Check this e-bay offering out
- Thread starter Bob in Albany N.Y.
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Ernie
Guest
Good job Darren.
Darren, I can't help but notice that this plant is still being advertised as Baden's Blue x Gulfstream when in fact the tag on the plant in the photo states July Fourth x Amazing Grace.
The other violacea which you just sold a couple of days ago as being July 4th x Amazing Grace showed the photo of a plant which was tagged as Baden's Blue x Gulfstream.
Everything else, however, is truly starting to look a helluva lot better!
Now I'll have to start watching for something I might want to buy.
The other violacea which you just sold a couple of days ago as being July 4th x Amazing Grace showed the photo of a plant which was tagged as Baden's Blue x Gulfstream.
Everything else, however, is truly starting to look a helluva lot better!
Now I'll have to start watching for something I might want to buy.
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darren0987
Guest
I understand the confusion, however when I went in to change it, ebay restricted it because it was too close to the end of the auction time. The tag is correct on that particular plant. I will see what I can do, but where edits show up at this point may be placed on the ad in an obscure place. I will try though. The mistake happend when I was creating templates of species plants and did notice that we had two different violaceas we were working with. Thanks for your input, I am really trying hard and I give refunds if I have too when I make mistakes.
Thanks
Darren
Thanks
Darren
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darren0987
Guest
I put the information about the violacea in the ad. If you go to it now, you can see what I am saying. The change will probably not even be seen because it is at the very bottom of the page. A lot of ebayers bid then read the ad from what I have noticed. Nearly all the time we send the plants we take the pictures of, however if something happens to that particular plant, we always send a larger better plant or give a full refund with no questions asked. I am 100 percent sure the tag is right, which you can see in the picture. It is vague and still an accident, but what you see in the ad pictures is what you get, so this should not be a huge issue (at least I hope).
Thanks
Darren
Thanks
Darren
I think both buyers (the bidder on this auction and the bidder on your previously ended violacea auction) will probably be happy as long as each receives the actual plant shown in the photos on the auction page where the winning bid was placed. This mixup between these two plants was a problem I pointed out here in this thread in one of the posts I made way back on September 5th, three days before the first auction ended and eight days before the second one ended today. I probably should have called or contacted you via eBay in order to more quickly and effectively bring the problem directly to your attention.
Things are truly looking much better now on your auction pages -- more professional, less errors, less confusion!
On another note...
Do you happen to know how many awards Hilltop has gotten over the years for their plants? I've found one so far, Phal Black Peoker 'Rich's Ruby' AM/AOS, which is said to have originated from Hilltop.
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darren0987
Guest
Phalaenopsis Darrin Nathan Wells (Phalaenopsis Flight of Birds x Phalaenopsis Carolina Red Aileen) 2001 Midamerica monthly judging. HCC/AOS 79pts
Phalaenopsis Hilltop Rich (Phalaenopsis Carolina Red Aileen x Phalaenopsis Golden Bells) 2002 HCC/AOS 75pts (Hilltop Hybrid)
Phalaenopsis Hilltop's Jewel (Phalaenopsis Golden Peoker x Phalaenopsis John Ewing) 2007 Midamerica monthly judging AM/AOS 81 pts
Doritaenopsis Linda's Rosey Cheeks (Doritaenopsis Memoria Alice Ainsworth x Phalaenopsis Cathay) AM/AOS Cincinnati (Hilltop Hybrid) 80 pts
Phalaenopsis Sandy's Cottontop (Phalaenopsis Sandy Wells x Phalaenopsis Land O' Cotton) HCC/AOS 77 pts Midamerica 2005
Phalaenopsis Shelby Katelyn (Phalaenopsis Golden Music x Phalaenopsis King's Ransom) 2 awards. One by Hilltop, One by a customer. HCC/AOS 2001
Thats what I know off hand. I think there are more, but I will have to ask Dick. Who knows, there is so much breeding that it is hard to track anymore. Hope this helps. Also, yes if you need my attention it is easy to catch me on ebay messages. They go striaght to email as well.
Thanks
Darren
Phalaenopsis Hilltop Rich (Phalaenopsis Carolina Red Aileen x Phalaenopsis Golden Bells) 2002 HCC/AOS 75pts (Hilltop Hybrid)
Phalaenopsis Hilltop's Jewel (Phalaenopsis Golden Peoker x Phalaenopsis John Ewing) 2007 Midamerica monthly judging AM/AOS 81 pts
Doritaenopsis Linda's Rosey Cheeks (Doritaenopsis Memoria Alice Ainsworth x Phalaenopsis Cathay) AM/AOS Cincinnati (Hilltop Hybrid) 80 pts
Phalaenopsis Sandy's Cottontop (Phalaenopsis Sandy Wells x Phalaenopsis Land O' Cotton) HCC/AOS 77 pts Midamerica 2005
Phalaenopsis Shelby Katelyn (Phalaenopsis Golden Music x Phalaenopsis King's Ransom) 2 awards. One by Hilltop, One by a customer. HCC/AOS 2001
Thats what I know off hand. I think there are more, but I will have to ask Dick. Who knows, there is so much breeding that it is hard to track anymore. Hope this helps. Also, yes if you need my attention it is easy to catch me on ebay messages. They go striaght to email as well.
Thanks
Darren
Justin
Well-Known Member
I have a few nice plants in my collection that originated with Hilltop...Oakland Nursery here in Columbus seems to get a lot from the them wholesale. I have a P. Macabre from Hilltop via a fellow OS member that I really like.
SlipperFan
Addicted
I have purchased quite a few nice plants from Dick over the years. One I posted not long ago, Phal. mannii: http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17406&highlight=mannii
Dick has his strengths and weaknesses, just like the rest of us. He is a good grower, although I would not use the same growing media he has used in the past, but I would not bad-mouth him.
Dick has his strengths and weaknesses, just like the rest of us. He is a good grower, although I would not use the same growing media he has used in the past, but I would not bad-mouth him.
I suspected he was a pretty good grower. Seems like I've seen him at the GLOS in the past. I just questioned the way things were going with those eBay auctions there at first. They really didn't leave a good impression. Now, however, things are looking much better in that regard.
I still don't care for the $10+ packing fee as listed at the Hilltop website, a fee which is in addition to the actual shipping charges, but I do understand time and expense are involved in packing and shipping. I just think the fee is a bit much. Maybe I'm out of touch.
Indeed we all have our strengths and weaknesses, Dot. :wink:
:noangel: <- me
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Justin
Well-Known Member
Now that i think about it i have a lot of plants from Hilltop--like i said they wholesale to a local nursery here, and sometimes it is hard to pass up something nice in bloom when I stop in.
As someone here mentioned, Hilltop seems to grow everything in "mud" (pro-mix, which is peat-based medium with perlite). It is not a bad system for orchids if you know how to water with it. I actually keep the plants in that mix for catts and oncidiae in smaller pots. Paphs and phals, or oncidium in larger pots, I repot out into my usual bark mix. I can also vouch for the quality of their pot-plant-market orchids -always nice blooms.
As someone here mentioned, Hilltop seems to grow everything in "mud" (pro-mix, which is peat-based medium with perlite). It is not a bad system for orchids if you know how to water with it. I actually keep the plants in that mix for catts and oncidiae in smaller pots. Paphs and phals, or oncidium in larger pots, I repot out into my usual bark mix. I can also vouch for the quality of their pot-plant-market orchids -always nice blooms.
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darren0987
Guest
I agree with the heavy mix that Dick was using made it a little more difficult to grow for most people, however he has a setup that makes it work. We all know that everybodys growing conditions are different. I found the best way to fine tune your growing is to get some cheap plants (A few dollars) that don't look so good and try to bring them back to health using a very specific method that you create. Of course, there will be some that will die, but when one thrives, you know that you are on to something.
Also, Dick has changed just recently to a slightly lighter mud mix and added about 20 percent rice husks. This really helped and made the plants grow like mad. I will say, I have seen some really wierd potting mixes, but nothing like this before, nor have I seen a change in potting mixes make this big of improvements on the plants.
Also, Dick has changed just recently to a slightly lighter mud mix and added about 20 percent rice husks. This really helped and made the plants grow like mad. I will say, I have seen some really wierd potting mixes, but nothing like this before, nor have I seen a change in potting mixes make this big of improvements on the plants.
Is their $10 fee per plant or per shipment?
Justin
Well-Known Member
That's interesting. I have also found that additional perlite also makes a good ammendment to pro-mix.
Packing and shipping charges are calculated from the subtotal of the order at the rate of 5% for packing fee plus the direct cost for shipping, with a minimum of $10 as the packing fee. The customer assumes all liablity for the plant(s) unless they choose USPS Express Mail® service and allow Hilltop decide when to ship. These terms apply only to their website and not to the way their eBay sales are currently configured.
I'm really torn on this aspect of it. I guess I can see how it's worth it if the plant or plants arrive undamaged, but I still think the fee is somewhat high and should be more flexible for smaller orders. I am sympathetic with their need to control costs and maintain a profit, but in the USA during these tough economic times, customers are struggling too. A competitor who offers great plants and cheaper shipping will be more likely to make the sale. Some people only order one plant at a time. Others order several to be delivered all at once.
SlipperFan
Addicted
The last time I talked with Dick, he acknowledged that many people have trouble with his mix. Yes, it is now modified. I still don't care for it for mature plants, but I really like it for seedlings -- it's light and moisture-retentive. But even so, I do tend to add a little sponge rock to it to make it more airy.
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darren0987
Guest
The way Hilltop charges for packing is really not much different than other people on e-bay or the internet. They use specific boxes for their plants, use the softest cotton they can find to protect the buds, bamboo stakes with butterfly clips or twist ties; which ever is better for that particular plant. In addition, the air space is filled with the soft peanuts. With all of that material used, the charge would be 7 dollars. Very small plants we only charge 4-5 dollars. If another plant can fit into the same box it is 2 dollars. A third in the same box 2 dollars.......and so on. Once a new box is needed full shipping will be paid again. Some boxes for tall Phals. are 12x12x36 so they can get expensive. Ill answer as many questions as you all have. There are some nice plants for sale right now.
Thanks
Darren
That's not what it says on their website, but I do respect their need to recoup packing costs. The packing fees you have quoted above are more reasonable. I don't know how other sellers still manage to do it for less, but some of them do. Most likely some other sellers incorporate some of their packing costs into the prices of their plants. Hillside's website clearly states that packing and shipping charges are calculated from the subtotal of the order at the rate of 5% for packing fee plus the direct cost for shipping, with a minimum of $10 to be charged per order as the packing fee in addition to the actual cost of shipping. The customer assumes all liablity for the plant(s) unless they choose USPS 2nd Day Air (Express Mail®) as the method for shipping and allow Hilltop to decide when to ship. Based on those policies, the cost for packing and shipping one plant could effectively bump up the real price of a single plant quite substantially over its catalog list price. I'm not saying all this just to be picky. I'm just saying that the fees you have quoted above are in fact lower than the fees which are listed at the website, and the packing fees listed at the website really do "feel" a bit pricey. I'm just saying...for whatever it's worth. Others may not feel the same about this as I do. The only reason we are even talking about any of this now is because of the initial problems which drew everyone's attention in the first place. Things are improving now, however, and we can see it. :wink:
I'm heading off now to check out what you have for sale this week on eBay and at the website. :clap:
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Ernie
Guest
Any box over a cubic foot or where the L+W+H is greater than 36" will be a little pricey via USPS if it's going more than a state or four away. USPS has flat rate boxes that do okay for plants that aren't too tall, but most plants are lighter than would make the flat rate a bargain- great for supplies though. For taller plants, they offer shipping "tubes" that work great. All these shipping supplies are free at the USPS web site. Just don't abuse the generosity or the free-ness might go away. For anything over a cubic foot, FedEx is the next best. USPS is very easy because you know what you pay up front. With our FedEx account, we often get billed a little different than our quote at ship time. And it takes weeks to see the charge sometimes. If you walk it into a FedEx Kinkos, you know the price when you pay the cashier, but it's usually more than doing it online. They have different prices for self-serve online w and w/o an account #, walk in a FedEx store w and w/o and account #, and walk in an actual FedEx facility w and w/o an account #.
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
I see there is a villosum now on Hilltop's listing, but for a really high price...something like $69? I hope its awarded....otherwise, no villsoum should cost that much. I got one of similar size from Clackamas this year for maybe $10, and much less shipping.
