Seed from Kaktusy?

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Arjen
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Arjen »

thank you for your response as well!

yes, some people would benefit from some education I guess, it would be very sad if species would die of superstition!
that being said, I wouldn't point at a nation or group of people, fortunately there are smart and conscious individuals among most of them
they would be better educators than us, since they know the 'territory'

this is a hard matter indeed. I for one am not planning on growing only the most common mammillaria and echinocerei
I do try to be conscious about what I buy and add to my collection, with differing results
if that is suffice I can't say, but at least I try and am conscious about it
when in doubt, grow from seeds

I also plan on eating more goat!

collection numbers and locality data only work to an extent
my greenhouse is screened of against pollinating insects on all sides, yet they only need a moment to sneak in
sometimes I find fruits on plants which I can't explain, and I'm pretty sure there wasn't a bee involved
let's also not forget how quickly cacti can sometimes change over generations, the F2 is often not the same plant as the one in habitat
then there's the question if these plants would survive in the wild, and if they would, wouldn't the genetic diversity be extremely narrow?
With apologies to the late Professor C. D. Darlington the following misquotation springs to
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
DaveW
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by DaveW »

There are some Islaya krainziana's left in habitat, but in a separate discrete population over the border in Peru. The Chilean form seem to have died out but Karel Knize was distributing seed of the Chilean one for many years.
Last edited by DaveW on Tue Dec 10, 2013 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

My small seed order is now going on 7 months.....tick, tock...
All inquiries get their generic auto-generated email that the order was received.
coldcactusmontreal
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by coldcactusmontreal »

Ugh, I was looking for a seed supplier that has a decent Euphorbia selection, but 7 months is intolerable.
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

Update on my order from kaktusy:
- on Nov 30th, I received an email from them indicating they mailed my seeds, and to contact them when I get them for payment arrangements.

I was SO excited to FINALLY get the seeds after over 8 months!

Well, they arrived in great shape today....BUT, there were 5 little plastic envelopes of seeds in the box...which I found a bit surprising since I only ordered 3 species!
The five baggies were labeled G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5. I thought, "Huh??" What the heck does THAT mean?
Also inside the box was a hand-written note to customs offices with the addresses involved, a note to me to email them upon receipt, and the verbiage, "Gattung: G. = Gymnocalycium 5 pcs."

So, from what I gather, it looks like they sent me the wrong order....and someone that was supposed to get 5 different packets of Gymno seeds will also be very disappointed with what he/she gets!

Argh! I emailed them back to explain I think they made a mistake, so I hope they do indeed fix the error and send me the correct seeds (it seems like I am just not destined to own Cleistocactus luribayensis!!! What a jinx plant!).

But, I'm not holding my breath.
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hoteidoc
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by hoteidoc »

Man, Tristan, between Sheilam's & this -- you've been a lightening rod for BAD nursery Customer Service! ](*,)
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

Yeah - it does certainly seem like that.

However, they did very quickly respond to my email asking about the seeds I received and the labeling.

They informed me that G1 = Cleistocactus brunnescens, G2, G3, and G4 were 3 batches of Cleistocactus luribayensis (my most wanted!), and G5 = Gymnocalycium monvillei.

I can't fathom why they wouldn't label the envelopes with the species names, but perhaps it is some safety precaution with customs? Talk about confusing!

They indicated they were out of one of my species (Austrocactus), and added the Gymnocalycium as a Free Bonus (I didn't order any Gymnos).

That all sounded well and good, but since received, I've planted 1 batch of C. brunnescens, and 1 of G. monvillei, and 2 separate batches of C. luribayensis...and NONE has germinated at all. It's been over 3 weeks since sowing too.

Really just have to avoid kaktusy like the plague from here on out.
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hoteidoc
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by hoteidoc »

Strange! Why didn't they use "C"? Oh Well...
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
DaveW
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by DaveW »

Also if some seed is rare and in limited supply those putting in the largest orders tend to get it. Any sensible firm looks after it's best customers first, particularly those who order a lot of the more common stuff as well, such as nurserymen and not those who only put in a small order for just a few rare species.
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

DaveW wrote:Also if some seed is rare and in limited supply those putting in the largest orders tend to get it. Any sensible firm looks after it's best customers first, particularly those who order a lot of the more common stuff as well, such as nurserymen and not those who only put in a small order for just a few rare species.
Well, we can agree to disagree then. To me, any sensible business treats small orders just as well as larger orders. Small orders take up significantly less time than large orders, and treat the small orders well, and they may turn into big orders in the future.

As it stands now, this small orderer is glad he tested this company out with a small order; not only will they not get any orders now from me - large or small - but, they've lost additional customers because of their growing reputation.
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hoteidoc
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by hoteidoc »

Exactly my experience with MG, Alplains, & M2G, Tristan! Steve (Brack) has said to me "easier to get order filled & out" -- even by phone, than the huge orders. Had done a few small orders with Alplains (I like the larger seed #/pk) & this time did 50 sp/ssp. Definitely took longer, but understood & was in no rush. e-mail communication @ delay was just of timely & professional! Same with Miles! You're definitely right, Tristan, @ word of mouth. When I ran my veterinary practice, that was by far & away the most effective advertising! Didn't matter if it was small or large jobs, it was the quality of clients that got referred (by quality clients) that really counted.
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
DaveW
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by DaveW »

Selling seeds at distance is not the same as face to face dealing with customers. Naturally seed firms will favour those who regularly order from them if there are only a few of the rare seed available, particularly if the order is small and solely for the rarities. I acted as a UK agent for a Dutch seed firm in the 1960's and he told me most of the Continental firms will allocate a few of the rare seeds if in small quantities proportionately to the size of the order. The larger orders got their pick first and if none were left the small orders got the "sorry sold out".

Of course first come first served applies to a certain extent as they don't want seed left on their hands, but usually a large proportion of their orders arrive within a day or so of the publication of a new list so there are probably enough large orders to take what available rarities are available. Obviously society seed distributions do work on first come first served, but they are not making a business of seed selling.

Is anybody naïve enough to believe all those mission statements firms post as to always putting the customer first, even if it is to the firms disadvantage? They are simply spin doctors making the customer feel wanted! Firms are in business to make money and do whatever is needed to maximise profits, if they are a large concern and do not the shareholders will soon remove the board.

If one man concerns the only reason to be in business is to make a good living, those that don't go bankrupt. Just notice how many large firms claim they will continue producing a product whilst there are customers for them, then almost overnight discontinue it when it does not pay anymore, or they can use the factory space for a more lucrative product. For instance in the photographic industry the major camera firms killing off almost overnight film cameras and photographic enlargers when the market reduces, plus Kodak killing off Kodachrome and other stills film and now even their computer printers when they no longer want to produce them, although there were still significant numbers of customers wanting them.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/printin ... -printers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You are only significant as a customer as long as it pays to serve or supply you I am afraid. How many firms claim there will be no redundancies and the workforce is always their main priority until the day before they sack a significant number off the staff?

A company is in business to make money for the owners and shareholders, workers (including managers etc) and customers are part of that equation only until they are no longer needed. Once a firm forgets that it goes bankrupt and then there would be no jobs for the workers and products for the customer anyway, sad but true but a fact of life. Only governments can continue to run at a loss in order to provide employment at the taxpayers expense! :D
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

Like I said, agree to disagree.

I've been involved with several successful businesses (including mail orders) that actually follow their mission statements and customer promises irregardless of customer impact. It can work if the company wants to make the effort; not doing so can unwittingly force companies to rely too heavily on existing 'large customers' without taking into account future impact of 'small customers.' Sure they may survive and be very successful, but often they do not because of over-reliance upon a limited customer base.

And to be clear, my primary complaints re. Kaktusy had nothing to do with the availability of any particular species. Far from it.
DaveW
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by DaveW »

My main comments referred to cactus seed. As I was told by the small seedsman I acted for, he said even from the wholesalers he would only be allowed a certain quantity of the rarer seeds if he took a larger quantity of the more common ones, hence people who only wanted the rarer seed lost out to the larger general orders. In the 1960's the big wholesalers of seeds were firms like Mesa Gardens, New Mexico Cactus Research, Uhlig, Winter's, Uebelmann's etc.

We are talking about botanical species here not industrial products where they can simply ramp up the production of items in demand that year to fill the demand. All seed firms want a few of the rarer species in their lists to attract customers, but sometimes these are in very limited quantity and gone within a couple of days of a new list being published. Just like individual old master oil paintings, the person with the biggest wallet gets them.

I agree that it can be a mistake to rely on large customers, since there is no sentiment in business and as soon as they find somebody who gives them a better deal they will switch. However that also applies to small customers too. If your normal seed supplier was to offer you seed of say Aztekium valdezii at $10 for 10 seeds, but a new firm offered you them at $1 for 10 I can guess where you would buy from.

The same situation also applies with employees. If they can get an extra $20 working for the firm down the road, or get a company car as a perk they will be off. One of our banks in the UK is now being criticised for increasing their bonuses, but say if they don't their best employees will simply move to the USA where bonuses are not controlled to the same extent as in the UK. And remember originally bonuses were given for performance or work extra and above what they were paid their wages for. Now even executives and managers who make a loss in the financial industry still expect a bonus that year!
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Minime8484
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Re: Seed from Kaktusy?

Post by Minime8484 »

Again, I disagree with your take on business - even a seed business with which you have some experience. Mesa Garden is a great example of how it can be done (treat all the same, make everyone happy), so the fact is, it can be done successfully. Not doing so is just a really bad excuse for poor customer service.

Regardless, again, you are still missing the point about the major criticisms that are leveled at Kaktusy: timeliness, communication, and quality of seed.
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