Comments regarding Kartuz Greenhouses

I just received some hoyas from Kartuz. It took about 8-9 weeks, but they are great plants. I inquired about my order and was promptly answered in an email. They were waiting for some of my orders plants to root. They shipped the ones immediately that were ready. I will definitely order again.

I sent an order for $108. The plants were small with very little root systems. None of the plants made it. I've sent two e-mails that remain unanswered.

This was my first order with this company. The plants are healthy and about the size I would expect for mailorder. My only complaint is that it took a month to get them. To their credit, they did not charge my card until the day they shipped. I would order from them again.

I recently purchased 3 iochroma's from Kartuz's and a week later they arrived...it may not even been a week. They were in excellent condition. Very healthy impressive plants as well. Thank you Kartuz Greenhouses.

Coming from a long line of botanists and plant collectors and therefor not one easily impressed, I consider that my recent visit to Kartuz's greenhouses in Vista was well worth my six-hour drive across the Mojave Desert to get there. The nursery is basically a two man operation most of the time, yet there was quite an extensive and most interesting selection of plant materials to be had including many rare or hard to find varieties. Mike's collection is quite obviously the fruit of many decades of work.
I would highly recommend this supplier to the more advanced collector if for no other reason that there simply are selections of plant material here that are not generally available elsewhere (and if on occasion one happens to find that the long-awaited mail order plants they recieve are a bit small, it should be considered also that the asking price was also small).
Those who are able to schedule a visit to Kartuz's will find an informative and accomodating host, and several greenhouses and lathe houses about the property lined with benches groaning under the weight of plant varieties that will make one want take home everything. It is one of those 'magical' places where something is growing everywhere to the delight of weekend gardeners and more advanced plant enthusiasts alike.

I'm very happy with my purchase! Granted, the Deppea plants were only about 2 inches tall, but where else can you find them online? And for only $10!!! Everything arrived with just the normal shipping stress, and quickly recovered. A few of the plants were much larger than I expected! I received the plants within 2 weeks. I have, and will continue to recommend Kartuz, and look forward to many future purchases. Is it just me? Or do they just seem to have everything that I'm looking for, at a very fair price, and honest shipping rates!

I have ordered from Kartuz Nursery before and have had a positive experience. The plants I received are always well rooted and healthy. To the person who ordered a Deppa Splendens, I also ordered the same plant and it is doing very well in my garden. The only complaint I would have is that they are slow in sending orders and they need to pack their mercendise more carefully.

I ordered quite a number of plants from this vendor last spring, mostly hoyas. I had heard that it took a while to get the plants, but I was willing to wait since the hoyas I ordered were not readily available from many vendors. Well, I waited and waited. I called. I waited. I called again. I was told that the hoyas I wanted were not available. Why wasn't I told this sooner? Anyway, I received my order minus the hoyas. The plants were very small. Two immediately died. The others are all doing well, although I believe that several of the plants did not have good root systems when shipped to me and resulted in slow growth while the root system developed. I don't believe I would order from this vendor again.

I ordered about 10 plants from this company. They arrived in good shape and I am pleased with them. I would order from them again.

May 13, 2004
Dear Customer Service

I just received my order and am pleased with the CONDITION of the plants. However, I am extremely disappointed that three of the items ordered were out of stock.

I had placed this order on March 2 and received an email that the items were in stock and reserved. It is hard to believe that three of the items were already out of stock. Yet, even if they were, it seems unfair to wait until May 13 for me to find out that they were not available. Had you known in March, and had I been told, I would have found these items elsewhere. It is now too late in the season to start looking and ordering elsewhere.

The purpose of placing pre-season orders is to guarantee availability. If this cannot be done, there is no reason to ever order early - especially since it took two months and two weeks for the plants to be sent.

As stated originally, I am pleased with the quality of your items and having just received them a half hour ago, hope they take properly.

xxxxxxxxx
From Kartuz on March 3, 2004
Thank you for your order. We have most of your selections and will
substitute the "outs" with similar plants according to your specifications.
We plan on shipping in the spring when the weather in your area warms up.
Thanks again.

I have ordered many plants from Mike, when send order heard that received order and thank you. I have ordered every type of plant he has, Always happy with plants and customer service has been great. My husband does bonsia trees, he ordered from him after seeing my plants.
going to order my second order this year.
Sincerely
Marlene Motz

I've ordered from Kartuz for yrs and have always had a positive experience. Today I sent off my 1st order this yr which will not be my last.
Last yrs order was a collection of Brugmansias which survived our Winter. The 'Charles Grimaldi' is now over waist-high!
Sincerely,
PT Duffy
FWB, Florida

I emailed an order in early January and received an immediate automatic confirmation by email. The next day I received a personal email thanking me for my order. The plants arrived two weeks later, in very good shape. OVerall, I am very pleased with this company and plan to order again.

After waiting 8 WEEKS for my order of 4 plants I finally gave up and notified the company by email that I would like to cancel due to the lateness and end of our growing season. I did NOT receive a response, however a shipment arrived in 2 days (what a coincidence) and included 3 very small plants; one was a substitute which I did not agree to. Of course I was promptly billed. I can't believe someone would risk their reputation and business for $33.00.
Definitely wouldn't order from this company again.

I've had, overall, a good experience. I ordered from them knowing it might take a while to receive them, so 6 weeks was no big deal to me. I called to change credit card numbers (as the one I sent them had been stolen and cancelled), and spoke with a very friendly person. The plants were sent within 2 days and arrived in good condition. Not overly large, but decent size and healthy. A few yellowed leaves, but I'm not so daft as to think they sent unhealthy plants. Yellow leaves are to be expected when receiving mail order plants (not to mention, I'd be lying if I said none of my 500+ potted plants have any yellow leaves, lol). They've got healthy new growth on them and I can tell the plants are in good shape.

They've got quite a large selection and I do plan to order from them again.

I'd rate this merchant as "positive", only barely so. The plants I received were beautifully and securely packed. The plants themselves were small, but not excessively so, and in good condition and good health. What makes the difference between an unequivocal "positive" and this borderline "positive" is the length of time it took to receive my order.

To his credit, Mike Kartuz does not bill until the day of shipping, but I thought that 8 weeks from time of order until receipt was a bit much. I would have liked to have my plants about a month ago.

Will I be a return customer? Most likely--but I will take care to place my order a full two months before I would like said order to arrive, with specific instructions as to a shipping date/week.

Plants small, but well rooted. I would have liked better top growth. Order info on site says should take four to six weeks, but took ten!

Their potting mix is horrible, but I repot as soon as plants arrive. I have lost plants of theirs previously when I tried to keep them in the original pots for as little as five weeks.

However, they offer plants not available elsewhere. I would order from again, but only for items I cannot get anywhere else.

I emailed them a simple question. "What is the size of container your Bougainvilleas come in because I didn't see a size listed."

That was 2 weeks ago. I had written them back on June 7th via email at 10am to inform them that I never received a response upon my question.

I told them what the question was, then let them know that I was disappointed for not receiving a response. I informed them that I rate companies on customer service. I let them know how important customer service is to me. Whether it is on the phone, via email, or in person. I also expect responses from companies at least in 2 business days.

In that email, June 7th, (not from their website-I like to have my own personal copy) I let them know that I purchased 2 Bougainvilleas elsewhere online. I informed them that they lost a possible sale. If they would have responded to my emails I might have decided to purchase from them.

I even decided to give them a deadline to respond to my emails. I let them know that I would expect an answer to my question no later than Wednesday, June 11th, or I will shop elsewhere.

Well today is the 11th of June and I never received a response. Therefore I forwarded my old email with today's current letter (so both emails will be together for proof) I informed them again about the question, I repeated the question, and informed them I would shop elsewhere.

I ordered 3 Pink Chinese Jasmines from Kartuz Greenhouses. Although it took a few weeks to receive them they were in excellent condition when they arrived and were blooming within a month. Will reorder from them in the future.

Each time I've ordered Passiflora spp. from this company, they've been strong and healthy. Mike Kartuz responded to my inquiries quickly. My orders have arrived more quickly than average (when dealing with other mailorder companies). This is my favorite mailorder company and I have no doubt I'll order from them many times more.

Fall '02 mail order was a good experience. Well-established and healthy plants, small to moderate-sized, good value, packed very well. My only quibble would be that the order took a few weeks longer than expected.
I'd do business with them again.

I have placed at least a dozen orders with this company. This company is always prompt,friendly and helpful. The plants received have always been excellent; healthy, large plants often in bloom or bud, each plant expertly packed.This company's printed and on-line cataloge are always a delight.Prices are most often a bit lower then other nurseries as well.I highly recommend Kartuz Greenhouses.

I visited the company yesterday. Mike was courteous and very helpful in answering all of my questions, esp. concerning the propogation of Passiflora and Brugmansia. He spent an hour with me showing me around his greenhouses, and discussing the various Passiflora, Brugmansia, and Aristolochia species he has available. His selection of unusual plants was refreshing, and his prices were reasonable too - all in all a very pleasant experience.

I received my order in early June. The plants were very small and the leaves very yellow. I emailed the seller to tell him of their condition and that I was unsure if they would make it. Evidently, he felt he had no obligation to me to be even courteous for he did not even respond. Interesting how fast they respond when you are placing an order but once they have your money they seem to have no interest any more. Luckily, after repotting and some TLC all have made it but his total lack of interest in my complaint still irks me though I guess he already knew the condition of the plants he sent me and I think had he any concern for me he would not have sent them in the first place!

Just got my order yesterday. Plants arrived in great shape and I'm delighted with them. I'll definately buy again!

Their on-line catalog has a number of terrarium-suitable plants I have seen nowhere else. However, you cannot order on-line. You must print out an order form, fill it out and mail it in. I did so the first time this year and waited about a month without hearing anything -no order acknowledgment, no expected shipping date, nothing. Then a Priority mail package showed up and inside was everything I had ordered. They were healthy large size plants, expertly packaged, and in nearly perfect condition. Despite my earlier reservations, the payoff is the plants; and they came through in spades. I'll be ordering again.

I ordered from this company last year and had a great experience with them. My first order didn't arrive and of course I finally wrote to them. Come to find out they didn't receive my order in the first place. Mike took my order and sent it out within a few weeks time and the plants were wonderful when they arrived. Great size, color, etc. Couldn't ask for anything better. He has wonderful passifloras and allamandas as well as other tropical plants. I'll shop there again.

Brugie

Kartuz's specialties are begonias (huge selection), gesneriads, and many other kinds of exotic and tropical plants. I should probably disclose that I know the owner, Michael Kartuz. Although I've never ordered from him, he has an excellent reputation.