Caladium Bulb Buy

Critter: Couldn't we at least send Bill a letter of intention -- or order that which we know we are going to get, and then add on to it?

That would mean we'd pin down the purchase. Wasn't Bill a bit slow to ship last year? I might be misremembering since I didn't buy any last year. And for Caladiums to be fun, you really need to get them started as soon as possible (which may mean starting them indoors since they like it warm, but so be it).

-->Are we distributing the bulbs at the seed swap in February or at Aspen's swap May 31? I was assuming it would be the former. May 31 is awfully late to start Caladium, just because they take so long that you wouldn't have a decent show until July. Catmint, you'd said you'd bring them to the seed swap if they arrive in time. Honestly, not to mess up the totals now, but I'm not sure I want to be planting caladium in June, so as I think about it, the delivery date is key.

I propose contacting Bill, asking if it is possible for him to deliver before the February swap, and if so, working backwards to set a deadline for the order. He might not be ready to ship that early.

And again, I am happy to do the pickup in person. The order isn't so large, at least as it stands now -- I can certainly bring it back on carry-on luggage from my Florida trip with pick-up about February 10 (if Bill can be ready then). Though that will mean we'd pay Florida sales tax (6% to 7%).

I think it's fair enough to give a Last Call warning, and it's also fair for Catmint to say "I signed up for small group buy, and don't want to keep this hanging on"
People who don't participate regularly and frequently can't expect to catch every event. There's nothing blocking anyone from watching the forum. Wasn't there a Dmail Blast about this last week? and the original thread before that?
I'm not nearly as sweet as Jill...
My two cents.

We do want to give Critter time to let her own family and friends know....

I agree with happy's point abut getting them early.

And I would really prefer we just order and get them shipped, rather than an in person pickup. I hope I am not demeaning your wonderful intentions of a plant adventure, happy, but you are adding your personal expense and possible complications into the mix. I think it's better to be a bit more "businesslike" and have them shipped.

I can't believe the original post on this thread is only five days ago! With all the discussion I would have sworn it was two weeks!!
So I think a last call is in order.

That's fine -- I was just offering because I'll be so close to Bill's place that it would be very easy for me to do -- plus, since he is sometimes slow to ship, I thought if I was right there he would feel the need to hand over the Caladiums! For part of our trip Darryl will be at a conference, so I'll be at loose ends. But I'm happy to let him ship - I was just trying to help and reduce costs.

This is what Jill said in the Neck of the Woods thread about shipping:

"If anybody is interested in caladiums this year, Bill says he can ship a well-insulated box up to us in time for the [seed swap] party... which also lets us give them a head start inside, unlike last year when we distributed them at the spring plant swap. I believe he's offering his usual 10% DG discount, and if we buy as a group we can split larger (and cheaper) bags of them."

So we should be getting them by the seed swap.

I've ordered from him twice and there were no issues with shipping. I just told him which week I wanted them shipped.

And with his county's 7% sales tax, it wouldn't be much more expensive (and safer) to get them shipped.

I can't believe what a great deal this is! This helps me *not* make impulsive purchases when I see pretty display at garden centers.

Jill, I think I'll stick with my reduced number. I thought about it and 30 is probably the absolute maximum I can handle. :)

Ok, thanks for clarifying all that! I really appreciate it. So long as we can get them by the time of the seed swap, I'm a pig in mud.

Just to clarify myself- I think we are mostly done, but waiting a few days with a Last Call warning would be nice, given that this thread only opened on the 10th. We pretty much know what the order size and prices are ending up as. I'm not saying we have to shake every tree, but waiting just a couple days for latecomers isn't going to affect getting them by Feb 15th, I understand.

Hey, I just realized that we're hoping speediebean will be able to come to the seed swap, school obligations permitting, but if she can't make it, she might need a "seed and caladium fairy" to pack up & deliver (or mail) her goodies. I'm about the world's worst at actually getting things into the mail, so I can't be anybody's fairy -- but I can recruit! :->

Hmm. Speedie lives very close to where my daughter goes to school. Her spring break is March 17 to March 24. I most likely will do either a pick up or a drop off, so I can do door-to-door delivery if speedie can wait that long. I certainly can mail them to speedie, but speedie, if you can wait until mid-March....

I just checked google maps, and Sally and I are about equidistant from speedie; coleup might be just a smidge closer. I don't know who else is in that neck of the woods.


This message was edited Jan 16, 2014 10:52 AM

I think a last Dmail blast--'Hear ye Hear ye it is now the last week to buy your caladium bulbs' etc. ;-) would be terrific, Coleup, and I also think it makes sense to wait at least through the long weekend for people who don't check in as regularly to respond and add to the order if they'd like. In the meantime, I'll start calculating what people owe so far based on the current order.

Here are some logistical details, which I will also post in the first post on this thread:

* Bulbs will be ordered from Bill in time for them to be delivered the week of Feb. 10. We'll be asking for a few volunteers to come to the swap early in order to sort them out.

* You must be able to pick up your bulbs at the Feb. 15 seed swap in Frederick OR arrange to have somebody pick them up for you OR be able to pick them up from Critter the following week.

* Critter will be placing the final order with Bill. Pay her at the swap, cash or check (in a clearly marked envelope, e.g, "this is from Peggy Sue for caladiums"). If you have a large order, you may be asked to pay in advance.




This message was edited Jan 15, 2014 7:03 PM

I agree , wait thru the holiday weekend. But- I would suggest you be ready to place the order soon after that so we don't get caught by some bad weather that might hang up the shipments.

Why don't we tell people in the final dmail blast:

"We intend to finalize our order soon after the MLK-day long weekend, so please plan to post your final orders by Monday, Jan 20."

well, I would sure love to meet Speedie! Speedie, I hope you can make it!!

Both Happy and Critter have offered to take the last 10 Gingerlands. Should I put you both down for 5? Or something else?

If you need to put them somewhere, put them in my order... otherwise, just leave it at 90 for now and we'll see if anybody else joins the fun. :-)

Not to undone any of you who are done, but doesn't Bill also offer tuberose?

Which reminds me of Hawaii and wonderful fragrance....And, has anyone heard from Chantel our fragrant bloom afficionado?

Also, Buttoneer has sworn she will be coming to seed swap so maybe she should get a personal Dmail to see if she would like to order? And a suggestion, prehaps a bulb or two could go on the gift table?

Hawaii and wonderful fragrance--I love where your mind goes, Coleup! :-D

Anyone want to dmail Buttoneer and/or Chantal with a personal reminder?
I'll send a final Dmail blast to whole list tonight--unfortunately, job and single parenting will keep me from doing much else between now and then! 8-o

Critter--when I did the order calculations last night, I split the remaining 10 bulbs between you and Happy.

Reminder about Jill's instructions re: payment:
Critter will be placing the order with her CC, so payments go to her, please. At the swap is fine for orders under $50. Otherwise, please add 30 cents and then add 3% to pay via Paypal to critterologist@comcast.net.

Critter, how would you like to handle shipping charges? Do you want people to delay payment until you have final word about that, and then do final calculations based on that?

Thanks so much to all for all your terrific participation and help!! It's been such a pleasure! :-)

A "Last Call" D-mail blast is a GREAT idea, I totally concur!

Happy; God Bless your fuzzy heart, that would be WONDERFUL if you could do an in-person drop off when you can, please!!!! Whenever it is mid-March (for your daughter's school) is FABULOUS!!!!!!! In fact, it's even easier for you 'cause you'll only have to stop off at where I work, which I believe is DIRECTLY on your route anyway (no turn-offs or anything for you). SO much easier for you!! < =D YES PLEASE, and THANK YOU!! =) And Jill, you Angel you, thank you for thinking of mentioning this and seeing that I am taken care of!! There's a special, warm, cozy, pain-free place in Heaven for you ya know!! XOXOX

I'll take this second to apologize for not being able to make to the seed swap. :( Too many things crammed into this time of year, and now school too. Add zillion-mile distances to it and it's just icky. (I need to move!)

Hey Speedie I think that's a *great * idea for you to move closer! :-) I hear there are lovely sparsely populated areas not too far west of Critter! :-)

Anybody who pays now will be doing an estimated payment... there may be small adjustments for shipping or for additional discounts. We'll take care of those at the swap when you get your bulbs.

Bill does have gorgeous Tuberose clumps!!

Critter -- please let us know when your payment to Bill is due so we don't leave you having to front the money.

Catmint, I can get there early and help you sort the bulbs. I'll start saving boxes and bags. (Although I gotta say, with this 5 cent bag tax in our county, paper bags are a real luxury for me!)

I have tons of stretchy bags from Santa Rosa that I would think would hold 10-15 bulbs. And tons of paper bags because my DH and I never remember to carry into the store the many bags we carry around in the car for that very purpose. And I can come early to help sort, except that I am always late no matter what I say. Maybe we can drive out together? That might get me there on time!

Got it, I'll drive, and you can bring the bags!

Please don't forget my 100 Florida Elise!!!!

Yehudith

are tuberoses included? Please say yes!!!

Yehudith

If tuberoses can be included I'd like 20 clumps please

Yehudith

And I will take 3 tuberose . I hope they smell 1/2 as good as I remember! Hawaii dreamin on such a winter's day....

Happy, those stretchy bags are great. Paper bags are easier to write on....

Just in case, Sallyg will you or Robin/Catbird be my Seed Fairy?

I have no idea what a tuberose is. But I'm not going to google it because I refuse to be tempted!

Ha ha SS then you are hanging around with the wrong crowd!!

I have a bunch of paper lunch-type bags left over from the fall bulb buy... they'll work for most of our orders, 5 of this & 15 of that... :-)

Oh my GOSH Ss, do NOT look up Tuberose (or go to the link at Bill's listed above.... http://www.caladiumbulbs4less.com/servlet/the-Tuberose/Categories )... that is, if you are trying to resist temptation. < ;P

... WHY did I look!?!?! Why oh WHY did I look!?!?!?!?!?!........ 8 ^/

I've tried them in the past without much luck, but I think I'm the ony one I know who csan't get Tuberoses to bloom. Bill does send nice clumps... not small single bulbs, CLUMPS. Just sayin'

LOL--well, I don't see why we can't include tuberose in our buy, right?? (I made the mistake of looking--nooooooooo). They come in bags of 10 or a bag of 25. Who wants tuberose???

You all are terrible enablers!!

Catmint, Yehudith says she wants 20 and Coleup wants 3. So if you get the 25-bag, theres 2 left for you!

Oh thank you, thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the deer are lining up to throw darts at you. Man they hate those things!

The last time I had them they reproduced like rabbits on clomid who were doing invitro just to be sure. As I remember they came in along with the nicotiana.

OOOOO I can see them now with my lilies and nicotiana with the bed bordered by heliatrope "marine". The scents! The eye candy! And it will go all summer.

Maybe I should order some more!

Yehudith

Okay, added to the order:
bag of 25 tuberose
--20 Yehudith
--5 Catmint (3 for Coleup)

how's that sound? :-)

Yehudith, that sounds beautiful!

I hope you're able to take pictures this summer!