Buying dormant bare-root trees online is different from buying potted plants at a garden center. This page explains what to expect.
What you receive
We ship dormant bare-root trees and shrubs, sourced from commercial growers. They arrive with no leaves and no soil on the roots, packed in a moisture-holding gel so the roots stay hydrated in transit. That's normal: dormant bare-root plants transplant well and cost far less than potted stock. Why bare root?
Each listing shows an approximate shipping size, measured from the root collar to the tip. Sizes vary naturally. Product photos show mature plants, not the plant you'll receive.
Ordering
- Your card is charged in full when you order, even if your plants ship months later. That reserves your plants for your shipping window. We never store card details.
- Your bank statement will show Way-Mor Investments.
- Each plant has a spring option and, where available, a fall option. Pick the season you want it shipped.
- Order-by dates on the site are reminders, not cut-offs. Orders placed after them still ship that season while stock lasts.
- If your cart has both spring and fall plants, they ship separately and a $9.95 second-shipment charge applies (waived when each season's plants total $75 or more).
Shipping windows
We ship only while plants are dormant, timed to your USDA hardiness zone. Find your zone and dates.
| Season | Ships | Zones |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March 15 – July 30, by zone | All zones (colder zones ship later) |
| Fall | November 15 – March 15, by zone | Zone 6 and warmer only |
- Zones 3–5: please choose the spring option.
- Your order ships when it's the right time to plant in your zone, not the day you order. You'll get tracking by email when it ships.
Shipping cost
- Free shipping on orders of $75 or more.
- Under $75, a flat rate based on your order total, starting at $9.95. The exact amount shows at checkout before you pay.
- We ship to the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. (not Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, or outside the U.S.).
- Orders ship by UPS or USPS, our choice.
State restrictions
Some plants can't be shipped to certain states under state agricultural rules. Each product page lists those states. If your order includes a plant we can't ship to you, we'll contact you and refund that plant.
When your plants arrive
- Open the box right away and check every item against the packing list.
- Do a scratch test: scratch a little bark near the base. Green or white underneath means it's alive.
- Report missing items within 24 hours of delivery.
- If a plant arrives damaged or dead, don't plant it. Email us a photo before planting and we'll replace it.
- Plant within 2 weeks of delivery, following our planting instructions.
Please accept every delivery. A refused package is refunded minus the original shipping and a $5 fee.
Returns
- Return unplanted plants within 14 days of delivery, in the original box.
- Email cs@northernridgenursery.com first for approval so we can watch for it.
- Refunds are for the plants returned, minus original shipping. No restocking fee. You pay return shipping.
Cancellations
- Before your order is processed for shipping: cancel free, full refund. This includes orders reserved for a later season.
- After processing starts and before it ships: cancel for a refund minus a $5 fee.
- After it ships: it's a return (see Returns).
- We may cancel and fully refund any order, for example if a plant sells out or was priced in error.
Substitutions
Orders are filled as placed. If a plant sells out after you order, we may substitute one of equal or greater value. If you'd rather not keep a substitute, ask us and we'll refund half that item's original price.
1-year warranty
Every plant we sell (except free plants) is covered for one year from delivery. If it dies, we give you store credit for what you paid for that plant, as long as:
- it was planted in a recommended USDA zone for that plant,
- it was planted within 2 weeks of delivery, following our planting instructions, and
- you include a photo with your claim.
Store credit is used once; shipping and tax on the replacement order are yours. Replacements ship in your zone's next shipping window. The warranty isn't transferable. Submit a warranty claim.