Fruit tree guarantee
When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions
Areas covered
Our replacement guarantee only applies to trees supplied to the mainland of the United Kingdom and the continental United States (excluding Alaska). All other areas are currently excluded.
Conditions
The guarantee covers the first growing season after planting.
If your tree dies in its second or third growing seasons after planting, we will offer a discount on the price of a replacement or similar tree.
The guarantee does not apply to subsequent trees (since successive failures may indicate a problem with your location).
It does not cover damage by animals or insect pests.
You must make sure that your planting area is suitable for the trees you have chosen, and that the soil conditions are within normal ranges of pH and salinity.
You must tell us as soon as the problem arises - do not wait until the end of the season.
We do expect you to take reasonable care in planting and looking after the tree. We have many articles about growing and caring for your new fruit trees, and you can contact us online or by phone for specific advice. However we understand that sometimes a new tree just doesn't grow, no matter how careful you are.
We might not always have the same variety and format to offer an exact replacement, if so we will suggest a similar tree or a refund.
What can go wrong when you plant a fruit tree?
Here are the most common reasons why a new fruit tree will fail to grow. Try to avoid making these mistakes and your new tree will soon establish its roots and start growing.
- Inadequate watering during the first spring and summer - this is especially an issue with spring-planted pot-grown trees.
- In the case of 1-year old trees on dwarf or semi-vigorous rootstocks, failure to carry out the important initial pruning after planting can often prevent the tree from getting going in the spring.
- The tree is poorly supported or leaning over, which prevents its roots establishing.
- The tree is surrounded by grass and weeds. Young trees are unable to compete with other vegetation until they are fully established.
- The tree has been eaten by deer or rabbits - this seems to only happen to customers who plant the tree the day it arrives and promise themselves they will put some animal protection around it the next day …
- Various fungal disease problems, which tend to be location or climate-specific. If spotted early enough these can usually be dealt with before they overwhelm the new tree.
Some of the more unusual reasons why trees have failed:
- Keeping the tree indoors over the winter because it was 'too cold outside' - never try to keep fruit trees in a heated house over winter.
- Keeping the tree for a year in the small temporary container we supplied it in.
(We offered refunds in both these cases because we felt we probably had not been sufficiently clear in the planting information sent with the trees at the time).
So, if my tree doesn't look happy what should I do?
Contact us as soon as you notice a problem. Time really is of the essence with fruit tree problems and the sooner you contact us the more chance there is to put things right, especially in the spring when new trees should be growing at a rapid rate. Do not wait until the end of the season to tell us about a problem that your first noticed in the spring or summer, as this may invalidate our guarantee.
Send us photos showing the entire tree (including the soil), and also the tips of the main shoots. (It is sometimes difficult to focus a camera on a thin shoot tip, so ask a friend to hold the shoot so that the camera has an arm or hand to focus on).
We can usually tell straight away from a photo if the tree is dying as opposed to just struggling. We will organise a replacement for the next season, but work with you in the meantime because sometimes dying trees suddenly resurrect themselves.
Even if you just want some reassurance, please get in touch - we would much rather have a false alarm than be told too late.
What about the longer term?
Our service doesn't stop after we have delivered your tree, or even after the first year that your tree is in the ground. If your tree dies in its second or third growing seasons after planting, we will offer a discount on a replacement.
Many customers stay in touch, sending us photos of their trees as they grow to maturity, or asking for ongoing advice about pruning and training.
One of the advantages of buying fruit trees from us is that you can become part of the Orange Pippin community. You can register your trees on our sister website and record blossom and harvest details, and compare your trees with those of other growers.
Final words
We want you to be successful in growing and harvesting your new fruit trees. We offer our guarantee because we are confident in the quality of the trees we supply, and in the advice and information we provide to help you plant and nurture them to maturity. However young fruit trees are surprisingly robust and it is actually very rare for a tree to fail to establish.
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