Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/06/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Date of transaction: contract signing was 05.01.23 / project execution was 06.09.23
  
  the amount of money you paid the business: $8787.50 [Cash]
  
  what the business committed to provide you:
  - Install 11, 15gal. Thuja ‘Green Giants’ Spaced 9’ OC along Ryan Rd.
  - Plant material to be installed with Horticultural Soil, plant-tone fertilizer
  - Make 1 long Bed/edge and install Brown dyed Mulch in entire bed
  
  what the nature of the dispute is: A couple of trees are not healthy looking. One even looks dead.
  
  whether or not the business has tried to resolve the problem: I have addressed it numerous times over the past year via phone, email and text msgs. and they said that it is due to over watering last year and suggested I contact another company to find out what can be done. They never even came out over the past year except two weeks ago he allegedly came out.
  
  account/order/tracking number: N/A
  
  if the issue involves advertising, when and where the ad was seen or heard: N/A

  Business Response

  Date: 07/01/2024

  On Saturday, June 29th 2024 is the first time I received anything about this complaint.  It was through email.  If letters were sent to **** ***** *** ****** ****, that is an old address.  The mailing address has been P.O. Box 456, Forest Hill MD 21050 for 10+ years.

  In this matter, the customer had over watered the Green Giants last year in 2023.  I gave him clear instructions on how to water and how often with and without rainfall.  We had several conversations on the matter.  One conversation included him admitting that he was watering to much with the rainfall we received.  In the contract (and all our contracts for any client)  it states the following: "All plant material installed by CS Lawncare
  & Landscaping, will be guaranteed for a one-year period from the time of
  installation. There is a one-time replacement only. Transplanted items have no
  warranty. CS is not responsible for the loss of plant material due to
  vandalism, theft, fire, abuse, insect infestation, damage by others, lack of or
  over watering or any other condition beyond our control."

  I stopped by two times last year.  Once right after he contacted me about how two of them were looking.  Nearly half of them were yellowed, which means overwatered.  I verified with digging around the base and down 6-10".  (Which I also explained to Joe that he needs to do that to determine if he needed to water or not)  Which he was shocked that he had to do.  You have to put some work in to protect your investment.

  The following is a the definition of overwatering trees: Overwatering fills the air spaces in soil, depriving plant roots of oxygen. Put simply, you are suffocating your plant. You’ll quickly start to see leaves turning yellow throughout the canopy of the tree or shrub. Yellowing leaves typically precede curling leaves so take it as a warning sign!  I have pictures that were sent to me from Joe that the trees were yellowing and me explaining, again how to water and not to water them for a week or so to let the soil dry out.

  I've been in this industry for over 20 years with virtually never an issue/complaint. Maybe 1 because the guy was off his rocker.  Thuja Green Giants are one of the hardiest and easiest trees to adjust and take care of.   I've planted probably over 1,000 of them in all sizes.  I had them not survive one time.  That one time the customer overwatered.  She admitted that she overwatered them and she paid to have them replaced.   The only way a new planting doesn't make it, is if it is underwatered or overwatered.  The beds alone with high weeds and grass shows the care that has been given.  

  The two trees that are pictured were the worst ones from last year. The others have bounced back.  I gave Joe a solution to help the Green Giants.  I gave him a tree specialist contact, ******** **** ******* for deep root fertilizer treatments.  To my knowledge they were not called.  I can verify that with a phone call with the local ******** *** I deal with.

  I think this is enough factual information to explain that Joe overwatered and created the issue.  And the contract clearly states that there is no replacement due to overwatering.