Refund, Shipping & Dahlia Tuber Policies

Last updated: October 2026

At Budding Obsession, we put a tremendous amount of care into growing, inspecting, dividing, and preparing our dahlias and other products. Because many of our products are living plants or seasonal, perishable items, we ask that you review these policies before placing your order.

By checking the required acknowledgment box at checkout, you confirm that you have read and agree to these policies, including the terms that apply to your specific products and shipping season.

Please contact us at hello@buddingobsession.com if you have questions before ordering.

General Refund & Return Policy

All Sales Are Final

Because many of our products are living plants, seasonal products, or perishable items, we do not accept order cancellations or returns after purchase.

We do not generally issue refunds unless we made an error or a specific exception is outlined in these policies.

If we ship the wrong item, send an incorrect quantity, or otherwise make a fulfillment mistake, we'll review the issue and make it right under the applicable policy.

Please review product descriptions, seasonal shipping dates, and growing expectations carefully before placing your order. We're always happy to answer questions before you buy!

Shipping, Insurance, Loss & Damage

Shipping Problems, Loss & Damage

We ship via UPS Parcel. We ship within the 48 contiguous United States only. We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Canada, PO Boxes, Military or Diplomatic addresses (APO or FPO), Parcel Lockers or USPS gopost addresses. 

All shipments will be trackable.

If your package is missing or arrives damaged, please contact Budding Obsession promptly at hello@buddingobsession.com. Include your order number, tracking information, and clear photos of the package, shipping label, packaging, and any damage, as applicable.

Please retain the original box, packaging materials, shipping label, and damaged contents until we advise you otherwise. These may be needed to investigate the issue or support a claim.

We will review the circumstances and coordinate with the applicable carrier or insurance provider when appropriate. You may be asked to provide additional information or documentation.

Important: Carrier liability and shipping insurance are subject to their applicable terms, conditions, exclusions, and claim approval. Coverage does not automatically guarantee a refund or replacement.

Dahlia tubers and other living plant materials may be subject to additional carrier restrictions. Damage caused by freezing, heat, the perishable nature of the product, or transit delays may not be covered even when using heat packs.

We will review reported issues individually and communicate the available resolution under our policies and any applicable carrier or insurance determination.

Fall-Shipped Dahlia Tubers

Fall Tuber Shipping & Dormancy

Fall-shipped dahlia tubers are expected to be dormant when shipped. Dormant eyes are normal and do not automatically mean a tuber is defective.

Fall orders ship during the advertised seasonal shipping window. For the November 2026 sale, shipping is expected to begin in early November 2026.

Cold-Weather Considerations

Please check the weather forecast at YOUR shipping destination before choosing early shipping.

If freezing temperatures are expected during the shipping window, consider whether shipping at that time is appropriate for your location.

Any cold-weather shipping upgrade offered at checkout is subject to its stated terms. It does not maintain a fixed temperature or guarantee safe arrival during extreme weather or shipping delays.

Please review our Shipping, Insurance, Loss & Damage policy for information about carrier limitations and shipping claims.

Receiving & Storing Your Tubers

Open and inspect your order promptly upon delivery. Store your tubers appropriately for your local conditions and follow reliable dahlia storage guidance. Please note - tubers are not expected to be stored in the packaging they arrive in.

Fall-shipped tubers are not promised to be actively sprouting or ready for immediate outdoor planting. Proper handling and storage after delivery are essential to their condition and future growth.

Spring-Shipped Dahlia Tubers

Spring Shipping & Planting Readiness

We understand how exciting it is to get your dahlias growing! That's why we take extra care to prepare our spring-shipped tubers before they leave the farm.

For spring shipping, generally late March through April, our standard is to ship tubers with a visible eye or active sprout. We take on the work of waking our tubers up before shipping so you don't have to babysit a completely dormant tuber in the middle of spring.

Eyes and sprouts naturally vary in color, size, and development. A visible eye may look like a small bump or pearl-like swelling in white, green, pink, purple, or red. Sprouts may be at different stages of development.

A visible eye or active sprout is not a guarantee of successful growth. Growing conditions, handling, watering, soil temperature, pests, and other factors influence the outcome after planting.

Please inspect your order promptly upon arrival and plant or store your tubers according to your local weather and growing conditions.

Dahlia Tuber Claims

Our Inspection Standards

Every dahlia tuber is carefully inspected before shipping or storage. Our minimum standards are:

  • At least one visible eye or viable eye area.
  • An intact neck connecting the tuber to the crown.
  • A firm tuber body.

Some tubers may feel slightly soft upon arrival due to minor moisture loss during transit. Slight softness alone does not necessarily mean a tuber is defective.

24-Hour Store Credit Request Window

For the 2026/2027 dahlia season, we may at our digression offer a 24-hour store credit request window for dahlia tubers only. This does not apply to other products.

If a tuber arrives in questionable or poor condition, email hello@buddingobsession.com within 24 hours of the carrier's recorded delivery time, as shown in the tracking information.

Please include:

  • Your order number.
  • Clear photos showing the condition of the tuber.
  • Photos showing our identifying markings on the tuber.
  • Photos of the shipping box and packaging if damage is suspected.

We will review the information, request additional details if necessary, and determine whether the tuber qualifies for store credit.

This is a store-credit policy, not a general refund or replacement guarantee. Requests received after the 24-hour window are not eligible under this policy.

After the Claim Window

After 24 hours from the carrier's recorded delivery time, all tuber sales are final under this policy. We cannot offer refunds, credits, or replacements for issues reported after the claim window, including tubers or cuttings that shrivel, rot, or die before planting; tubers that rot or fail in the ground; tubers or seeds that do not sprout; stunted growth; lack of blooms; or suspected disease.

This does not eliminate our responsibility to address a fulfillment error we made, as described in the Missing or Incorrect Items section.

Missing or Incorrect Items

Please Check Your Order Promptly

Please open and inspect your package as soon as it arrives. Verify that you received the correct varieties and quantities.

If an item is missing, the wrong variety was shipped, or the quantity is incorrect, contact hello@buddingobsession.com within 24 hours of the carrier's recorded delivery time.

Please provide your order number and clear photos of everything received, including the packaging and shipping label where relevant. We may compare your photos with our pre-shipment packing records.

If we made a fulfillment error, we'll correct it by sending the correct item when available or refunding the amount paid for the missing or incorrect item, as appropriate.

Reports received after 24 hours may be ineligible for correction because we may no longer be able to verify the original shipment.

Storage Loss Before Shipping

When a Tuber Becomes Unavailable

Dahlia tubers are living products. Despite careful handling and storage, some tubers may not survive the period between purchase and shipping.

If a tuber becomes unavailable before shipping:

  • We'll notify you by email.
  • We'll automatically refund the purchase price of the unavailable tuber.
  • The remaining items will ship as planned.
  • We do not offer substitutions, shipping discounts, or order modifications because of a storage loss.
  • If the unavailable tuber was the only item in your order, we'll also refund the shipping charge.

We cannot guarantee that every tuber will survive storage, and we do not offer replacements for tubers lost before shipping.

Tuber Size, Appearance & Growing Expectations

Small, Ugly, Dormant and Proud of It

Let's be real: dahlia tubers are not beauty queens. They're grown in dirt, divided by hand, and naturally vary in size and appearance.

Tuber Size

Our minimum tuber size is approximately the size of an AA battery. A smaller tuber with a viable eye, intact neck, and firm body can grow into a healthy plant.

We may trim larger tubers during preparation to help them fit safely in shipping boxes and keep shipping costs reasonable. This does not automatically make a tuber defective.

Tuber Appearance

Expect natural variation. Tubers may be wrinkled, twisted, hairy, stained, or have peeling skin. Some may have cut ends or minor marks from digging, dividing, or handling.

We also trim tuber ends when dividing clumps to help inspect their condition and identify potential problems. Cosmetic imperfections alone do not indicate that a tuber is unusable.

Eyes & Sprouting

Eyes develop on their own schedule. Depending on the shipping season, tubers may have dormant eyes, visible eyes, or actively growing sprouts.

A dormant eye may resemble a small bump, crack, or blemish on the crown. A visible eye may be a small swelling, while a sprouted eye has growth emerging from it.

Our seasonal shipping policies explain what to expect from fall- and spring-shipped tubers.

Growing Results

We inspect our tubers carefully, but no seller can guarantee the results of every plant after delivery. Sprouting, growth, flowering, and plant health depend on many factors, including storage, handling, soil, watering, weather, pests, and growing conditions.

We grow our own dahlias from tubers of many sizes and appearances. Our goal is to ship viable planting stock, not cosmetic perfection.

Dahlia Tuber Claims

Our Inspection Standards

Every dahlia tuber is carefully inspected before shipping or storage. Our minimum standards are:

  • At least one visible eye or viable eye area.
  • An intact neck connecting the tuber to the crown.
  • A firm tuber body.

Some tubers may feel slightly soft upon arrival due to minor moisture loss during transit. Slight softness alone does not necessarily mean a tuber is defective.

24-Hour Store Credit Request Window

For the 2026/2027 dahlia season, we offer a 24-hour store credit request window for dahlia tubers only. This does not apply to other products.

If a tuber arrives in questionable or poor condition, email hello@buddingobsession.com within 24 hours of the carrier's recorded delivery time, as shown in the tracking information.

Please include:

  • Your order number.
  • Clear photos showing the condition of the tuber.
  • Photos showing our identifying markings on the tuber.
  • Photos of the shipping box and packaging if damage is suspected.

We will review the information, request additional details if necessary, and determine whether the tuber qualifies for store credit.

This is a store-credit policy, not a general refund or replacement guarantee. Requests received after the 24-hour window are not eligible under this policy.

After the Claim Window

After 24 hours from the carrier's recorded delivery time, all tuber sales are final under this policy. We cannot offer refunds, credits, or replacements for issues reported after the claim window, including tubers or cuttings that shrivel, rot, or die before planting; tubers that rot or fail in the ground; tubers or seeds that do not sprout; stunted growth; lack of blooms; or suspected disease.

This does not eliminate our responsibility to address a fulfillment error we made, as described in the Missing or Incorrect Items section.

Missing or Incorrect Items

Please Check Your Order Promptly

Please open and inspect your package as soon as it arrives. Verify that you received the correct varieties and quantities.

If an item is missing, the wrong variety was shipped, or the quantity is incorrect, contact hello@buddingobsession.com within 24 hours of the carrier's recorded delivery time.

Please provide your order number and clear photos of everything received, including the packaging and shipping label where relevant. We may compare your photos with our pre-shipment packing records.

If we made a fulfillment error, we'll correct it by sending the correct item when available or refunding the amount paid for the missing or incorrect item, as appropriate.

Reports received after 24 hours may be ineligible for correction because we may no longer be able to verify the original shipment.

Storage Loss Before Shipping

When a Tuber Becomes Unavailable

Dahlia tubers are living products. Despite careful handling and storage, some tubers may not survive the period between purchase and shipping.

If a tuber becomes unavailable before shipping:

  • We'll notify you by email.
  • We'll automatically refund the purchase price of the unavailable tuber.
  • The remaining items will ship as planned.
  • We do not offer substitutions, shipping discounts, or order modifications because of a storage loss.
  • If the unavailable tuber was the only item in your order, we'll also refund the shipping charge.

We cannot guarantee that every tuber will survive storage, and we do not offer replacements for tubers lost before shipping.

Tuber Size, Appearance & Growing Expectations

Small, Ugly, Dormant and Proud of It

Let's be real: dahlia tubers are not beauty queens. They're grown in dirt, divided by hand, and naturally vary in size and appearance.

Tuber Size

Our minimum tuber size is approximately the size of an AA battery. A smaller tuber with a viable eye, intact neck, and firm body can grow into a healthy plant.

We may trim larger tubers during preparation to help them fit safely in shipping boxes and keep shipping costs reasonable. This does not automatically make a tuber defective.

Tuber Appearance

Expect natural variation. Tubers may be wrinkled, twisted, hairy, stained, or have peeling skin. Some may have cut ends or minor marks from digging, dividing, or handling.

We also trim tuber ends when dividing clumps to help inspect their condition and identify potential problems. Cosmetic imperfections alone do not indicate that a tuber is unusable.

Eyes & Sprouting

Eyes develop on their own schedule. Depending on the shipping season, tubers may have dormant eyes, visible eyes, or actively growing sprouts.

A dormant eye may resemble a small bump, crack, or blemish on the crown. A visible eye may be a small swelling, while a sprouted eye has growth emerging from it.

Our seasonal shipping policies explain what to expect from fall- and spring-shipped tubers.

Growing Results

We inspect our tubers carefully, but no seller can guarantee the results of every plant after delivery. Sprouting, growth, flowering, and plant health depend on many factors, including storage, handling, soil, watering, weather, pests, and growing conditions.

We grow our own dahlias from tubers of many sizes and appearances. Our goal is to ship viable planting stock, not cosmetic perfection.

Dahlia Health & Disease Management

Healthy Plants Start With Careful Practices

At Budding Obsession, we take plant health seriously. We use consistent sanitation, regular monitoring, pest management, and careful plant selection to help reduce the risk of disease transmission throughout our growing operation.

Sanitation Between Cuts & Clumps

We sanitize our cutting tools between individual cuts and between tuber clumps. We also maintain sanitation practices for tools and equipment used throughout our growing and propagation areas.

These practices help reduce the risk of transferring potential pathogens from one plant or clump to another.

A Controlled Growing Environment

We do not offer u-pick dahlias, and we do not allow outside individuals to cut or handle dahlias in our growing fields.

Our dahlias are grown, harvested, and handled by our own team. Limiting outside handling helps us maintain consistent sanitation practices and greater control over the growing and harvesting environment.

We Cull Underperforming Plants

We remove underperforming plants, whether they are growing poorly, being shaded out by neighboring plants, showing suspicious symptoms, or raising concerns about possible disease.

We do not keep a plant in production simply because it might still produce a few blooms. Removing underperforming plants is part of our ongoing crop-management practices.

Pest & Disease Management

We use an integrated, organic growing approach that includes regular monitoring, beneficial insects, sanitation, physical removal, and targeted products approved for organic use when needed.

We pay particular attention to pests such as aphids and thrips, which can contribute to the spread of certain plant viruses.

New plant introductions are monitored separately, and cutting tools are sanitized as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce disease-transmission risks.

Nursery Licensing & Plant Health

Budding Obsession is a Pennsylvania-licensed nursery. We follow applicable state nursery requirements and inspection guidance.

Visual inspection cannot identify every pathogen, and some plant viruses can be present without obvious symptoms. No visual inspection or growing protocol can guarantee that every plant is entirely free of every pathogen.

Our goal is to grow vigorous, productive dahlias while taking practical, consistent steps to minimize disease risk. We believe in being transparent about both the care we take and the limitations that come with growing living plants.

Customer Conduct & Communication

Respectful Communication

We want every customer to have a positive experience with Budding Obsession. If something goes wrong, please contact us directly so we can review the issue and work toward an appropriate resolution.

We expect communication to remain respectful and professional. We reserve the right to refuse future service when a customer engages in threats, harassment, abusive communications, or other conduct that compromises the safety of our team or the operation of our business.

Customers remain free to share honest feedback and opinions. We encourage direct communication because it gives us an opportunity to understand concerns and address genuine mistakes.

We do not tolerate threats or abuse toward our team, and we may document and take appropriate action in response to serious misconduct.

Questions About Your Order?

If you have questions about these policies or need to report an issue with your order, please contact:

Budding Obsession
Email: hello@buddingobsession.com

Thank you for supporting our small flower farm! We appreciate the opportunity to help you grow your own obsession💜