I agree with Vlad; but further, it is just bad business to sell an infected tree. All of our trees are treated with ISD and systemic fungicide; the budwood comes from similarly treated trees; so we consistently deliver healthy trees to our growers.

How would you request, without offending the nursery, that you would like another tree?

Pictures and kind words of requesting a healthy tree

I would not worry about offending someone who sells me an infected tree.

When you grow tree's, especially fruittree's you should always have a supply of chemicals on hand. I can deal with bugs done it all my fruitgrowing career.

persimmonbob, I agree with what you say, but if you bring into your home an infected tree and are not aware of it until it's too late, you have put at risk your other plants. Scale is not easy to eradicate.

Denise, take several good pictures of the problem and text or email them to the grower. The images need to be clear; no question about what the pest is.

Tell the grower that you cannot accept an infested plant and that you would like your money back. If they want the tree back, it should be at their cost. You can be business like but you are the one who has received a bad plant.

Trust me, any nursery who sends buggy plants to their customers is fully aware of it.

Just take and send the pictures immediately, not days or weeks later.

Denise, i posted an scale infested tree some time ago and use some kind of household cleaner 3 times, scale gone, tree is growing nicely. Tree is growing closely among others. I did got some flak about the use of that chemical, oh well.

Bob, are you saying that one should simply accept an infested tree and not ask for compensation because you already have the proper insecticide?

rhizo, thank you for your comment but GA is a quarantine state to a degree. Trees can be sent in, but cannot be shipped out because HLB has been found in parts of my state. I would not be able to return the tree even if I wanted to.

So far I have never been in this situation. I just wanted to know if I would be justified in asking for a refund or receive another tree. The price of the tree plus the cost of shipping is not cheap and then add the frustration of dealing with a pest.

Vlad, the post is about scale not fireblight or similar deceases . What would you do when you discover scale on your tree 2 or 3 years later, ask for a refund?

Bob, Denise asked: what would you do if you received a tree from a reputable nursery that had arrived with scale? She is not talking about 2 or 3 years after receiving the tree.

I am asking you what would you do when your 3 year old tree is covered with scale, would you cure it or send it to the burnpile

I would have a very hard time sending anything with a hope of life left in it to a burn pile. I have alway treated plants until they died before discarding.

If I received a badly infested tree from the nursery I would ask for a refund or a replacement. For small problems I would treat and keep.

Steve

Bob, of course I would "cure" it.