Shipping Policies

Shipping & Receiving Large Heavy Items
(fountains, statues, benches, spillways, bulk filter material etc.).

Please request a quotation for large items by placing them in your cart and checking out. No payment is needed for a quotation request.

The Receiving a Freight Shipment page describes what to expect (18-wheeler), how to receive freight shipments (have a camera, annotate receipt, etc.), and terms & conditions for those items.

Shipping Aquatic Plants, Live Animals, & Supplies

All plants are propagated at Tricker's greenhouses and ponds and shipped directly to you. Many aquatic plants are availbale all year. The out-of-stock plants will be noted as such on the product page.

To help make your water garden successful, we have a shipping schedule based on your location and climate for live plants & live scavenger animals (tadpoles, clams, and snails; not aquarium animals) . The Spring Shipping Schedule (below) for aquatic plants & scavenger animals is determined by the destination state, climate, and shipping transit times.

Plants and live scavenger animals are shipped depending upon the weather conditions, the maturity or strength of the plants and hardiness. Water temperatures, including night temperatures, during transplanting is an important consideration.

Expect to receive your plants earlier or later, depending on the weather and whether you ordered only hardy, not tropical, plants.

Tropical aquatic plants should not be planted outdoors until the frost is over and the water temperature, both day and night, stabilizes to at least 70°F.

Hardy aquatic plants may ship earlier than tropicals.

The Terms and Conditions of Sale has more information about shipping and receiving your order.

A brief period of warmth, followed by cold can either stunt or kill the aquatic plants.

Orders With Only Hardgoods &/or Aquarium Plants/Animals

Hardgoods such as supplies and garden decor are shipped all year.

Aquarium plants and live food are also shipped all year long.

Freight items such as cast stone outdoor decor, large pond liners, and other large items, click here for extended terms.

Orders With Live Plants &/or Animals

Scavengers are live outdoor pond animals and include tadpoles, clams, and snails that ship according to this schedule. Live aquarium food and aquarium plants are shipped all year.

Depending on the quantity and type of supplies, Tricker's will send water garden supplies prior to the plants.

If you prefer different shipping dates, then consider ordering plants and/or live animals separate from hardgoods that ship all year.

If you want these to ship outside our schedule, then let us know at checkout and include a message as to why, such as you have a greenhouse where your order will be placed.

• Orders Placed Before June 1st will ship per our Safe-Shipping Schedule, below. The first orders placed will be the first to ship.
  
  If you're ordering aquatic plants out of season before the safe planting schedule, then please check the product page for availability.
  
  If you want your plants and/or animals shipped earlier than what is scheduled, then at checkout complete the "comments section" and let us know your plans such as they will be in a greenhouse or other protected environment.
  
  If you need to receive the supplies before plants and/or animals, then place two (2) separate orders, one for plants and the other for your water garden supplies which will be sent as soon as possible.
  
  NOTE: Receiving your plants earlier than the standard ship dates will void your guarantee. Although we monitor your weather and will attempt to send your order earlier than the schedule, understand that unexpected cold spells can stunt or kill newly transplanted aquatics. A brief period of warmth, followed by cold can either stunt or kill the aquatic plants. Our schedule reduces the chance of losing your plants. Be prepared because we cannot predict the future weather in your area.
  
  NOTE: Plants and live animals must be shipped on Monday or Tuesday. If you choose Wednesday, Thursday or Friday shipping, then the plants may be delayed in transit, sit over the weekend, and perish and your warranty will be void.
• Orders Placed After June 1st and if the weather is good for planting in your area, then any water garden plants may ship as soon as possible regardless of the destination.

Aquatic Plants Safe-Shipping Schedule