SHIPPING & ORDERS FAQ

When should I place my order?

Plants:  The ordering periods for plants are (generally) from the beginning of January through May; and from the beginning of August up until October.  If you want to receive plants for spring planting, it is most advantageous to order from January – March, when availability is at its highest. You will have the best chance of getting the plants you want, and you will also have the best choice of shipping dates. If you want to receive plants for fall planting, ordering in August will offer the best choice of plants and the best choice of shipping dates on our fall shipping schedule.

Seeds:  Seeds can be ordered at any time. We ship seeds year-round, within a week of your order being placed. If you plan to sow in the spring, you may order in the spring. If you plan to sow in the fall, you may order in the fall.

When will my credit card be charged?

Your credit card will be charged the full amount when your order is processed, which happens within a day of an order being placed. When you place an order on our website, your credit card will be pre-authorized and a small authorization charge may show up on the card account for several days, but it will eventually drop off.

How are plants (and shrubs) packed for shipping?

We are serious about  making sure that your plants  arrive alive, healthy and in  good condition. Boxed plants are carefully packed with "excelsior," a compostable material made of  sustainably sourced poplar.  The material is filled  around the sides and on top, to minimize movement of the plants  during shipping. Example images are available, here …

What shipping carriers do you use?

Seed is shipped via USPS, FedEx and SpeeDee.

Plants are shipped via FedEx (and SpeeDee in WI & MN). The carrier that we use is determined by the cost to ship on our end. If you are requesting a specific carrier, it will need to be one of these.

When do you ship plants and seeds?

Our plants are ready to ship in April. We ship plants during two “shipping-periods” a year, when the weather is “not to hot, not too cold.”

Spring Plant Shipping:  In the spring, we ship plants from early-April thru early June. Fall Plant Shipping:  In the fall, we ship plants from mid-September thru early October.

Seed Shipping:  We ship Seeds year-round. Seed orders are always shipped within a week of your order being placed. An exception to this is the last two weeks of December when we are closed for the holidays.

When will my order ship? Can I request a ship date?

Plants and seeds are shipped separately.

Plants: During the checkout process, you will choose a shipping week for any order that contains plants. When you've finished placing your order you will receive an Order Confirmation email which will include the shipping week that you selected during checkout. We are not able to schedule or guarantee a specific day for your delivery, but the week that you select is reliable. When your plant order ships from our greenhouse you will receive an email that includes a link to track your package. Our plant-shipping schedule is filled on a first-come first-served basis. The earlier in the season you order, the more shipping weeks you will have to choose from.

Seeds: If your order contains seeds, the seeds in your order will be shipped within a week of your order being placed. We are not able to schedule or guarantee a specific day for your delivery. Once your seed order is shipped you will receive an email that includes a link to track your package.

How can I track my package?

When we ship your order you will receive an email from Prairie Nursery that includes a link to track your package through the carriers' online tracking portal.

I only received part of my order, what should l do?

If your order contained both plants and seeds, they will be delivered in separate shipments. Plants and seeds are always shipped separately. If you ordered only plants, or only seeds, first check the enclosed shipment paper and determine whether or not it agrees with the emailed order confirmation that you received when you placed the order. If there are discrepancies, contact Customer Service by phone: 1-800-476-9453, or email Customer Service through our contact form.

Can I pick up my order at Prairie Nursery?

We are not able to  arrange for order pick-up at the Nursery. Unfortunately, we cannot make exceptions - all orders are shipped.

Do you offer wholesale pricing?

We do not offer wholesale pricing. Individual plant prices typically follow a tiered pricing structure, wherein the per-plant-price goes down as your quantity increases. This is true for our seed mixes as well.