Parrot Plant

Hi All,
I stumbled onto Daves Garden by Googling. I was looking for info on my "Parrot Plant" It seems it is part of the Impatiens family, interesting!
As I have no trouble (like some) in striking cuttings & getting them to survive, I was thinking of trying to sell them. As they are "Rare & Exotic" I was hoping for a little side-line?
The problem is, how would I post them? I realise I would not be able to trade world-wide, cos of Customs, etc,. But some states allow sending of live Plants. How do I get info?

Hi Helen
You've found the right spot for info but I'm afraid I can't help you even though budgies are related to parrots. Stay tuned and I'm sure the good folk here will have answers.
Cheers
Steve

Hi Steve,
Thanks. Fingers crossed someone will have some advice.
Helen

Sorry, I meant to say, Kind regards
Helen

Helen,
Once you start here everyone will know you mean "kind regards" when you sign off. The answers will come.
Steve

Hello Helen. Nice to meet you. There are restrictions in posting plants to western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory but not in buying plants from those places. If you look on ebay, you will see most sellers state in their description that they will not send to those places. As for the actual posting process, I have had orchids and epiphyllums sent from Vic and SA to Qld in cardboard boxes, coolite (broccoli) boxes, cardboard tubes..some sellers use damp spaghnum moss or hand towel..shredded newspaper or coolite beads as packing. Express post can be good for the juicier plants as there is still the chance that they could be left in a hot post office and water and plastic bags can make nice compost. Good luck with your venture! ..and a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Cheers and ciao, Kat

Hi Kat,
Nice to met you too! Wow! Thank you soooo much for all the advice. I was thinking of sending to my family in NSW as an experiment, LOL! & see what works? I have something to work with now, I can't Thank you enough!
I hope you & your all have a Happy & Safe Christmas & New year 2009.
Warm Regards Helen

I meant to say "You & Yours"LOL!!! Sorry...Must remember the preview bit...hopefully I'll get the hang of it???
Cheers Helen

Helen ...it is a very interesting plant
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/12808/ I think if it were me I would seeif the seeds are plentiful and sell them as some folk in the plant files say it is hard to strike ...though others say it is easy.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/65089/
many of the ladies sell their plants on ebay here, perhaps one of them can advise you ...we usually trade plants here ...good luck with your venture ...a bright and merry christmas to you.

Hello Helen
My advice as a sometime seller on eBay is as Kat says. Use plenty of just moist paper towels around roots but not on stem area. I wrap the towel around the roots then wrap a small piece of gladwrap around to keep damp. Again no plastic on the stem area. Then wrap in newspaper or pack in plenty of shredded paper, plastic beads or whatever. I too would go for express post for soft plants. Chrissy has a good idea with trying the seeds, as they are so easy to post.
Sending to family is a good idea as you can try out various methods without having customers complain about losing a plant.
You will find lots of helpful advice on here and welcome. We hope to see you back again.
Visit us for a chat in the Tea Room. Jean.

Hi Chrissy & Jean,
Thank you so much for all your advice.
Sorry, I hadn't replied sooner, but we skipped town for a couple of days, LOL!!
Yes, I should try & get some seeds started & see what happens, great idea!!!
I was worried about how they'd post, if I sold them on ebay. I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone?
Looks like I should use all the suggestions & post them to my friends & rellos, all over the place!!
Maybe I'm jumping the gun & should start small with the local market!!
Thank you also, for the Welcome, I'll pop in soon & have a chat :)
Best Wishes to all,
Warm Regards
Helen in Wonnie! Vic,.

See Helen. Told you the answers would come.
Don't they know lots! Make sure you do pop in for a chat.
Hope you had a great Christmas.
Cheers
Steve

G'Day
What's a "Parrot Plant"? I would have thought that if it is a close relative of Impatiens it should root dead easy.
To Helens 5162. Why don't you do your trial shipments to the very capable people who replied to your request? They could then give you expert advice on how the plants stood up to the journey and if any improvements could be made in your packing etc. I'm sure they would not charge you any more for their advice than you charged them for the plants.
The photo if my guessing is right is of Cereus jamacaru and will have purple fruit up to 5" long. I intend to pollinate the flowers with pollen from my near by Echinopsis pachanoi to see if I can get fruit for positive identification.
Regards

Hi Stake,
Yes, I had thought of that, but wondered how I would get their address. Will I print my email ad & Kat,Steve,Chrissy, Jean & yourself can respond? I would be more than happy to send some & get feedback on the survival of the plant. As you can see by the pic, I have plenty of it!! I don't have any trouble with it taking root, just keep it damp & sheltered. The pic is a lot that self-sowed itself!!! My original pot came from a rello in Cairns & some bits got broken off when it got tall, they were 'shoved in' & took as well.
Cheers Helen

G'Day Helens5162
No good sending me anything, I'm a champion killer of cuttings.
The way to make contact with individuals is to send a D-Mail i.e. an E-Mail from inside Daves Garden the message is passed onto the Addressee via DGs Admin.
If the recipient is interested then they can respond the same way and give you their postal address. I'll send you a D-Mail so you can see what I mean.
Regards

Hi Stake,
Thanks for the tips. I would make sure the cuttings where struck in tubes, before I posted them. And hey, if I can get them to survive, anyone can, LOL!!!
By sheltered, I meant, under a pergola or something like that, for filtered sunlight.
I have given a lot of them away, some don't survive, but that's only cos they forget to keep them damp.
Bye for now,
Helen

Hello Helen. Yes, send us a D-mail and we'll respond in kind. I am happy to trade / swap practically anything.
Come over to the Tea Room and have a chat sometime. We love new visitors. .We also love to see new garden pics.
Steve has found out we don't bite and it's fun to visit over the back fence in the virtual world.
Jean.

Hi Jean,
I posted to Tearoom #21, is that right? Still fumbling around this great site & trying to absorb all the info. Thanks heaps for your patience, but it might take me a while to get the hang of it?
Cheers Helen
PS the pic is my original pot of "Parrots" its easily 10 years old & has had bits broken off & re-grown all these years :)

Hi Helen ...it is a very bright and chirpy looking plant ...if you will excuse the pun ...I guess it would need very warm humid shade and moist but not waterlogged medium to grow in am I right? ...if there is enough to share I would like to try it (who wouldn't) but like I said many gardeners state that they can't get it to grow ...so if it were me I would aim for seeds ...do you get seeds?
Anyway just for the record the folk here are very good at growing out plants so it is in safe hands ...if I get it to grow I will try for seeds and send them back to you. Meanwhile have a look around and we will swap ...with you.

it does look interesting. very unusual. i too would love to try them if you have any to spare. my garden needs so many more plants as i have only had my garden for about 15mths now and still have heaps of areas to fill.
shelly

Hi Chrissy & Shelly,
Yes, you are right Chrissy. As the plant is originally from Tropical North Queensland, not many people down here in Mexico have seen it. That is why I was hoping for the side-line???$$$???? It does like to be kept damp, but I don't run around & check on it.
It must just be, in the perfect, humid spot, under the pergola. I'm lucky, eh!!
I just pulled a Parrot (gently, LOL!!!) apart, I cannot see any seeds. It would be great to find out where the seeds are?
To Shelley, I'm more than happy to share & will send you a D-mail.
Maybe, I'm getting the hang of this?
I do get busy with family, so I will pop back in when I can.
Warm Regards
Helen
PS. I will post more pics tomorrow, when my son is at work. It slows his connection down & I get in trouble for doing too much!!!:(

Hi Shelley,
It seems I am over my limit for D-Mails. I will send to you tomorrow.
Regards Helen

Hi Shelly,
I have your ad now, so I can send you a Parrot cutting later in the week.

Kat, it seems I am over my D-Mail limit. If you would like to D-Mail me your ad, I want to send to you, also, to Thank you for all your help.
I might see how they go with normal post. Then if that's not successful, I will send by Express post. It probably depends how far they have to go.
Have a great day,
Regards
Helen

Hi Helen , I have just looked at your "bits" ... Sue (sells her plants like that) has success with jade plant ...just little 4" bits into nice little pots and picks the bits that look like a little bonsai thingy. I would put a sign on your parrot babies saying "rare" ...most buyers love "rare" ...good luck. You were asking about seeds ...if they are seed like the normal impatients they will form little pods where the base of the flower was ...you may need to place something over these pods as they may fling the seeds off at the touch of a ripe pod like the normal ones do.
chrissy

Hi Chrissy,
Thanks. Yes, I might go & put a bag over some of them & see if I can "collect" something?
I was also going to do a flyer of info, for people to read about the Parrots, care, etc,.
I had kept the previous ebay blurb, on them being rare & exotic.
Will send you some soon.
Regards Helen