/ Register

Welcome to OrchidsForum.com. We are a friendly online community for Orchid Growers all over the world. If you haven't joined yet we invite you to register and join our community. Hope to see you on our forums!

Ordering flasks from Ecuagenera?

Discussion in 'Orchid Vendor FYI' started by Gabriel Urbina, Jan 25, 2021.

  1. Jan 25, 2021 #1
    Gabriel Urbina

    Gabriel Urbina Active Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    103
    Location:
    Chicago , IL
    Has anyone ordered any during this pandemic? I have my eye on a few mini species, but prices are fairly high for some and i am worried they would not travel well. What have your experiences been?
     
  2. Jan 25, 2021 #2
    Alex Shepack

    Alex Shepack Active Member

    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    238
    I've ordered several flasks from them during the pandemic. I had a couple shipped to me and they arrived fine (when I lived in Miami). The others I picked up at their greenhouse and they were always in good shape. I actually have a few coming from them on this shipment, so we'll see how well they ship from Florida to Indiana! It sounds like they'll be here next week? I can let you know how they look.
    What are you hoping to get?
     
    Gabriel Urbina likes this.
  3. Jan 25, 2021 #3
    Gabriel Urbina

    Gabriel Urbina Active Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    103
    Location:
    Chicago , IL
    Some lepanthes and platystele species. Hopefully the ones I want are still available.
    Thanks! Let me know how yours arrive. I did make an order from them a week ago, getting all my plants in March, so I have a month to decide if i want to add anything. I am in Illinois, so similar weather to yours.
     
  4. Jan 25, 2021 #4
    Raven

    Raven Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    587
    Location:
    Midwest
    I stopped ordering flasks from them. I was really pleased with them in the past (2-3 years ago) but recently the quality of their flasks went downhill. Out of the 8 flasks that I ordered from them in 2020, 4 arrived with tiny immature seedlings. Looked like they started selling them as soon as they transferred those from the mother flask onto a fresh medium.
     
    Gabriel Urbina likes this.
  5. Jan 25, 2021 #5
    Raven

    Raven Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    587
    Location:
    Midwest
    I always thought that they import to the US every two weeks... How are you getting your order in March then if you already placed it?
     
  6. Jan 25, 2021 #6
    Alex Shepack

    Alex Shepack Active Member

    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    238
    They seem to have spread out their imports at the moment - I think because of the cold weather.

    I have similar observations to Raven. I have only ordered Lepanthes and Trisetella flasks from them, but you will "get what you pay for." The more expensive flasks tend to have older/larger plants in them while the cheaper ones are much smaller. I have some that I got 6 months ago that are still not ready to deflask yet. I have also gotten some that were ready immediately, but most need a fair amount of additional time. Overall, I'm happy with the quality and it has allowed me to get some species that would otherwise be fairly hard to find - but I think some of what I currently have will need a total of 8-10 months of additional growth before I can pull them.
     
    Gabriel Urbina likes this.
  7. Jan 25, 2021 #7
    Gabriel Urbina

    Gabriel Urbina Active Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    103
    Location:
    Chicago , IL
    I was wondering too, I'm not exactly upset about it though because it is winter and it would be safer for the plants I ordered. Though i've not had issues when a heatpack was used. My guess is that they may have received complaints from people who ordered over winter and may have had issues with USPS shipping on time. I ordered a day after their last cut off (January 16th). Their site no longer says twice a month though. Now it just says every month.
     
  8. Jan 25, 2021 #8
    Gabriel Urbina

    Gabriel Urbina Active Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    103
    Location:
    Chicago , IL
    Did any of the flasks you guys ordered with immature seedlings require replating?
     
  9. Jan 25, 2021 #9
    Raven

    Raven Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    587
    Location:
    Midwest
    The problem with their immature flasks is that 1. they shake in transit 2. some of them require replanting 3. they contaminated if left for a long time to mature (probably because of some hardcore shaking while in transit).
     
    Alex Shepack likes this.
  10. Jan 25, 2021 #10
    Raven

    Raven Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    587
    Location:
    Midwest
    I got a flask of Dracula a year ago that needed to be replated and is still not ready to be deflasked.
     
  11. Jan 25, 2021 #11
    Alex Shepack

    Alex Shepack Active Member

    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    238
    I have not had to replate any of them yet, they have (knock on wood) not turned up contaminated. But, I do fear about seedling loss because my conditions are far less consistent than their flask room I think.

    I will say - I've been happy with my experiences so far. But, there is certainly a lot of risk to it...
     
  12. Jan 25, 2021 #12
    Gabriel Urbina

    Gabriel Urbina Active Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    103
    Location:
    Chicago , IL
    That's my main worry, i've had issues like this with other imported flasks. I don't have the space or resources to replate. So I ended up saving what I could and , generally, most very small seedlings did not make it. Sounds like it may be too much of a gamble at this time.