) room before handling. Do not plant them immediately in a warm greenhouse.
  • If any roots are dry, soak them in a bucket of water, containing a small amount of soluble fertilizer for one hour before potting. This will help plants get established more quickly.
  • Transplant all bare root plants as soon as possible. If you are not able to transplant the roots immediately store them in a cool (1-7 C) area for a limited time. Be sure to have all plant labels on hand when potting to ensure correct identification.
  • The highest priority for transplanting should be bare root plants, beginning  with all evergreen types such as Iberis, Lavandula and Phlox Subulata.

Plugs
When your shipment arrives, inspect the condition of the plugs. Depending on the time of year and the variety, the plants will either be dormant or leafed out. If any plugs are frozen, allow them to thaw slowly in a cool (4-10 degrees C) room before handling. Do not plant them immediately into a warm greenhouse. If any plugs are dry when they arrive, water them immediately. Keep them sufficiently moist and then water the plugs again just before transplanting. Watering plugs just before transplanting is a critical step not to be missed!

After your bare root plants have been potted up, the next order of priority should be potting up your plugs starting with the smallest size.

Growing on
We suggest potting up your new perennial liners in a well-drained potting mix for optimum growth. A number of excellent bark or peat-based, soilless commercial mixes are available. Most perennials grow best when potted with their crown at the soil surface. If the roots are too long to fit in the pot they generally can be trimmed a bit to fit. For optimum rooting, most perennials should be grown in full sun. For shade loving plants such as Ferns, Hosta’s, Astilbe and Dicentra 50-70% shade is recommended.

All recently transplanted perennials must be kept from freezing. If the roots are subjected to cold, wet conditions for an extended period of time, they may deteriorate or rot. Do not plants directly outside until all danger of frost is past. Losses due to frost, excessive rainfall or overwatering are the customer’s responsibility.

Most perennials prefer to be grown at 8-12 degrees C for 10-14 days after potting to promote root growth and then grown  at 12-15 degrees C until they are finished. Lower temperatures may be used to delay or suspend growth, while warmer temperatures generally help to accelerate growth.

Autumn planting and overwintering
Many factors such as soil moisture, temperature fluctuations and root development in the container can affect plant survival. Since there are so many variables beyond our control, we do not guarantee survival of plants overwintered in containers or in the ground. Overwintering success depends on having well-rooted, established plants by the end of the growing season. Poorly rooted plants tend to overwinter poorly. Time the delivery of your bare root and plug perennials so they are well-rooted in their containers by the time winter arrives. Perennials with evergreen foliage should not be cut back going into winter, but perennials with dormant foliage should be cut back before overwintering.

Most perennials prefer to have moist roots going into winter since the moisture helps to insulate the roots and prevent desiccation.

When deciding when to cover your plants for winter, be sure to monitor weather conditions closely. Night time temperatures near freezing allow the plants to harden off before covering but if the forecast predicts night time temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius, it’s time to cover your plants. Do not cover plants before they are hardened off.

It is important to keep your plants from freezing over the winter.