Refund policy

Dahlia Tuber & Cutting Refund Policy

for Kaolin Flowers and Farm

1. Quality Guarantee on Arrival

We take care to ship healthy, viable dahlia tubers and cuttings. When your order leaves our farm, each tuber or cutting has been:

  • Visually inspected

  • Labeled to the best of our ability to be true to name

  • Packed to withstand normal shipping conditions

For tubers, we guarantee at least one viable “eye” unless otherwise noted in the product description.

2. What to Do When Your Order Arrives

Please open and inspect your order as soon as it’s delivered.

If you have any concerns about damage in transit or the basic viability of your tubers or cuttings, you must contact us within 7 days with:

  • Your order number

  • Clear photos of the tubers/cuttings in question

  • A brief description of the issue

This inspection window is standard in the dahlia community and allows us to address problems that are actually within our control, like shipping damage or a tuber that arrives clearly non-viable. After 7 days you take full responsibility for tuber or cutting.

3. Refunds, Replacements & Store Credit

If we determine that an item was defective upon arrival (for example, completely rotten, moldy, or clearly non-viable when you received it), we will, at our discretion:

  • Replace the tuber or cutting, if stock is available, or

  • Offer a substitute variety of similar value, or

  • Issue a refund or store credit for the affected item only

We do not refund shipping charges unless the error was clearly ours (for example: wrong item sent).

4. Situations Not Covered by Our Refund Policy

Once your tubers or cuttings have left our care and arrived in yours, many factors are outside our control, including but not limited to:

  • Weather (frost, heat, excessive rain, drought)

  • Soil conditions and drainage

  • Watering and fertilizing practices

  • Pest and animal damage (slugs, earwigs, gophers, etc.)

  • Improper storage or handling after delivery

  • Failure to follow generally accepted planting and care recommendations

For these reasons, we cannot offer refunds or replacements for issues that arise after the inspection window, including poor performance, failure to sprout, or plant decline later in the season. Policies like this are very common among dahlia farms.

5. Virus & Disease Disclaimer

5.1 Our Practices

We care deeply about growing healthy plants and maintaining clean stock. On our farm we:

  • Regularly monitor plants for suspicious growth or mosaic/virus-like symptoms

  • Cull plants that appear unhealthy or off-type

  • Use sanitation practices when dividing and cutting (cleaning tools between plants as much as is practical)

However, no grower can guarantee 100% virus-free dahlias.

5.2 How Common Dahlia Viruses Are

Recent testing of dahlias in the U.S. has shown very high rates of virus presence, with some studies and labs reporting that a large majority (often estimated anywhere from around 40% up to 80%+ of plants tested) carry one or more viruses, even when they look perfectly healthy.

Common viruses affecting dahlias include Dahlia mosaic virus (DMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), Tobacco streak virus (TSV), and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). These viruses can be:

  • Latent (present but not showing symptoms)

  • Spread by insects such as thrips and aphids

  • Spread by contaminated tools, hands, or other garden practices

Because viruses can be hidden and only show up later, it is not possible to visually or practically guarantee “virus-free” dahlias, even with good management and regular culling. 

5.3 Limitations of Our Responsibility

By purchasing dahlia tubers or cuttings from [Your Farm Name], you acknowledge and agree that:

  1. We do not lab-test every plant.

    • Therefore, we cannot certify or guarantee that any tuber or cutting is completely free of virus or other pathogens. 

  2. We cannot control what happens once the plants leave our farm.

    • Viruses can be introduced or spread in your garden by insects, nearby plants, or tools, and may only show symptoms later in the season.

  3. We do not offer refunds, replacements, or credits for plants that show potential virus or disease symptoms during your growing season.

    • This aligns with the standard practice of most dahlia tuber sellers, who cannot determine when a plant became infected (before or after it arrived at your garden) and therefore cannot accept financial responsibility for virus expression in the field. 

If you suspect a virus, we encourage you to:

  • Remove and safely dispose of the affected plant to protect the rest of your garden

  • Reach out to us with photos and information so we can evaluate our own stock and improve our practices going forward

6. Order Changes, Cancellations & Substitutions

  • Once an order is placed, we may not be able to add or remove items.

  • If we experience stock loss or damage to a variety you ordered before shipping, we may:

    • Refund you for that item, or

    • Offer a substitute variety of similar color/type if you’ve agreed to substitutions

7. Agreement to Terms

By purchasing dahlia tubers or cuttings from Kaolin Flowers and Farm, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to this Refund and Virus Policy, including the inherent risks associated with growing dahlias.