Warranties & Returns

Healthy Plants & Happy Customers

Knecht's Stands by Our Plants

We take pride in our wide range of plants and are dedicated to their long-term health. Our warranty and return policy are designed to guarantee customer satisfaction in case a plant doesn’t meet expectations (when following our guidelines). If you can’t find the information you need on our website, feel free to reach out to us for assistance over the phone at 507-645-5015.

Limited Warranty Policy

Thank you for purchasing plant material from Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping. We appreciate your business and agree to provide top quality nursery stock, true to name, free from disease, sound and healthy.

For cash and carry plant material, Knecht’s will credit once, 50% of the purchase price you paid, toward replacement of trees, shrubs, perennials, and evergreens planted by purchaser, which fail to grow through the first year from date of purchase. This limited warranty is valid if you are the original purchaser and have followed our planting, maintenance, and winter protection instructions. Receipt and proof of failed plant is required for any warranty claims. The extension of a 50% warranty makes us partners in your purchase. We agree to supply you with a sound, healthy plant, and you agree to follow our planting and care instructions to give your new plants the right start. Plant failures must be reported within one year of date of purchase.

We provide a one year 100% warranty on plant material—trees, evergreens, shrubs, and perennials when planted in the ground by a Knecht’s crew, which fail to grow through the first year. Plant failures must be reported within one year of date of installation. To validate the warranty, you must follow our care instructions. Plant death caused by the following is not covered under our warranty: mechanical damage, acts of God, animal damage, improper fertilization, changing of site conditions after planting, transplanting the plants after initial planting, drowning or under-watering. Irrigation systems can easily over or under-water plans. Hand watering per our chart is best. Follow our watering instructions, monitor very closely and adjust as needed.

Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping reserves the right to notify the owner of poor soil conditions at the planting site which would require amendment or replacement of soils to assure good plant health. If the owner declines to improve soil conditions prior to planting, warranty is void. Good soil conditions are a very important factor promoting long term success of landscape plantings.

Replacement trees/plants will be of comparable size and variety. Replacement trees/plants will be selected by Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping. The warranty does not extend to replacement material. Knecht’s Nurseries & Landscaping reserves the right to extend a cash refund of the installed cost of the plant material rather than replacement. Accounts must be paid in full, or be current, before replacement of failed plant material.

If there are any questions or problems with the condition of a plant, you are asked to bring in photos or a small sample of the plant for our examination and suggestions to correct the problems. We reserve the right to inspect the planting site, the plants in question, and to suggest corrective measures as necessary.

Annuals: There is no warranty on these seasonal plants. If properly cared for and watered –these plants should provide you with a full summer of enjoyment!

Return Policy on Cash & Carry Plants

Perennials, shrubs and trees may be exchanged or returned within 5 days of purchase provided the plant has not been removed from the pot it was purchased in, has been well cared for and is of the same quality it was when purchased. Receipt is required for any exchanges or returns. Returns will be given in-store credit in full or a refund less a 5% restocking fee. No returns or exchanges are available on annuals, sale items, or special-order plant material.

We reserve the right to refuse replacement, return or exchange if the above conditions have not been met.

How to Take Proper Care of Your Plants

Knecht’s Watering Chart

Validate your warranty by following these hand
Watering Instructions for Trees, Shrubs & Perennials

The watering chart assumes that you have followed our planting instructions including, creating a soil ring dike and covering it and surrounding soil with mulch to keep the soil ring dike intact. 

knechts watering chart northfield mn

H20 101: What you should know

Important Watering Instructions

Following our recommended watering guidelines and planting instructions validates our limited warranty.

Keep in mind the temperature, wind speed, length of day, your soil type and plant variety affect the amount of water used by each new plant in your landscape – adjust accordingly. 

Potted plants MUST be AGGRESSIVELY ROOT PRUNED prior to planting. (See our Planting & Care Instructions) 

  • Water new plants by hand (in person) with a watering wand.
    • Irrigation systems are meant to water lawns, not newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials. Hand watering in measured amounts as recommended above. 
    • NEVER leave a hose trickling at the base of a new plant. You won’t know how much water it receives, and it’s easy to forget, causing overwatering. Hand water in measured amounts to prevent overwatering.
    • Landscape plants take 12-18 months to establish to a point that hand watering is no longer needed.
    • Warranty is void if plants are watered by a trickling hose. 
    • Build a small ring dike of soil around new plants so that the water has an opportunity to soak in, down to the plants root zone, without running off.
  • Rainfall will require you to adjust your watering schedule frequency, but not the amount applied each time.
    • Rainfall of 1” or more is generally sufficient to skip one scheduled watering.
    • Little to no rainfall for an extended time, combined with high temperatures and/or wind stress on plants may require more frequent watering.
  • Soil conditions make a difference.
    • Plants in heavy clay soil may require less water and more time between watering
    • Plants in excessively drained, sandy soil may require more water and more frequently.
  • Different plants use water differently.
    • Water lovers include: Astilbe, Birch, Dogwood, Eupatorium, Hibiscus, Honeylocust, Hydrangea, Ligularia, Ninebark, Potentilla Spirea, Willow.
    • Plants with low water needs include: Clematis, Columbine, Hens & Chicks, Linden, Pine, Royal Red Maple, Sedum, Spruce, Sugar Maple.
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