Packing and shipping | Hardy Fruit Tree Nursery

Our trees are guaranteed to reach you in good condition.

We pack our trees using a proven method in which we have confidence. If, in spite of this, a misfortune should occur and the trees arrive damaged or broken, have no fear: we will either replace or refund any damaged trees, depending on availability and your preference.

Shipping dates for 2023

When you place an order, you will be asked to choose your preferred shipping date. For the health of the trees, it is ideal to plan on planting the trees as early as possible once the ground thaws in your region. In this way, the trees will open their buds naturally at the right moment in the season, as though they had passed the winter at your place. If possible, you should choose your shipping date accordingly to match the melting snow in your area.

However, we know that Mother Nature can be quite unpredictable! For this reason, you can delay the shipment of your trees, directly on your account.

Your shipping date is to be found in your online account, as well as in your order confirmation email. We will also send you a reminder two weeks before the shipment.

Our shipping dates are as follows for 2023. Depending on your location, you should generally receive them between 2-7 days following the shipment.

April 11th – April 17th – April 24th 2023

May 1st – May 8th – May 15th – May 23rd 2023

How shipping works

We ship all our orders with Canada Post (Accelerated or Express) all over Canada.

The one exception is British Columbia, because of its specific regulations regarding the import of certain fruit and nut trees. If you are in British Columbia, you can contact us to ask us if the trees that you are looking for may be shipped.

As we ship our trees with Canada Post, in most cases they will be delivered to your local post office. You will receive a card in your post box telling you to pick up your parcel at the local post office. Make sure to do so as soon as possible!

Picking up trees at the nursery

For those who live within driving distance of Rawdon, Quebec, there is the option to come and pick up the trees directly at the nursery, on the first weekend in May. This is also the only time we are open to the public, so it is a good opportunity if you would like to meet us, ask us questions in person about your projects, or just visit the nursery.

When you order trees, you can select the option to pick up or have your trees shipped. If you cannot make it for our open weekend, you can delay your pick-up date in your account.

How we pack our trees

Quality check

Before packing, we inspect each order of trees one by one, checking to make sure that no tree is missing, and that all the trees are healthy. Here are Eric and Camille in the midst of the quality check.

The main package

The roots are packed with moist sawdust to avoid drying. We also include a solid stake with every package to prevent breakage during transport.

The finished package

When trees are to be picked up at the nursery, they can stay with just their roots wrapped. You do not need a trailer or large vehicle to pick up the trees!

Note that some of the larger trees are far too big to ship with Canada Post – this is why they are available only for pick-up.

Packing for post

When the trees are to be shipped, we add a foam wrapping around the entire parcel and tighten it with tape. This makes sure the trees are well-protected throughout their journey.

Ready for shipping

Here are our parcels ready for shipment. The packages are very compact, and take up little space. You don’t need a pick-up truck or any special vehicle to come and get them.

The finished parcel is also apparently an item of some curiosity for the postal people, who have been known to deliver them to the door just so they could ask what was inside!

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We take the greatest care in packing your orders of trees, and preparing them for shipment. Our packing system has been developed with the aim of making sure that the roots of the trees stay damp, and ensuring the package arrives safely without damage. We do everything we can to ensure that the trees reach you safely, and if this is not the case, we will replace or refund them (see our guarantee for full details). Here is a little video we made which shows the process of packing.